The Health and Fitness Relationship
Health and fitness sound like the same thing, but they are not. Learn what each one means, the three parts of health, and why you can be fit without being healthy.
Justify the choices, the way you are assessed
Free interactive practice on the decisions the assessment actually asks you to justify.
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Not the same thing
People often use health and fitness to mean the same thing, but in PE they are different ideas. You can be very fit and still be unwell, and you can be healthy without being sporty. This module makes the difference clear, covers the three parts of health, and explains how health and fitness affect each other.
Health against fitness, defined
Four terms run through this topic. Learn them first.
Health or fitness?
The two ideas overlap but are not the same.
Match the term
- Health
- Fitness
- Wellbeing
- Training
- Complete physical, mental and social wellbeing
- The ability to meet the demands of the environment
- The general state of feeling good
- Exercising regularly to improve fitness
Define fitness
Which of these is the best definition of fitness?
- The ability to meet the demands of the environment
- Complete physical, mental and social wellbeing
- Simply being free from all illness
- Always winning at sport
The big trap
Health does not equal fitness. Poor health can lower fitness, because illness or injury stops you training. But you can be unhealthy yet still fit: a fit athlete can catch a cold and still train. Remember the three parts of health: physical, mental and social.
Match the part of health
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Social health
- Poor health
- The body free from illness and injury
- Feeling positive and coping with stress
- Getting on with other people and having friends
- Being ill or injured, which can lower fitness
Parts of health
Which TWO of these are parts of health? Choose all that apply.
- Physical health
- Social health
- Training
- Winning a match
Why fitness drops
Put this chain of cause and effect into a sensible order.
- A person becomes ill
- They cannot train
- They exercise much less
- Their fitness drops
Health against fitness
A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing is _____. The ability to meet the demands of the environment is _____. Exercising regularly to improve fitness is _____. Getting on well with other people is _____ health. Feeling positive and coping with stress is _____ health.
Spot the health statements
Tap the TWO statements that describe HEALTH rather than fitness.
- Being free from illness and injury
- Feeling positive and coping with stress
- Being able to run a long way without tiring
- Coping with the physical demands of sport
Fit but poorly
A footballer has a cold but can still train and play well. What does this show?
- You can be unhealthy but still fit
- Health and fitness are the same thing
- Fitness always means perfect health
- Any illness always stops training
What does it show?
For each case, choose what it shows about health and fitness.
- A person is ill in bed for two weeks and cannot train, so their fitness drops. What does this show?
- A fit runner has a mild cold but still trains and performs well. What does this show?
- Someone feels positive, sleeps well and gets on with their friends. Which is this an example of?
Explain the difference
Explain why health and fitness are not the same thing.
- Define health and define fitness
- Explain how poor health can lower fitness
- Give an example of being unhealthy but still fit