Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of physical inactivity approaches that of cigarette smoking. The prevalence and substantial disease risk associated with physical inactivity has been described as a pandemic. The prevalence, health impact, and evidence of changeability all have resulted in calls for action to increase physical activity across the lifespan. In response to the need to find ways to make physical activity a health priority for youth, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment was formed. Its purpose was to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school, and examine the influences of physical activity and physical education on the short and long term physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. Educating the Student Body makes recommendations about approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment. This report lays out a set of guiding principles to guide its work on these tasks. These included: recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long physical activity habits in children; the value of using systems thinking in improving physical activity and physical education in the school environment; the recognition of current disparities in opportunities and the need to achieve equity in physical activity and physical education; the importance of considering all types of school environments; the need to take into consideration the diversity of students as recommendations are developed. This report will be of interest to local and national policymakers, school officials, teachers, and the education community, researchers, professional organizations, and parents interested in physical activity, physical education, and health for school-aged children and adolescents.

One of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Exercise!

Go beyond aging theories and examine the physiological and physical impacts of aging. Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults takes a close look at the physical implications of the aging process and how health, physical activity, and exercise interact in aging adults. With an international team of contributors composed of leading experts from across the field of gerontology, Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults delivers comprehensive, interdisciplinary coverage of the physical aging process and its effects on movement and exercise. Research on the physiological and physical implications of aging is presented, focusing on study outcomes and their practical application in optimizing healthy aging. Presented in an integrated and cohesive manner, this text is organized into four parts. Part I covers the theoretical foundations of biological aging, the implications of aging theories on medical research, and the social and economic impacts of demographic shifts due to population aging and global population size. Part II addresses age-related changes to the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and endocrine systems. Part III covers the physical effects of aging on other dimensions of life, including balance, motor control, and physical functions. Part IV focuses on exercise and older adults, taking an in-depth look at exercise measurements and the main barriers to regular exercise. One full chapter is devoted to recommendations for optimizing health for the general public, while another chapter is focused on performance by elite older athletes who exercise beyond functional fitness. Chapter objectives, end-of-chapter summaries, and review questions highlight key concepts and promote learning retention. Behavior Check sidebars look at the impacts of aging on behavior, how behavior affects physical health and activity, and how changes in behavior can improve everyday living. Functional Fitness Checkup sidebars focus on the performance of daily movements that are vital for older adults who want to maintain their physical independence. Putting It Into Practice elements provide examples of real-life application of the concepts presented, facilitating a practical understanding of how to use the content to benefit clients. A definitive resource for students and health care professionals who study physical aging, conduct clinical research, or work with older adults as clients and patients, Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults helps readers understand the aging process and its effects on movement, exercise, and other dimensions of life.

The book tells the story of how we never evolved to exercise - to do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health. Using his own research and experiences throughout the world, the author recounts how and why humans evolved to walk, run, dig, and do other necessary and rewarding physical activities while avoiding needless exertion. Drawing on insights from biology and anthropology, the author suggests how we can make exercise more enjoyable, rather that shaming and blaming people for avoiding it

"This compilation discusses how low levels of physical activity and excess body weight are considered key health risks in modern societies. This may be attributed to changes in the social and built environment, along with technical advances that reduced the requirement for physical activity in daily living. The authors investigate population aging, the physiology of aging, and the prescription of physical activity for the elderly. In addition, the effects of oxidative stress on skeletal muscle during high-intense resistance training are studied, particularly focusing on reactive oxygen species"--

Intro -- Foreword -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Part I: Nutritional Care in Geriatrics -- 1: Overview of Nutrition Care in Geriatrics and Orthogeriatrics -- 1.1 Defining Malnutrition -- 1.2 Nutrition Care in Older Adults: A Complex and Necessary Challenge -- 1.3 Malnutrition: A Truly Wicked Problem -- 1.4 Building the Rationale for Integrated Nutrition Care -- 1.5 Managing the Wicked Nutrition Problems with a SIMPLE Approach (or Other Tailored Models) -- 1.5.1 Keep It SIMPLE When Appropriate -- 1.5.2 A SIMPLE Case Example -- 1.5.2.1 S-Screen for Malnutrition -- 1.5.2.2 I-Interdisciplinary Assessment -- 1.5.2.3 M-Make the Diagnosis (es) -- 1.5.2.4 P-Plan with the Older Adult -- 1.5.2.5 L-Implement Interventions -- 1.5.2.6 E-Evaluate Ongoing Care Requirements -- 1.6 Bringing It All Together: Integrated Nutrition Care Across the Four Pillars of (Ortho) Geriatric Care -- 1.7 Summary: Finishing Off with a List of New Questions -- References -- Recommended Reading -- 2: Nutritional Requirements in Geriatrics -- 2.1 Nutritional Recommendations for Older Adults, Geriatric and Orthogeriatric Patients -- 2.2 Nutritional Recommendations for Older Adults -- 2.2.1 Energy Requirement and Recommended Intake -- 2.2.2 Protein Requirement and Recommended Intake -- 2.2.3 Micronutrients and Dietary Fibers -- 2.3 Nutritional Risk Factors in Older Adults -- 2.4 Estimating Intake in Older Adults -- 2.5 Nutritional Status of Older Adults, Geriatric and Orthogeriatric Patients -- 2.6 Summary -- References -- Recommended Reading -- 3: Nutritional Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment in Geriatrics -- 3.1 The Nutrition Care Process -- 3.2 Nutritional Screening/Risk Detection -- 3.3 Nutritional Assessment and Diagnosis -- 3.3.1 Nutrition Impact Symptoms -- 3.3.2 Nutritional Diagnosis -- 3.3.3 Etiologic Criteria.

Exercise interactions with green and blue spaces offer low-cost, non-invasive solutions to public health challenges—particularly around mental health and obesity—and issues around environmental sustainability. Physical Activity in Natural Settings brings together multi-disciplinary, international research on physical activity, health and the natural environment, offering evidence-based guidance on implementing nature-based solutions at individual, patient and population levels. Divided over four sections, the book assesses the current research landscape, explores the underlying psychological and physiological mechanisms of the benefits of green exercise, details applied examples of physical activity in natural settings, and suggests future directions for research and practice. It features contributions from experts from around the world and covers topics including: Self-determination, nature and wellbeing Visual cognition and multisensory stimuli Nature’s role in growing resilience Physical education and nature Mindfulness and green exercise Positive psychology and pro-environmental behaviour Timely and prescient, and showcasing real-life examples of green exercise prescription, Physical Activity in Natural Settings is fascinating and important reading for any students or researchers in the psychology or physiology of physical activity and health, physical education or outdoor studies, and policy-makers and health professionals.