PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

TOWARD HEALTH AND

FITNESS 2
(MODULE 1)
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
TOWARD HEALTH AND
FITNESS II
( FITNESS EXERCISE )
 ( PATFit II )

Module 1 EXERCISE
CONCEPT

Introduction

Physical activity is essential for the development of wholesome

personality of a child which would depend upon the opportunities provided for
wholesome development of the mental, physical, social and spiritual aspects.
This module focuses on the health benefits of physical activity and
exercise. It tells you how you can keep yourself really fit. Physical activity
gives you a chance to have fun, be with friends and family, enjoy the
outdoors, and improve fitness so you can more easily participate in additional
physical activity or sporting events. If you are more active, you feel more
energetic and healthier.

Learning Outcome
At the end of the module, you will be able to:
 Explain the importance of the Principles of Exercise in doing physical
activity and exercise in one’s life.
 Establish and understand the concept of exercise in improving one’s
fitness and health.
 Create a exercise program that follows the concepts of exercise.

Learning Content
Physical Activity on a Continuum
Physical activity is movement carried out by the skeletal muscles that
requires energy. Different types of physical activity can vary by ease or
intensity. Physical activity is essential to health and confers wide- ranging
health benefits, but exercise is necessary to significantly improve physical
fitness. Examples of physical activity include walking to and from school,
taking the stairs instead of elevators and escalators, gardening, doing
household chores, dancing, and washing the car by hand. Physical inactivity,
by contrast, implies a level of activity that is lower than that required to
maintain good health.

Exercise is a type of physical activity that requires planned, structured,

and repetitive bodily movement to improve or maintain one or more
components of physical fitness. Examples of exercise are walking, running,
cycling, aerobics, swimming, and strength training. Exercise is usually viewed
as an activity that requires a vigorous-intensity effort.

Principles of Training
Improving performance is not just about training more – competitors need
to follow a carefully planned training programme. This programme must be
systematic and take into account the demands of the activity and the needs,
preferences and abilities of the performer. There are a number of principles
that performers and coaches must follow if they are to fulfil their potential.

Individual needs (Strengths and Weaknesses)

All training programme must consider the individual needs of the

performer. Before designing a training programme, you need to ask the
following questions about the individual:

 What is their initial level of fitness?

 How old are they?
 Are they male or female?
 Why do they want to train?
 What is their aim or motivation?

The answers will help you to tailor the training programme to the individual
needs and abilities of the performer.

Types of Principles of Training

When planning any training, you have to apply the principles of training. The
principles can be easily memorized using the mnemonic, SPORT.

Specificity
Progression
Overload
Reversibility
Tedium

 Specificity you must do specific types of activity to improve

specific parts of the body in specific ways.

For example,
if you’re training for a weightlifting competition,
it’s no use going swimming every day.

You need to concentrate on strength training

for your arms and legs.

You need to train specifically to develop the right..

muscles – if your sport requires a lot of running, work mainly on your legs.
type of fitness – do you need strength, speed, stamina or a combination?
skills – you need to practice any relevant skills like kicking, serving and
passing.
Specificity – training must be relevant to the individual and their sport. This can be
achieved by tailoring training specifically for the sport or even the position that the
individual plays, the muscle groups that they use the most or the dominant energy
system of the athlete. For example, a 100 m sprinter is likely to train very differently
to a 10 km racer despite them both being track athletes. The sprinter will focus on
speed and power while the distance runner will train for cardiovascular fitness and the
ability to work at high intensity aerobically.

 Progression means gradually increasing the amount of exercise

you do.When a performer first starts exercising, their levels of fitness may
be poor.
If a coach increases the training too quickly, the body will not have time to
adapt and this may result in injury. Slow and steady progress is the best way
forward.

For example;
 if you were training for a 10 km run, you might start by going for two 30
minute runs a week.You could then increase the time you run for by 3
minutes each week.

 if you were creating a training programme for a novice skier, you would
not start them off on a really steep, difficult run.

Gradually increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of fitness

sessions is an important factor in developing an effective training programme.
In terms of type of training, progression should be based on the principle of
moving from easy activities to difficult ones.

Overload Fitness can only be improved by training more than you

normally do. Unless the body is subjected to increased demands,
improvements in physical fitness will not be made.If a physical fitness
programme is to be effective, it must place increased and specific demands
on the body. If training levels remain the same, then the programme will only
be maintaining the participants level of fitness, not improving it.

Reversibility
Unfortunately, most of the adaptations which result from training are
reversible.This simply means that unless you keep training, any fitness gains
will be lost.

Fitness will be lost if the training load is reduced (meaning overload is not
achieved) or if a performer stops training, for example, if they are
injured.Coaches need to ensure that long periods of inactivity are avoided
when possible.
 Endurance can be lost in a third of the time it took to achieve! Strength
declines more slowly, but lack of exercise will still cause muscles to wither
(atrophy).

Tedium
When planning a training programme, it is important to vary the training a
bit to prevent performers becoming bored.

If every training session is the same, a performer can lose enthusiasm

and motivation for training.You should include a variety of different training
methods or vary the type of activity.

Training for endurance events can be particularly boring. Tedium is

less of a problem in team sports.

Tedium. Making training specific to the sport being played /

movements used / muscles used / anaerobic or aerobic training used.
Boredom that can occur from training the same way every time

Tedium (T) - athletes need variety in their training to prevent boredom but
also some types of overuse injuries such as strains or even stress
fractures. The principle of tedium is applied when a trainer builds variety into
the training by changing the training method.

FITT principle

There are four ways to achieve overload in an exercise programme. They

can easily be remembered using the mnemonic, FITT.

Frequency – how often you train.

Intensity – how hard you train.
Time- how long you train for.
Type- the kind of training you do

 Frequency
How often you should train depends on what you wish to
achieve. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
suggests that to maintain health, you should do 30 minutes of
moderate exercise 5 times a week.
However, if you wish to become an intermediate or elite competitor in
any sport, you will need to train much more frequently.Elite rowers often
train twice a day!Training is best done regularly, rather than at random
intervals.

 Intensity refers to how hard you work during your training

sessions.A good way to measure intensity is to monitor a
performer’s heart rate. The harder you work, the faster your heart
beats.
 Aerobic respiration – means respiration ‘with oxygen’. When
exercise is not too fast and at a constant, steady rate, the heart can keep
the muscles fully supplied with oxygen.

Anaerobic respiration – means respiration ‘without oxygen’. If the

exercise is fast or intense and done in short bursts, the heart cannot
supply oxygen to the muscles as fast as the cells are using it.

Resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats each
minute when you're not active. The normal range is between 50 and
100 beats per minute.

Maximum heart rate (MHR) This is the average maximum number of

times your heart should beat per minute during exercise.

Maximum heart rate (MHR)

 in order to train the correct energy system, you need to calculate your
maximum heart rate (MHR).
 your maximum heart rate is the fastest that your heart can beat. It
depends on your age and can be estimated using the following formula:

Use this formula to calculate the maximum heart rate of: your age subtracted
to 220.

A. 16 year old 204 B. 24 year old 196

C. 53 year old 167 D. 67 year old 153

Intensity – training zones

If a performer wishes to train their aerobic system, they should train at

between 60% and 80% of their maximum.

If a performer wishes to train their anaerobic system, they should train at

between 80% and 90% of their maximum.
The precise percentage level you train at will be based upon your current level
of fitness.
 An unfit performer looking to improve their aerobic fitness would train at
60% of their maximum heart rate.

 A fit performer looking to improve their aerobic fitness would train at more
like 80% of their maximum heart rate.

80% to 90% of MHR – Training in the anaerobic zone increases strength and
power.
As you approach 90% of the performer’s maximum heart rate, training time
will have to get shorter and it will take more time for the performer to recover.
This is because anaerobic exercise produces lactic acid, which builds up in
the muscles. When there is too much lactic acid, the performer must stop.

60% to 80% of MHR – Training between these levels will improve a

performer’s stamina (or aerobic fitness) levels.
Lactic acid is not produced during aerobic exercise. Performers can train
aerobically for much longer periods.

 Time
Intensity will affect the time (or duration) of each training session. The
length of session required to achieve improvements depends on how hard a
performer is training.
 To achieve improvements in aerobic fitness, you should aim
to spend at least 20 minutes per session in the target zone.

However, time will vary greatly depending on the activity the performer is
training for.If they are training for a marathon, they may need to spend several
hours at a time in the aerobic zone.
A sprinter, on the other hand, will need to spend relatively little time
actually exercising – their sessions are likely to consist of many short, high
intensity bursts with lengthy rests in-between.

 Type
If your aim is simple health related fitness, then the type of exercise you
do does not matter very much – it just needs to raises your pulse into the
aerobic zone for about 20 minutes.

You could even include activities like gardening, walking the dog or just
dancing round your kitchen!

However, if you are training for a specific event or competition, then the
type of exercise you do is very important.

Overload can be achieved by changing the type of exercise – for example,

you could lift the same weight but in a different way and using different
muscles.

Moderation

Moderation means achieving a balance between not training enough

and over training. Achieving the right balance is very important.

Without proper rest and recovery time, performers can become too tired
to train effectively and become stressed and irritable.

Even worse, over training can lead to injury. This can occur through over
stressing joints and tissues, or through poor technique resulting from
exhaustion.

Rest and Recovery

 Optimal adaptation requires rest periods to be interspersed with training
sessions sufficient that the adaptations caused by the exercise dose can take
place. Rest to get the best out of your exercise, not too long and not too little.

REST - the period of time allocated to recover.

RECOVERY - the time required to repair damage to the body cause by

training or competition.

ADAPTATION

• each individual physical capacity has its own individual way of

adaptation (Gamble, 2010).
• The author stated that, the rate of adaptation varies according to the
individual athlete (i.e. genetic factors) and also depends upon their
training history

Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness
The capacity of the body to perform properly and efficiently is referred to
as physical fitness. It has two main parts: the health-related and the skill-
related parts, which together, have eleven subparts and improve the overall
quality of life. The capacity to work efficiently, have fun, stay well, fend off
illnesses or disorders that cause hypokineticity, and respond to emergencies
are all correlated with physical fitness.
A variety of unique characteristics that contribute to a person's overall
degree of fitness came about when the idea of fitness evolved in the 20th
century. Health-related and skill-related fitness are the two areas under which
physical fitness is categorized.
Our everyday activities can be influenced by each of the two components.
For instance, cardio respiratory fitness is required for activities such as long-
distance jogging, stair climbing, backyard maintenance or gardening, and
cleaning your room or home. Additionally, having strong cardio respiratory
fitness can make recreational and social engagements more pleasurable,
such as weekend cycling or hiking, games, or dancing. A lower likelihood of
hypokinetic illness is also seen. Hypokinetic diseases are those that result
from physical inactivity. These conditions include obesity, diabetes, severe
lower back pain, and hypertension.
1. Health-related Fitness has to do with a person's capacity to carry out daily
life activities without experiencing excessive fatigue and having a low risk of
developing illnesses associated with an early sedentary lifestyle. Body
composition, Muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and
cardiorespiratory fitness are the components of health-related fitness.
1. The proportions of fat, muscle, bone, and other vital body parts
are referred to as body composition. There are several other techniques
for determining body composition, such as calculating body mass index
(BMI), Skinfold Tests, and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). The
only aspect of physical fitness that doesn't include performance is body
composition.
2. Flexibility is related to the joint's movement range. Every
human joint has a unique level of flexibility. Because of this, there is no
common test for flexibility, in contrast to the common test for
cardiorespiratory fitness.
3. Cardiorespiratory fitness refers to the body's capacity to
maintain an adequate supply of oxygen throughout prolonged physical
exertion. The terms cardiovascular endurance, cardiorespiratory fitness,
and aerobic fitness are frequently used to describe cardiorespiratory
fitness.
4. The capacity of a muscle to produce force is referred to as
muscular strength. Muscular strength is also specific in nature.
5. The muscle has the capacity to work continuously without
getting exhausted. Each major muscle group in the body has its
requirements for muscular endurance, just as flexibility.
2. Skill-related Fitness is made up of six parts that are mostly related to
good athletic and motor skill performance.
1. Agility is the ability to change the position of the body in space quickly
and accurately.
2. Speed is the capacity to execute moves in a small amount of time.
3. Balance is the ability to maintain stability, whether stationary or while
moving.
4. Power is the ability to apply the greatest amount of force in the shortest
amount of time.
 5.Coordination is the capacity to perform many motor actions
simultaneously with precision and fluidity.
6. Reaction time is the interval between a stimulus and the
corresponding reaction.

Wellness
It is well known that taking part in exercise programs or other physical
activities IS necessary tor us to enhance our quality of life. However, we must
recognize that exercising, alone, does not always reduce the risk of illness
and does not fully guarantee a better body and mind. A student who
consistently participates in aerobic dancing, jogs for 30 to 45 minutes three
times per week, and lifts weights on a regular basis can be regarded as
having good fitness. Without the support of family and friends, this might lead
to emotional instability and excessive stress. Additionally, unhealthy eating
practices and excessive alcohol consumption still increase the chance of
developing cardiovascular disease as well as other chronic Illnesses that a
person may not be aware of. Having a greater quality of life depends heavily
on maintaining your ideal level of well-being. It is important since our wellness
is impacted by everything we do and every feeling we experience.
Even if we are conscious of our unhealthy habits, as Filipinos, we tend to
take our health for granted as long as we see or experience any signs of
potential diseases. Sadly, once we start experiencing significant health
issues, that is the only time we will realize the need for a change in lifestyle. It
has to be impressed, however, that our health and well-being tomorrow Will
largely depend on the good lifestyle decisions we make today.
A purpose in lite, enjoyable relationships, active participation in rewarding
work and play, a healthy body and mind, living in a sustainable environment,
and happiness are now considered to be among the components of wellness
rather than merely the absence of sickness. It takes effort to become aware
and make decisions that will result in a healthier, and happier existence.
Wellness is also viewed as the combination of many things that improve a
person's ability to live and helps them work well enough to make a big
difference in society. Quality of life is a phrase used to indicate health and
well-being. A person with high quality or lite may engage in life activities with
few or no limitations and can operate independently. Individual quality of lite is
dependent on a compassionate and supportive community

Dimensions of Wellness
The eight components of well-being are physical, emotional, social,
mental, physical, environmental, financial, and occupational. Each dimension
often influences the others. Therefore, all of these components require careful
consideration. An example is if parents/guardians do not have steady or
decent employment; one is not financially secure and it may cause issues
within the family since having work to support finances is a requirement.
Possessing all dimensions does not necessarily require evenly balancing all
of them. We should create goals that Will lead to genuine inner harmony and
contentment. We have different goals, aspirations, styles, and points of view
on how to live life to the fullest; thus, we have different sets of standards when
it comes to having a better and more successful life.
1. Becoming healthy is related to physical wellness. It is up to each
individual to encourage adequate physical maintenance for optimum growth
and effective treatment of health issues. You must be active, consume the
right foods, follow a regular workout routine, keep a healthy weight, engage in
safe sex, get as smuch sleep as possible, abstain from using illegal alcohol
and drugs, limit your exposure to toxic environments, and seek regular
medical assistance if necessary, in order to be considered physically healthy.
Also, people who are physically active have a high level of fitness in terms of
their health.
2. Being emotionally healthy is being aware of and accepting your own
emotions. It is the capacity to acknowledge limitations, achieve emotional
stability, correctly express emotions, manage stress, accept and adapt to
changes, and cherish life despite setbacks and regrets. When faced with
obstacles or crises, an emotionally healthy person can respond constructively
by choosing the best options and moving ahead. Instead of spending the
majority of your time and energy thinking about your difficulties, emotional
wellness gives you the confidence and determination to go forward. It also
includes happiness, which gives your life purpose and joy. Even though there
is no one secret to happiness, research shows that most people find it through
the love and help of their family.
3. Intellectual well-being, also known as mental wellness, refers to your
capacity to put what you have learned to use and share it with others, engage
in creative and cognitively challenging activities, and generate additional
possibilities for learning. Mentally healthy people are receptive to new ideas
and are forgiving of others' errors. They are inspired to study more and
investigate novel ideas and perceptions because they are naturally curious. It
must encourage discovery in order to achieve the highest level of intellectual
well-being. This enables you to become familiar with and learn about some of
the topics that make up critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and
innovation. You can improve your intellectual health by encouraging your
interests, getting involved in school, and becoming interested in the culture of
your area.
4. Social wellness describes your interactions and connections with
those around you. Possessing the capacity to engage harmoniously with
others both inside and outside of our family is an important characteristic of
social well-being. In addition, having high self-esteem enables you to
approach people with warmth, friendliness, and openness. Building
wholesome connections and having good interactions with those around you
are essential components of social well-being. It also includes learning how to
find a balance between your social life and your career or academic
responsibilities, as well as your specific demands in loving relationships with
the other aspects of your life.
5. Environmental wellness deals with how our surroundings affect our
health. It denotes a way of living that supports and defends wholesome
environment. Caring for the environment, especially wildlife and its
biodiversity, is the guiding concept of environmental well-being. You can
follow excellent behaviors to conserve and encourage a healthy environment
without participating in environmental activities or joining any environmental
organizations, such as the Leave No Trace (LNT) philosophy while traveling,
and the Five-R's (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle) concept
which are adequate and more authentic. Always keep in mind that living in an
unsafe and dirty environment is bad for our health. An excellent example is
when a person lives in an area where his/her health is at risk because of the
unsanitary conditions brought on by various types of pollution and
overcrowding, such as a squatter camp or slum region.
6. Our desire to be at work, where we can experience personal growth
and fulfillment, is motivated by occupational wellness. It offers us a variety
of professional prospects and motivation to explore opportunities to advance
and take pleasure in the things we most appreciate. This aspect of well-being
recognizes the value of career fulfillment, personal growth, and a feeling of
purpose. It is not always about having an excellent job, a large salary, or
excellent working circumstances. If a workplace offers the support that an
employee needs, it can encourage occupational well-being. For some people,
salary is the top priority or most important component to take into account,
while for others, possibilities for professional growth, praise for
accomplishments, and/or a positive working relationship with the boss and
coworkers are more significant. The "ideal" employment that each
occupationally fit person has allowed them to work harder to achieve.
7. Spiritual wellness brings all aspects of wellness together and acts as
a uniting force. People who are spiritual have a feeling of direction, and
purpose in life, as well as a connection to a greater power. Prayer, faith, love,
care for others, serenity, happiness, satisfaction, and selflessness are all
ways to reach personal freedom. Numerous studies have suggested a
beneficial connection between spiritual well-being, emotional wellness, and
self-fulfillment. We can communicate with a higher power and feel spiritual
when we pray. Moreover, researchers have found that praying is beneficial to
one's health. The majority of these have linked praying with sincerity, humility,
love, and compassion for improved health. Other works have established that
patients who are praying heal more quickly and experience less difficulty than
those who are not. In addition to enabling you to look for significance and
meaning in life, spiritual well- being also enables you to value your
experiences as they are. You may create harmony with both your inner and
outer selves when you discover purpose in your life events. In plainer terms,
balance comes from spiritual wholeness. Spiritual health doesn't need a
religious practice, even if it is the only way to improve and move forward your
spiritual health.
8. Financial Wellness. Learning how to effectively manage financial
expenses is the key to achieving financial wellness. It entails having enough
money to cover essential bills and being able to manage personal and family
spending. Money plays a huge role in everyone's life because, without it, your
quality of life, your health, and the things you intend to pursue would suffer
greatly. Financial strain is frequently the main contributor to stress among
college students. Some of the crucial issues to manage in college life include
setting aside money for projects, on-the-job training, thesis writing, food,
traveling to and from school, and other academic tasks. You can avoid
financial hardship in the future and achieve your objectives by learning how to
make the most out of your money, and developing healthy financial habits

Importance of Good Nutrition

“You are what you eat,” people sometimes say

Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and
minerals it must work its best. Plan your meals and snacks to include nutrient-
dense foods that are also low in calories.

According to the Food Agriculture Organization (2020), good nutrition is

very important before and after an infection. While no foods or dietary
supplements can prevent COVID-19 infection, maintaining a healthy diet is a
significant part of supporting a healthy immune system

Good nutrition can help:

 reduce the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes,

stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis
 reduce high blood pressure
 lower high cholesterol
 improve your well-being
 improve your ability to fight off illness
 improve your ability to recover from illness or injury
 increase your energy level

Food
Food is any edible material that supports growth, repair and maintenance of
the body.
Any edible substance that we consume to fulfill our daily requirement of
nutrition.

Nutrition
Nutrition is the process by which the body utilizes food for growth and
maintenance and healthy living.

A science of food and its relationship to health and concerned with the
parts played by food factors (nutrients) in body growth, development and
maintenance.

Nutrients
A nutrient is a chemical substance in food that helps maintain the body.
Some provide energy. All help build cells and tissues, regulate bodily
processes such as breathing. No single food supplies all the nutrients the
body needs to function.

Essential Nutrients
Macronutrients
 Carbohydrates
 Fats (lipids)
 Proteins
Micronutrients
 Vitamins
 Minerals
Water

The Fundamentals of Healthy Eating

You need a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and
minerals in our diets to sustain a healthy body. It’s very important to know
about different foods, what they contain, and why we need to eat them.

Protein

It gives you the energy to get up and go and keep going while
also supporting mood and cognitive function. Too much protein is often
harmful to people with kidney disease, but the newest research
suggests that a lot of us need more high-quality protein, especially as
we age. If you need a lot of energy for a long time or are starving,
amino acids can be converted to glucose to provide energy.

Fat
 Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and
increase your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and
heart. Healthy fats like omega-3s are vital to your physical and
emotional health. Including more healthy fat in your diet can help
improve your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your
waistline.

Fiber

Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts,

and beans) can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart
disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also help you to lose weight and
improve your skin.

Calcium

Whatever your age or gender, it’s vital to add calcium-rich foods

in your diet, limit those with reduced calcium, and obtain enough
magnesium and vitamins D and K to assist calcium do its job.

Carbohydrates

These are one of your body’s main sources of energy. But most
should come from complex, unrefined carbs (vegetables, whole grains,
fruit) rather than sugars and refined carbs. Lessen on white bread,
pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood
glucose, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat,
especially around your waistline.
Extra carbohydrate is converted to fat. Exercise increases the
storage capacity of glycogen, so store less fat.

Vitamins

These are necessary for normal body metabolism, growth, and

development. They do not provide the body with energy. They allow
the energy from consumed carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to be
released. Although vitamins are vital to life, they are required in minute
amounts.

Minerals

Minerals are contained in all cells and are concentrated in hard

parts of the body – nails, teeth, and bones – and are crucial to
maintaining water balance and the acid-base balance. Minerals are
essential components of respiratory pigments, enzymes, and enzyme
systems, while also regulating muscular and nervous tissue excitability,
blood clotting, and normal heart rhythm. Examples of these minerals
 include chromium, cobalt, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese,
molybdenum, selenium, and zinc.

Water

It is a substance that is essential to life. Water lubricant joints

absorb shock, regulates body temperature, maintains blood volume,
and transports fluids throughout the body while comprising 60 percent
of an individual's body.

You should consume approximately six to eight-ounce glasses

of water each day when not exercising. When working out, drink two to
three eight-ounce cups of water before exercising, four to six ounces of
cool water every fifteen minutes during the workout, and rehydrating
thoroughly after the activity.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet is the best way to get all the essential
nutrients we need for good health and normal immune function.

• Eat a variety of foods within each food group and across all the food
groups to ensure adequate intake of important nutrients.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables

provide lots of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber that you need for a
healthy diet.

• Consume a diet rich in whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats such
as in olive, sesame, peanut, or other oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Such
diets may support your immune system and help to reduce inflammation.

• Watch your intake of fats, sugar, and salt. Foods in which we find
comfort are oftentimes very palatable because they are high in fat, sugar, salt,
and calories. Try to avoid eating too much of these ingredients not only as
comfort foods but across everything you eat.

• Continue to practice good food hygiene. It’s always good to

remember how we can support food safety by practicing the five keys to food
safety:

(1) keep clean;

(2) separate raw and cooked;
(3) cook thoroughly;
(4) keep food at safe temperatures; and
(5) use safe water and raw materials.

• Drink water regularly. Staying well-hydrated, mainly through drinking

ample amounts of plain water (6-8 glasses a day for most adults) also helps
our immune system. Drinking plain water instead of sugar-sweetened
beverages also helps reduce the risk of consuming too many calories for
maintaining a healthy weight.

• Limit consumption of alcohol. Alcoholic drinks have little nutritional

value, these are oftentimes high in calories, and excess consumption which is
linked to numerous health problems.

Follow the "Healthy Eating

Food Pyramid" guide as you select
your food.
This will assist you to achieve a
balanced diet and foster health.

Build a Healthy Plate

My Plate may be a tool designed by

the United States Department of Agriculture
illustrates the five food groups that are the
building blocks for a healthy diet. Building a
healthy plate and good portion control starts
with the proper foods in the right amounts.
These simple guidelines will help you build
a healthier plate.

Understanding the Nutrition Facts Label

According to U.S Food and Drugs Administration, reading food labels can
assist you to make wise food choices. Most foods list nutrition information on
the package label, called Nutrition Facts. These facts can assist you to
compare foods and choose the healthiest option.
Make healthy choices easier by understanding the sections of the
Nutrition Facts label.
1. Serving Size

The serving size may be a measured amount of food. Within the

sample label, the serving size is one cup, and there are two servings
 per container. If you ate the whole container, you would eat two cups,
which doubles the calories and other nutrient numbers. Check the
serving size on food labels to work out if the amount of servings you
are eating is smaller or larger. This may assist you to stay within your
daily calorie goal.

2. Calories

The number of calories is the total amount of energy the food

provides. If you eat more calories than your body uses, over time you
will gain weight. Another important part of the label is the number of
calories from fat. You ought to limit the number of calories from fat to
20-35% of your total daily calories. Within the sample label, there are
250 calories in one serving and 110 calories from fat. This suggests
almost 50% of the calories in one serving of this food come from fat.
Because of its high-fat content, this food is not considered a healthy
choice.

3. Limit These Nutrients

When you eat an excessive amount of saturated fat, trans fat,
cholesterol, and sodium, this can increase the danger for a heart
condition, cancer, or diabetes. Total fat is important to observe.
Saturated fat and trans fat are likely to harm your health. They may
raise your blood cholesterol level, which can increase your risk of heart
disease. Choose foods containing less than 10% of calories from
saturated fat.

4. Get Enough of Those Nutrients

You should get more fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and

iron in your diet. Eating enough of those nutrients can reduce your
danger for particular cancers, osteoporosis, or hypertension. It is
suggested to consume 100% of each of these nutrients daily to avoid
nutrition-related diseases.

5. Percent Daily Value

Understanding the Percent Daily Values (% DV) on a food label
can assist you to select foods high in good nutrients and low in bad
nutrients. The % DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. If you eat more
than 2,000 calories a day, your daily value could be higher. Remember,
5% DV or less is low and 20% or more is high. Choose foods with a
low % DV for fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium.

6. Understanding the Footnote

 The footnote refers to the Percent Daily Value, mentioned in
number five. It states that the percentages are created on a 2,000-
calorie diet, which does not change from product to product. This
footnote also reminds consumers of the daily intake of various
recommended nutrients depending on their caloric needs.

NUTRITION AWARENESS

Introduction

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the important parts of

maintaining your health is to eat healthy food. While there are no foods or
supplements that can help ‘boost’ our immune system and prevent or treat
COVID-19. However, there are lots of ways to eat well and support your
health at this difficult time.
In this module, you will learn about the importance of good nutrition,
food choices, and what makes up a good diet. You will learn about the
different categories of food that your body needs and what foods you should
avoid in large quantities to stay healthy. You will also learn to evaluate your
eating patterns based on the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (2000) or the
Philippines Food Pyramid and interpret food labels accurately.

Learning Outcome
At the end of the module, you will be able to:
 give the importance of eating healthy food in one’s life;
 make a healthy choice by understanding the sections of the Nutrition
Facts label;
 promote health and wellness by consuming healthful diets and to
achieve and maintain healthy body weights;
 compute their own body mass index;
 create a food diary.

Learning Content

“You are what you eat,” people sometimes say – that’s how vital this
subject is.
Importance of Good Nutrition
Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and
minerals it must work its best. Plan your meals and snacks to include nutrient-
dense foods that are also low in calories.

According to the Food Agriculture Organization (2020), good nutrition is

very important before and after an infection. While no foods or dietary
supplements can prevent COVID-19 infection, maintaining a healthy diet is a
significant part of supporting a healthy immune system

Good nutrition can help:

 reduce the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes,

stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis
 reduce high blood pressure
 lower high cholesterol
 improve your well-being
 improve your ability to fight off illness
 improve your ability to recover from illness or injury
 increase your energy level

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet is the best way to get all the essential
nutrients we need for good health and normal immune function.

To maintain healthy diets, FAO encourages everyone to:

• Eat a variety of foods within each food group and across all the food
groups to ensure adequate intake of important nutrients.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables

provide lots of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber that you need for a
healthy diet.

• Consume a diet rich in whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats such
as in olive, sesame, peanut, or other oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Such
diets may support your immune system and help to reduce inflammation.

• Watch your intake of fats, sugar, and salt. Foods in which we find
comfort are oftentimes very palatable because they are high in fat, sugar, salt,
and calories. Try to avoid eating too much of these ingredients not only as
comfort foods but across everything you eat.
 • Continue to practice good food hygiene. It’s always good to
remember how we can support food safety by practicing the five keys to food
safety:

(1) keep clean;

(2) separate raw and cooked;
(3) cook thoroughly;
(4) keep food at safe temperatures; and
(5) use safe water and raw materials.

• Drink water regularly. Staying well-hydrated, mainly through drinking

ample amounts of plain water (6-8 glasses a day for most adults) also helps
our immune system. Drinking plain water instead of sugar-sweetened
beverages also helps reduce the risk of consuming too many calories for
maintaining a healthy weight.

• Limit consumption of alcohol. Alcoholic drinks have little nutritional

value, these are oftentimes high in calories, and excess consumption which is
linked to numerous health problems.

The Fundamentals of Healthy Eating

You need a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and
minerals in our diets to sustain a healthy body. It’s very important to know
about different foods, what they contain, and why we need to eat them.

Protein

It gives you the energy to get up and go and keep going while
also supporting mood and cognitive function. Too much protein is often
harmful to people with kidney disease, but the newest research
suggests that a lot of us need more high-quality protein, especially as
we age. If you need a lot of energy for a long time or are starving,
amino acids can be converted to glucose to provide energy.

Fat

Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and
increase your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and
heart. Healthy fats like omega-3s are vital to your physical and
emotional health. Including more healthy fat in your diet can help
improve your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your
waistline.

Fiber
 Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts,
and beans) can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart
disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also help you to lose weight and
improve your skin.

Calcium

Whatever your age or gender, it’s vital to add calcium-rich foods

in your diet, limit those with reduced calcium, and obtain enough
magnesium and vitamins D and K to assist calcium do its job.

Carbohydrates

These are one of your body’s main sources of energy. But most
should come from complex, unrefined carbs (vegetables, whole grains,
fruit) rather than sugars and refined carbs. Lessen on white bread,
pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood
glucose, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat,
especially around your waistline.

Extra carbohydrate is converted to fat. Exercise increases the

storage capacity of glycogen, so store less fat.

Vitamins

These are necessary for normal body metabolism, growth, and

development. They do not provide the body with energy. They allow
the energy from consumed carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to be
released. Although vitamins are vital to life, they are required in minute
amounts.

Minerals

Minerals are contained in all cells and are concentrated in hard

parts of the body – nails, teeth, and bones – and are crucial to
maintaining water balance and the acid-base balance. Minerals are
essential components of respiratory pigments, enzymes, and enzyme
systems, while also regulating muscular and nervous tissue excitability,
blood clotting, and normal heart rhythm. Examples of these minerals
include chromium, cobalt, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese,
molybdenum, selenium, and zinc.
 Water

It is a substance that is essential to life. Water lubricant joints

absorb shock, regulates body temperature, maintains blood volume,
and transports fluids throughout the body while comprising 60 percent
of an individual's body.

You should consume approximately six to eight-ounce glasses

of water each day when not exercising. When working out, drink two to
three eight-ounce cups of water before exercising, four to six ounces of
cool water every fifteen minutes during the workout, and rehydrating
thoroughly after the activity.

Follow the "Healthy Eating Food Pyramid" guide as you select your
food. This will assist you to achieve a balanced diet and foster health.

Build a Healthy Plate

My Plate may be a tool designed by

the United States Department of Agriculture
illustrates the five food groups that are the
 building blocks for a healthy diet. Building a
healthy plate and good portion control starts
with the proper foods in the right amounts.
These simple guidelines will help you build
a healthier plate.

Fruits

Fruits provide important vitamins and minerals—including potassium,

vitamins A and C, and folic acid.

Vegetables

Vary your veggies. Low in fat and calories, vegetables also can protect
against heart disease and certain cancers.

Vegetable options include asparagus, artichoke, broccoli, Brussels

sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, dark green leafy lettuce,
eggplant, green beans, mushrooms, onion, pepper, spinach, squash, sweet
potato, and tomato.

Grains

Make half your grains whole grains. Whole grains contain fiber and key
nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and folic acid. Make half of the grains you
eat whole grains.

Good grain options include brown rice, bulgur wheat, high-fiber cereal,
oatmeal, whole-grain pasta, whole-grain bread, whole-grain tortillas, and
whole-wheat couscous. Protein Vary your protein routine. Protein helps the
body repair muscles and cartilage. Choose lean proteins such as chicken or
turkey without the skin, fish (tuna, salmon, tilapia), lean cuts of beef or pork,
tofu, beans, eggs, and peanut butter.

Dairy

Switch to low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt. Dairy products contain

calcium that helps keep bones strong.

Good choices include low-fat cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese, and

low- fat or fat-free milk.
Understanding the Nutrition Facts Label
According to U.S Food and Drugs Administration, reading food labels can
assist you to make wise food choices. Most foods list nutrition information on
the package label, called Nutrition Facts. These facts can assist you to
compare foods and choose the healthiest option.
Make healthy choices easier by understanding the sections of the
Nutrition Facts label.
1. Serving Size

The serving size may be a measured amount of food. Within the

sample label, the serving size is one cup, and there are two servings
per container. If you ate the whole container, you would eat two cups,
which doubles the calories and other nutrient numbers. Check the
serving size on food labels to work out if the amount of servings you
are eating is smaller or larger. This may assist you to stay within your
daily calorie goal.

2. Calories

The number of calories is the total amount of energy the food

provides. If you eat more calories than your body uses, over time you
will gain weight. Another important part of the label is the number of
calories from fat. You ought to limit the number of calories from fat to
20-35% of your total daily calories. Within the sample label, there are
250 calories in one serving and 110 calories from fat. This suggests
almost 50% of the calories in one serving of this food come from fat.
Because of its high-fat content, this food is not considered a healthy
choice.

3. Limit These Nutrients

When you eat an excessive amount of saturated fat, trans fat,
cholesterol, and sodium, this can increase the danger for a heart
condition, cancer, or diabetes. Total fat is important to observe.
Saturated fat and trans fat are likely to harm your health. They may
raise your blood cholesterol level, which can increase your risk of heart
disease. Choose foods containing less than 10% of calories from
saturated fat.

4. Get Enough of Those Nutrients

You should get more fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and

iron in your diet. Eating enough of those nutrients can reduce your
danger for particular cancers, osteoporosis, or hypertension. It is
suggested to consume 100% of each of these nutrients daily to avoid
nutrition-related diseases.
 5. Percent Daily Value

Understanding the Percent Daily Values (% DV) on a food label

can assist you to select foods high in good nutrients and low in bad
nutrients. The % DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. If you eat more
than 2,000 calories a day, your daily value could be higher. Remember,
5% DV or less is low and 20% or more is high. Choose foods with a
low % DV for fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium.

6. Understanding the Footnote

The footnote refers to the Percent Daily Value, mentioned in

number five. It states that the percentages are created on a 2,000-
calorie diet, which does not change from product to product. This
footnote also reminds consumers of the daily intake of various
recommended nutrients depending on their caloric needs.

Assessment of Nutritional Status

A Nutrition assessment involves an evaluation of objective and
subjective data, is used to determine an individual's nutritional status or
growth patterns.
Overnutrition and undernutrition can be the two reasons causing
Malnutrition. Malnutrition is a condition of imbalance in nutrition. The health
of a person is not only dependent upon the physical well-being of a human
but, it depends upon mental and social well-being and good nutrition as well.

Anthropometric
A nutritional assessment can be done using Anthropometric.
The word anthropometry comes from two words: Anthropo means
‘human’ and metry means ‘measurement’. Anthropometrics are objective
measurements that help determine the amount of muscle and percentage of
body fat. Anthropometrics may include height, weight, body mass index,
skinfold measurements, and body frame size.
Body Mass Index (BMI)

It is the weight of a person in kilograms divided by their height in

meters squared. You will have to convert measurements in cm to m
(100 cm = 1 m). BMI = weight (kg) height2 (m) BMI can also be found
using look-up tables or a BMI wheel.

BMI values below or above the WHO range for normal

nutritional status (shown in the table below) indicate a need for nutrition
interventions to slow or reverse weight loss or to reduce overweight.

BMI(Kg/m2) Nutritional status

more than 40.0 Very obese
30.0-40.0 Obese
25-29.9 Overweight
18.5-24.9 Normal
17-18.49 Mild malnutrition
16.0 -16.9 Moderate malnutrition
less than 16.0 Severe chronic energy
deficiency
Sources: WHO. 1999. Management of Severe Malnutrition: A Manual for
Physicians and Other Senior Health Workers. Geneva: WHO; WHO. 2013.
“Obesity and Overweight.” Fact Sheet No. 31