TH1HE173 Physical Activity Health and Nutrition

Introduction: 

Positive lifestyle has been known to make a significant impact on the personal health of individuals. Research has indicated that individuals who lead a healthy lifestyle have more chances of living longer than those who have a poor lifestyle. Such individuals are also better able to cope with the daily demands of life. Maintaining a poor lifestyle has been related to increased chances of a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, obesity and coronary heart disease (Kobayashi, Narita and Saito 2016). The present report aims to analyse and understand the importance of positive lifestyle changes for improving personal health. The first section of the report analyses the relationship between excessive alcohol consumption, excessive stress levels, smoking and health at local and national level. The second section of the report evaluates methods and government strategies to manage stress, reduce alcohol consumption and stop smoking. The third section of the report identifies a selected individual, and on the basis of a PAR-Q for the individual, a lifestyle improvement program is outlined. The plan is implemented, and review of the plan along with recommendations for improvement are outlined.

Analysis of the relationship between excessive stress levels, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and health at local and national level 

According to Salleh (2008), the association between illness and stress is complex in nature. The susceptibility to stress tends to show marked variation between individuals at large. Chronic stress has been found to make a negative impact on the immune system, ultimately leading to poor health conditions. High level of stress has a major impact on our mood and sense of well-being. Acute stress responses in individuals might be adaptive and usually do not impose a health burden. However, if the stress level if unremitting, in a vulnerable population, the long-term effects of excessive stress can potentially damage health. The relationship between disease and psychological stressors is affected by the persistence, number and nature of the stressors, along with learned patterns of coping, psychological resources and biological vulnerability of the individual.

Azagba and Sharaf (2011) has highlighted the relationship between stress and smoking and alcohol consumption. This relationship was then associated with health outcomes. As per the authors, stress has been linked with tow main health risk behaviours, alcohol consumption and smoking. The major stressors of modern times are globalisation, economic uncertainty, social disruption technological advancements and high competition in all spheres. For reducing the increased level of stress, individuals resort to smoking and consuming alcohol, thereby leading to increased health burden. The commonly occurring health complications as a result of smoking and alcohol consumption encompass heart attack, cancer, strokes. The adverse impacts of excessive alcohol and tobacco use have been well documented in existing literature. Tobacco and alcohol consumption are major stimulators of the occurrence of these diseases and contribute to millions of deaths annually worldwide. While smoking is known to be the leading preventable cause of premature death in the world, alcohol consumption plays a significant part in adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Long term consumption of alcohol exacerbates medical conditions and increases the risks of mortality and morbidity.

Hart et al. (2010) have stated that a large section of the population both drink and smoke. The neurochemical mechanisms of action of alcohol and nicotine are mutually reinforcing. Smoking and drinking together have been a strongly socially patterned. Previous studies have showed that smoking and alcohol consumption both contribute to the risk of mortality. A study conducted in the United Kingdom in 1996-2001 indicated that smoking increased, but alcohol reduced the risk of gallbladder disease hospital admission or death. The study also defined that alcohol and smoking have a large impact on hospital admission due to cirrhosis.  

Evaluation of methods and government strategies to manage stress, reduce alcohol consumption and stop smoking

Stress management is taking centre stage at all health intervention programs across the nation aimed at increasing health and well-being among the population. A wide spectrum of psychotherapies and techniques have been considered for controlling chronic stress, for improving everyday functioning. The most common methods of stress management are autogenic training, social activity, cognitive therapy, meditation and relaxing techniques and clinically validated alternative treatments. Evaluation of stress management techniques is difficult as there is a paucity of research at present. Consequently, the quality and amount of evidence for the techniques vary largely. The UK government has been focusing on reducing workplace related stress in order to reduce the overall level of chronic stress among the population. The guidelines put in place ensures that both employees and employers collaborate and play their role in reducing the stress level (Regehr, Glancy and Pitts 2013).

The government of United Kingdom recognises that drinking more than the recommended amount leads to damage in health. The government, therefore, aims to bring a decrease in the burden of alcohol consumption on individuals and public money as alcohol drains hospital resource and other social resources. The most significant strategy that the government utilises is to make the public aware of the risks of excessive alcohol consumption. Different campaigns, such as the Change4Life campaign informs individuals about negative impact of drinking. An alcohol risk assessment is being included in the NHS health check for adults between the age of 40 to 75 years. In addition, the government ensures that the health care units have alcohol liaison nurses who can identify individuals with alcohol-related issues so that care and follow up can be provided. Treatment for alcohol dependency and implementation of brief advise programs delivered by health professionals are other attempts at changing behaviour (gov.uk 2017).

The government of United kingdom has taken up some significant steps in managing and preventing tobacco consumption in the country. The government continues to defend tobacco legislation against legal challenges by the tobacco industry. It further encourages smokers to quit through effective forms of support with the level of local services. Woking in collaboration with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) as well as other similar organisations, the government has come up with guidance and monitoring standards for managers of local stop-smoking services for providing them with information on the best approaches towards management of smoking. Further, tax rates are set high to discourage individuals from smoking, and advertising of tobacco is banned (gov.uk 2017).

Planning, implementation and review of lifestyle improvement programme for a selected individual 

From the Physical Activity Readiness Questionaire (PAR-Q) completed by Mr X, aged 32 years, weighing 85 kilogrammes, it was indicated that there was a need of an effective lifestyle improvement program addressing the needs of proper diet and physical exercise. The program was carried out for eight weeks.

A session was conducted at the initial stage to discuss the goals and objectives of the program with the person. Present lifestyle was linked with proposed outcomes. The diet chart was first outlined for him. The diet for Mr X comprised of 7 ounces of protein, 7 ounces of whole grains, 3 cups of vegetables, 3 cups of fruits, 3 cups of low-fat dairy. 35% of the calorie intake would come from unsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts and fatty fish. There was a restriction on consumption of saturated fat to no more than 5% of the 2000 calorie intake. Alcohol consumption was restricted at three drinks week. In addition, tobacco smoking was restricted at two packs a week. Exercise is the key to increased strength, and regular workout was necessary for addressing the functionality of all major muscles of the body. The exercise routine for the individual included chest presses, squats, pull-ups, lunges and deadlifts. 250 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise in a week was included for losing weight. Cycling or rowing was considered alternatively on every alternate day every week. This was followed by 20 minutes of low-intensity workout in the from of walking (Bañares and Ibáñez-Samaniego 2016).

At the end of six months, it was found that Mr X had lost 10 kilogrammes. The individual also reported better mental state and improved health outcomes. For letting lifestyle improvement programs bring out the desired outcomes, it is necessary that the program is followed strictly on a regular basis. For achieving best results, it is necessary that a particular protocol is followed for achieving the health outcomes. This is to include meal suggestions and exercise recommendations. Health status can be significantly improved when there is a regular monitoring of the implemented program.

Conclusion:

Lifestyle is a driving factor behind the well-being and health of an individual. Smoking, alcohol consumption and excessive stress all contribute to poor health outcomes significantly. There is a remarkable interlink between stress, alcohol consumption, smoking and health. All the three mentioned factors are drawing repeated attention of health care departments of the government as they strive to implement the best possible strategy to bring improvements. The different actions put in place have addressed the multifaceted attributes of stress, smoking and drinking. Interventions at national levels are being considered by the government while on an individual basis lifestyle improvement programs are important. Reviewing the success of the programs is crucial for increasing the efficiency of the program.

References:

2010 to 2015 government policy: harmful drinking - GOV.UK. (2017). Gov.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2017, from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-harmful-drinking/2010-to-2015-government-policy-harmful-drinking

2010 to 2015 government policy: smoking - GOV.UK. (2017). Gov.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2017, from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-smoking/2010-to-2015-government-policy-smoking

Azagba, S. and Sharaf, M.F., 2011. The effect of job stress on smoking and alcohol consumption. Health economics review, 1(1), p.15.

Bañares, R. and Ibáñez-Samaniego, L., 2016. Etiological Treatments: Lifestyle Management. In Portal Hypertension VI (pp. 105-110). Springer International Publishing.

Hart, C.L., Smith, G.D., Gruer, L. and Watt, G.C., 2010. The combined effect of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol on cause-specific mortality: a 30 year cohort study. BMC Public Health, 10(1), p.789.

Kobayashi, K., Narita, T. and Saito, T., 2016. The Realities of Lifestyle, Health Behavior, and Quality of Life of University Students.

Regehr, C., Glancy, D. and Pitts, A., 2013. Interventions to reduce stress in university students: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 148(1), pp.1-11.

Salleh, M.R., 2008. Life event, stress and illness. The Malaysian journal of medical sciences: MJMS, 15(4), p.9.