Chapter 1—Fitness and Health
"The daily habits of people have
a great deal more to do with what
makes them sick and when they
die than all the influences of medicine."
Lester Breslow, M.D.
When men and women go to work during the 21st century, few engage in arduous muscular effort. Labor-saving devices have eliminated the need for muscular work at home and the automobile makes the task of getting to and from work physically effortless. Machines supplement or replace human effort in the forest and in mills, construction sites, factories, and mines.
Youth and adults engage in less physical activity each day, while they consume more calories than they burn. The consequences of these trends are obvious: the average worker can no longer deliver a full day's effort in a physically demanding job and degenerative diseases associated with inactivity and obesity, such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, are epidemic.
Some jobs, such as wildland firefighting and forestry field work (such as trail construction and maintenance) have not been mechanized. These jobs require muscular strength and endurance. Workers need specific conditioning to prepare them for the rigors of arduous field work.
The benefits of physical activity and fitness extend well beyond those related to job performance. Regular activity and improved fitness are associated with:
- Reduced risk of heart disease, hypertension, and stroke
- Reduced incidence of being overweight or obese
- Reduced incidence and severity of diabetes
- Reduced risk of certain cancers
- Reduced risk of osteoporosis
- Reduced risk of injury and illness
- Improved immune function and resistance to infection
- Stronger bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles
- Increased energy, mobility, and longevity
Activity and fitness also confer psychological benefits, including:
- Reduced anxiety and depression
- Reduced tension and stress
- Reduced incidence of dementia (Alzheimer's disease)
- Enhanced self-concept and body image
- Improved appearance and performance
- Enhanced quality of life
Activity and fitness contribute to a longer life and a shorter period of debilitating illness that frequently precedes frailty and death. Active living extends the prime of life; it adds life to your years as well as years to your life (figure 1.1).
Figure 1.1—Vigor and the active life. Reprinted, with permission, from B.J. Sharkey and S.E. Gaskill,
2007, Fitness & Health, 6th edition. (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics), 349
The body doesn't wear out with use; it deteriorates with lack of use.
Use it or lose it!
The respiratory and cardiovascular systems are enhanced with activity and training. Tissues such as muscle and bone are strengthened. The best results come when activity and fitness are combined with good nutrition, adequate rest, stress management, safe habits (wearing seat belts), and avoidance of smoking and other drugs.
Fitness Index
A simple way to estimate fitness is to use the Fitness Index (table 1.1). Based on the relationship of physical activity to fitness, the index estimates aerobic fitness based on the intensity, duration, and frequency of your regular level of activity.
| Category | Score | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Intensity | 5 | Sustained heavy breathing and perspiration |
| 4 | Moderately heavy breathing and perspiration | |
| 3 | Intermittent heavy breathing, as in recreational sports | |
| 2 | Moderate activity, as in brisk walking or volleyball | |
| 1 | Light activity, as in fishing, gardening, or easy walking | |
| Duration | 4 | Longer than 40 minutes |
| 3 | 30 to 40 minutes | |
| 2 | 20 to 30 minutes | |
| 1 | Less than 20 minutes | |
| Frequency | 5 | Daily or almost daily |
| 4 | Three to five times a week | |
| 3 | One to two times a week | |
| 2 | Less than once a week | |
| 1 | Once a month | |
| Evaluation and Fitness Estimate | ||
| Score | Evaluation | Fitness Level |
| 100 | Very active and fit | High |
| 80 | Active and fit | |
| 60 to 80 | Active and healthy | Medium |
| 40 to 60 | Consider changes | |
| 20 to 40 | Improvement needed | Low |
| Lower than 20 | Sedentary | |
Wellness and Safety
Employee health and safety programs reduce injuries, the need for health care, and worker's compensation claims.
Fitness and Safety
Some of the accidents in the workplace are caused by unsafe acts rather than unsafe conditions. It makes little sense to stress the importance of protective clothing or ergonomics while ignoring the physical and mental condition of employees. In general, individuals prone to on-the-job accidents are more likely to have unhealthy lifestyles (be inactive, overweight, or smoke) or have psychological problems. A high percentage of occupational accidents can be attributed to human factors. A good wellness program helps individuals change unhealthy habits and improve physical and mental health, contributing to a reduction in injuries and worker's compensation costs. Specific ways to reduce workplace injuries will be presented in chapter 12.
Workplace wellness programs emphasize prevention, individual responsibility, and cost-effectiveness. A good wellness program helps individuals identify and change unhealthy and destructive habits. Wellness programs improve employee morale and productivity, while reducing illness, absenteeism, and employee turnover. A dollar spent on a wellness program saves $3 or more in health care and other costs. A wellness or employee health program could include:
Health Risk Analyses—The health risk analysis is a computer-scored appraisal that identifies health risks and ways to reduce them.
Health Screenings—Screenings once or twice a year allow early detection of risk factors. Screenings include body weight, blood pressure, blood tests, the prostate specific antigen test, a dermatological exam, and more. These low-cost tests can be conducted in the workplace at a fraction of the cost of conducting them in a medical facility, and they reduce the need for visits to the doctor's office.
Health Education—Most programs include stress management, nutrition, weight control, back health, and smoking cessation. Some offer medical self-care, parenting, and prenatal classes.
Health-Related Fitness—All employees should take part in a health-related fitness program, including aerobic and muscular fitness. The program should be tailored to meet employee needs (see chapters 2 and 3).
Work capacity is the ability to accomplish
production goals without undue
fatigue and without becoming a hazard
to yourself or your coworkers. Work
capacity is the product of a number of
factors, including natural endowments,
skill, intelligence, experience, and
motivation, as well as nutrition, aerobic
and muscular fitness, and acclimation.
Even the most highly motivated workers
may fail if they lack the strength or
endurance required by the job, or if they
are poorly fed, dehydrated, or not
acclimated to environmental extremes.
Fit workers are more productive, are
absent fewer days, and are much less
likely to develop job-related disabilities
or retire earlier because of heart
problems or other degenerative diseases.
In addition, fit workers have a more
positive attitude about work and life in
general. For safety, health, productivity,
and morale, fitness is good business.
