Chapter 2

Activities

1. Gather data from each student in the class regarding exercise behavior. (For the purpose of this activity, simply use the number of days per week, on average, each person exercises.) Use variables such as age and gender to create graphical representations of your data.
2. Using the data in the chapter and any additional data you can uncover, draft a “position” paper that discusses physical activity in society and what you believe must be done in order to improve activity levels.
3. As a class, design a longitudinal research study incorporating epidemiological data and at least one psychological measure. In other words, devise an investigation similar to the morbidity/mortality studies discussed in this chapter, but substitute psychological data for death/disease rates.
4. In small groups, discuss how regular physical activity participation may be influenced positively and/or negatively by income level.
5. Keep a log for one week of the amount of time (hours per day) you are engaged in sedentary behavior including, but not limited to, behaviors such as sleeping, television, inactive games, computer work, reading, and nonactive occupational duties. As a class or in small groups, discuss how you can effectively incorporate movement into these activities.

Vocabulary

All-cause mortality rates - The rates of death by any cause.

Epidemiology - The study of epidemics; the study of patterns of disease, injury, and disability and their risk factors and causes; the science dealing with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population.

Longitudinal studies - Studies with designs that allow researchers to monitor changes in behavior across a relatively long period of time (i.e., years) in the same group of people.

Morbidity - Disease.

Sedentary - Describes a chronic (long-term) pattern of inactivity.

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