Fat and fit versus thin and lazy: Identifying the truth about "apparently healthy" individuals

The role of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of obesity is receiving much attention at the moment. But to what extent do the benefits of activity in modulating risk of vascular and metabolic disease go beyond effects on adiposity? Is it really OK to be fat as long as you are fit and active? And do thin people need to worry about how much activity they are doing?

The nature of the dose-response relationships between physical activity and health

Physical activity guidelines changed in the 1990s because it was thought that moderate activity was more acceptable and because it was thought that the greatest public health gains would occur if all sedentary individuals became moderately active. This session will discuss physical activity guidelines and the dose-response relationship between physical activity and health. We'll consider a number of important questions, including: (1) Have physical activity levels increased since moderate activity was first promoted? (2) Is the dose-response relationship between physical activity and health curvilinear? (3) Does one size fit all? (4) Is vigorous activity dangerous?

Physical Activity Measurement

The questions surrounding physical activity (PA) levels address many components of PA, e.g. volume, pattern, and mode. As the interest in PA behaviour continues to grow so does the research discussing the various methods of measurement available.
Measuring physical activity requires a method, which is valid, reliable, cost and time effective, accurate, agreeable to the volunteer, robust but not cumbersome and should have minimal influence on the person's normal activity. Thus choosing the most appropriate measurement technique is very important and can be daunting.

This session will include discuss on what components of PA to measure, the methods available, their strengths and weaknesses, and their reliability and validity.
This discussion would be of particular interest to those beginning in PA research or in designed or implementing activity programmes, which require assessment of PA and inactivity levels.

Impacting on sports performance through physiological support

Physiology is an integeral part of the multi-disciplinary support provided to today's elite athletes. How does physiological support impact on performance and how can this impact be measured? What can physiology do for the experience coach and what's the role of research in applied sport? These are the key questions facing the practitioner that will be discussed during the session.

"White" men can't run: Where is the scientific evidence

A look at the final medal tally at the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing reveals that certain countries enjoy particular success on the running track. Two compelling examples are that of east African runners from Kenya and Ethiopia, and their domination of middle- and long-distance running and athletes from the Caribbean island of Jamaica, and their domination of the sprint events. The Beijing results further augment the idea of 'black' athletic supremacy and the suggestion that these athletes possess some inherent genetic advantage predisposing them to superior athletic performance. Despite the speculation that these athletes have a genetic advantage, there is no genetic evidence to date to suggest that this is the case, although research is ongoing. The only available genetic studies of elite African athletes do not find that they possess a unique genetic makeup; rather they serve to highlight a high degree of genetic diversity among these athletes. Although genetic contributions to the phenomenal success of African athletes in distance running and Jamaican athletes in sprinting cannot be excluded, results to date predominantly implicate environmental factors.

What can BASES do for you? Gauging the needs of students in physical activity for health

As a student myself, in this session I would like to be able to provide a discussion of some key issues that effect students in the area of physical activity for health. By raising some of these points, I hope to be able to provide an insight into how BASES can provide support and encouragement to those wishing to follow a path in physical activity for health.

Life after undergrad, is a Masters the right thing for you?

Whilst studying for a PhD at Exeter University, Len is able to offer an insight into the life of a Masters student and what you can expect - workload, work experience opportunities and the lack of social life!