The Role of Sport & Exercise Scientists in Different Professional Contexts - Assignment Example

 Sport and exercise scientists are important additions to the field of health care delivery. They are tasked with various roles, mostly in relation to the improvement of the quality of lives and outcomes for both health and sick individuals. They focus on the importance of sports and exercise in the achievement of improved health outcomes and in the achievement of improved results for athletes and active individuals (Hopkins, 2011). This paper will critically discuss the role of sport and exercise scientists in varying professional contexts; and it shall also critically evaluate a particular study which is relevant to this current topic. Sports and exercise scientists are scientists who study the use of scientific principles in health services delivery, with the end goal of improving sports and activity performance (Smith, 2004). Human movement is very much related to sports and exercise science as human activity is studied by scientists in order to establish human movements. Sports and exercise science includes sport physiology, sport nutrition, sport psychology, and physical activity. In the current context, sports scientists are already considered consultants in the sporting world as they have a thorough understanding of human body and how the body reacts to exercise, human activity, training, and other related stimuli (Smith, 2004). Sports science is a more general term which refers to the various applications of sports and human movement as therapeutic tools. Sports science involves the identification of a person’s talent and the enhancement of his performance; exercise science focuses more on health and happiness (Smith, 2004). In general, exercise science also refers to the “application of science to the phenomenon of exercise” (Brown, in Smith, 2004). Exercise science is also theory-based and evidence-based practice which aims to establish solutions to various health issues which relate to physical inactivity; it also seeks to understand and support the individual’s and the public’s well-being with evidence-based physical activities (Smith, 2004). Sports and exercise scientists have a major role in various professional contexts. In sports physiology sports and exercise scientists help manage how the body responds to exercise and training (Seiler, 2005). They also help assess the response and muscular adaptations of humans to human activity. Sports and exercise scientists in the relation to their physiological work are usually seen in research centres, hospitals, medical centres, as well as sports organizations (Seiler, 2005). In a 2008 study by Carlsen and colleagues, they were able to discuss how sports physiology has assisted in outlining the issues of sports-related asthma and allergies and how evidence for the bronchial responsiveness is increased among asthmatic athletes. The authors also discussed that sports physiology allows for the discussion of the impact of heavy-duty training and competition and how factors like cold air and chlorine in pools can cause inflammation of bronchial passages (Carlsen, et.al., 2008). In another study, sports physiology has also had an impact on understanding the relationships between field tests in female athletes. The authors concluded that there is a strong relationship between countermovement jump height and linear sprinting, as compared with longer distances; there was also a strong relationship with college athletes and high school soccer players (Vescovi and Mcguigan, 2008). In applying these results with sports physiology, the authors concluded that linear sprinting, agility, and vertical jumping are autonomous movements and skills and they imply the need to consider various endurance activities for the assessment of high school and college female athletes in order to establish accurate physical assessments (Vescovi and Mcguigan, 2008). Sports physiologists have also established through research that individuals have different musculature and that muscle fibre makeup is often distinct for particular individuals and athletes involved in various activities (Seiler, 2005). Sports and exercise scientists have been able to establish that athletes competing in long-distance events usually have 90% slow oxidative fibres; for sprinters and power performers, slow oxidative fibres are usually only at 25% (Brown, 2011). Based on these studies, sports scientists are often able to counsel athletes on the type of sports best suited to them based on their muscle fibre type distribution (Billat, et.al., 2003). However, it is still difficult to predict athletic functions because there are various elements like cardiovascular function, body type, etc. which would likely also impact on a patient’s athletic performance (Billat, et.al., 2003). Once again, sports and exercise scientists function to establish what is best suited for each person’s in terms of his physiology as far as exercise and sports activities are concerned. Sports nutrition is also another concern for sports and exercise scientists (Kreider, et.al., 2003). Sports and exercise scientists understand that athletes and active individuals need to eat an appropriately designed diet and sufficient nutrient intake in order to ensure effective performance of activities. For sports and exercise scientists managing the nutrition of athletes and active individuals, their role is to optimize training by ensuring well-allocated nutrients and significant nutritional supplements (including sports drinks, energy bars, carbohydrate gels, creatine, and caffeine, among others) (Kreider, et.al., 2003). Scientists involved in sports nutrition are aware that nutritional supplements do not increase overall nutritional condition, but these supplements make it easier for the athlete to train harder and recover faster from intense activities (Kreider, et.al., 2003). Depending on the choices available and as recommended by the scientists, athletes and coaches can make choices on training methods, how much training is sufficient, and the appropriate caloric intake needed to perform adequately. Sports nutritionists provide scientific basis for the athletes and their nutritional intake. They help decide the most appropriate way of assisting individuals in maximising their training performance and in, some cases assist in the recovery from their injuries (Kreider, et.al., 2003). A study Kerksick, et.al., (2008) discusses the importance of nutrition in sports and how the intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are essential for healthy and exercising individuals. The role of sports nutritionists have been highlighted in this study as they provide evidence on the importance of high glycogen stores before resistance exercises, with carbohydrates consumed at 30-60 grams per hour every 10/15 minutes during such activities. With carbohydrates and protein, prolonged periods of resistance training can be secured (Kerksick, et.al., 2008). Lowery and Devia (2009) also discuss that sports nutrition scientists provide evidence of the importance of ample dietary protein during resistance training. They also provide indicators for the importance of effective education for athletes and sports governing bodies on the proper nutrition guidelines for athletes. Sports psychology is yet another field of discipline where sports and exercise scientists are involved in. These scientists are in charge of understanding the means by which skilled movement usually arises, is carried out at will, and is maintained even with challenges in place (Lewthwaite and Wulf, 2010). The current application of sports psychology has also been on human movement, and on the relationships of feelings and emotions with exercise or movement. For sports psychologists, their role is to seek an opportunity to study behaviour based on other considerations. The movements in sports which are studied often involve those which are seen in public, including ballistic plays, fine motor control, physical endurance, and speed accuracy (Lewthwaite and Wulf, 2010). The sports psychologists’ role in sports and exercise science therefore relates to recognizing the fact that the motor behaviour they are assessing is actually a combination of social-cognitive-affective behaviour (Lewthwaite and Wulf, 2010). These scientists acknowledge the fact that movement, as well as emotion and cognition either impact significantly on each other. It is simple enough to note that emotions often affect movements, and these emotions often facilitate or interfere with the flow of movement and eventually on actual behaviour or performance. The importance of sports psychology is especially seen in the field of sports rehabilitation, where injured athletes often have a difficult time regaining mobility and their full physical abilities. Dickstein and Deutsch (2007) discuss how imagery assists motor performance and learning among athletes, including those who are healthy, but especially those who have suffered injuries. This study was able to relate the importance of managing mental processes in order to ensure recovery. Evidence on the impact of sports psychology can also be seen in the study Yim and Graham (2010) who were able to establish that sports can be used as a motivator for individuals to exercise; and that games can also improve the self-identity and self-efficacy of individuals. Moreover, the authors were able to point out that sports activities can also guide players, give them access to peers and supporting a supportive and unintimidating environment (Yim and Grahamn, 2010). In effect, sports in itself provides avenues for the improvement of one’s mental and emotional well-being. Part II: Article Critique The McCarthy, Ellis, and Cole (2003) study sought to compare the changes over time in waist circumference and body mass index in British youth. This study was also meant to carry out a cross-sectional study of central overweight and obesity in British youth from aged 11-16 years. The cross sectional survey covered 1977, 1987, and 1997. The study revealed that the waist circumference of respondents increased over the period covered for both boys and girls with a larger increase seen among girls’ waist circumference (McCarthy, et.al., 2003). In general, the study concluded that the trend in terms of waist circumference in the past 10-20 years among adolescents has increased; moreover, increase in body mass index has also been apparent in this young population. The introduction of the study was able to bring attention to the fact that in recent years, the rates of obesity have increased, not just among the adult population, but more alarmingly among children and adolescents. This assessment is not inaccurate especially with the current trends of fast foods and inactivity among the youth (Leeds, 2010). The culture of fast foods, especially super-sized fast food orders have become rampant in our current society. Many children have become significantly attached to this type of diet, especially with the appealing marketing made for these products (Dehghan, Akhtar-Danesh, and Merchant, 2005). Healthier foods like fruits and vegetables have not gained much appeal among the younger set. Moreover, many of the foods available in the market are rich in salt, preservatives, and cholesterol. Aside from the poor nutrition of these children, physical activity has also decreased among children and adolescents (Dehghan, et.al., 2005). With various labour saving devices as well as electronically-based entertainment tools and systems available for children, they have now become less active. Most of them watch television or playing computer games for hours at a time without hardly playing a sport or engaging in any other physical activity (Dehghan, et.al., 2005). Lack of exercise, as well as poor nutrition among children and adolescents, are therefore two of the significant elements which help provide support for the current obesity and overweight trends among the younger population set. The two indicators of fatness – BMI and waist circumference were also appropriately chosen by the authors. BMI is widely accepted as an accurate measure for adiposity (Dietz and Bellizzi, 1999). BMI standards also define that results in excess of 85th percentile is the cut-off for a diagnosis of overweight; among adolescents, the standard is at 95th percentile. There are other measures of body fat which can often be applied to men and women and the younger as well as the older population. Varying height and body build, as well as fat masses, however may often yield varying and relative results (Dietz and Bellizzi, 1999). Being overweight is a measure of excess body fat, and therefore it represents percentage in body weight. In effect, using BMI helps provide a more accurate picture of the person’s fat mass and overall health condition (Dietz and Bellizi, 1999). Other measures of weight which may include triceps and skinfold thickness and they provide a direct measure of subcutaneous fat; however, other observers may not be able to produce the same results. BMI on the other hand is the highly reliable measure of height and weight because it considers height and weight elements in establishing the adiposity of the individual. The study also considered waist circumference as a determinant of obesity among the respondents. There is also a strong support from other studies on the relationship between waist circumference and obesity. In a study by McCarthy, Jarrett, and Crawley (2001), waist circumference was also used in order to measure adiposity in their children-respondents. Their study was able to establish that body fat is often spread among children in their abdominal area. Among children with excessive abdominal body fat, health risks are also higher. They would likely also be at risk for high cholesterol and high levels of insulin (McCarthy, et.al., 2001). The risk for the development of cardiovascular conditions is also high among respondents with high waist circumference. Both BMI and waist circumference seem to provide effective measures for determining adiposity among children (McCarthy, et.al., 2001). Both of these measures help provide a means of identifying overweight or obese children and screening those who would likely benefit from early interventions on diet and exercise. Waist circumference was appropriately considered by this study in order to establish the inherent risks which the respondents carried in relation to obesity (Taylor, et.al., 2000). Waist circumference provides a measure of proportionality, in effect, “whether or not the amount of upper body fat accumulation in relation to height is appropriate” (McCarthy and Ashwell, 2006, p. 4). It is a very sensitive and specific measure of upper body fat accumulation among children; moreover, lipid abnormalities and insulin concentration are often related to waist circumference (McCarthy and Ashwell, 2006). With waist circumference among these respondents registering at high levels, they also register a significant risk for the development of cardiovascular diseases and heart diseases (McCarthy and Ashwell, 2006). The need to consider a wider range of nutrition and health education for the young population has therefore become a more important consideration. The study was also able to establish clear correlations between the BMI/waist circumference measures and the establishment of overweight and obese children. This study was carried out covering a sufficient population which was also specifically defined by the researchers. The authors were able to thoroughly assess the population using statistical tools and measures which were appropriate to the data gathering processes and the goals of the study. The results which were established were also well-supported and specific to the research goals and questions raised by the paper. The conclusions were also based on the results and discussion of the authors. The limitations of the study expressed by the authors were in terms of measures applied for waist circumference which may have not been uniformly measured for each respondent. However, the differences in measure did not significantly impact on the accuracy of the results. The premise in relation to the study results are still founded on basically sound standards in BMI and waist circumference measures. The authors were able to establish clear recommendations for future research, including routine measurements in schools of waist circumference of children. The above study supported the fact that obesity is one of the most serious health issues we are facing today; moreover, it is an issue which is negatively impacting on the quality of lives of children. Based on the study, the need to implement measures to address the obesity problem must be carried out as early as possible. If obesity is not addressed from a very young age, most likely, these children would also become obese or overweight adults. Their health risks would be greater and their poor eating and exercise habits more difficult to break (Taylor, et.al., 2000). The value of sports and exercise scientists seem to be very high among obese and overweight children. Although, the focus for these scientists may be on athletes, exercise and sports are general activities which all people – young and old, professional athletes or not – can engage in. Sports and exercise scientists can recommend the type of activities which would be suited well for children and adolescents, what would be appropriate for their age, and for their body type. The preferences of the children and adolescents can also be considered by sports and exercise scientists. This would help ensure improved participation as well as better compliance of exercise or sports health plans. References Billat, V., Sirvent, P., Py, G., and Koralsztein, J., 2003. The concept of maximal lactate steady state: a bridge between biochemistry, physiology and sport science. Sports Medicine, 33(6), pp. 407-426. Brown, S., 2011. Exercise physiology. Texas State University [online] Available at: http://www.hhp.txstate.edu/hper/faculty/pankey/1310/smch8.pdf [Accessed 18 April 2012]. 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