HEALTH AND FITNESS

The Concepts and Components of Health and Fitness

The Concepts and Components of Health and Fitness

Part A

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization, health does not simply mean the absence of infirmity or disease; rather it refers to the state of complete physical, psychological as well as social well-being. Over the years, a great deal of research done in the field has concluded that indulging in activities such as exercise can help an individual to maintain his good health which ultimately leads to the maintenance of overall well-being.

In medical sciences, the term exercise can be defined as any structures and / or repetitive physical activity performed or practiced where the main intention is to achieve improved physical fitness. In most of the developed countries, however, the aspect of physical inactivity has become increasingly prevalent, which has ultimately led to the establishment of physical inactivity as a major health problem worldwide. As demonstrated by medical literature, there are numerous beneficial influences of exercise and physical activity in terms of various health outcomes, which are comprised of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (Wright & Macdonald, 2010, pp. 23 - 46).

The potential Benefits of Exercise

Exercise favourably impacts multiple systems and health outcomes. A graded relationship between exercise and the development of common chronic conditions (including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer disease, and some cancers) has been observed, such that greater exercise in midlife was associated with compression of morbidity in later years with a decreased risk of multiple chronic conditions in the last five years of life

The Benefits of Exercise among People of Different Age Groups

Young People

The group of young people can be defined as comprising of children who belong to the age range of 5 - 18 years old. There are a variety of points to consider about this group. Children have different body shapes. If a child is fat and muscular, than he or she may be taller and heavier than friends, and will mature earlier and so stop growing earlier, which is why eventually, such children grow into shorter and much heavily built adults. A thin child, on the other hand, will take longer to mature, but may develop into a taller adult (Dishman, O'Connor & Tomporowski, 2013, pp. 78 - 91).

Moreover, girls and boys have different body shapes. Boys are usually larger than girls and, in general, have less body fat. Those boys who mature early tend to be strong and more naturally able than those with average or delayed maturity. On the contrary, girls who mature early are generally less naturally able in sports than those who are delayed in maturity (who tend to have leaner physiques). From this, we can understand that boys and girls show the ability at different stages of development, and it is the onset of puberty, which begins these changes (Kolt & ?Snyder - Mackler, 2007, pp. 111 - 132).

Recommended Amount of Exercise for Young People

Doctors and other medical experts recommend that children ...