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Article: Physical Activity
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Public Health
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Exercise, sport, play, games, dance
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these and many other terms have been used to describe the wide variety of pursuits considered to be physical activity. "Physical activity" is a universal term defined as "bodily movement that is produced by the contraction of skeletal muscles and that substantially increases the amount of energy you expend" (USDHHS, 1996). "Exercise" is narrower in focus and is defined as "one type of physical activity conducted with the intent of developing physical fitness" (Corbin and Pangrazi, 1998). The term is typically used for calisthenics, resistance exercises, stretching exercises designed for flexibility, and aerobic exercises ...