AQA GCSE Physical Education (8582) · Paper 2
🥗 Health, Fitness & Well-being
Revision notes written to the specification, with examiner tips and the required practicals. Every point here has flashcards in the Stickwise app.
Physical, emotional & social health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is a broader idea than fitness, which is the ability to meet the demands of an environment, or performance, which is how well a specific task is completed.
Taking part in physical activity brings benefits across all three areas of health. Physically, it improves fitness and reduces the risk of disease. Emotionally, it reduces stress and improves mood. Socially, it helps people make friends and builds a sense of teamwork or belonging to a group.
Obesity means having excess body fat to the point of harming health, and is often assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI), which compares weight to height, alongside waist measurements. A sedentary lifestyle, with little regular activity, raises the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and leads to weaker bones and muscles. It is generally caused by a poor diet that is high in fat, sugar or overall energy, combined with low activity levels, so that more energy is consumed than used and the excess is stored as fat. Physique itself is classified into three somatotypes, describing a person's general body shape.
Diet, nutrition & energy balance
A balanced diet has seven parts: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water, each needed in the right proportion for a performer's needs. Carbohydrates are the body's main energy source, especially for high-intensity exercise, and are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen for use during activity.
Protein is needed mainly for the growth and repair of body tissue, especially muscle, which is why performers often increase their protein intake after strength training to help muscles recover and rebuild. Fat is a concentrated energy store used mainly during low-intensity, long-duration exercise, and it also insulates the body and protects organs, though too much can raise the risk of obesity.
Water regulates body temperature and supports blood flow and joint lubrication. Dehydration causes an earlier rise in fatigue and a drop in concentration and performance.
Optimum weight is the best weight for a performer's health and performance, and is affected by their height, gender, build and the muscle-to-fat ratio their sport demands. This is why optimum weight differs between athletes: a jockey needs low body weight to minimise the load a horse carries, while a rugby prop forward needs high muscle mass for strength in the scrum.