This literature review will look into cycling as a means of transportation, for both commuter and recreational purposes, as well as look in depth, the question of just how much can cycling improve both our mental and physical health? The review will examine/critique the statistics that try to prove the affects of physical activity for public health, as well as outline the strengths of each claim and expose the weaknesses. The great philosopher Plato said that the "lack of activity [in society] destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it". This review will outline the dilemma we face in todays society; it ultimately can be referred to, as David Bannister suggests, the fascination with 'distance, speed and time'. For these three qualities are so domineering in our lives today and the effects (both positive and negative) play a substantial part in our lives. The review will critique the writings of scholars such as Tranter, Bannister, Racioppi, Tight and Lindsay as they attempt to define the importance of physical activity for public health.
The similarities that all the aforementioned scholars have in common is the connection between physical activity and health. There are numerous statistics that indicate and suggest that physical activity increases life expectancy, below are just a few that are relevant. There was a case study conducted in the 1950's that looked into the health and wellbeing of bus drivers who have a very sedentary lifestyle, to their counterparts, conductors, who are more active. The study showed that the drivers experienced higher rates of heart disease (Morris, J,N). There was also a health study conducted in England that concluded t...
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... fascination with distance, speed and time is categorically evident in the way that our cities are run. Dominated by machines that create both environmental and health issues. This review has attempted to outline the health benefits of cycling and critique them through scientific evidence. The evidence that Tranter, Bannister, Racioppi, Tight and Lindsay attempt to illustrate, is essentially a shift from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one. Plato was perhaps well ahead of his time in stating that the "lack of activity [in society] destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it” (Plato, 427-347 BCE). This encompasses and summarises all the physical and mental impacts cycling plays on the body and this review demonstrates how easy it is to change this epidemic of obesity through cycling.
Why should you be physically active and maintain proper nutrition? Because physical health is determined by a combination of controllable and uncontrollable factors. It is crucial that all the possible methods are taken to remain healthy. Physical fitness and nutrition are two of the most important methods anyone at any age can execute to reach/maintain their health goal. In this essay, I will go over both.
Daily biking also provides private health benefits for the users to help them become more active and healthier. The increase in the use of bikes helps to reduce the expenditure on healthcare, World health Organization(WHO) has reported on the fact that inactivity, and the health issues related to it, creates a significant cost to developed countries. The addition of this physical activity can become a benefit on the economy by helping the users provide sayings on healthcare. Even for a short time of the day, when people get some active input it can help lead to a healthier
Participation in sport, particularly in adults is shown to be rapidly decreasing. In The general Household Survey (2002, cited in National statistics) it was discovered that with the exclusion of walking, only 43% of the population had participated in some form of exercise in the four weeks prior to the research interview. It is accepted with recent statistics that participation rates in the UK are not adhering to the advised five times a week from the Department of Health, the author feels this is a worrying reality as there are many health implications resulting from a national neglect towards exercise.
...ts on college campuses.”Students use the bicycle for as much as 52% of all their journeys (Wegman & Aarts, 2006). Bicycle use entails relatively high safety and health risks (DVS, 2008; SWOV, 2006). Although the number of registered cyclist deaths has been halved during the 1987–2005 period (i.e. from 311 to 151 per year), and the annual number of in-patients also decreased (i.e. from 3093 in 1987 to 2186 in 2005), the proportion of cyclist fatalities in the total number of fatalities is relatively large (SWOV, 2006). In 2006, the proportion of cyclist fatalities was 23% of all traffic fatalities and cyclist injuries accounted for 43% of all traffic injuries” Says Gerjo Kok. this shows that we have decreased the number of accidents but we have a long way to go. we have improved the overall safety of our bikers but it would be nice if it was as safe as driving a car.
Why Americans persons should be more physically active? They should be more physically active, because there have to improve. Their health and self-esteem should be be positive so they can a good life.
Physical fitness is usually applied to the framework most typically associated with two classifications: Basic fitness (a condition associated with health as well as well-being) and specialized fitness (the capability to carry out specific sports activities or work-related skills). Physical fitness is actually a condition associated with health with lower risk of early illnesses and the vitality to participate in a wide range of physical pursuits.
People are too overwhelmed to think that it would benefit them. Even taking a jog would require too much of an effort. Because of society’s obligations, the worries of an average everyday routine bring them devastation. It becomes difficult to try to find time within their schedules to squeeze in a time to run. Adding exercise on their to-do list would result in more pressure while trying to reduce stress is the last priority on their mind. However, if they were able to manage their time and duties, making time to get involved in a cardio workout would not be a problem. They would be able to experience the true benefits of exercise and see how it could translate into reducing stress in their lives.
There exists various lifestyles and behaviours, ranging from amount of nutrition intake, mental well-being, to the amount of physical activity engaged individually. Weighing the abundance of factors, this essay primarily aims to focus on the aspect of physical activity in relevance to how it possibly affects one's lifestyle. By cross-referencing to other lifestyles and behaviours, this essay will also demonstrate the importance of physical activity in possibly alleviating the issues raised pertaining to other lifestyles as well. Throughout this essay, there will be frequent references to the socio-ecological framework in examining the aforementioned factors.
Exercise is the most important part of a happy life. Americans are some of the fattest people in the world. We are also overly dependant on prescription drugs. These factors stretch from the very young to the elderly. Biking is a great way to introduce activity into sedentary lifestyles. With proper knowledge they will see that biking improves their life.
"Physical Activity and Public Health." Scholar Commons of South Carolina. American Heart Association, 2007. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
Physical education time is being cut in schools to give more time for students to focus on core courses such as Science, Math and Reading. Some districts have eliminated the course or do not even provide it. These courses, although are very important, should not take away from a student’s well-being. Physical education provides a foundation to a student’s future lifestyle and good health habits. Physical education should be treated like every other foundational course because it is a necessary part of a student’s lifestyle that will benefit from every day. Physical education provides: 1) a variation of motor skills aimed to enhance the physical, mental, social and emotional development, 2) an understanding to improve and maintain their physical well-being and 3) opportunities to advance developing social and cooperative skills while gaining a multi-cultural perspective.
There is no doubt that there are skeptics against the proposal of cycling for a general well-being of society, but there are many opinions benefiting the proposal. Jim Severt, an expert in the field of cycling from his vast career in marketing bike brands, building bikes, or pursuing cycling as a career. His experience of years of progression through the sport has benefited him to be a healthier and a happier member of society. Because he has experienced this, he feels as though society should partake in cycling in day-to-day life as a release from stress and to produce a healthier community. “Cycling really will affect your emotions do to the endorphins that are released while partaking in that event. Another form of an emotional response is the camaraderie a person develops through the friendships and bonds that are formed” (Severt). As society nears the future of automated machines and electronics that make life easier, cycling...
Living a long and healthy life requires more than just good luck. People all over the world go to the gyms and like to exercise for different reasons. Some think that maintaining their fitness will just aim at their physical image, but being physically active will help control their overall health by improving the body's function and preventing sickness. Being physically active is the key to being physically and mentally fit, and helps people become a more balanced, physically fit person. They will not only stay healthier, but will be happier, live longer, and also sleep better. This will help boost a person's mental outlook, and also increase their self esteem. Physical fitness is one of the most important steps to a healthy body.
Aerobics is defined as a system of endurance exercises that promote cardiovascular fitness by producing and sustaining an elevated heart rate for a prolonged period of time, thereby pumping an increased amount of oxygen-rich blood to the muscles being used. In the world today a large number of U.S. citizens are over weight, you see them every where from school, to work, you see over weight people. In our fast pace world right now many people don’t have time to work out and if they do then they don’t fell like exercising. We have cities where governors dare the people to lose weight, and the most popular New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. . In this paper I will explain the benefits of aerobic exercise and why everyone should do some sort of exercising.
Sedentary lifestyles have greatly contributed to obesity, and to the diseases affecting to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. It has been shown that physical inactivity reduces our strength, results in low energy levels, and causes obesity. It is therefore very essential to ensure we that lead a physically active life. Exercising regularly is the key to a healthy life. However, this is hampered by factors like lack of motivation, time and money.