Lifestyle Influences

1
Lifestyle Influences

• The following factors can have can affect
  fitness
• SMOKING
• ALCOLHOL
• EATING DISORDERS
• DRUGS
• STRESS

• These can all be harmful as they can damage our
  health and have a negative effect on sporting
  performance or on sport as a whole (cheating)

2

• SMOKING
• 120 000 people die every year from smoking
  related diseases, but there are still around 450
  young people taking up smoking everyday in the
  UK.

3

• Smoking is harmful to you at any age and has
  serious consequences for the components of
  fitness.
• Smoking
• increases the likelihood of heart malfunction.
• increases the likelihood of blockages in the
  veins and arteries.
• causes damage to and reduces the capacity and
  efficiency of the lungs.
• reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the
  blood.
• negatively affect the process of gaseous
  exchange.
• smoking can also harm others through passive
  smoking.

4

• ALCOHOL
• Drinking alcohol is a socially accepted activity.
• It can induce feelings of well-being and lack of
  responsibility.
• It is a form of escape.
• Can lead to aggression, reduced muscle glycogen,
  kidney and liver damage and lack of motivation.
• Alcohol is a diuretic drug, which means that it
  increases the loss of fluid through urination.

5

• EATING DISORDERS
• Eating disorders are illnesses that make people
  binge or starve themselves because of a
  compulsion to be thin. Eating disorders can have
  a very serious effect on general health and
  well-being. They will also affect performance in
  sport
• The most common types of eating disorder are
• ANOREXIA NERVOSA
• BULIMIA NERVOSA
• COMPULSIVE EATING DISORDER

6

• ANOREXIA NERVOSA - is a kind of self-imposed
  starvation. Anorexics are obsessed with their
  appearance imagining that they are too fat.
• BULIMIA NERVOSA - this refers to uncontrollable
  eating and to related thoughts, behaviours and
  poor self image. Binge eating is usually followed
  by feelings of self disgust and vomiting.
• COMPULSIVE EATING DISORDER - this usually takes
  the form of uncontrollable over-eating. People
  with compulsive eating disorder do not normally
  make themselves vomit after eating or become
  obsessed with exercise. 20 of obese people may
  have this disorder.

7

• PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
• Are drugs that can improve performance.
• Usually taken with the intention of gaining
  unfair advantage. They include
• STIMULANTS ( Amphetamines )
• Make people feel high and up for it. They
  increase the activity of the cardiovascular
  system and the central nervous system. Reduce the
  effects of tiredness and make competitor more
  aggressive.
• NARCOTIC ANALGESICS
• (pain killers) used to suppress pain from
  athletic injuries so that a performer can still
  compete. Heroin. Morphine and codeine are three
  examples. Covering the pain can lead to worsening
  of the original injury.

8

• ANABOLIC STERIODS
• Accelerate the growth and repair of muscle this
  means they help athletes bulk up for explosive
  events. This can cause heart and blood pressure
  problems, excess aggression, male characteristics
  in females and loss of fertility.
• DIURETICS
• Increase water loss from the body by urination.
  In boxing, judo, wrestling and weightlifting,
  competition is limited by weight category and
  therefore quick weight loss can be important, but
  sodium and potassium is lost as well. This
  substance can also mask other drugs.

9

• Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis stripped of
  his bronze medal in Athens 2004
•  

10

• PEPTIDE HORMONES, MIMETICS AND ANALOGUES
• Similar to steroids in that they can increase
  muscle production. Also used to increase the
  production of red blood cells to improve oxygen
  transport. They can cause infertility and blood
  pressure problems. Most common types are
  Erythropoietin (EPO) and Human Growth Hormone
  (H.G.H)
• BETA - BLOCKERS
• These are taken by performers to help them relax
  because they counteract the effect of adrenaline.
  Used particularly in events such as shooting,
  archery snooker and darts. Can cause low blood
  pressure, insomnia, depression and lack of mental
  edge

11

• BLOOD DOPING - after training at altitude an
  athlete can remove haemoglobin rich blood from
  his body and freeze it prior to re-injection
  before a competition.This can increase the bodies
  red blood cells by 20. The main danger is
  increased blood density and blockages.
• STRESS - stress or anxiety and arousal can act
  both as motivators and depressors of performance
  levels. Stress levels can be managed in any of
  the following ways.
• Setting easy targets to begin with.
• Mental rehearsals and positive imagery.
• Verbal reassurance from coach and/or supporters.
• Relaxation - both physical and mental - in order
  to reduce stress levels.