IB Sports, exercise and health science A.3.2.3 Health Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle and the Protective Role of Physical Activity Key Definitions

Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.

Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fatty deposits (plaque) in the arterial walls, which causes the arteries to become stiff and narrow, reducing blood flow.

A measurement that uses height and weight to assess whether an individual has a healthy body weight.

Bone is a dense, hard connective tissue that forms the skeletal structure of the body, playing an essential role in movement, support, and protection of vital organs.

Bone mineral density (BMD) is the amount of mineral (mainly calcium) per unit area of bone, used as the main measure of bone strength.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) refers to a broad range of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a narrowing of the coronary arteries due to atherosclerosis, reducing blood supply to the heart muscle and raising the risk of heart attack.

Energy balance refers to the relationship between the energy taken in (food and drink) and the energy expended (through basal metabolic rate, physical activity, and digestion).

A type of cholesterol that is considered "good" because it helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream, reducing the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries.

Hyperglycaemia is an abnormally high concentration of glucose in the blood, the defining feature of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Hypertension is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated.

Hypokinetic disease is a disease or condition associated with a sedentary, inactive lifestyle. Examples include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, some cancers, and mental ill-health.

A condition in which the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, leading to high blood glucose levels.

LDL cholesterol is a type of cholesterol that contributes to the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries.

Metabolic syndrome is the clustering of three or more cardiovascular risk factors in one person: high blood lipids, impaired glucose regulation, abdominal obesity, and hypertension.

Obesity is characterized by excessive body fat accumulation that poses a risk to health.

A condition characterized by lower-than-normal bone mineral density, which can be a precursor to osteoporosis.

Osteopenia is reduced bone mineral density that has not yet reached osteoporosis threshold.

A condition characterized by weak and brittle bones due to calcium deficiency.

Sedentary lifestyle is a way of living that involves little to no physical activity, typically dominated by sitting, screen time, and motorised transport, with energy expenditure close to the resting baseline.

A medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by insulin resistance, where the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin.

A chronic condition that affects the way the body metabolizes glucose (sugar), leading to high blood sugar levels.

Visceral fat is fat stored deep in the abdomen around internal organs. High visceral fat is more strongly linked to cardiovascular and metabolic disease than fat stored under the skin.