The importance of sports for the promotion of fitness and making one a better, more fulfilled person suggests both an explanation and a justification for the current and growing popularity of sports. In recent years, fitness became an obsession for a lot of young – and not so young – individuals, who seem to be constantly working out in order to build a perfect body. Experts in the areas of health care, television, and the new mass media are continuously looking to produce and distribute brand posts about fitness itself or fitness goods (Pedersen 347). People who love exercising fall for this, because the fitness sector is popular as never before. People go to the gym to keep themselves in shape and maintain the healthy state of both their mind and body. Regardless of all the speculations, the benefit of personal fitness is evident.
The advantages of physical exercise are infinite. Fitness helps to develop bodily attributes such as muscle strength and stamina, cardiac durability, elasticity, quickness, and bone thickness. Consistent physical workouts maximize both the dimensions and strength of the heart, enabling it to push more blood with less effort. This will lead to lower heart rate and blood pressure, which can prolong life expectancy. The cardiovascular system is also positively impacted, because of a bigger blood volume transmitting more oxygen to the muscles. These effects will lead to decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke. Noteworthy circulatory fitness benefits can be reached with long-term involvement in cardiovascular isometrics. But one should also remember that years of strength exercises or lifetime strength workouts can deteriorate heart muscles – disposing one to a disorder called “ventricular arrhythmia” in which the heartbeat is inconsistent. Fitness also provides an aptitude to help one regulate his or her cholesterol level, raising the levels of healthy cholesterol and dropping the levels of unhealthy cholesterol. Fitness activities increase muscle mass, lessen fat, and therefore control the body mass. It is confirmed that physical exercise can regulate one’s body weight and prevent obesity. By combining proper physical workouts with the right diet, one can anticipate weight or fat loss and a stronger body. Aerobic workouts burn calories while exercising and also in the following twenty-four-hour period.
In conclusion, the author of the essay would like to state that practicing sports has always been one of the most important means of building a rich personality, developing a sense of responsibility, and becoming a better version of yourself in every sense of the word. When talking about fitness, one cannot underestimate its importance and necessity. Fitness brings joy and order to the lives of those who enjoy it. Regardless of the fact that fitness is profitable and easily accessible, there is always going to be a debate on whether fitness is healthy or not, but those who just exercise and do not try to overdo, are definitely doing much better in their lives. The author is certain of the fact that a lifetime of healthy physical activity is one of the best things one can do for his or her body and brain, but one should always be aware of the dangers of excessive exercise and its consequences, including heavy injuries and illnesses.
Works Cited
Pedersen, Paul Mark. Routledge Handbook of Sport Communication. London: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Health denotes a condition of total physical, psychological, and social welfare and not just the absence of sickness or frailty while fitness represents the capacity to satisfy the requirements of the environment. Regular physical activities and exercises improve both fitness and health (Shephard 803). The terms fitness and health are at times employed interchangeably although there are considerable dissimilarities between them despite their numerous similarities and many points of interaction.
Health acts as a general expression that describes the entire condition of an individual. Having good health signifies being free from any infirmity and not experiencing ache or injury (Häkkinen et al. 1). Though it could appear somewhat unclear, having good health does not essentially signify that one is fit, and unlike fitness, health may be affected by factors such as environment and food to mention a few. On the other hand, fitness signifies a determinant of the quantity of physical capacity.
Fitness is nearly fully an outcome of activity. Foodstuff and drink definitely may have an impact on one’s fitness. Nevertheless, the major manner of boosting a person’s fitness is through taking part in regular exercises. Improving one’s fitness has been seen to better health in several dissimilar approaches such as in lessening the risk of cardiovascular illnesses, decreasing the chances of contracting most types of cancers, and enhancing a person’s immunity.
Though it might appear a matter of semantics, it is vital to distinguish the dissimilarity between fitness and health. Having a good health could be taken as a thing that people do not have full control over (Häkkinen et al. 6). It appears as if one is either fortunate to be in good health or otherwise not. On the contrary, fitness is a thing which people can totally control. Any person can choose to boost his/her fitness by taking part in more of the appropriate forms of exercise.
Spirited cardiovascular activity improves fitness. On this note, the more exercises one undertakes, the more fit he/she becomes, and consequently the more he/she can undertake further exercise. Certainly it is not appropriate to overdo it, which could be a manner of causing injuries. Suitable exercising entails just a gradual process of taking a little more every time. Unlike health, one cannot just be fortunate to boost his/her fitness; a person may only improve fitness through working on it.
Every person has the alternative of either choosing to boost his/her fitness (and as an extra advantage improve one’s health) or not (Shephard 803). For people who choose to boost their fitness, they need to engage in some activities. Those who choose not to take part in regular exercises have no one or nothing to blame as they have only opted not to boost their fitness and health. Fitness and heath are significant components of daily life.
They enable a person to address daily requirements of the psychological, social, and physical aspects. Fitness and health are physiological factors that might influence the capacity of a person to satisfy the physical requirements of the activity. They are necessary for every activity though the relative performance might vary. Having good health generates an excellent practical ambience in and out of the body. Both fitness and health facilitate one’s well-being and operate hand in hand. One cannot purport to be healthy devoid of a fitness plan or fit while not having a healthy diet.
Works Cited
Häkkinen, Arja, Marjo Rinne, Tommi Vasankari, Matti Santtila, Keijo Häkkinen, and Heikki Kyröläinen. “Association of physical fitness with health-related quality of life in Finnish young men.” Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 8.1 (2010): 1-8.
A personal fitness trainer can be defined as a person who educates and trains clients in the performance of safe and appropriate exercises in order to effectively lead them to optimal health. The initial responsibility of a personal trainer is to develop a good relationship with the client. A fitness trainer should give their client confidence and courage so that the latter can take the project easily.
Collecting the client’s data is very important because it gives the trainer a way to make a fitness plan in accordance with the client’s vitals. In the case of a runner such as Steve, the main responsibility of a fitness trainer is to focus on weight gain and muscle mass increase by making a perfect fitness plan according to Steve’s needs. The rationale for focusing on weight and muscle mass is that Steve has a skinny body and he wants to get some bulk, so a responsible trainer is bound to follow his requirements.
Calculations
BMI of Steve is 24.1.
BMR of Steve is 23.78 (Normal weight).
Through Karvonen formula Heart rate at 60% is 140bpm and at 80% is 167bpm. The normal range is 140-167bpm.
Discussion
Depending upon situations there are different methods for assessment of client’s fitness. In the present case, Steve’s athletic background and history of running are enough to assess the client’s profile and to make a decent fitness program. The rationale for assessing the fitness of client is that according to the fitness and health of the client, the plan will be made for him. The evaluation of Steve’s potential in terms of physical exercise is very necessary to sketch the training. The reason for assessment of client’s fitness is that by acknowledging needs of Steve, the trainer will be able to elaborate a dedicated workout plan. As the BMI of Steve is 24.1, it is clear that his metabolism is working up to the mark.
Specific Conditions
In the case of Steve, it should be taken into account that he is not used to resistance training. The workout will have to increase the load gradually. There is an important reason behind discussing specific conditions. As in the case of Steve, he has low resting heart rate so a trainer should keep it in mind while preparing for the work plan. Steve has BMR 23.78 which depicts that he can gain some weight. The trainer should keep in mind the range of heart rate 140-167bpm. The workload should be hard enough so that the heart rate could remain within normal range.
Workout Program
The workout plan is divided into three cycles:
Week 1-3 – Initial training. Exercises given below are to be performed in a circuit fashion on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
The rationale for initial training is that Steve is not used to resistance exercise, so a sudden increase in workload will result in a collapsed plan and cause the heart rate to exceed the normal range. To avoid collapsing the plan, the initial workload will be kept very low.
Aerobics: Thursday 40 minutes run. Tuesday, Saturday: 30 sec Jog/Sprint for 5minutes and add 1 minute each week.
The rationale for strength training is that after initial training Steve is ready to lift up. The load is increased as compared to initial training which will help the client to gain body mass. In this cycle, the workload is increased, but normal range of heart rate is kept in mind.
Week 10-12 – continued strength training. The training is same as in 9-12 weeks but the load is increased, and reps are decreased.
The rationale for continued strength training is that now Steve is on the right track and he is able to take on the maximum load. Increased load and decreased reps cause muscle sprinting. The latter is a major reason for bulk formation.
Specific and Detailed Nutritional Plan
For Steve, three macronutrients have different roles. In diet plan, Steve is suggested to take five days of high calories and two days of low calories. The sequence should be 1, 2, 3 or 1, 2, 4 for the dietary intake. The BMI of Steve shows that his metabolism is working up to the mark. According to his current weight, he should take 160gm protein daily. The amount will increase according to weight gain. Products which give protein are pork, chicken, beans, and mutton.
The rationale for using sufficient amount of protein is that protein is necessary to build up muscle mass which is one of Steve’s major aims. Another dietary subsection is fat. The rationale for not using more fat is that the latter is not involved in bulk formation. Instead, it causes many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases. The third macronutrients are carbohydrates. Steve can make the most out of carbs because they are an excellent source of energy. The rationale for using carbs in the diet plan is that carbs are involved in weight gain. Nutritional assessment is recommended as it takes its healthy place for weight gain and muscle bulk of Steve.
Other Recommendations
All recommendations presented within the training program are made after an evaluation of physical condition and vitals of Steve. The current workout program was developed in line with his needs, and he will be able to gain weight during next 8-10 weeks and then build up muscle mass. The nutritional plan is recommended to Steve according to his physical activity. As physical activity increases, the diet should also be reviewed. Overall, the program can be characterized as effective as all needs are being fulfilled.
Diana Prince
Responsibilities of a Fitness Trainer
After building up a relationship with the client, it is easy to collect important data that is why relationship building is the responsibility of a fitness trainer. According to the information provided for Diana, the training program will have to be developed for the betterment of her shape. The program will not have to be all-inclusive due to the fact that Diana is only looking to lose her weight and get back to her perfect shape.
Therefore, one of the main professional responsibilities of a personal trainer is to come up with a workout plan that will provide Diana with an opportunity to lose her weight. The rationale for quoting responsibilities of a personal trainer in Diana’s case is that the former will prepare a program comprising of low load set of exercises. In perspective, this will help Diana to lose weight without having any trouble.
Calculations
BMI of Diana is 27.5.
BMR of Diana is 26.7 (Overweight).
Through Karvonen formula the heart rate at 60% is 140bpm and at 80% is 162bpm. The normal range of heart rate is 140-162bpm.
Discussion
In this case, the main professional goal of a fitness trainer is to evaluate Diana’s background and learn as much as they can about her sports career (if any). This will help the trainer to collect the most accurate data regarding the client and form a preliminary opinion regarding what and how should be done. The main focus of this program will be cardio drills and running to get countable results. The rationale for fitness evaluation is that by evaluation of complete physical condition a perfect plan can be made for Diana.
Specific Conditions
The main condition that will have to be kept in mind while sketching the program is her idle living. She gave up every physical activity after her pregnancy. So, it can be dangerous to put a sudden workload on her. Fitness trainer should plan a program according to Diana’s will that how much weight she wants to lose. The rationale for determining specific conditions is that it will help to do amendments in the program to make it suitable for Diana. BMR of Diana is 26.7 which hints at the fact that she is obese. A trainer should keep in mind the ranges of heart rate 140-162bpm.
Workout Plan
Workout plan for Diana includes three cycles called mesocycle. These include the following:
Week 1-3 Initial Workout. Workout days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The main focus of Diana’s workout plan is running.
Slant bench: 1 set 15 Reps.
Pull down: 1 set 15 Reps.
Squats: 2 sets 20 Reps.
Front squats: 3 sets 15 Reps.
Side lat. raise: 1 set 15 Reps.
Shoulder press: 1 set 15 Reps.
Pull ups: 1 set 15 Reps.
Abs: 2 sets 15 Reps.
Planks: 2. Running 1 mile.
Aerobics: Tuesday/Thursday: a little jogging. Saturday: Treadmill – 20 minutes.
The rationale for using a slight load is that Diana is coming from an idle life to workout so initially, the work load should be minimal to avoid exhaustion.
The rationale for increasing workload is that the main focus of the program is to come back to a perfect shape. It will definitely help Diana to lose more weight. When the strength of workout is increased, it should be kept in mind that the normal heart rate range should not increase at any cost.
Week 10-12 – Increased Workout
Slant bench: 3 sets 10 Reps.
Planks: 6. Squats: 3 sets 15 Reps.
Front squats: 4 sets 15 Reps
Side lat. raise: 3 sets 10 Reps.
Abs: 3 sets 15 Reps.
Leg extension: 3 sets 10 Reps.
Pull ups: 4 sets 8 Reps.
Pull down: 4 sets 8 Reps.
Deadlift: 3 sets 10 Reps.
Running 4 miles.
Aerobics: Tuesday: Treadmill – 40 minutes.
The rationale for the final workout is that its main focus is on running. Running is the easiest way to lose weight, so the final hit is on that. The overall reason for this plan is to reduce Diana’s weight in a proper way.
Specific and Detailed Nutritional Plan
A personal trainer should consider macronutrients as well as micronutrients while preparing Diana’s diet plan. While managing the diet plan, they should also keep in mind that Diana’s BMI is above the normal range which depicts that her metabolism is not up to the mark. As Diana is trying to lose weight, there will be five low calories days and two high calories days. Among the micronutrients, there should be 18gm of iron and sufficient calcium. Iron can be gained from dark chocolate.
The rationale for the use of iron is that during strenuous exercise a rather huge amount of iron is released from the body and that can cause anemia. There should be a restriction to caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine as they impede normal metabolism.
Carbohydrates cause weight gain so they should not be consumed a lot. Vegetables and salad should be included in the daily diet plan because they help to reduce weight. The level of protein intake should not be higher than 160gm as this nutrient is not involved in weight gain. Milk and cheese should not be used because they contain fats. The rationale for the specific nutritional plan is that nutritional strategies are very important according to the exercise. If the nutritional strategies do not meet the needs of workout, the plan will collapse.
Recommendations
Diana’s training program was developed on the basis of vitals and special requirements of Diana. The rationale behind the program is to provide Diana a perfect fitness plan which will help her to get back to her ideal shape. All nutritional recommendations were provided within the framework of this training program are based on Diana’s background and are expected to help her lose weight through the next 12 weeks. Overall, the trainer is going to pay special attention to Diana’s fat percentage, BMI, and heart rate. The rationale for controlling these indicators is that the maintenance of normal functioning is necessary for the program to work as expected. Otherwise, the plan will fail.
Genomics is studying genes and their functions. It considers the genes’ molecular mechanisms and genetic and environmental factors interaction causing a disease. The genotype is the genetic structure of an organism, while a phenotype is the organism’s characteristics conformed to by the genetic structure. The study of gene relationships in various species is comparative genomics (Gerstein et al 2007).
Research problem and research questions
A research problem statement should identify theory, models, framework and variables (Creswell, 2003). Research questions aim to narrow the research topic from the broader research problem statement to what the researcher (s) will attempt to answer (Tashakkori and Creswell, 2007). In the article to summarize, the authors recognized that one way genomics affect biology is the possibility of identifying and studying how the characteristics affecting fitness, a key issue in natural selection, are genetically based.
Further, they identified how the various genomic approaches highlighted that genetic build up of quantitative variation can result in an up-and-coming understanding of quantitative genetics of fitness variation. This meant to the authors that biologists expect to see a synthesis of environmental and molecular approaches in evolutionary biology. The authors stated the following research questions: what is the genetic build up of fitness characteristics in wild populations. Second, how new genomic methodologies for non-model organisms can identify the genetic locus of evolution.
Research background, research questions justification, and main hypothesis
Although Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) did not provide an introduction section with a background literature review, yet, they reviewed fitness variations in the wild and their quantitative genetics. They identified that laboratory model organisms’ studies provide control, replication, uniformity, and stability; however, this does not mimic the operating conditions of natural selection in the wild. Therefore, they considered field studies advantageous to laboratory animal models studies.
Even in laboratory studies (like those on Dorsophila) where populations can be maintained for many generations with enough competition and adaptation to the environment, they considered there is little invariance of the environment. They thought this implies poor models results compared to those of natural populations. Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) identified long term dedicated effort and current marking methods, which may need a change to genetic marking techniques as major difficulty of field research.
Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) reviewed the available mathematical models for measuring the relationship between natural selection and evolution stating that price equation is conditional on the transmission of variation. A second method of measuring quantitative genetics is perceptive multiple regression method, which hypothesizes that selection inclinations describe the link between fitness and trait variation. However, they recognized how environmental factors (as a variable) interact to induce genetically determined fitness traits is a key challenge to studies in the wild. Based on the fitness measure they accepted (a measure that combines individual and population aspects of fitness, designed to deal with unstable population dynamics and to take account of the continuous nature of evolution), they suggested applying this and other methods to take account of population demography. This would help to produce insights about the operation of selection and evolution in natural populations.
The authors stated that fitness traits analysis at phenotype level may produce an incomplete image of the degree of genetic change across time, and as recent studies of wild populations show, the expressed genetic variation is conditional to environment, the life stage of the organism and its sex. Thus they hypothesized wild population studies especially the long term ones are more convenient than animal model laboratory studies.
Further review on quantitative genetics and approaches
Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) identified two main points need fulfillment to proceed for quantitative genetics; first, there are huge numbers of loci of small effect trigger traits besides the environmental influence.
Second, there is a need to have enough gene (DNA) sequence information to link potential loci to fitness. The authors responded to their first research question about the genetic build up of fitness characteristics in wild populations by stating there are two schools of thought, either change in regulation of gene expression or change in gene structure. They underlined that working on animal models provides little information on naturally occurring population variants. They emphasized that genetic variation at different loci may result in similar phenotypes in different populations because of gene-environment interaction; thus, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping can be helpful to decode genetic build-up of traits.
Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) explained the basic principle of QTL mapping methods as genetic markers of an organism’s genome are typed within a mapping population of individual organisms of available phenotype data. If a marker is in close correlation with a QTL, both the marker and QTL will be in linkage instability (disequilibrium) within the mapping population. This results in statistically significant correlation between the marker genotype and trait variation. The authors responded to their second research question clarifying techniques of QTL. First is using inbred line crosses, which they considered the most effective method of QTL since it expands linkage disequilibrium between markers and trait loci, despite laboratory conditions do not mimic the environment effect.
Second, QTL studies on out-bred natural populations need large lineage (pedigrees) to sample and measure the components of fitness. Alternatively, they suggested searching for linkage between markers and trait loci by genomes scanning instead of pedigree analysis as an alternative option having the advantage of drawing out the statistical association between markers and trait loci (linkage disequilibrium). In case genetic markers spreading over the genome are available, the authors suggested selective sweep sampling method taking benefit from the fact that strong positive selection leaves a print form of reduced genetic diversity around the selected locus.
Approaches to fitness genes’ studies in natural populations
Combining information from model studies to studies on the genetic basis of fitness differences in natural population provide the benefit of suggesting the gene candidates for trait loci based on the knowledge gained from comparable phenotype model species. Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) explained three approaches for these studies; first, they suggested a candidate gene approach focusing on allelic variation, second they suggested strengthening the candidate gene approach by parallel genetic mapping. Finally, they proposed examining the genes encoding proteins included in glucose metabolism (energy production).
Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) viewed transcriptome analysis, which is analyzing the universal gene expression of an organism or a cell by identifying the entire messenger RNA (Wang et al 2009) superior to other techniques as it allays the need to construct a species-specific microarray. They reviewed studies where transcriptome profiling showed marked differences in gene expression among different natural populations. They looked at improvement in array technology a hope for large-scale studies of gene expression in natural populations.
Results
Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) conducted a systematic literature review study; however, they did not provide information about their search strategy or methodology, inclusion criteria, data extraction or data synthesis methods (Ridley 2008).
Therefore, there is no results part in this article. However; based on their literature review, Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) highlighted three potential directions for future research. First, identification of specific genetic loci affecting phenotyping, which will lead to accurate insight of what makes a trait that can be the target of selection. Second, increased convergence to the evolution loci would solve many current problems and leads to a genomic perspective that allows identifying and characterizing sex-antagonistic genes and testing evolutionary theories. Finally, the authors suggested future research would aim at determining the processes that can maintain genetic variation in natural populations limiting the problem of environmental and temporal variations.
Conclusion
In the conclusion section, Ellegren and Sheldon (2008) spotted that the understanding of evolutionary genomics is expanding because of organisms’ models for laboratory genetics; however, it should be clear that a continuum exists between experimental models genomics and environmental realism. The species that are intermediate in this continuum like mice may provide the most productive grounds.
References
Creswell, J. W (2003). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (first edition). Thousand Oaks, Ca: Sage.
Ellegren, H., and Sheldon, B. C (2008). Genetic basis of fitness differences in natural populations. Nature, 452, 169-175.
Gerstein, M. B., Bruce, C., Roaowsky, J. S., Zheng, D. et al (2007). What is a gene, post-ENCODE? History and updated definition. Genome Res, 17, 669-681.
Ridley, D (2008). The Literature Review: A step-by Step Guide for Students. Thousand Oaks, Ca: Sage Publications Ltd.
Tashakkori, A., and Creswell, J. W (2007). Exploring the nature of research questions in mixed methods research. J Mixed Methods Research, 1(13), 207-211.
Wang, Z., Gerstein, M., and Snyder, M (2009). RNA-Seq: a revolutionary tool for transcriptomics. Nature Rev. Genetics, 10(1), 57-63.
The legal position of Carter and Beyonce, who are angry about the membership fee
Businesses have unfair standard terms in their contracts (The Law Commission and The Scottish Law Commission, 2012). According to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), “a standard term is unfair if it creates a significant imbalance in the parties rights and obligations under the contract, to the detriment of the consumer, contrary to the requirement of good faith” (Office of Fair Trading, 2008). Given this definition, Hillingdon Country House Fitness Centre has some unfair standard terms to its members. For instance, the advertisement has misleading omission to customers. Misleading omissions have the following characteristics:
Omitted or hidden information
Unclear information
Unintelligible information
Ambiguous information
Information that a party gives to clients when it is too late
In this case, the Hillingdon Country House Fitness Centre had a “Special Offer” for 12 months membership at a 50% discount with no joining fee. Thus, the problem was in what the Fitness Centre had omitted.
Carter and Beyonce noticed that, on the membership form, there was a general reference to a joining fee and the payment of monthly membership fees, but there was no indication of the actual amount(s).
The OFT has some provisions on unfair practices of health and fitness centers regarding the membership contracts. The OFT has paid special interest to the unfairness in the gym membership contracts. Concerning areas that the OFT has identified as containing unfair standard terms for consumers, the legal position of Carter and Beyonce remains clear because OFT considers such strategies as unfair to consumers. For instance, there is a lack of clarity about the membership fees. The Hotel did not clearly state the joining fees and the payment of monthly membership fees. Still, it failed to refer to the actual amounts of these charges.
It is such unclear, misleading, and ambiguous terms in the contract that Carter and Beyonce can rely on to establish legal grounds against the gym. Thus, any information the gym shall provide later for clarification shall form parts of the misleading omissions as expressed in the case of OFT v Ashbourne Management Services Limited and others[2011] EWHC 1237 (Office of Fair Trading, 2008).
The gym also provides 12 months membership period as the minimum period for the membership. This condition also has serious implications for Carter and Beyonce. For instance, the couple has to make monthly payments for the next 12 months. This is an obligation, which Carter and Beyonce must fulfill because the gym will not release them under any circumstance. This implies that any attempts to cancel such contracts may attract many forms of penalties based on the following:
Lack of clarity about a minimum period of membership
There is no reference to cancellation penalties or impacts of membership cancellation.
The contract also does not have any provision for changes to the agreement.
The gym also hid or did not clearly express the difference between a joint membership and an individual membership. This leaves customers to presume that charges for joint and individual memberships are different. However, the charge reflects otherwise as Carter and Beyonce noted that both the staff at the Fitness Centre and the bank had assumed the amount they entered was per individual membership rather than for a joint membership.
According to Edwina, Carter and Beyonce are not eligible for any refunds because they joined two days later after the “Special Offer” had expired. However, it was within the public knowledge that there was a postal strike, which caused the delay in mail deliveries. In this context, the gym did not clarify any penalties or terms of membership arising from later deliveries.
The gym hid or did not clearly explain these terms and conditions for customers. However, health clubs and fitness centers also need to protect themselves from consumers. Lack of plain and clear expression may jeopardize the legal position of the gym.
Some of the Hotel’s claims are not against the law, but they are dubious and unfair terms for customers:
Excluding the right to claim refunds
Carter and Beyonce may lose all monies paid to the gym arising from high penalties.
Regulating bodies have noticed that the terms of the contract may not be clear to consumers. As a result, The Law Commission and The Scottish Law Commission conclude that any unfair term shall not bind the consumer to the contract. However, other parts of the contract “shall continue to bind the parties if it is capable of continuing in existence without the unfair term” (The Law Commission and The Scottish Law Commission, 2012).
There are also studies, which show that consumers are too busy to read complex and standard terms, which parties present to them. However, consumers are logical and make informed decisions if they get the right information. This means that the Hotel should present its contract in plain and intelligible language for consumers to allow consumers to read and understand such terms before committing to a contract.
The Hotel also engages in misleading acts. For instance, it used terms like Special Offer and joint membership with 50 percent discount, which induced Carter and Beyonce to sign the contract. Carter and Beyonce can claim that they signed the contract based on misleading actions of the Hotel (Office of Fair Trading, 2008).
The legal position Carter, who wants compensation for his back injury
It also stated in small print at the bottom of the form:
“Whilst the equipment is maintained to a high standard and guidance and supervision are provided, the Hillingdon Country House Hotel can accept no liability for injury, or loss of, or damage to, any property, that occurs during the use of the facilities.”
According to OFT, this statement reflects unfair standard terms in the contract. Thus, Carter is liable for compensation if the party’s circumstances under which he sustained the injury.
Carter and Beyonce used the gym unattended.
The treadmill he was using unexpectedly speeded up causing him to lose his balance and fall off.
The main condition for making a personal injury compensation claim is that an injury must have occurred (Campbell, 2012). Thus, cases of ‘near misses’ do not provide adequate grounds for compensation claims unless the person experiences quantifiable psychological problems because of the experience. In the case of Carter, the back injury has occurred. The injury compensation law has some provisions to guide such claims. These include the following:
The extent or severity of the injury
The length of time for recovery
Impacts of the injury on the claimant (personal life quality and financial situation)
The law must also focus on the negligence of the Hotel. However, we have to acknowledge that the Hotel uses a top-of-the-range model from Super Fit (a reputable company in fitness equipment). In addition, it also maintains its facility as necessary. Still, we have to establish a condition of negligence.
Dalmar left Carter and Beyonce to train unattended
Injury compensation law must establish that there are persons who are responsible for the damage because of their careless actions or lack of concern. In this case, such acts of carelessness or absence of Dalmar from the gym contributed to the back injury of Carter directly or indirectly. Dalmar failed to provide adequate supervision during the training session. The injury compensation law recognizes that an injury must have taken place. However, there should also be someone to blame for the injury.
The injury compensation law must also clarify contributory negligence. We have two ways in which contributory negligence may affect personal injury compensation claims. First, claimants may contribute to their injury through negligence. However, this is not the case with Carter. The injury happened unexpectedly and Carter had no means of stopping it. In this case, we rule out the negligence of Carter as a contributory factor to his back injury. Second, there are no multiple injuries or many people responsible for the injury. Thus, contributory negligence from other people or factors does not apply in the case of Carter. In this case, the Hotel takes the blame for the injury. The comparative negligence principle does not apply in the case of Carter’s back injury. We note that Carter is completely not at fault. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the hotel to compensate for the injury.
Carter must consider the following when making claims for the back injury:
Suffering and pain from the back injury
Since Carter is a self-employed accountant, he must consider lost earnings for the period of the injury.
Medical and all other related expenses
Loss of earnings arising from the caregiver
The case of Carter assuming the risk also does not apply in this case. We know the inherent risks in fitness and health clubs, and that is why there are always personal trainers or supervisors. However, such risks are not common occurrences like in the case of Andrew Gravil v Richard Carroll and Redruth Rugby Football Club [2008] EWCA Civ 689. Carter sustained the injury while training on the treadmill when it unexpectedly speeded up. In this case, the Hotel cannot claim that the claimant assumed the risk of the back injury before training. This is because unexpected speeding of the treadmill is not a risk that is inherent in the gym (Goguen, 2012).
The Hotel also cannot claim that Carter failed to mitigate the effects of the injury. This is because Carter sought medical attention after the injury. Thus, any argument about Carter’s “failure to mitigate” consequence of the back injury does not apply in this case (Goguen, 2012). The claimant did not wait until the condition deteriorated to seek medical attention, which normally results in high medical costs. In addition, claims for lost wages should also remain intact as Carter mitigated the effects of his injury.
The case of Carter is not in isolation. People who have suffered injuries in the gyms have received compensations for such injuries depending on their cases. For instance, Ms. Brown won compensation of an unknown amount after the exercise bike threw her off and caused bodily injury, and affected her working life (Simon A. Holt & Co. Solicitors, 2007). This was an out-of-court settlement between the gym and Ms. Brown.
In another case, a sports center at Staffordshire received “a fine of £15,000 after a man broke his neck because the handlebars of an exercise bike broke” (YouClaim, 2011). The man received the compensation based on the following grounds:
The handlebars of the bike fell from the frame
The trainer was at the scene
He spent ten months wearing a rigid neck collar
The injury affected his personal and financial life
The inspector established that the bike’s handlebars were beyond the recommended and marked safety area.
The bike had no physical way of stopping the handlebars.
There were no methodical means of checking whether the handlebar adjustment had exceeded the safety limit.
These rulings indicate that owners of fitness and health clubs must make sure that their customers have safe environments for exercise and leisure activities. Such facilities should be safe, assembled, and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Therefore, any injuries or deaths resulting from the use of such facilities usually affect their owners.
Claims against Super Fit
Super Fit supplies top-of-the-range equipment for fitness and health clubs. It also gives a six-month guarantee with all their products. However, the contract with the Hotel stated the following:
“After the six-month guarantee period, Super Fit can accept no liability for any defects in, or any injury caused by, the machine supplied”.
In this case, neither Carter nor the Hotel can make any claim against Super Fit. This is because of the following:
The treadmill was over six months old thus, not eligible for guarantee.
Super Fit cannot accept any liability arising from defects or injury from the machine after the six-month guarantee.
Edwina referred Carter to the disclaimer at the bottom of his application form.
The likelihood of a successful claim against Super Fit diminishes after six months. Before six months, Super Fit can accept all liabilities from the machine. However, in this case, the Hotel must identify inherent problems with the machine and handle them. According to Associated Newspapers Limited, claims and possible acceptance of liabilities after six months in the UK are difficult to get (Associated Newspapers Limited, 2010). However, the Hotel must prove that the unexpected increase in speed originated from the machine itself. Edwina must show the following:
No signs of misuse
No shoddy components
No-fault in design
These are the provisions of the Sales of Goods Act. Super Fit has no obligations to accept liabilities resulting from the use of the treadmill if Edwina cannot prove such claims before the expiry of the guarantee.
This case may differ if we look at the European Union (EU) directive of 1999/44/EC. This provision requires that all consumer goods sold anywhere in the EU must have a two-year guarantee. This period may even belong in other countries. Under the UK laws, the guarantee should not bind Super Fit if the treadmill has its fault from the Hotel. However, the EU rule does not require “consumers to prove that such faults are inherent in the product or down to their actions” (Associated Newspapers Limited, 2010). At the same time, it allows consumers to report such cases “within two months after detecting the problem” (Associated Newspapers Limited, 2010).
The legal position Dalmar, who feels that he has been unfairly dismissed
The facts behind Dalmar’s dismissal are as follow:
Dalmar left Carter and Beyonce to work out in the gym unattended. As a result, Carter sustained a back injury from the treadmill unexpected speeding.
The staff handbook indicates that the mini-gym should not be unattended with clients in it.
Edwina immediately suspended Dalmar
Dalmar was liable for gross misconduct
Dammar has worked in the gym for over two years
Dalmar ignored the disciplinary hearing and advice to bring a friend or an advisor.
Dalmar received two month’s pay instead of notice
Dalmar’s response
It was a monetary error because he did not leave clients unattended for long
Carter’s injury did not result from his absence, but the faulty treadmill
Dalmar felt unfairly dismissed
The Hotel must be aware that if it wishes to dismiss Dalmar for one act of misconduct, then it is imperative to show that the action of Dalmar amounts to gross misconduct (International Law Office, 2000). The challenge for employers has been the definition of what constitutes gross misconduct, which can justify summary dismissal. The Employment Arbitration Tribunal confirmed what constitutes gross misconduct in the case of Graham Group plc v Bishop (International Law Office, 2000). A single act that justifies dismissal must be:
Serious
Wilful
Obvious
On the other hand, the Court of Appeal maintained that an employer should define what constitutes gross misconduct in their staff handbook. According to the Law Donut, a gross misconduct “on the part of an employee is so bad that it destroys the employer and employee relationship, and merits instant dismissal without notice or pay instead of notice” (Law Donut, 2012). In this sense, the Law Donut notes that lesser offenses, which mainly relate to work performance such as negligence, absenteeism, sub-standard works, and poor time management, do not usually constitute gross misconduct. However, such repeated acts may be serious. In this case, Dalmar may sue the Hotel for unfair dismissal like the case of Orr v Milton Keynes Council [2011] EWCA Civ 62. However, the Hotel may argue that:
It took proper procedures before dismissal by holding a disciplinary hearing.
It gave Dalmar a chance to come with an advisor at the hearing.
Dalmar neither came to the hearing nor sent an advisor.
Given that the Hotel does not have other issues against Dalmar, the Tribunal may argue that the Hotel did not follow explore other measures before considering dismissal. These may include:
Transfer
Warnings
Demotion
The Hotel failed to classify what constituted gross misconduct. In addition, it did not classify the claim against Dalmar as gross misconduct.
Given the severity of gross misconduct and subsequent dismissal, the Hotel did not follow procedures in its decision to dismiss Dalmar. These procedures could have included:
Conducting thorough investigation and establishing how long Dalmar left clients unattended
Interviewing all witnesses including Carter and Beyonce
Establishing an impartial disciplinary team
The disciplinary team made an instant decision without the employee
Dalmar did not receive any advice to appeal against the decision
According to Law Donut, employees dismissed for gross misconduct should not receive any pay instead of notice as this may weaken the case (Law Donut, 2012). This is because gross misconduct is so severe to the extent that an employer can dismiss the staff instantly by following the correct procedure (Law Donut, 2012).
Royden notes that employers must also act reasonably before deciding to dismiss an employee as was the case of Foley v Post Office [2000] ICR 1283 (Roydens, 2005). In case, of unfair dismissal, the employer may compensate highly for the dismissal. Considering the facts of dismissal in this case, dismissal was harsh for Dalmar. In the case of Uzoamaka v Conflict & Change Limited [1999] ADR.L.R. 05/28, the Court of Appeal recognized that it was the parties to set what constituted gross misconduct (International Law Office, 2000). However, in this case, the Hotel never classified unattended mini gym with clients in it as gross misconduct. Dalmar can also sue the Hotel on grounds of unfair dismissal considering that he has worked in the Hotel for more than two years (Law Donut, 2012; Roydens, 2005).
This case raises serious issues. First, the employer had the liberty to define what constituted gross misconduct. However, the Hotel shall experience challenges in proving that the dismissal was fair. Second, the Hotel should consider areas or offenses with gross misconduct in their staff handbook. This is because Dalmar may claim that the staff handbook is mere guidance for employees’ behaviors and not part of the contract. The procedures for dismissing an employee are complex and require extensive advice even in cases where employers may claim cases of gross misconduct. Failure to follow the right procedure may result in high awards. At the same time, employees should seek advice because the dismissal procedure may turn out to be unfair like in the case of BTRT UK Ltd v Ms. P Wang EAT 17/07/09.
Body shapes differ in body fat levels and muscle accumulation and are determined by genetics. People have different body shapes, with men having rectangular shape and women having hourglass shape.
The society has focused on how people appear, but an individual’s view of his/her own appearance may not meet the society’s expectation. This paper focuses on body fitness and health as factors to an ideal image.
According to Zygmunt (1995, p.114), “body types can be classified into three; endomorph, mesomorphs and ectomorphs”. In endomorph, both sexes tend to have larger thighs and hips. They also have short legs and high wastes.
The second body type is the mesomorphs, whose body appearances are athletic build. They are likely to lose weight as compared to endomorphs. The ectomorphs have low body mass and narrow hips and shoulders.
Their whole body shape appears like a ruler. Fashion and beauty magazines put photographs of models that have perfect bodies, such as women with curves.
Yuill and Barry (2008 p. 36) argues that “both male and female do different types of exercises so that they can acquire their preferred body shapes and due to complex social relations, especially in the universities, females are anxious of their body shapes and the need for being attractive to their male fellows while seeking their approval”.
Media and cultures has been a factor that has led to men and women dissatisfaction of their bodies. Older women are likely to be more satisfied as compared to younger ones who will do all kinds of exercises to have a perfect body figure.
Men also spend time on weight training to achieve the same images as those that appear on the media. They do exercises such as jogging, cycling, swimming, shoulder presses, and squats.
Young women focus on their hips and abs and they concentrate on exercises such as sit-ups, and rope jumping. Exercises boost self-image as well as good eating habits, which encourages healthy skin and hair growth.
The body’s wellness in health also contributes to achieving the ideal body. The body flexibility, composition and muscle strength are very important. Nettlon (2006 p. 33) suggests, “Peoples lifestyles determines their patterns of consumption such as eating habits and body maintenance”.
Both social and economic state determines health of an individual. People who come from a community or countries whose economic state is high tend to have good health as compared to those from low economic status. Stress and depression can be harmful on health and the body shape.
Many people are taking diet supplements such as multivitamins to achieve the best body figure. However, these diet supplements are only affordable to some individuals who have high incomes Crogan (2008).
In conclusion, when the body image is in shape, men and women feel comfortable with their bodies, but if they do not feel good about their body shapes, they make a comparison of their bodies to those of friends.
They may be ashamed, thus having low self-esteem, bad eating habits which lead to diseases like depression, loss of hair and stomach ulcers. Women are the most affected because they gauge a certain social and society ideal of beauty and some do extreme exercises to loose weight.
Therefore, people should think positively about their body images because what they think is what they become. Healthy eating is also important in improving body image.
References
Barry, A.M. and Yuill, C., 2008, Understanding the Sociology of Health, an Introduction, Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Crogan, S., 2008, Body Image: Understanding Body Image Dissatisfaction in Men, Women and Children, New York: Routledge.
Nettleton, S., 2006, The sociology of Health and Illness, Cambridge: Malden.
Zygmunt, B.,1995. Life in Fragments: Essays in Postmodern Morality. Oxford: Cambridge.
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effect that cardiovascular fitness has on the rate of the heart beating. Cardiovascular fitness refers to the extent to which the cardiac muscles are adapted to strenuous activities. The rate of the heart beating is also called the pulse rate and simply refers to the speed at which the heart pumps blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body for circulation. Before the beginning of any exercise, the pulse rate normally increases and this is referred to as anticipatory response. In the course of the exercise, respiration rate increases require more blood supply (oxygen) to the body tissues, thus increasing the need for faster pumping of the blood. As a result, the heart has to pump more blood per time unit to meet the new demand for oxygen in the body (Plowman & Smith, 2007).
Regular exercise has some adaptive impact on the rate of the heartbeat. A person who engages in frequent exercising prompts his or her muscles to get used to the strenuous activities. This makes his or her cardiac muscles exhibit an insignificant rate of beating in the case of physical activities that are quite demanding. On the other hand, an individual who exercises less number of times is bound to experience a great change in the rate of heartbeat for a less tasking exercise. As such, a person who is physically fit experiences less pulse rate in comparison to that person who exercises less number of times for the same physical task (Hoeger & Hoeger, 2010).
Methods and Materials
In this experiment, a stopwatch was the only equipment that was needed. Also, four individuals were required to participate in the experiment. One of the persons was the one who had previously taken part in some physically strenuous activity (athletics) and another one was that who had not participated in much of such activities. The other two members served as the personal trainers for the test subjects (Coursework.Info 2011).
For the procedure, the two test subjects stepped up and down on a low platform for 3 minutes at a rate of approximately 30 steps per minute. The personal trainers then measured and recorded the resting pulse rate of each subject. The results were tabulated in a table.
Results
Table 1.1: Results for the test experiment
Pulse Rate (beats per minute)
Athlete
Non-Athlete
Before Step Test
73
71
After Step Test
105
92
Table 1.2: Athletes
Pulse Rate (beats per minute)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
11
12
Average
Before Step Test
73
72
69
71
After Step Test
89
90
91
90
Table 1.3: Non-Athletes
Pulse Rate (beats per minute)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Average
Before Step Test
70
69
71
70
After Step Test
102
98
104
101
Table 1.4: Difference Pulse rate before and after the aerobic exercise
Average pulse rate before
Average pulse rate after
Difference
Non-Athlete
70
101
31
Athlete
90
71
19
From the results obtained for table 1.3 and 1.4, it was essentially clear that individuals who are athletes experienced lesser rates of heartbeat relative to those who are non-athletes.
Conclusion
From the experiment, it is worth concluding that the rate of a heartbeat after an exercise is heavily dependent on the physical fitness of cardiovascular fitness. Therefore, the objectives of the experiment were met (University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) 2011). Furthermore, the hypothesis that a person who is physically fit experiences less pulse rate in comparison to that person who exercises less number of times for the same physical task was found to be true.
Bibliography
Coursework.Info. (2003) The effect of exercise on pulse rate. Web.
Hoeger W, Hoeger A. 2010. A Personalized Program on Lifetime Physical Fitness and Wellness. London: Cengage Learning.
Plowman SA, Smith DL. 2007. Exercise Physiology for Health, Fitness, and Performance. New York City, NY: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
University of Maryland Medical Center. (2011) Exercise’s Effects on the Heart. Web.
An obese person is one who has accumulated excess body fat that affects their health negatively. This condition prompted Lincoln University to introduce a ‘Fitness for life Program’, which endeavors to, peg physical fitness of students to academic merit in the attainment of diplomas.
It entails obese students taking 3 extra hours per week to cut their weight before graduating. However, this policy by the university has received mixed reactions since its inception, as it will be explained below, even as the first lot of students to whom the policy was applied nears their graduation.
It has been argued that the policy is segregative and, all students should undergo the fitness test, as opposed to only those who are obese. This fact was highlighted by one student of the university; Tiana Lawson, 21 in her editorial comment, in the Lincolian, by stating that she is confused by the policy as she does not understand why some people should be healthier than others. This policy would be more effective if it were applied to all students to keep their levels of fitness at par and prevent the feelings of segregation.
James DeBoy who is in charge of physical processes and activities argues that the university has limited resources. The historically black college that was founded in 1919 at San Francisco depends on public funding that is independently controlled. This eventually results in monetary constraints. If only the resources were available, then it would have been applied to all students in his view. This would then have quashed the feelings of selective application of the policy among the students.
Considering the constitutional rights of the students the policy seems paternalistic and intrusive to them. A professor of law at Temple University, David Kairys is of the legal opinion that Lincoln University is breaking new ground.
However, the part that seems unnecessary is forcing the students to engage in the practice. This is because it involves computing the height – weight dimensions to find the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the waist size, which is mandatory for students to partake. This may then create a conflict of interest between the university policies and the laws of the land.
Obesity makes an individual susceptible to certain terminal health conditions. This program according to DeBoy directly addresses the issue of obesity that is exponentially rising. All these are terminal illnesses that will eventually lead to the demise of the vibrant young men and women from college. The ‘Fitness for Life program’ will curb the possibility of contracting such ailments at an early stage.
The university risks deviating from its core function of providing education to compromising academic standards with physical fitness. Physical fitness does not necessarily have a direct relationship with academic performance. This fact was highlighted by Tiana Lawson in the Lincolian when she wrote in the editorial.
She did not go to Lincoln to be told that her weight was not in a satisfactory range rather she went there to get an edification which, as a three-time honor student, was something she had been doing quite well. This is despite the fact that she had a slightly elevated BMI.
Obesity contributes to making one both ineffective and inefficient. It compromises the on the output at the place of work as it impacts health wise on the body. Furthermore, it robs the quantity and quality of life according to DeBoy. This contributes to drastically decreasing the output of the student and being in the hunt for a job after graduating it will work to their disadvantage. The policy is instrumental in addressing such issues.
Position
From the fore going, the ‘Fitness for Life program’ is found to have far more reaching merits as compared to the demerits both to an individual and society. The university should be encouraged to continue with the program. Furthermore, it should be adopted by institutions to ensure a healthy workforce with a high-level output and competence.
In the 21st century, there are so many health problems that human beings have to contend with. These habits mostly stem from poor eating habits and the lack of will to change these habits. As a result, there are increased deaths caused by obesity, anorexia, and heart attacks. Chan’s fitness and health operations offer people who have these health disorders a second chance to improve their health. On top of this, they have to model their services in a way that they can meet the needs of people who are physically impaired.
However, there are so many challenges facing these operations. The customers who go for health fitness operations are looking for instant results. In the beginning, they have very low expectations and this may make them change course and stop while in the middle of their operations. This forces this fitness center to use craftsmanship as a way of attracting and retaining customers. This is achieved through improving the technique, quality, and style of working. Craftsmanship has one major property; it has to make the product to be appealing to the customers at the first touch or interaction (Clark,1995,p.52).
Main text
The fitness centers, therefore, have to use innovative designs that are the most recent technologies. Their selected material should be of high quality in order to appeal to the customers. The programs should be designed in a way that in the end, the customers can be able to see the results or some change as the program goes on.
They do feel that weight loss is something that can be done within a day. This makes most of them imagine that the results are supposed to be automatic and immediate. Chan’s big challenge is the perception that his customers have an immediate effect. Human feelings play a major role in forming perceptions. In product design, Chan has to provide for a nutritionist to advise the customers what to eat.
His biggest problem is making them be patient so that they can wait for the results as time goes by. He also has to have a doctor at hand who will advise them on why they should be both physically and mentally fit. This doctor also has to advise on the amount of weight that one has to lose in a certain period of time. He also has to advise the clients on the certain attitudes and perceptions that these people have for foods. Chan also has to hire more instructors who aid the clients in using the facilities. This involves paying attention to the customers. Attention plays a major role in a customer’s perception of quality.
The next big challenge is making a follow-up on the customers to check if their expectations are being met. This includes giving them calls and asking them how they feel about the services that they have got for that day. This should be done on a regular basis and it should be after the client has finished with the day’s operations at the center. This is to ensure that if there are any problems, they can be rectified with immediate effect or they can look for a solution.
This can change a perception of a customer and he can get to know that they have his interest at heart. There is also the use of an online survey, a tool that is used to obtain feedback from our clients. This nips most issues in the bud before they become big problems (Wang, Holden,2000).
Through this, the fitness club ensures that the customers will be their best advocates and they can bring other clients to the premises. This is very important in cutting out a reputation in a competitive world. The key to maintaining customer relationships is keeping in pace with the changing customer perceptions that they have on the services that this fitness center provides. Through this, most customers see this as a positive expression towards a long-term commitment to their welfare.
The fitness centers have also to get products that have some aesthetic effect. The products also have to make customers believe that they have some empathy for them. The products should be able to cater to people of different ages, gender, and different levels of education. If clients are not conversant with how a machine is used, there should be someone to help them and even translators for different languages. Translators can be employed or hired for that period.
The fitness centers should also have products that are designed for people who are physically impaired. This can help them to reduce hypertension development, pressure sores, and other detrimental secondary conditions. This way, this center can fit anyone who lives within that community. Through this, Chan’s Fitness center should be able to meet its objectives that include giving everyone an opportunity for development, leisure, and enjoyment. Everyone will have an overall improved quality of life.
Summary
The costs of the services and products offered should be relative. They should be in accordance with the level of income of that place. When you meet the above quality services, most clients will felt ha you have given them a good product for their money.
References
Clark, M. (1995). Interpersonal Skills for Hospitality Management. London. Chapman and Hall.
Ohio Action for Healthy Kids is a community-based organization seeking a grant of $56,600 for our Nutrition and Fitness to Raise Healthy Children program. The goal is to establish a county-wide program, to promote behavioral and lifestyle changes, reduce overweight and obesity among 8-12-year-olds, foster active leisure time, and cause a long-term positive change in public health. Ohio Action for Healthy Kids is one of the largest providers of community programs in Franklin County, Ohio. Our partners, the American Dairy Association Mideast and Ohio Department of Health, provide continuous funding and leadership support in our fight for the healthy future of our children. Our strategic mission is to develop policies and programs that lead our children to better health and academic achievement. We are aware of the overweight and obesity problems faced by young Franklin County residents. We are also conscious of the need to induce a broad county-wide change in nutrition and physical activity habits among children and adolescents.
The Nutrition and Fitness to Raise Healthy Children program will allow to (1) raise overweight and obesity awareness among community residents; (2) cause positive changes in community residents’ nutrition and physical activity habits; (3) reduce the scope of overweight and obesity among 8-12-year-olds; and (4) sustain these changes in the long run. We are enthusiastic about launching the program and we are kindly requesting a grant of $56,600 to meet program expenses. We are grateful for considering our grant request. We are willing to answer any questions relating to this project openly and honestly. Please, feel free to contact our coordinators, at 614-341-7700 x216.
Best regards, Ohio Action for Healthy Kids.
Application Summary
Program description summary: Ohio Action for Healthy Kids is a community organization, focused on preventing obesity and undernourishment among children and fighting to promote healthy eating and lifestyles. The organization’s mission is “to activate individuals, schools and communities to advance nutrition and physical activity policies and programs that lead to better health and academic success through communications, resources, and advocacy” (Ohio Action for Healthy Kids). The community organization pursues three major goals:
better nutrition through increased participation of students in school breakfasts, healthy snacks provision in schools, and nutrition education;
increased physical activity in all children, from pre-kindergarten to grade 12;
school wellness policies (Ohio Action for Healthy Kids).
Unfortunately, the problem of childhood obesity in Franklin County, Ohio continues to persist. In 2010, more than 30 percent of Ohio’s children were either overweight or obese (Office of Public Affairs 30). Ohio is facing the highest obesity-related health expenditures, compared with other states (Office of Public Affairs 30). Children who are overweight or obese face a wide range of health and social problems, including poor learning and depression (Office of Public Affairs 30). Ohio Action for Healthy Kids wants to establish a county-wide obesity prevention program for children ages 8-12 and requests a grant of $56,600 to meet this goal. The program will cause a broad behavior change to reduce overweight and obesity among school children ages 8-12 and their parents.
Community Description/ Statement of Need
The state of Ohio is made up of 88 counties, and the burden of obesity and physical inactivity is disproportionately distributed across them (The Ohio Department of Health 3). In 2000, Franklin County had 1,071,663 residents, with 8.2 percent of residents living below the poverty level (The Ohio Department of Health 3). Franklin county residents account for almost 10 percent of Ohio’s total population (The Ohio Department of Health 3). At present, Ohio is the second biggest and most populous county in the state of Ohio (The Ohio Department of Health 3). Median household income in Franklin Country in 2000 was $42,734, compared with $41,994 at the national level (The Ohio Department of Health 5). 14.3% of county residents had no high school diploma and 21.2% had a Bachelor’s Degree in 2000 (The Ohio Department of Health 5).
During 2004-2007, almost 40 percent of Franklin County adults were reported to have high blood cholesterol levels (The Ohio Department of Health 3). Between 2004 and 2007, an average of 272 Franklin County residents died from diabetes every year (The Ohio Department of Health 3). The death picture in Franklin County reflects that of Ohio and the United States, with heart diseases and cancer as the main causes of death among Franklin County residents (The Ohio Department of Health 6). According to The Ohio Department of Health, individuals with high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, overweight or obesity, low physical activity, and low fruits and vegetables intake are at the highest risks for developing health states and complications leading to death (6). In this situation, early detection and prevention are the most reliable ways to reduce the occurrence of diseases leading to increased mortality across all population groups (The Ohio Department of Health 6).
As of today, 78.3% of all Franklin County residents consume less than 5 fruit and vegetable servings per day (The Ohio Department of Health 6). 24.4% of county residents experience a lack of physical activity (The Ohio Department of Health 6). 36.2% of all county residents are claimed to be overweight (The Ohio Department of Health 6). The overall health situation in Franklin County indicates the need for broad behavioral intervention and lifestyle changes across all population groups.
The situation with childhood obesity is no better. Franklin County has the fifth-highest rate of obesity among children ages 2-5, compared with other counties in Ohio (Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission). The state of Ohio has the 12th highest rate of childhood obesity at the national level (Office of Public Affairs 30). Office of Public Affairs reports that almost 30% of Ohio’s children are either overweight or obese (30). Almost every fifth adolescent aged 10-17 is either overweight or obese (Office of Public Affairs 30). Together with Alabama, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, Ohio is in the top quartile for obesity, diabetes, and leisure-time inactivity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Health risks faced by overweight and obese children are numerous. These include but are not limited to asthma, heart and blood vessels damage, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, premature puberty onset, depression, stigmatization, and bullying (The Ohio Department of Health 20). With this in mind, Franklin County needs a broad, county-wide behavioral change program, to reduce the scope and prevent overweight and obesity among school children. Ohio Action for Healthy Kids expects that the grant will ensure the success of program implementation and cause considerable health improvements among children ages 8-12. The grant requested by Ohio Action for Healthy Kids will be used to attract and involve expert staff, spread overweight and obesity information among children and their parents, and work towards long-term positive behavior change in Franklin County children.
Program Goals and Objectives
The goal of the project is to establish a county-wide program to promote behavioral and lifestyle changes, reduce overweight and obesity among 8-12-year-olds, promote active leisure time and, eventually, cause a long-term positive change in public health.
Objective 1: by the end of 2012, 80% of program participants will have their Body Mass Index (BMI) reduced to 18-19 (for boys and girls).
Objective 2: by the end of the project, 85% of program participants will consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
Objective 3: by the end of the project, all program participants will engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity on a daily basis.
Objective 4: by the end of the project, 100% of program participants will have better knowledge of overweight and obesity, its risks and potential health complications.
The goal of the project is to improve public health in Franklin County and reduce/ prevent obesity and overweight among 8-12-year-olds, through increased awareness of the overweight/ obesity problem and broad behavior changes. The latter imply proper nutrition (reduced calorie intake and increased amount of fruits and vegetables consumed on a daily basis) and increased physical activity (as part of school curriculums and during leisure time). The organization expects that, by the end of the project, at least 80% of program participants will have their Body Mass Index reduced to the norm (18-19 for children ages 8-12). Body Mass Index (BMI) will also serve as the basic measure of short- and long-term project success. The project aims to cause a long-term positive change in individual behaviors, leading to improved public health.
Program Description
The project aims to cause a broad behavior change, leading to reduced overweight and obesity among children ages 8-12 and, consequentially, improved public health in Franklin County. The project builds on the constructs of the knowledge-attitude behavioral model, which suggests that knowledge and attitudes predict individual choices and health-related behaviors (Baranowski et al. 25S). Individuals must accumulate knowledge and develop an awareness of the risk factors, health and social consequences of obesity and overweight, leading to a change in attitudes and behaviors (Baranowski et al. 26S). These attitudes will also influence eating and physical activity decisions among 8-12-year-olds and their parents.
The program includes several important elements: education, better nutrition, increased physical activity, expert follow-up, and parental involvement at all stages of program implementation. Each component builds on and is supported by a vast body of empirical research into overweight and obesity prevention among children. The program is titled Nutrition and Fitness to Raise Healthy Children and includes ten weeks of education, better nutrition, and physical activity lessons, leading to a long-term positive change in behaviors and lifestyles among children and their parents. The entire program is based on the premise that environment and not biology is the primary cause of overweight and obesity (Hill et al. 853). The main environmental factors of overweight and obesity among children and adults are those, which promote overconsumption of energy and low physical activity (Hill et al. 853). Inexpensive and good-tasting energy-dense foods, physical inactivity during classes and during leisure time, television watching, computer games, Internet surfing and other sedentary activities, as well as low overweight/ obesity awareness, contribute to overweight and obesity in children (Hill et al. 853). The project will involve publishing and distributing newsletters among school children and their parents. The newsletters will educate them about the risks and consequences of obesity and encourage participation in the Nutrition and Fitness to Raise Healthy Children project. The education component will also include a series of twenty 30-minute lessons, twice a week, held in public schools, for children ages 8-12 and their parents. The main topics will include:
definition of overweight and obesity;
signs and symptoms of overweight and obesity in children;
risk factors for obesity and overweight;
health consequences of overweight and obesity in children;
nutrition changes to prevent overweight and obesity;
physical activity recommendations to reduce the scope of overweight and obesity among program participants;
recommendations to sustain long-term effects of the behavior change among children and their parents.
The nutrition component of the project will involve investigating the current state of nutrition in public schools and the dietary principles followed by parents at home. Children and parents will be asked to report the amount and type of foods they consume on a daily basis. The traffic-light diet will become the key element of dietary changes among children in public schools and at home (“Treatment of Pediatric Obesity” 557). “The traffic-light diet groups foods into categories: green foods may be consumed in unlimited quantities; yellow foods have average nutritional value; and red foods provide little nutrient density per calorie” (“Treatment of Pediatric Obesity” 557). The traffic-light diet is an easy way to understand the basic principles of healthy nutrition; it has proved to be extremely effective in reducing obesity prevalence among preadolescent children (“Treatment of Pediatric Obesity” 557). Recommendations will be provided to public schools and parents to change the structure of daily diets, through reduced calorie intake and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables among 8-12-year-olds. The traffic-light diet will help parents to change their own and their children’s eating habits. The nutrition component of the project will also teach parents not to use food as a reward (“Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Decreasing Fat and Sugar Intake in Families at Risk for Childhood Obesity” 171).
The physical activity component of the project will involve children in at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity, as part of public school curriculums. The project will also engage program participants in after-school leisure-time sport activities, including active games and sport competitions. All children and adults benefit from having at least 30 minutes of physical activity on a daily basis (Marcus et al. 32). Public schools will be encouraged to change their curriculums, towards greater inclusion of physical activity lessons for all children. Expert follow-up will help parents and children to sustain behavior change in long-term periods. Professional dietitians will provide telephone consultations, helping parents to change their own and their children’s behaviors.
Public schools will be used to recruit program participants. Program coordinators will contact principals and physical education teachers, to communicate the benefits of the project to educators and explain the project mission and message to children and parents. Parental involvement is critical to the success of the project, since family-based approaches to obesity and overweight teach parents to assume responsibility for nutrition and physical activity in their children’s lives (Golan et al. 1134). Free extracurricular events, free access to school and out-of-school fitness facilities, and free expert support in dietary and physical activity decisions will encourage children and their parents to participate in the program. These ‘free’ benefits, coupled with continued education and accumulation of knowledge, will encourage positive behavior and lifestyle changes among program participants. The project will communicate the message of improved health and wellbeing, to persuade children and their parents to change their nutrition and physical activity habits.
Evaluation
Program evaluation will involve the use of several objective and subjective measures. As previously mentioned, changes in Body Mass Index among program participants will serve the principal measure of program success. The percentage of program participants who have been able to achieve BMI of 18-19 will be used to measure the success of the project. Heights and weights will be measured by expert dietitians involved in the project, as far as BMI calculated from self-reported weights and heights can be misleading (Flood et al. 96). The number and percentage of drop outs will be calculated, to create a more objective picture of program effectiveness.
Other methods of evaluation will include self-reported feedback and expert follow-up feedback. Program participants (children and parents) will be asked to provide their responses to the program and report their perceptions of improvements during and after the project. All program participants will be asked to fill out standard feedback forms during the fifth week of the project and after the project is terminated. Feedback forms will include questions concerning perceived changes in weight, physical activity, nutrition, and wellbeing among program participants. Parents and children will be encouraged to provide recommendations to improve the intervention. Expert dietitians, nurses, and physical activity professionals will be asked to report barriers they faced in the process of implementing the project. The importance of self-reported feedback is difficult to overestimate: on the one hand, it creates a complex picture of the project and its success; on the other hand, it provides information to improve the quality and efficiency of the project outcomes.
Personnel
The program involves expert dietitians, physical activity experts, registered educators, and public school principals. Expert dietitians provide information related to nutrition changes and the role of nutrition in overweight and obesity prevention. The program includes 10 nutrition classes (2 classes per week, 5 weeks total). Expert dietitians follow up program participants and provide free support and consultations to parents and their children. The program involves at least three expert dietitians, who are paid at a rate of $50 per hour. Each expert dietitian participates in at least 20 nutrition classes, depending on the number of participants and their health needs.
Physical activity experts work collaboratively with physical training teachers in public schools, to develop school and leisure physical activities and integrate these activities into public school curriculums. Physical activity experts assess physical training preparedness of program participants and their health needs. Material rewards will encourage physical activity experts to participate in the program. Each expert is paid $60 per hour.
Registered educators and public school principals work collaboratively to develop activity and lesson schedules. The main goal of this collaboration is to make sure that children are not overloaded with new information and extracurricular tasks. Registered educators are paid $40 per hour. Public school principals are encouraged to participate in the program, as they are striving to improve students’ health and wellbeing and strengthen school’s health and social image in public. Public school principals will benefit from the program, through free nutrition and physical activity expertise, which will help them to restructure diets and curriculums and reduce the risks of overweight and obesity among 8-12 year olds.
Budget
Item Description
Amount Requested (from Love Foundation)
Cash Received
In Kind Received
Source
Facilities
None 3,000
Facility rental
Public schools; Fitness and sports facilities willing to participate in the program
Personnel 0.5 FTE Benefits (30%)
3 x nutritionist 10 hrs @ $50 per hr
3 x physical activity expert 30 hrs @ $60 per hr
3 x registered educators 10 hrs @ $40 per hr
30,000
10,000
5,000
5,400
1,200
Love Foundation
Equipment (physical activity)
None
Public Schools
Promotion Flyers (10,000)
1,000
Love Foundation
Participant Incentives
N/A
Love Foundation
Miscellaneous
1,000
Love Foundation
TOTAL
$56,600
The total budget of the program is $56,600. The full-time equivalent (FTE) for the project personnel is 0.5, meaning that all experts involved in the project are assumed to work half-time. $51,600 will be used to pay benefits and rewards to the project personnel. $3,000 will be paid to out-of-school sports and fitness facilities, to provide children and parents with free access to them. The project will require publishing and disseminating newsletters and flyers, at a total cost of $1,000. No material rewards to program participants will be provided.
Availability of Other Resources/ Future Funding
Ohio Action for Healthy Kids has knowledge and experience working with other grantmakers. However, grants are one-time dollars, which are intended to serve as ‘seed money’. The organization realizes the importance of obtaining resources and funds from the sources other than Love Foundation. This being said, Ohio Action for Healthy Kids hired a fundraising specialist, who works collaboratively with grant-making organizations, directors, coordinators, and consultants to raise funds and resources and produce long-term positive behavior change in children and their parents. The organization expects that public schools will continue to serve the main basis for program implementation and provision. Public school principals and teachers are interested in providing students with knowledge about risks and consequences of overweight and obesity. The fundraising specialist is responsible for developing a strategic grant-raising plan, which will ensure constant availability of funds and resources. As always, American Dairy Association Mideast and Ohio Department of Health provide funding to support the organization and its programs. The organization works with public health officials and organizations, as well as local authorities, to encourage the creation of free sports facilities for youth. Ohio Action for Healthy Kids works to build strong sponsor support among wealthy community residents. All these efforts will help to expand the pool for financial, material, and non-material resources to be used in future behavior change programs. The organization uses social marketing tools to popularize its image and programs among community residents. The organization is currently developing a number of grant proposals, to be submitted to local and state grantmakers in the nearest future. All these efforts will let Ohio Action for Healthy Kids raise sufficient funds and serve public health needs of Franklin County residents in the future.
Works Cited
Baranowski, Tom, Karen W. Cullen, Theras Nicklas, Deborah Thompson, and Janice Baranowski. “Are Current Health Behavioral Change Models Helpful in Guiding Prevention of Weight Gain Efforts?” Obesity Research, 11 (2003): 23S-43S. Print.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Facts About County-Level Estimates of Leisure Time Physical Inactivity, 2008.” CDC, Web.
Epstein, Leonard, H., Michelle D. Myers, Hollie A. Raynor and Brian E. Saelens. “Treatment of Pediatric Obesity.” Pediatrics, 101 (1998): 554-70. Print.
Epstein, Leonard H., Constance C. Gordy, Hollie A. Raynor, Marlene Beddome, Colleen K. Kilanowski and Rocco Paluch. “Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Decreasing Fat and Sugar Intake in Families at Risk for Childhood Obesity.” Obesity Research, 9.3 (2001): 171-78. Print.
Flood, Victoria M., Karen Webb, Ross Lazarus and Glen Pang. “Use of Self-Report to Monitor Overweight and Obesity in Populations: Some Issues for Consideration.” Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24 (1999): 96-9. Print.
Golan, Moria, Abraham Weizman, Alan Apter and Menahem Fainaru. “Parents as the Exclusive Agents of Change in the Treatment of Childhood Obesity.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67 (1998): 1130-35. Print.
Hill, James O., Holly R. Wyatt, George W. Reed and John C. Peters. “Obesity and the Environment: Where Do We Go from Here?” Science, 299.7 (2003): 853-55. Print.
Marcus, Bess H., Patricia M. Dubbert, LeighAnn H. Forsyth, Thomas L. McKenzie, Elaine J. Stone, Andrea L. Dunn and Steven N. Blair. “Physical Activity Behavior Change: Issues in Adoption and Maintenance.” Health Psychology, 19.1 (2000): 32-41. Print.