Physical Activity and Health: Biological Mechanisms MED5353

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

No

Timetable

Students will access lecture materials at their own pace on Moodle 2. There will be online tutorials with course staff every 2 weeks running across 10 weeks in the Semester. The practical component of the course will be delivered during the Residential Week

Requirements of Entry

None

Excluded Courses

MED5343

MED5348

MED5342

MED 5364

MED5361

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Orally presented (online) critical review (~10 minutes + questions) 50%

Outline grant application (~2500 words) 50%

Course Aims

To provide the student with an in depth critical knowledge and understanding of the relationship between physical activity, fitness and health; the biological mechanisms underpinning the beneficial effects of physical activity on health; how the quality and quantity of physical activity influences health benefits

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ critically discuss and evaluate the epidemiology demonstrating the relationship between physical activity, fitness and health outcomes

■ critically discuss and evaluate the effects of physical activity on lipid metabolism, insulin resistance and other aspects of vascular and metabolic risk

■ critically discuss and evaluate how physical activity and dietary factors influence adiposity and the health risks associated with overweight and obesity

■ critically discuss and evaluate the evidence underpinning physical activity for health guidelines

■ critically discuss and evaluate the strengths and limitations of both individual studies and the body of research evidence in the current physical activity for health literature

■ critically discuss and evaluate areas of uncertainty and gaps of knowledge in the current physical activity for health literature and design future research studies to address these issues

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.