Physical Activity and Wellness - Research Paper Example

Physical Activity and Wellness Introduction Physical wellness is an aspect of life that ensures the body is not only healthy but also relatively free from diseases, injuries and function in optimal state. Regular physical exercise and proper nutrition is vital in achieving desired body fitness. Students of Health Education course are usually examined on current issues in physical activity that is pertinent to the health professional. The paper critically looks at the aspect of physical activity and wellness as a topic and its relevance in health profession. The topic is important as it enhance health through fitness and healthy foods in turn improving the overall health. According to Huger and Hoeger (2014), optimal physical activity lowers the risk of many adverse health outcomes, including heart diseases, stroke, high blood pressure and obesity. Encouraging people to participate in physical wellness helps prevent so much such as economy and development beside the basic good health. A comprehensive, integrated and intersectional approach is necessary with an emphasis on environmental, social and population strategies in support to achieve individual physical goals. In addition, a combination of beneficial exercises and healthy eating habits is necessary in achieving good health. The paper reviews various important aspects of physical fitness and wellness needed for health education scholars (Brown, et al. 2002). Characteristics that shape physical activity field Since the establishment of the physical activity, several factors influence the level of exercise behaviors of people. Physical activity entails bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that results in energy expenditure above resting level (Graham, 2014, 19). Several guiding framework are put in place to aid in understanding the multiple elements at each level. Individual factors are core when it comes to factors influencing a person’s involvement in exercise. The factor is innate to each person and differs from person to another such as a person’s genetic make-up, sex, growth and development as well as socioeconomic status among others. Social factors influence the physical activity of a person as fellow peers encourage one another to participate in exercise regime and creating an environment to obtain optimum health. Supportive workmates and family makes participating in physical activity easy in return becomes a habit with fruitful gain (Hoeger & Hoeger, 2014). Yet another influence is the environmental factor, ones surrounding such as walk paths encourage people to walk to work or shopping centers and even at times just for leisure. To build an environment suitable for physical activity opts to be an objective when setting up settlement units for it supports an active lifestyle. For example, safer streets that support biking, jogging and wider walking causes majority of the population to engage in some form of exercise reducing bad health outcomes. Controlled environment especially at workplace ensures employees access to existing communication channels and networks that improves levels of physical activity at all instances such as encouraging people use staircase instead of use of elevator by making more attractive, safer and easier to use. Physical Activity Issues Physical activity is among the key lifestyle-related health determinants. A health-enhancing behavior is important in the health profession. Human movement is the basic function that involves body movement in turn causing the physiological system to utilize energy acquired from food striking a balance in the energy levels with aid of the physical activity. In the recent past, certain health complication associated with physical fitness was rare however; the illnesses are very common and causing lots of havoc to health (Graham, 2014, 122). The concept of physical activity includes elemental components such as endurance, flexibility, muscle strengthen and cardiovascular health. On the other hand, public health complications are increasing caused by a sedentary life that has lead to the prevalence of physical activity that is today ultimate way to health. The overall concern for physical fitness is to ensure that individuals acquire optical health benefits. Although there exists several hindrances available, that affects achievement of physical activity. Lack of time and busy work schedule including family commitment limits physical fitness. Balancing between work and family with the current busy lifestyle, people lack time to participate in proper exercise encouraging sedentary living increasing health risk. Individual who have never taken part in any form of activity since childhood, may lack interest in participating in future physical activity as most are viewed as uncomfortable and cumbersome. However, physical exercise does not necessarily have to be vigorous but any form of activity that involves major muscle such as walking and gardening is enough to offer health benefits. Back pain and persistent fatigue is another issue of physical activity arising from body movement. The discomfort hinders regular participation to future physical activity, as the individual feels uncomfortable and uneasy to exercise because of the pain. Limited access to physical activity options reduces chances of an individual to exercise. Gym fees, sport club memberships and fitness equipment are expensive and cannot be available for everyone. People engage in several categories of physical activity reducing levels of inactivity in relation to the intensity or expenditure of body energy. Fitness such as moderate-intensity physical activity is one of the effective regular exercises that an individual can engage in as it raises heartbeat and utilizes energy. Physical activity is a critical component of a healthy, happy and independent life. Current health promotion effort to enhance physical activity levels In today’s era, physical activity is associated with lots of benefits from good health, physical and emotional stability. Studies illustrates that physical activity is important in achieving good health that everyone is seeking and strategies to attain fitness is essential. Efforts to get everyone take part in physical exercise range from those with higher priority to enhance effectiveness and sustainability of the exercise. A community-wide campaign is a public health strategy that is increasing access to physical activity in combination with informational outreach and physical education in schools. Community-wide campaign is large-scale multi component campaign that involves use of media to deliver messages and is available through all means of communication channels. The form is efficient for not only directs communication to large audience but also relatively undifferentiated audience through diverse media and communication or can also be tailored to fit the needs of specific populations (Brown, et al., 2002). The intervention supports various section of activity such as Self-help groups encompassing physical activity counseling, risk factor screening and education at work sites, schools or community health fairs and community events. It also includes policy and environmental changes, such as opening school facilities to public use and creating walking trails. Another way is adoption to community strategies that improves access to recreational centers, fitness and sports facilities. Modern housing units opt be constructed in a way to encourage and support physical activities to assist residence to not only environment the facility but also achieve good health. The strategy is appropriate for people from diverse culture and social class as all driven with a desire to achieve positive physical activity outcome (Graham, 2000, 64). Schools and workplace becomes homes are ideal places to boost fitness among young people. Scheduled recess periods and sports facilities at the learning institution are essential in including physical activity to be part of school day. According to Graham (2012, 145) it is evident that the strategy is applicable in various schools in the United State to prevent obesity in children. Program that involves both the physical activity aspect and nutrition are effective in reducing body weight rather than just focusing on one issue. Strategies to ingrate physical activity into current workplace Creating a culture of wellness at the worksite ensures that workers are able to achieve their health goals besides working. Establishment of a full wellness program at work is essential in boosting health as well as helping the employers achieve effective results reducing the company’s expenditure on treatment. Every company should have a plan to incorporate a fitness program to ensure that each worker has access to wellness regime. It should be an effort of each individual at work to help the other in achieving health goals. The organization leadership and vision should be aligning with goals and objectives for growth in the same way, promote strategic priorities for health. Physical fitness should be a priority and top gender in a company, managers are to encourage and communicate regularly to all employees to embrace the program in order to ensure both personal health goals and the company. Promotion of physical activity at workplace can be effective however, some leaders may only concentrate on the company’s main goal leaving out the health of staff members. This kills the morale of the employee and their interest to participate in any physical activity at a later stage. Physical activity does not necessarily have to take lots of time from work but can be done alongside work such as performing a 10 minutes bout of physical activity of any type is enough to provide desired benefits (Graham et al, 2014, 23). Leadership support is yet another way to promote fitness at workplace, in that support from within is essential to promote physical activity among employees. A company’s champion or active member in the physical program facilitates other colleagues in taking part in physical fitness. Moreover, embracing exchange program by inviting professional personal from other companies with vast knowledge in physical activity to share notes with senior leaders assist in development and establishment of wellness programs. Physical fitness and wellness is essential in optimal health. Work Cited Graham. Dan, Hipp. James, Marshall. Simon & Kerr. Jaqueline. Emerging technologies to promote and evaluate physical activity. frontiers research topics. Washington: Frontiers E-books, 2014. Hoeger, M & Hoeger S. (2014). Lifetime Physical Fitness and Wellness: A Personalized Program. New York: Cengage Learning. Brown, Kelli McCormack, Thomas, Q. D. & Kotecki, J. E. (2002). Physical Activity and Health: An Interactive Approach. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Read More