Learn to assess the fitness status of a person, then manage the improvement of their fitness accordingly
Course Content and Structure
There are seven lessons as follows:
- Health Risk factors
Components of health
Wellness and quality of life
Health risk factors
Risk associated with a sedentary lifestyle
Hazardous substances
Alcohol
Smoking
Cancer health risks
- The Health Care System
Defining health care systems
Health care in Australia, USA, Europe, etc
The future of health care
Complimentary therapies
Acupuncture
Osteopathy
Homeopathy
Chiropractic
Physiotherapy
Shiatsu
Reflexology
Massage
Microwave treatments
Traditional Chinese medicine
Psychological therapies
Relaxation therapies
- Social Factors
Health hazards in modern society
Socioeconomic status and health
Social factors
General adaptation syndrome (GAS)
- Managing Health and Fitness
Health and fitness management
Programs
Taking responsibility for your own health
Consuming a nutritionally balanced diet
Drinking pure water
Exercise, relaxation, mental attitude, etc
Trends, products and services
Reasons people do not maintain good health
- Fitness Test Comparisons
Planes of the body
Directions of the body
Joints
Muscular system
Movement terms
Fitness testing
Before testing
Types of testing
Guidelines for testing
Screening people
- Analysis of Fitness Tests
Results and analysis
Variables
Measurement methods
Data presentation
- Analysis of Sports Skills
Fitness and sporting skills
Assessing physical skill
Techniques for observing and analyzing
Characteristics of an effective coach or trainer
Coaching styles
Course duration is around 100 hours
Health Risks
Many health risks have changed in the last century with antibiotics, clean drinking water, and waste care and treatment. A few of the most common causes of death, which can often be closely linked to lifestyle choices, today are:
- cardiovascular disease
- infectious and parasitic diseases
- cancer
- ischaemic heart disease
- stroke
- respiratory disease and infections
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- accidents including drowning, falling, driving (many are alcohol-related)
- diabetes mellitus
- Alzheimer’s disease
- kidney disease
- poisoning
In general we can view risk factors as being controllable (modifiable)
or uncontrollable (unmodifable). Controllable risk factors are those
which can be controlled by making choices about your behaviour and
uncontrollable risk factors are those we cannot control such as our age,
gender, race and genetics.
Cancer Risk Factors
Cancer refers to a group of diseases characterised by a cellular malfunction. Cellular malfunctions may result from a wide range of factors including genetics, hormones, exposure to viruses, age related mutations, lifestyle and environmental factors such as diet, tobacco use, exposure to sunlight, alcohol and chemicals. In most countries over a quarter of deaths are associated with cancer. The rate of diagnosed cancers is also increasing, a fact that can be attributed to a rise in life expectancy (where older adults are at most risk of developing cancer) and also to the adoption of more unhealthy lifestyles.
Risk factors for cancer depend upon the type of cancer, e.g. the most significant risk factors for lung cancer include tobacco use and exposure to air pollution, while diet is an important risk factor in prostate cancer and colorectal cancer and UV radiation is most strongly associated with melanomas. In many cancers there is a genetic component, where a patient inherits a specific mutation or develops cancer as a result of gene mutations during life. Around 5-10 % of cancers result from the genes we inherit from our parents, some people being just more prone to getting cancer from their genes. Some types of colon cancer for instance have a genetic tendency and can occur in families such as brothers and sisters or from parents. This kind of cancer can be detected very early from tests such as colonoscopies to see if dangerous polyps are growing. These can be removed many years before the cancer even starts.
Nine controllable risk factors are responsible for more than one-third of cancer deaths worldwide, according to a recent estimate from researchers and of these risk factors alcohol and smoking are the most damaging. Alcohol is particularly associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, oesophagus and liver and there is some research to suggest that consuming more than 2 units of alcohol a day increases the risk of these cancers where the risk continues to rise with increases in alcohol consumption. Meanwhile smoking or passive smoking (inhaling smoke from others) is associated with cancers of the lung, larynx, mouth, throat, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas and kidney. risk of cancer decreases after a person stops smoking, while risks are lowest in people who have never smoked.
Evidence also continues to amount to show a connection between certain types of cancer and a poor diet, being overweight and taking too little physical activity. For example research has shown a connection between a diet that is high in fat with cancers of the colon, uterus and colon, while being overweight and a lack of physical activity has been associated with cancers of the breast, colon, kidney, oesophagus and uterus.
When evaluating your own risk of developing cancer or those of a client it is important to put information into perspective. Whilst knowing the risk factors for different cancers is helpful in allowing us to make changes to address modifiable risks, bear in mind that being at an increased risk of developing cancer does not mean that we will develop cancer as in all the cases of cancer, a combination of risks are involved in most cases.
Ultimately, there is always an uncontrollable element of chace in getting cancer. Your risk may be reduced; but even the healthiest people; who do everything righ, can still contract cancer. It is important to reduce risks of course; but equally important to be vigilant with health checks, taking advice from expert medical practitioners on a regular basis.
