HLTH130 Principles and Applications of Diet and Fitness

Department of Kinesiology and Sport Studies: Health

I. Course Number and Title
HLTH130 Principles and Applications of Diet and Fitness
II. Number of Credits
3 credits
III. Number of Instructional Minutes
IV. Prerequisites
V. Other Pertinent Information
VI. Catalog Course Description
A health science course studies variables related to a longer and healthier life. Students will learn basic exercise physiology, nutrition, and weight control. They will study the beneficial effects of regular exercise and nutritious diets maintaining a healthy weight and prevention life-style diseases.
VII. Required Course Content and Direction
  1. Course Learning Goals

    1. learn the basic principles of exercise physiology and nutrition.
    2. learn what effects regular exercise and diet has on the quality of his or her life.
    3. learn that she or he can develop personal control over personal habits that prevent obesity, disease and dysfunction.
    4. learn fundamental biochemical and metabolic effects of regular exercise on selected body systems.
    5. learn the role of good nutrition in energy metabolism, weight maintenance, and disease prevention.
    6. learn the physiological outcomes of different exercise modalities.
    7. acquire data that assesses his or her personal health status through a battery of self-testing activities and laboratories.
    8. be able to identify the six nutrient classifications: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water, and demonstrate in written form valid knowledge of the nutrients functions in the human body.
    9. learn the structure and functions of body systems that support aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
    10. demonstrate thru written objective examinations valid knowledge and understanding of energy release in the cell, energy from food, oxygen consumption during rest and exercise, lactic acid and oxygen deficit.
    11. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: body composition, obesity, weight control, and the modification of eating and exercise behaviors through seminar discussions and written objective examinations.
    12. demonstrate a thorough understanding of interval training, conditioning for muscular strength and conditioning for anaerobic and aerobic power.
    13. acquire knowledge of his or her personal body composition, weight, endurance capacity, and physiological condition by taking selected personal performance and assessment tests.
  2. Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities

    1. Body Composition
      1. Essential and storage fat
      2. Minimal weight, lean body weight
      3. Methods of assessment to determine body density and/or body fat
        1. Body volume, hydrostatic weighing
        2. Girth measurements
        3. Skin fold measurements
        4. Body mass index (BMI)
        5. Abdominal - hip ratio
      4. Desirable body weight

    2. Obesity. What is obesity? How is it measured? Medical risks.
      1. Adipocyte size and number
        1. After weight gain
        2. After weight reduction
        3. Normal/abnormal developmell size and number
        4. Modification of cells through diet and exercise
        5. Selective reduction of body fat (spot reduction, Does it work?)

    3. Weight Control
      1. Risks of dieting and how to evaluate popular diet plans or books
      2. Balancing energy input with output
        1. The energy balance equation
        2. Physical and psychological factors affecting the energy equation
      3. Personal assessments: activity level, dietary questionnaire
      4. Unbalancing the Energy Balance Equation
        1. Set point theory
        2. Popular diet plans (weaknesses and strengths)
        3. Exercise and weight reduction
        4. Optimal duration of exercise and diet plans
        5. Positive reinforcement

    4. Modification of Eating and Exercise Behavior
      1. Modification of eating behavior
        1. Behavior and techniques
        2. Reinforcement
      2. Modification of exercise behavior
        1. Description of behavior
        2. Substitution behavior
        3. Development of control techniques
        4. Positive reinforcement

    5. Optimal Nutrition for Exercise
      1. The nutrients. (Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water)
      2. Functions and health implications of the various nutrients
      3. Percentages for carbohydrate, lipid and protein calories
      4. endurance performance and carbohydrate and lipid
      5. Energy value (kcals) of food and physical activity

    6. Energy for Exercise
      1. Body systems
        1. Cardiovascular system
        2. Ventilation - oxygen delivery system
      2. Energy currency/reservoir (ATP & ATP-CP systems)
      3. Fast and slow twitch fibers
      4. Steady State
      5. Maximum Oxygen Consumption
      6. Lactic Acid (Glycolytic Pathway)
      7. Recovery oxygen consumption
      8. Energy spectrum
      9. "Personal Prescription," for developing an exercise program

    7. Physiologic Conditioning for Total Fitness
      1. The concept of total fitness
      2. General principles of physiologic conditioning
        1. Overload
        2. Specificity
        3. Reversibility

    8. Conditioning for Muscular Strength
      1. Types of resistance training
      2. Factors that modify the expression of human strength
      3. Physiologic adaptations that occur in response to resistance training
      4. Muscular strength of men and women
      5. Metabolic stress of resistance training
      6. Organizing a resistance training program

    9. Conditioning for Anaerobic and Aerobic Power
      1. Anaerobic conditioning
      2. Aerobic conditioning
      3. The Step Test
      4. Factors that affect aerobic conditioning
      5. Developing an aerobic conditioning program
      6. Continuous vs. Intermittent (interval) training
      7. Exercise during pregnancy

    10. Aging, Exercise, and Cardiovascular Health
      1. Participation in Physical Activity
      2. Aging and bodily function
      3. Regular exercise: A Fountain of Youth?
      4. Coronary heart disease
      5. Behavioral changes that can improve your overall health profile.
  3. Assessment Methods for Course Learning Goals


    1. The required textbook is selected by the full-time faculty teaching this course and is specified in the course format. These details and others will be clarified in the course syllabus created by each instructor and distributed to each student upon enrollment and attendance in class.

    2. Application software that can analyze personal eating habits and exercise behavior is recommended but not required.

    3. Personal Assessment Activities.
      1. Compute body composition
      2. Compute Body Mass Index and Abdominal/ hip ratio.
      3. Evaluate dietary habits.
      4. Evaluate exercise habits.
      5. Develop a personal Circuit Resistance Program.
      6. Evaluate cardiovascular condition (Step Test).


Review/Approval Date - 12/03; Core Goals/Objectives added 6/04; New Core 8/2015