Calidad De Vida

However, they are often confused with one another, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. This paper proposes definitions to distinguish them. Physical activity is defined as any bodilymovement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The energy expenditure can be measured in kilocalories. Physical activity in daily life can be categorized into occupational,sports, conditioning, household, or other activities. Exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has as a final or an intermediate objective theimprovement or maintenance of physical fitness. Physical fitness is a set of attributes that are either health- or skill-related.
The degree to which people have these attributes can be measured with specifictests. These definitions are offered as an interpretational framework for comparing studies that relate physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness to health.
THE EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY of anyconcept or event requires that the item under investigation be defined and measured. The common and professional uses of the terms "physical activity," "exercise," and "physical fitness" reveal a needfor clarification. This paper, therefore, defines physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness, with the hope that each definition will provide a framework in which studies can be interpreted andcompared. Ideally, standardized terminology will promote greater understanding of the relation between physical activity, exercise, physical fitness, and health.
Physical Activity
Several elements ofphysical activity have been identified (see box page 127). Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The amount of energyrequired to accomplish an activity can be measured in kilojoules (kJ) or kilocalories (kcal); 4.184 kJ is essentially equivalent to 1 kcal (1). Technically, the kJ is preferred because it is a measure...