What are the risks of a sedentary lifestyle, and what does a balanced diet provide for a performer?
The risks of a sedentary lifestyle, the components of a balanced diet, the role of the main nutrients, energy balance and the importance of hydration.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE PE topic on lifestyle and nutrition, covering the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, the components of a balanced diet, the roles of carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water, energy balance, and hydration for sport.
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What this dot point is asking
WJEC wants you to describe the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, set out the components of a balanced diet, explain the role of each main nutrient, and explain energy balance and the importance of hydration.
A sedentary lifestyle and its risks
The health risks of a sedentary lifestyle include:
- Obesity / being overweight - taking in more energy than is used, so the surplus is stored as fat.
- Coronary heart disease - inactivity is linked to fatty deposits in the arteries and high blood pressure.
- Type 2 diabetes - linked to obesity and poor diet.
- High blood pressure (hypertension).
- Poor mental health and low self-esteem, including a higher risk of depression.
- Loss of muscle tone and poor posture.
Regular physical activity reverses many of these risks by increasing energy expenditure, strengthening the heart and improving mood.
A balanced diet
The roles of the main nutrients are:
- Carbohydrate - the main and most readily available source of energy, especially for higher-intensity exercise. Stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver.
- Fat - a source of energy for low-intensity, long-duration exercise, plus insulation and protection of organs. Too much raises body fat.
- Protein - used for the growth and repair of muscle tissue; important for recovery and building strength.
- Vitamins - needed in small amounts for body functions, such as vitamin C for healthy skin and vitamin D for bone health.
- Minerals - needed in small amounts, such as calcium for strong bones and teeth and iron for healthy red blood cells (oxygen transport).
- Fibre - keeps the digestive system healthy and aids the slow release of energy.
- Water - for hydration, temperature control and transporting nutrients.
Energy balance
Energy is measured in kilocalories (kcal). Energy balance is the relationship between energy taken in as food and energy used in activity.
- Energy in = energy out: body mass stays the same.
- Energy in greater than energy out: the surplus is stored as fat and body mass rises.
- Energy in less than energy out: the body uses its stores and body mass falls.
An active performer needs more energy than a sedentary person, so their intake should be higher to match.
Hydration
Water is lost during exercise through sweating, which cools the body. If too much is lost without being replaced, the performer becomes dehydrated.
Dehydration reduces performance because:
- blood becomes thicker and the heart works harder to pump it,
- the body overheats because sweating becomes less effective,
- reaction time and concentration fall, and muscles tire and cramp sooner.
Performers should drink water before, during and after exercise to stay hydrated, especially in hot conditions or long events.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC style4 marksDescribe two health risks of a sedentary lifestyle and explain how regular exercise reduces each one.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark question: a mark for each risk and a mark for each matching way exercise reduces it.
Risk one is obesity and being overweight, because a sedentary person takes in more energy than they use, so the surplus is stored as fat. Regular exercise increases the energy used, helping to keep energy intake and expenditure in balance and reducing body fat. Risk two is coronary heart disease, because inactivity is linked to high blood pressure and the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries. Regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart, helps lower blood pressure and improves the balance of cholesterol, reducing the risk.
Accept other valid risks such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, poor self-esteem or depression, as long as each is paired with a sensible way exercise helps.
WJEC style6 marksExplain the role of carbohydrate, protein and water in the diet of a games player.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark question: two marks for each nutrient, linking it to the games player.
Carbohydrate is the main and most readily available source of energy, especially for high-intensity work such as sprinting and repeated efforts in a match, so a games player needs a good supply to fuel performance. Protein is used for the growth and repair of muscle tissue, which a games player needs to recover after training and matches and to build strength. Water keeps the player hydrated, helps regulate body temperature through sweating, and carries nutrients in the blood; losing too much through sweat causes dehydration, which reduces performance and concentration.
A top answer states the role of each nutrient and connects it specifically to a games player's demands rather than giving the role in isolation.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Physical Education specification (from 2016) — WJEC (2016)