Description

Physical Activity in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease

Description - summary of the module content

Module description

This module will allow you to learn about how “lifestyle diseases” such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be prevented and treated with exercise. You will learn about the medical costs, risk factors and the role physical activity plays in preventing and treating these leading causes of death in Britain. This module will be of great benefit if you wish to pursue a career in GP referral, physiotherapy, or clinical exercise physiology. You will need to have background knowledge of human physiology/exercise physiology to take this module.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are the leading causes of death in Britain and most developed nations. This module explains that Britain’s biggest killers are ‘lifestyle diseases’ that can be prevented and treated with exercise. For each of the most prevalent chronic diseases, you will learn about: the medical costs of the disease; risk factors for the disease and the role physical activity plays in preventing and treating the disease. The module will emphasise evidence-based practice and the dose-response relationship between exercise and health, and the under-pinning mechanisms by which exercise protects against lifestyle diseases. This module will benefit you should you wish to pursue a career in GP referral, physiotherapy, or clinical exercise physiology.

You will develop some key graduate attributes through this module, which include working in teams and strategic thinking and problem solving during the in class tasks and exercises. You will develop your communication and people skills by debating with peers and staff during the in class activities; and you will develop a clear understanding of the nature and importance of evidence-based practice.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Explain the pathophysiology of the most prevalent chronic diseases
• 2. Describe in detail the physiological mechanisms through which exercise training may influence the diseased states

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Design appropriate training programmes
• 4. Critical analysis of incomplete and contradictory research literature
• 5. Effective communication of complex concepts

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Present information and ideas competently
• 7. Study autonomously with minimal direction

Syllabus plan

Syllabus plan

After introductory sessions to the module and the use of epidemiological data, we will explore the pathophysiology of a number of highly prevalent clinical conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and then critically evaluate the evidence for physical activity as an effective preventive tool or as a treatment for these conditions. This will include a careful examination of the mechanisms by which exercise adaptations might interact with the pathophysiology of these conditions.

Each session will involve a blend of lecture and seminar to thoroughly develop your knowledge and understanding.

Learning and teaching

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Assessment

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Re-assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to sit a further examination. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Resources

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

All of the resources below can be obtained in St. Luke’s library, via the University’s electronic collection, or via Pubmed (www.pubmed.gov).

• Bouchard C, Blair S.N., Haskell W.L. Physical Activity and Health. Human Kinetics, Champaign, USA, 2007.
• Hardman A.E. and Stensel D. Physical activity and health: the evidence explained. Routledge, Abingdon, UK, 2003.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE page: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1659 (reading to complete prior to each session will be posted to ELE, and additional reading larger in the form of scientific papers will be added after each session)

Module has an active ELE page

Key words search

Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, spinal cord injury, exercise training, physical activity, exercise is medicine