Course Description

What’s stopping you from being fit and physically active?

Humankind has evolved rapidly, having set physical activity as a primary pillar for our survival and health. However, we are currently living in an era where we become less physically active and more sedentary. What is it that makes us choose to adopt a physically inactive and sedentary lifestyle, when we know the negative health impacts of it? This course will help you solve this intertwined mystery, which will help you sustain a healthier and happier life.

To unfold the box of this enigma, we first need to understand the inter-disciplinary nature of exercise, and physical activity determinants. Through a series of themed lectures we will explore together how individuals’ participation in exercise and physical activity is determined not only by personal factors, but also by contextual, cultural, and environmental factors.

“Be Fit! Be Active!” is a course that aims to radically change your understanding of the essence of bodily movement. You will not only acquire a strong theoretical background, but also engage in hands-on tasks and experience. Having completed practically useful projects, you will have the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of real-world interventions and learn in-depth about the fundamental techniques needed to design programmes and policies aimed at increasing physical activity and well-being.

[A field trip will be held in Reading Week.]

Course Learning Outcomes

On completing the course, students will be able to:

1. Describe frameworks and theories that address multiple layers of influence on physical activity.
2. Demonstrate skills and strategies to make feasible and measurable changes to their own physical activity and sedentary behavior using wearable technologies.
3. Critically evaluate evidence-based practices and health promotion strategies for increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary time in different cultural and environmental settings.
4. Apply techniques and knowledge to design and implement a program, campaign, or policy aimed at increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time.

Offer Semester and Day of Teaching

Second semester (Wed)