Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 10/04/2013 09:30:01

Title: What is the difference between being fit and being unfit?
Post by: thedoc on 10/04/2013 09:30:01

Mark du Preez  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Physiologically, what is the difference between being fit and being unfit?

What do you think?

Title: Re: What is the difference between being fit and being unfit?
Post by: chris on 10/04/2013 23:50:07

In my case, about 120 heart beats per minute!

Title: Re: What is the difference between being fit and being unfit?
Post by: evan_au on 12/04/2013 23:56:40

Fitness is a combination of genetics and environment. It's also a combination of personal and community fitness.

Community fitness factors include:

• Clean drinking water/effective sewage systems
  
• Access to an adequate supply of healthy food at an affordable price (& education on what is healthy)
  
• No pressure to consume unhealthy food, drink & other products in excessive quantities (restrict advertising of unhealthy products)
  
• Availability of medical care at an affordable price, including immunisation programmes
  
• A variety of meaningful and safe jobs and roles in the community (good safety/pollution regulations help)
  
• Lack of war/violence (good community spirit and healthy participation in government helps here)
  
• A benign climate helps

Personal fitness factors include:

• Ability to control glucose levels within tight bounds - homeostasis  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_homeostasis)(good diet & exercise helps)
  
• No buildup of fat around organs, or obstructing arteries (good diet & exercise helps here)
  
• Good blood supply to heart, lungs, brain, muscles and organs (exercise helps)
  
• Good air supply to lungs (exercise & not smoking helps here)
  
• Enough muscle strength to do your daily tasks, including pump your blood (exercise helps here)
  
• Lack of infections and parasites (vaccination & medicines can help here)
  
• Working digestive system, including healthy microflora (appropriate use of antibiotics helps)
  
• Immune system operating at an appropriate level (attacking pathogens, not self)
  
• Lack of genetic diseases (choosing the right parents helps)
  
• Healthy work and living conditions
• Healthy mental & spiritual state (meaningful jobs and roles help here, as does mutual respect)
  
• Appropriate sleep patterns and sufficient rest & recreation (healthy engagement of body, brain, emotions & social interaction)
  
• Avoiding risky behaviour towards self and others (a moral compass)
  

For the WHO definition, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Health_and_fitness

...Unfortunately, it is notoriously difficult to tease apart the influences of genetics & environment, personal & community, since they all interact with each other!