Behavior Change and Health News


Featured Resource: Physical Activity and Health, Second Edition

Our Featured Resource article highlights books and other materials available from Human Kinetics, the information leader in physical activity and health. Human Kinetics produces books, DVDs, software, and ancillaries that help health and fitness professionals, academics, and consumers improve health and reach fitness goals. Of particular interest to Active Living Partners providers are Human Kinetics’ materials on health promotion, aging and physical activity, and recreation. These materials offer ideas for a variety of audiences and abilities. Visit www.HumanKinetics.com to preview other titles and resources.


Author: Claude Bouchard, Steven N. Blair, and William Haskell
Copyright 2012 Human Kinetics

The human body is designed for activity. For most of our history, physical activity was required for survival, but technological advances have eliminated much of the need for hard physical labor. As our activity levels have dropped, it has become clear that a physically inactive lifestyle can lead to a host of health problems. Physical Activity and Health, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive treatment of the research on the benefits of a physically active lifestyle in comparison with the harmful consequences of physical inactivity.

Written by leading scientists from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia, Physical Activity and Health, Second Edition, brings together the results of the most important studies on the relationship between physical activity, sedentarism, and various health outcomes. The second edition has been fully updated based on the latest advances in this rapidly changing field and expanded to include the following new content:
  • A chapter on the physiology of inactivity and the effects of sedentary behavior even in people who engage in appropriate amounts of physical activity, which is an area of growing interest
  • More extensive coverage of physical activity, aging, and the brain, including a new chapter on the relationship between physical activity and brain structures and functions
  • A chapter on the development of national and international physical activity and health guidelines, which will help readers better understand how scientific findings are converted into practical recommendations
At the core of the text is a review of our current understanding of how physical activity affects health concerns such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity as well as aging and mental health. The text identifies sedentary living habits and poor fitness as major public health problems and examines the potential of physical activity to prevent disease and enhance quality of life. This complete resource also looks at the evolution of the field of physical activity and health; variations in physical activity levels across age, sex, and ethnic groups; the body’s physiological responses to physical activity; dose-response issues; and the influence of genetics on physical activity, fitness, and health. The book ends with an integration of the issues covered and discusses new opportunities for research.

Where other books have simply promoted physical activity for the individual or a population, Physical Activity and Health, Second Edition, completely integrates current knowledge of the relationship between physical activity and health. With contributions from some of the finest scientists in the field, this comprehensive text offers information unmatched in accuracy and reliability.

For a table of contents, excerpts, more information about the authors, and ordering information, visit the Human Kinetics website at www.HumanKinetics.com. To purchase bulk copies of the text, contact Human Kinetics at 800-747-4457.

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