Lecture notes - debate notes on \"Exercising for fitness or weight loss\" PDF

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Notes table of pros and cons on the debate "exercising for fitness or weight loss" - Table of Pros and Cons on the Debate topic "Reducing sedentary behaviour VS increasing physical activity" - Summary notes on the Debate topic "Reducing sedentary behaviour VS increasing physical activity" - Reflecti...

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AFFIRMATIVE: FITNESS OVER WEIGHT LOSS Body is more efficient. Protective factors. Improved CV fitness- nutrients and oxygen efficiency. Lower risk of CVD. Fitness reduces metabolic syndrome. Mentions longitudinal studies. Long term health benefits. Develop diabetes. People can become underweight- just as serious as being obese (asthma, scoliosis, intestinal conditions).

NEGATIVE: WEIGHT LOSS OVER FITNESS Effects of excess weight loss. Pressure on the body. Losing weight- people can heal and lead a more healthy life. Diseases- CVD, type 2 diabetes. WHO definition of T2DM: Overweight ad lack of PA. 5% of body weight reduction- reduced chance of diabetes by 50%. First line of therapy. Weight loss of over 5% = additional benefits. VIDEO Measure up ad. WC measures. Risk of chronic diseases. Heart disease in children also.

Physical fitness also reduces the chance of diseases. 50kg or 90kg, if you are fit you have less chance of diseases. Weight loss is a lifestyle change also. Easier to promote fitness. People have destroyed self-esteem for pressure to look thin and toned. Body consciousness. Fitness = improved psychological well-being. Reaches a wider population. Job stress decreases. Improved quality of life in work or school. Improved mental health.

Focusing on fitness won’t reach a large amount of the population as a lot of them are over weight. Use social stigma as a motivational tool. Weight loss is more realistic. Important to target a large audience. Weight loss appears to be more achievable than becoming fit. When setting goals too high, the health outcome was decreased. Fitness isn’t a priority for overweight and obese people. People are more likely to start by losing weight, then progressing fitness. Weight loss is one of the largest health priority.

Weight loss can be dangerous and demotivating. Can lead to things such as steroid abuse and unhealthy eating patterns. Should focus on improving something rather than reducing weight. Detrimental health effects. Muscles weigh more than fat. Benefits can be multiplied if focused on exercising for fitness. Fitter people fall asleep quicker and sleep for longer. Eliminates obsession towards weight loss and body image.

Losing weight also decreased HR. There are also weight loss promotion campaigns that have positive effects of losing weight. Overweight people can’t improve fitness as easily and will need to lose weight before they start to aim for fitness. When exercising for weight loss, you will improve fitness with it. Fitness is a positive outcome of weight loss. Once weight loss has occurred, it will be easier to improve fitness.

“The goal of PA promotion interventions should be to improve fitness not promote weight loss”

Reducing SB

Increasing PA

High prevalence on sedentary Australians (39 hours a week).

Only 43% of Australians meeting guidelines.

$258 million would be saved from reducing SB (info is estimated). Reduced number of deaths and DALYs. Number of barriers for undertaking PA: Lack of time, low self-efficacy.

* Meeting PA guidelines = increased life expectancy by 1.5-3 years.

Gyms and sporting clubs can be expensive.

Stand-up desks ~ $1000 each (waste of money).

Reduced disease risk. Improves CVD risk factors.

* Reduced disease risk. * Improved musculoskeletal health and fitness (strengthens heart and lungs), improved balance and proprioception- SB doesn’t improve these. Improves mental health more than reduced SB. * PA is used to treat depression. * Physiology: During PA, chemicals and endorphins such as noradrenalin and serotonin are released which can contribute to relaxation, enhanced mood states, or reduced depressive symptoms. The release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine has also been said to have a calming effect (Happell, Platania-Phung & Scott 2011 and Sund, Larsson and Wichstrom 2011). SB doesn’t do this.

Improves mental health.

Improves social health.

May not be able to reduce SB as it is impractical. E.g. At work or in a lecture etc.

Improves social health. * Team bonding. Friends at the gym. Trying to achieve a 10% reduction in SB prevalence is an overly ambitious goal due to the current Australian environment of increasing levels of obesity and use of technology (Cadilhac et al. 2011). Improves cognitive function. * Learning new skills in a sport can improve problem solving skills. Many ways to undertake PA: Occupational, active transport, organized sport, travel, household chores.

Work place interventions e.g. stand-up desks.

Injuries with PA People are struggling to meet PA guidelines.

Those who stand up more at work are more likely to be sedentary at home, therefore workplace interventions won’t be effective (Chau et al. 2012). * Increased risk of varicose veins. Benefits outweigh the risks. That’s why we need to have more interventions that focus on meeting them.

“Public health interventions should focus on promoting physical activity rather than reducing sedentary behaviour” Statistics: • Australian’s are not meeting National Physical Activity Guidelines, which state that adults should be active for at least 30 minutes on most, if not all days of the week (Department of Health and Ageing, 2013) • In Australia, 63.4% of adults aged 18 years and over are overweight or obese in the years 2011-2012, which is a 2.2% increase from the years 2007-2008 (ABS, 2012). • It is estimated that obesity causes a cost of $58.2billion to the Australian economy each year, made up by burden of disease (disability and premature death) and direct financial costs (loss of productivity, health system costs and carer costs) (ABS, 2011) Physical Benefits of PA: • People who engage in low levels of physical activity are at risk of developing a range of lifestyle disease, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2012) • Regular physical activity and exercise that can help to facilitate weight-control (WhittGlover et al, 2009, p.310) • Children who were part of sporting clubs outside of school spent less time in sedentary behaviour (Pearce et al, 2012, p.5) Rebuttals (what the other team might say) • High levels of sedentary behaviours have been recognised as being dangerous to one’s health, and also contribute to obesity and chronic disease (ABS, 2012) along with physical inactivity Hu et al (2003, p.1790) also found that the risk of obesity and diabetes was significantly associated with leisure sedentary behaviours, such as watching television, as well as sedentary occupation behaviours, such as sitting at work Cognitive and Psychological Benefits of PA • Studies have found strong associations between physical activity and reduced psychological stress (Hamer, Stamatakis & Steptoe 2008, p.1113) • Physical activity has also been found to help with the treatment of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders (Martinsen 2008, pp. 25-29)

• Positive effects such as “increased self-efficacy, a sense of mastery, distraction, and changes of self-concept” (Ströhle 2008, p.781) all contribute to improved mental health • In older adults, increased levels of physical activity are associated with lower levels of fatigue, which contributed to their mental health (Martin et al 2011, p.148-149). • Physical activity is linked to improved cognitive functioning (Vance et al 2005, p. 305) • The social-stimulation hypothesis says that social contact is promoted by physical activity, which stimulates the brain and maintains or improves cognitive functioning (Vance et al 2005, p. 295). • The depression reduction hypothesis emphasises that because mental illnesses such as depression restricts optimal cognitive functioning, any activity that lowers depression, such as physical activity, will in turn enhance cognitive functioning (Vance et al 2005, p. 296). Conclusions: • Currently experiencing an obesity/chronic disease epidemic, and PA can help combat this • A reduction in SB alone is not enough; PA must be incorporated into people’s lives • Despite there being evidence that SB are related to chronic disease too, it is PA that has benefits for cognitive and psychological health, not just physical health

DEBATE REFLECTION PIECE “The goal of physical activity promotion interventions should be to improve fitness not promote weight loss”. My stance is supporting the negative argument. AFFIRMATIVE: IMPROVE FITNESS SPEAKER 1: Physiological benefits of fitness. Physiological benefits include; * A more efficient body. * Improved CV fitness- nutrients and oxygen efficiency. * Lower risk of CVD and reduced metabolic syndrome risk factors. * Less likely to develop diabetes. * Long term health benefits. * People can become underweight- just as serious as being obese (asthma, scoliosis, intestinal conditions).

SPEAKER 2: Psychological factors. * If you are fit you have less chance of diseases no matter what you weigh. * Weight loss is a lifestyle change also and harder to promote. * People have destroyed self-esteem for pressure to look thin and toned. * Fitness = improved psychological well-being/ mental health. * Reaches a wider population. * Job stress decreases. * Improved quality of life in work or school. SPEAKER 3: Why training for weight loss isn’t effective. * Weight loss can be dangerous and demotivating. * Can lead to things such as steroid abuse and unhealthy eating patterns. * Detrimental health effects. * Muscles weigh more than fat so people may get the wrong impression on the scales. * Fitter people fall asleep quicker and sleep for longer. * Fitness eliminates obsession towards weight loss and body image.

NEGATIVE: PROMOTE WEIGHT LOSS SPEAKER 1: Physical health benefits of weight loss. * Faster healing and an improved quality of life. * Less diseases such as CVD, type 2 diabetes. * WHO definition of Type 2 diabetes includes being overweight. * 5% of body weight reduction = reduced chance of diabetes by 50%. * First line of therapy. * Weight loss of over 5% = additional benefits. * Measure up campaign video was shown. Very effective.

SPEAKER 2: Why fitness isn’t an effective goal. * Focusing on fitness won’t reach a large amount of the population as a lot of them are over weight. * Use social stigma as a motivational tool. * Weight loss is more realistic. * Weight loss appears to be more achievable than becoming fit. * When setting goals too high, the health outcomes are decreased. * Fitness isn’t a priority for overweight and obese people. * People are more likely to start by losing weight, then progressing fitness. * Weight loss is one of the largest health priorities. SPEAKER 3: Fitness comes with weight loss. * Losing weight decreased HR. * Weight loss promotion campaigns have shown positive effects of losing weight. * Overweight people can’t improve fitness as easily and will need to lose weight before they start to aim for fitness. * Fitness is a positive outcome of weight loss. * Once weight loss has occurred, it will be easier to improve fitness.

Although both sides of the argument demonstrated excellent points, I will have to choose my stance to be with the negative side. The teams showed that training for both fitness and weight loss have positive physical and mental health outcomes. It was also shown that there are reasons as to why we shouldn’t train for one over the other. However, the main argument that convinced me was that of speaker 3 of the negative side. She stated that when exercising for weight loss, fitness would also improve and overweight people must start by focusing on weight loss prior to fitness. I now think that people are better off focusing on weight loss before fitness....