Unit 2

Physical Education and Fitness, Wellness,

Yoga Weight Management, &
Lifestyle

Prof. Sanjay Saxena

SMS Varanasi
Unit 2: Fitness, Wellness, Weight Management, & Lifestyle

Unit 2
Fitness, Wellness, Weight Management, & Lifestyle
A. Concept of Fitness and Wellness
1. Meaning of Fitness and Wellness
Fitness is the ability of an individual to carry out his daily routine without getting tired
and having an extra amount of energy to meet any kind of unforeseen emergency.
Fitness is just about training your body. When a person puts in physical efforts like
exercise, running, or any kind of physical activity that helps him stay in shape; this is
called fitness. Fitness programs solely indulge individuals in achieving the marked
standards of a physically fit body like weight, fat content, BMI (Body Mass Index), etc.
Wellness is the ability to live life fully, with vitality and meaning. It is dynamic and
multi-dimensional. People with better wellness, adopt attitudes and lifestyles that
prevent disease, improve health, and enhance their quality of life and sense of well-
being. In other words, wellness is proactive, preventive, and driven by self-
responsibility.
According to Pfizer, several key areas of your lifestyle are considered dimensions of
overall Wellness. They include social connectedness, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and
mindfulness. Each one has an impact on your physical and mental health. By making
simple and healthy choices on a daily basis, you will be well on your way to reducing
stress, having positive social interactions, and achieving optimal wellness.
Social Connectedness: Connecting with friends or loved ones is a great way to help
improve your physical and mental health. Take 10 minutes out of your day to call
someone you’ve been thinking about. This is a great way to connect and catch up with
the people that matter the most to you.
Exercise: Even 20 or 30 minutes of daily exercise can have a positive impact on your
overall sense of well-being and help improve your mood. Don’t know where to start?
Try a brisk walk on your lunch break or opt for the stairs instead of the elevator when
you can.
Nutrition: By adding wholesome ingredients to your plate, you’ll be taking steps
towards becoming a healthier you. Some food for thought: pack an apple and some

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raw veggies in your bag to keep as a handy snack. This may help you avoid vending
machines or fast food when you’re on the go.
Sleep: Consider your sleep hygiene. Avoid caffeine after 12 pm, include quiet and
calm activities before going to bed, and wake up at the same time every day – these
are simple ways you can begin your journey towards becoming a successful sleeper.
Mindfulness: Did you know that practicing mindfulness is good for the body and
mind, helps with focus, and also changes the brain? Take a moment right now to
consider your own mind and how you are feeling. The more you tap into your own
thoughts, the more you may become aware of how you react to stressful events – so
start practicing mindfulness today!
Basically, there are three dimensions of wellness, emotional, spiritual, and social
dimension. According to the modern view, wellness represents six dimensions, which
include physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial wellness. All these
dimensions of a person must be positive to be well in life.
Wellness Vs Well-being and Happiness
Though in the modern world, many business professionals, researchers, and media
personnel are using wellness and well-being interchangeably, and consider these two
words as synonyms of each other. But these terms differ in concept, usage, and
association.
Wellness is associated with intention, action, and activities, whereas well-being and
happiness are perceptions of the state of being. The physical dimension is prominent
in wellness, on the other hand, the mental and emotional dimensions are prominent
in well-being and happiness. People associate wellness with a healthy lifestyle and
choices in life, whereas they associate well-being and happiness with feelings of
satisfaction (Life Satisfaction) and a sense of fulfillment.
Wellness Vs Healthcare
According to Global Wellness Institute, Wellness is different from healthcare. Our
healthcare systems use a pathogenic (bacteria and viruses cause diseases) and
reactive approach, focused on causes, consequences, diagnosis, and treatment of
diseases and injuries. In contrast, wellness is a salutogenic (health-promoting behavior
that has significant health benefits) and proactive approach, focused on prevention,
healthy lifestyles, and the pursuit of optimal well-being.

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2. Definitions of Fitness
Fitness is the condition of being physically fit and healthy and involves attributes that
include, but are not limited to mental acuity, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular
strength, muscular endurance, body composition, and flexibility.
Experts define physical fitness as “one's ability to execute daily activities with optimal
performance, endurance, and strength with the management of disease, fatigue,
stress, and reduced sedentary behavior.”
According to CrossFit’s new three-dimensional view, the new definition of fitness is
your ability to move large loads, move long distances, and move quickly in the
broadest variety of domains is fitness. And the ability to sustain that fitness throughout
your life is a defining measure of health. In this definition the first dimension is the
duration of effort, the second dimension is power, and the third dimension is age.
Since these three dimensions are defining measures of health, hence health is nothing
other than sustained fitness.
3. Definition of Wellness
Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical
and mental health outcomes so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving.
According to Global Wellness Institute, wellness is about more than just physical
health. Most models of wellness include at least six dimensions, such as physical,
mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental dimensions.
Physical: Nourishing a healthy body through exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc.
Mental: Engaging the world through learning, problem-solving, creativity, etc.
Emotional: Being aware of, accepting, and expressing our feelings, and
understanding the feelings of others.
Spiritual: Searching for meaning and a higher purpose in human existence.
Social: Connecting and engaging with others and our communities in meaningful
ways.
Environmental: Fostering positive interrelationships between planetary health and
human actions, choices, and well-being. Being aware of the unstable state of the earth
and the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment, and demonstrating
a commitment to a healthy planet.

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As per Debbie L. Stoewen, there are two more dimensions, which are recently been
included in the wellness definition. These two dimensions are vocational and financial
dimensions.
Vocational Dimension: Preparing for and participating in work that provides
personal satisfaction and life enrichment that is consistent with your values, goals,
and lifestyle. Contributing your unique gifts, skills, and talents to work that is
personally meaningful and rewarding.
Financial Dimension: Managing your resources to live within your means, making
informed financial decisions and investments, setting realistic goals, and preparing for
short-term and long-term needs or emergencies. Being aware that everyone’s financial
values, needs, and circumstances are unique.
4. Importance of Fitness
The following are the importance of fitness:
• Long and healthy life: A physically fit person not only lives a healthy life but also
a longer life.
• Increases the energy, power, and capacity of the body: A fit person can do
his routine work without undue fatigue. His strength and capacity are increased
because of internal energy due to which he can perform the extracurricular task
after finishing the routine work. For e.g., entertainment, aerobics, dance,
gardening, etc.
• Reduces the probability of getting a disease: Due to physical fitness,
important parts of the body, such as the heart, lungs, and brain remain strong and
there is less probability of getting a disease because of the continuous activity of
these parts.
• Strong and active muscular and skeletal system: Due to physical fitness, a
person can do any physical activity with ease, posture is maintained, muscles and
bones stay strong, joints and muscles have flexibility, and body posture looks toned
and attractive.
• Increased memory and recall capacity of mind: Physical fitness also affects
the mind of a person. A physically fit person has a higher recall capacity and
memory.

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• Good Mental health: Physical fitness improves mental health as well. It leads to
an increase in self-confidence and positive body image.
• No excess fat: Due to physical fitness, a person is always active. Due to this
activeness, the fat in the body continuously gets converted into energy which does
not allow the fat to accumulate in the body.
• Happy life: Physical fitness is also necessary for the enjoyment and happiness of
the mind. A fit person remains happy and joyful which increases his self-confidence
and positive body image.
5. Importance of Wellness
The following are the importance of wellness:
• Living a high-quality life: Wellness increases the quality of life of a person. A
capable and healthy person can experience more enjoyment by participating in
games and sports and working with other people.
• Increases Longevity: Healthy lifestyle leads to a healthy body. It helps delay old
age quite late. The risk of diseases can be minimized and a man’s age lengthens.
• Prevents Cardio-vascular disease: Healthy lifestyle protects our body from
cardiovascular diseases It leads to a reduction of extra fat from our body. Thus,
the heart becomes strong. It leads to improve blood circulation in the body.
• Helps in Reducing Depression: Due to a healthy lifestyle the level of hormones
leading to the regularity of the state of the body increases. As a result, the person
is at a minimum risk of plunging into depression.
• Increases Energy Level: Due to a healthy lifestyle a person feels more energized
and rejuvenated. As a result, he can do most of the work devotionally and
successfully.
• Increases Self-Confidence: Due to a healthy lifestyle a person develops more
awareness and self-confidence, and it also helps in building mental toughness.
• Improves Posture: Healthy lifestyle improves an individual’s posture and results
in the minimum risk of getting hurt. Improved posture helps in making the body
beautiful.

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6. Components of Physical Fitness

The 3 major components of physical fitness are often used in health clubs and fitness
centers to measure how much we are physically fit. The three components that make
up total fitness are:
1. Metabolic Fitness
2. Health-Related Fitness
3. Skill-Related Fitness
Total fitness can be defined by how well the body performs in each one of the
components of physical fitness as a whole. For example, it’s not just a bench press
that you can perform well, you need to ensure that you can run a mile well too.
1. Metabolic Fitness
Metabolism is the process by which the body changes food and drink into energy.
During this process, calories in food and drinks mix with oxygen to make the energy
that the body needs. Even at rest, a body needs energy for all it does.
Metabolic fitness depicts the state of health of physiological systems when the
body is at rest.
• Blood Pressure: It involves indirectly measuring the effectiveness of the
heartbeat, adequacy of blood volume, and presence of any obstruction to
vascular flow through the use of a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope.
Normal BP is 120/80.
• Pulse Rate: It is the number of throbbing sensations felt over a peripheral
artery when the heart beats. Normal ranges from 60 to 100 pulses per minute.
• Blood Insulin: Insulin test measures blood samples for the amount circulating
insulin, responsible for blood glucose usage by surrounding tissue. Normal
values are 5 to 20µm/mL while fasting. Lower than normal suggest Type 1
diabetes and above normal level suggests Type 2 diabetes.
2. Health-Related Fitness
Good health has a strong relationship with health-related components of physical
fitness because it determines the ability of an individual to perform daily activities
with stamina. It is also known as physiological fitness. The following are the
components of health-related fitness:

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• Body Composition: It is the amount of fat mass compared to lean muscle

mass, bone, and organs. This can be measured using Underwater Weighing,
Skinfold Readings, Bioelectrical Impedance, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Waist
to Hip Ratio.
o Body Mass Index – Key index for relating a person’s body weight to
height.
BMI= M/(H*H), where M= body mass in kilograms and H= height in
meters
(A higher BMI score usually indicates higher levels of body fat).
o Skinfold Thickness – measurements involve measuring skin and
subcutaneous adipose tissues at several different standard anatomical
sites around the body and converting these measurements to
percentage body fat. % body fat = (fat weight/total body weight) * 100
o Waist to Hip Ratio – It can be measured using a tape measure around
the waist and the largest hip circumference. The ratio is a simple
calculation of the waist circumference divided by the hip circumference.
Generally, if you have a ratio of 0.75 to 0.8 you are at low risk of weight-
related disease but it is important to maintain your shape with a healthy
diet and regular activity. The longer you can prevent central fat
deposition, the longer and healthier your life will be.
• Muscular Fitness: It includes muscular endurance and strength. They
determine the bone mass, glucose tolerance, musculotendinous integrity, and
ability to carry out Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
o Muscular strength – It is the amount of force a muscle can produce.
Examples would be the bench press, leg press, or bicep curl. The push-
up test is most often used to test muscular strength.
o Muscular Endurance – It is the ability of the muscles to perform
continuously without fatigue. Examples would be cycling, step machines,
and elliptical machines. The sit-up test is most often used to test
muscular endurance.
• Cardiorespiratory Endurance: It is the ability of the heart and lungs to work
together to provide the needed oxygen and fuel to the body during sustained

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workloads. Examples of sustained workload would be jogging, cycling, and

swimming. The Cooper Run is used most often to test cardiovascular
endurance. The performance depends upon the functional state of the
respiratory, cardiovascular, and skeletal muscle systems.
• Flexibility: It is the ability of each joint to move through the available range
of motion for a specific joint. Examples would be stretching individual muscles
or the ability to perform certain functional movements such as the lunge. The
sit-and-reach test is most often used to test flexibility.
3. Skill-Related Fitness
It is also known as performance-related fitness components. It is associated with
the athletic ability of an individual. There are 6 components of skill-related fitness
such as balance, coordination, agility, speed, power, and reaction time.
• Balance: It is the ability of an individual to maintain their line of gravity within
their base of support. It can be classified into static and dynamic. Balance is
controlled by three different systems: the somatosensory, visual, and vestibular
systems. It can be assessed by various outcome tools such as the berg balance
scale, BESTest, etc.
• Coordination: It is the ability to use the senses, such as sight and hearing,
together with body parts in performing motor tasks smoothly and accurately.
The alternate hand wall toss test is one of the tests via which coordination can
be assessed.
• Power: It is the rate at which one is able to exert maximal force. Vertical jump
tests and hop tests are some examples of power testing for the lower extremity.
A medicine ball throw test can be used to assess upper extremity power.
• Agility: Agility is defined as “a rapid whole-body movement with change of
velocity or direction in response to a stimulus”. It performs a series of explosive
power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions.
• Reaction Time: Reaction time is related to the time elapsed between
stimulation and the beginning of the reaction to it. Reaction time is affected by
several variables including attentive, cognitive, and motor functions.

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• Speed: It relates to the ability to perform a movement within a short period of

time. Speed combined with strength will provide power and force. The Sprint
test is one example of a test that can be used to examine a person's speed.

B. Weight Management
1. Meaning and Definition of Obesity
Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity isn't
just a cosmetic concern. It's a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases
and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain
cancers.
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that
presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight,
and over 30 is obese.
2. Causes of Obesity
Although there are genetic, behavioral, metabolic, and hormonal influences on body
weight, obesity occurs when you take in more calories than you burn through normal
daily activities and exercise. Your body stores these excess calories as fat.
Calories: The energy value of food is measured in units called calories. The average
physically active man needs about 2,500 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight,
and the average physically active woman needs about 2,000 calories a day. If you
consume high amounts of energy, particularly found in high-fat and high-sugar foods,
and do not use all of the energy through physical activity, much of the extra energy
will be stored in the body as fat.
Diet: Diet and lifestyle factors contribute to the development of obesity and
overweight. Some of the most common ones are:
• eating large amounts of processed or fast food
• drinking too much alcohol
• eating out a lot
• eating larger portions than you need

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• drinking too many sugary drinks

Physical Activity: Lack of physical activity is another important factor related to
obesity. Many people have jobs that involve sitting at a desk for most of the day. They
also rely on their cars, rather than walking or cycling. For relaxation, many people
tend to watch TV, browse the internet or play computer games, and rarely take regular
exercise. If you are not active enough, you do not use the energy provided by the
food you eat, and the extra energy you consume is stored by the body as fat.
Genetics: There are some genes associated with obesity and overweight. In some
people, genes can affect how their bodies change food into energy and store fat.
Genes can also affect people's lifestyle choices.
Medical Reasons: In some medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (low thyroxine
hormone) and Cushing’s Syndrome (overproduction of steroids) weight gain occurs.
Certain medicines having steroids or antidepressants can contribute to weight gain.
3. Management of Obesity
For most people, losing a small amount of weight to the tune of 5% can have benefits.
This may be sufficient to reduce the risk of developing diabetes or lowering blood
pressure. For doing so we need to adopt the following healthy lifestyle measures:
Exercise to lose weight: For an average adult at least 30 minutes of moderate
physical activity is recommended on 5 or more days a week to lose weight and
maintain the weight loss. Moderate activity usually means activities that make the
person feel warm and raise their heart and breathing rates. These are termed cardio
exercises and prevent diabetes and heart disease. Most obese individuals however
need to target 45 to 60 minutes of moderate activity a day to stop them from gaining
weight.
Management of Diet: The calorie intake is usually reduced for obese individuals
along with the increased physical activity. Adults should usually be advised to follow
a low-fat diet. The patient is advised about 600 kilocalories (kcal) less than what he
or she needs to stay the same weight. A low-calorie diet provides only 1000 to 1600
kcal a day. Along with the decrease in calories, vitamins, and vital nutrients are
ensured in the diet to prevent deficiencies. For those with a body mass index (BMI) of
over 30 and those who have stopped losing weight before reaching their target, a very

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low-calorie diet may be recommended. However, this cannot be followed for more
than 12 weeks continuously.
Medications for Weight Loss: There are two medicines – called orlistat and
sibutramine, which are sometimes prescribed for weight loss. They are not suitable
for everyone and are not commonly used due to their risk of serious side effects. The
medicines are normally recommended only for people with a BMI over 30.
Surgery for Weight Loss: Sometimes surgery may be suggested to lose weight.
There are several different types of surgery that may help lose weight. They involve
reducing the size of the stomach to induce early satiety and result in smaller meals
and lower calorie intake.
4. Health Problems Due to Obesity
Having a risk factor like obesity doesn’t mean that you’ll develop the following health
problems. But it does increase your chances of developing one or more of them. Here
are 10 health risks of obesity:
1. Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes occurs when your blood sugar is higher than
normal.
2. Heart Disease: Heart disease is more prevalent in people with obesity. Over time,
fatty deposits may accumulate in the arteries that supply the heart with blood.
People with obesity have higher than normal blood pressure, low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar, all of which contribute
to heart disease.
3. Stroke: Stroke occur when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. A stroke can
cause damage to brain tissue and result in a range of disabilities, including speech
and language impairment, weakened muscles, and changes to thinking and
reasoning skills.
4. Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea is a disorder in which someone may momentarily stop
breathing during sleep. People who are overweight and living with obesity are at
a higher risk of having sleep apnea. This is because they tend to have more fat
stored around the neck, making the airway shrink. A smaller airway can cause
snoring and difficulty breathing at night.
5. High Blood Pressure: Extra fat tissue in the body requires more oxygen and
nutrients. Your blood vessels will need to circulate more blood to the extra fat

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tissue. This means your heart must work even harder to pump blood around the
body. The increase in the amount of blood circulating puts extra pressure on the
walls of your arteries. This added pressure is called high blood pressure, or
hypertension. Over time, high blood pressure can damage your heart and arteries.
6. Liver Disease: People with obesity can develop a liver disease known as fatty
liver disease or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This happens when excess fat
builds up in the liver.
7. Gallbladder Disease: Obesity increases your risk of developing gallstones.
Gallstones occur when bile builds up and hardens in the gallbladder. People with
obesity may have higher levels of cholesterol in their bile, or have large
gallbladders that don’t work well, which can lead to gallstones.
8. Certain Cancers: obesity can increase your risk for certain cancers, including
breast, colon, gallbladder, pancreatic, kidney, and prostate cancer, as well as
cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, and ovaries.
9. Pregnancy Complications: Pregnant women who are overweight or have
obesity are more likely to develop insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and high
blood pressure.
10. Depression: People affected by obesity may often experience discrimination
based on their body size. Over time, this can lead to feelings of sadness or lack of
self-worth.
5. Suffocation by Smoke and Gas
Smoke inhalation damages the body by simple asphyxiation (lack of oxygen), chemical
or thermal irritation, chemical asphyxiation, or a combination of these. Smoke itself
can contain products that do not cause direct harm to you, but that takes up the space
needed for oxygen. To help a suffocated person, you must remove the person from
the smoke-filled area if it's safe to do so and move them to a location with clean air.
Check the person's circulation, airway, and breathing. Start CPR, if necessary, while
waiting for emergency help to arrive.
6. Asthma
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra
mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound
(wheezing) when you breathe out and shortness of breath.

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C. Lifestyle
1. Meaning, Definition, and Importance of Lifestyle
Lifestyle means the manner or style in which a person lives. It can be healthy or
unhealthy based on many factors like food choices, activity level, and behavior.
The “Collins English Dictionary” defines "lifestyle" as a set of attitudes, habits, or
possessions associated with a particular person or group.
Examples of lifestyle habits include:
• Sleeping patterns
• Eating tendencies
• Level of physical activity
• Stress management practices
• Hydration habits
There are four pillars of healthy lifestyles, which include nutrition, exercise,
relaxation, and sleep. These pillars work together to keep your mind and body
healthy.
Nutrition: A healthy diet throughout life promotes healthy pregnancy outcomes,
supports normal growth, slows aging, helps to maintain healthy body weight, and
reduces the risk of chronic disease leading to overall health and well-being.
Exercise: Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage non-
communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and several
cancers. It also helps prevent hypertension, maintains healthy body weight, and
can improve mental health, quality of life, and well-being.
Relaxation: It's a process that decreases the stress effects on your mind and
body. Relaxation techniques can help you cope with everyday stress. And these
techniques can help with long-term stress or stress related to various health
problems, such as heart disease and pain. Deep breathing, visualization, and
meditation are all effective relaxation techniques.
Sleep: During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and
maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support
growth and development. Getting adequate deep sleep may also help prevent
excess weight gain, heart disease, and increased illness duration. Sleep is truly
interdisciplinary because it touches every aspect of health.

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A healthy lifestyle keeps you fit, energetic, and at reduced risk for disease.
According to WHO, Healthy living is a way of living that helps you enjoy more
aspects of your life. It is a way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or
dying early. Health is not just about avoiding a disease or illness. Feeling good
about yourself and taking care of your health is important for your self-esteem and
self-image.
2. Factors Affecting Lifestyle
Socioeconomic status, level of education, family, kin and social networks, gender,
age, and interpersonal influences all affect the choice of lifestyle.
Socioeconomic Status: Socioeconomic status is the position of an individual or
group on the socioeconomic scale, which is determined by a combination of social
and economic factors such as income, amount and kind of education, type, and
prestige of occupation, and place of residence. SES affects overall human
functioning, including our physical and mental health. Low SES and its correlates,
such as lower educational achievement, poverty, and poor health, ultimately affect
our lifestyle. People from lower SES are most likely to get involved in poor food
and health practices.
Level of Education: Education has become a road to success. Success is not only
in terms of becoming rich and having luxury and comfort, but it also encourages a
healthy lifestyle. Education has the power to make you stand up against the wrong
habits, behavior, and nature of society. Through education, individuals gain the
ability to be effective agents in their own lives. Education improves physical
functioning and self-reported health because it enhances a sense of personal
control that encourages and enables a healthy lifestyle.
Family: Your family influences your behavior in a tremendous way. We learn from
it so much about how we interact with the world and ourselves. There are many
ways your family can affect you as you grow up:
• Physical health - Many studies have shown that positive relationships with
relatives lead to more positive habits later in life, such as taking better care of
yourself and making healthy food choices. In contrast, negative relationships
that cause stress can lead to unhealthy eating habits and poor physical self-
care.

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• Mental health - A strong and positive family support system from a young age
can lead to better mental health when we are adults. As children, we need to
feel loved and supported, which can give us a sense of purpose in our lives as
we grow up and enter adulthood. Without this, we humans tend to grow up
vulnerable to developing mental health disorders.
• Emotional health - Having positive sibling relationships can teach us how to
interact and build friendships with other children of different ages. It also
teaches us how to share and builds empathy. However, problematic sibling
relationships, such as rivalry or competition for a parent's love, can have a
negative impact on us later in life.
Social Media: It is easy to become addicted, and research shows that people who
spend too much time on social media can suffer from poor sleep, eye fatigue,
negative body image, depression, anxiety, cyberbullying, and more.
Social Networks: Many norms and behaviors are established by the community.
For example, if everyone around us is smoking and drinking, then it becomes okay
to do so. When a lot of people quit, we tend to imitate them and cease smoking
and drinking as well. Obesity is another “contagious” behavior. When our close
friends are going to the gym, then we also tend to join a gym. Similarly, our peer
groups in schools and colleges are influencing us negatively or positively towards
our studies.
Gender: Gender has implications for health across the course of every person's
life. Gender can influence a person's experiences of crises and emergency
situations, their exposure to diseases, and their access to healthcare, water,
hygiene, and sanitation. Gender inequality disproportionately affects women and
girls. Dietary habits and physical activity are strongly influenced by gender
attitudes and behaviors that promote different patterns of healthy or unhealthy
lifestyles among women and men.
3. Role of Physical Activity in Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Regular physical activity, such as jogging, walking, cycling, wheeling, doing sports,
Zumba, or active recreation, provides significant benefits for health. It is proven
to help prevent and manage non-communicable diseases such as heart disease,
stroke, diabetes, and several cancers. It also helps prevent hypertension, maintains

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healthy body weight, and can improve digestion, quality of sleep, mental health,
quality of life, and well-being, and improve your memory and brain function (all
age groups).

References
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15. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/causes/
16. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Physical_Fitness_and_Its_Components
17. https://www.topdoctors.co.uk/medical-articles/how-your-family-relationships-
influence-you#
18. Kamlesh M.L., Physical Education, Facts, and Foundations,” Faridabad P.B.
Publications.
19. Pandey, Preeti, Sharirik Shiksha Sankalan, Khel Sanskriti Prakashan, Kanpur.
20. Patel, Shri Krishna, Physical Education, Agrawal Publishers, Agra, 2014 – 15.
21. Rosaria Varì, Beatrice Scazzocchio, Antonio D'Amore, Claudio Giovannini, Sandra
Gessani, Roberta Masella, Gender-related differences in lifestyle may affect health
status. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2016 Apr-Jun;52(2):158-66.

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Unit 2: Fitness, Wellness, Weight Management, & Lifestyle

22. Singh, Ajmer, Physical Education and Olympic Abhiyan, Kalyani Publishers, New
Delhi, Revised edition, 2006.

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