1. Chapter 1 Introduction

2. Focus on Lifestyle Actual causes of death reflect lifestyle and behavioral factors such as: –Smoking –Physical inactivity Changing unhealthy behaviors can improve health and reduce risk of disease. Live better and longer.

3. How Long Can We Expect to Live? Life expectancy in 2011 was the highest in recorded history at 78.7 years.

4. Will Life Expectancy Continue to Increase as it has in Past Years? Hayflick Limit –Limit on human cell reproduction Human life span is about 125 years –Longest confirmed lifespan Jeanne Calment, a French woman, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days

5. Chronological versus Biological Age Chronological age –Actual age in years from your birth date Biological age –Estimate of your well-being and general health compared to others of your age –e.g., people with health problems at age 50 are considered older than healthy 70-year-olds

6. Biological Age for Women Women live five years longer than men, on average. Life span for a woman is predicted by chronological age at menopause –Average age at menopause is 52 years –The later menopause occurs, the longer a woman will live.

7. Biomarkers Predicting Biological Age Blood pressure Blood glucose and cholesterol levels Field tests for cardiorespiratory fitness (e.g., walking test) Muscular strength Bone mineral density Skin elasticity Cognitive abilities, including memory Blood markers for systemic inflammation

8. Determining Your Biological Age Difficult to determine Can use age calculators such as: –Life Expectancy Calculator (available at www.livingto100.com) www.livingto100.com –Real Age Test (available at www.realage.com)www.realage.com

9. Leading Causes of Death

10. Actual Causes of Death Source: Mokdad A, et.al. Actual causes of death in the United States. Journal of the American Medical Association 291(10):1238-1245.

11. Causes of Death

12. Causes of Chronic Disease What causes such chronic diseases as: –Heart disease? –Cancer? –Stroke? –Diabetes? Answer: Primarily lifestyle behaviors

13. Definitions Fitness: –“The ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies.” –Includes: Cardiorespiratory fitness Muscle endurance Flexibility Body composition

14. Definitions Wellness: –“An active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence.” –Includes: Physical wellness Social wellness Intellectual wellness Emotional wellness Spiritual wellness

15. Physical Activity versus Exercise Physical Activity: –Any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure above a basal level Exercise: –A subcategory of physical activity –Planned, structured, repetitive, and purposive –Improvement or maintenance of physical fitness is the objective.

16. Who is Physically Active? Men Young adults Educated people Those with higher income Married adults Those who live in the western United States

17. Being Physically Active

18. Healthy People 2020 Developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Identifies: –Leading health topics –Objectives to increase life span and quality of life –Ways to decrease disparities in health status

19. Physical Activity and Exercise 80% of Americans do not meet guidelines proposed by Healthy People 2020. Healthy People 2020 objectives reflect the health benefits of regular physical activity.

20. Nutrition and Weight Status Healthy People 2020 objectives support, emphasize, and address efforts to change diet and weight status through individual behaviors.

21. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 The guidelines encompass two overarching concepts: –Maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight. –Focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages.

22. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Being physically active is one of the most important steps that Americans of all ages can take to improve their health. –Promotes good health –Reduces the risk of chronic diseases