1.1–1.2 Health, fitness, well-being and consequences of a sedentary lifestyle GapFill

'Lifestyle choice' is a term used to refer to how a person chooses to live their life. It is important that individuals opt for positive lifestyle factors over those that are negative. For example, this could be a combination of an active lifestyle and eating a balanced diet rather than adopting a sedentary lifestyle and making poor nutritional choices. Below are common examples of lifestyle choices, many of which are interrelated.

Physical activity levels

Physical activity has been proven effective in improving physical, emotional and social aspects of health. When combined with a healthy, balanced diet, there are notable improvements in physical health, such as improved body  watercompositionfluidimage, reduced blood  dopingflowcell productionpressure and reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. It can also improve other components of fitness, dependent on the type of training or exercise you take part in. Resistance training can improve muscle   respirationstrengthflexibilityfluid and endurance, while aerobic training can help improve cardiovascular fitness. 

As well as physical health, physical activity can benefit emotional health. It is well known that physical activity is effective in relieving tension, allowing excess stress from everyday life to be managed more effectively. If there is no release offered through physical activity, excess stress persists, which can lead to high blood pressure (  hydrationhypertensionhypotensioncapillarisation). This can have various health risks associated with the important arteries in the body, such as the carotid arteries supplying the brain, increasing the risk of  strokedepressioncancercapillarisation, and the coronary arteries supplying the heart, increasing the risk of a heart attack.

Diet

A diet high in   carbohydratewaterfatprotein or excess calories, especially when combined with low activity levels, is a negative lifestyle choice associated with high total cholesterol, unhealthy weight gain and subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease. It is important to consume a healthy, balanced diet that contains all the macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates and proteins) and micronutrients (vitamins and  sugarsproteinfibreminerals) needed to stay healthy. 

Work–life balance

Too much time spent working relative to free time for rest or recreational activity is a negative lifestyle choice. Not only does excess work heighten stress, but it also limits the time available for physical activity. It can also impact sleep patterns, leading to further daily stress and risk of emotional health conditions such as  strokeobesitydepressionself-confidence. It is recommended that 6–8 hours of quality sleep are needed in order to lead a positive lifestyle. 

Recreational drugs (alcohol and nicotine)

Nicotine is the addictive substance in cigarettes which makes smoking habits hard to stop. Smoking thickens the blood, which places added stress on artery walls and increases the risk of developing  criticalchroniccrucialcoronary heart disease (CHD). It is also heavily correlated with developing lung cancer, characterised by the abnormal growth of cells in tissues and organs, affecting their function. As smoking involves inhalation of tobacco, this can lead to pulmonary disease, such as  anginabronchitisobesityasthma – characterised by inflammation of the bronchi, which is exacerbated by forceful coughing. Smoking can also increase the risk of infertility.

Excessive alcohol consumption can be detrimental to functioning of the  brainliverheartmuscle, leading to a condition known as cirrhosis, where healthy tissue is replaced with scar tissue. It can also be responsible for  aggravatingconstrictingelevatingreducing blood pressure, known as alcohol-induced  capillarisationhypotensionhypertensionhydration. It is also associated with depression, both in causing it and in treating it, and patients suffering from depression often develop an alcohol dependence.