Benefits to health of being active
· Active lifestyle = regular physical activity that supports physical well-being.
· A healthy level of physical activity varies between individuals, especially due to age and sex differences.
· For IB exams, link being active to both health maintenance and risk reduction, not just sport performance.
· This subtopic includes SL/HL content and Additional higher level: 2 hours, so HL students must also understand exercise prescription considerations.
This infographic summarises immediate and long-term benefits of physical activity, including effects on sleep, blood pressure, heart health, type 2 diabetes, bone health and weight. It is useful for linking IB syllabus disease-risk examples to real health outcomes. Source
Energy balance
· Energy balance includes energy intake, energy consumption and energy storage.
· Energy intake = energy consumed through food and drink.
· Energy consumption = energy used for basal metabolism, physical activity, growth, repair and normal body functions.
· Energy storage = unused energy stored mainly as fat and, to a smaller extent, glycogen.
· Positive energy balance: energy intake > energy consumption → increased energy storage, which may increase risk of obesity over time.
· Negative energy balance: energy intake < energy consumption → stored energy is used; if excessive, it may impair health, muscular function and immune function.
· Exam link: physical activity increases energy consumption, helping regulate body mass and reduce risk of obesity.
This diagram helps students visualise the relationship between energy intake, energy use and stored energy. It supports exam explanations of how physical activity contributes to energy balance and obesity risk reduction. Source
Effects on body systems
· Physical activity can positively affect muscular function, including improved strength, endurance, muscle maintenance and ability to perform daily tasks.
· Physical activity can support immune system function when the training load is appropriate.
· Excessive, poorly planned or insufficiently recovered activity can negatively affect the body by increasing injury risk, fatigue, reduced immune function and impaired performance.
· Strong exam phrase: “The health effect of physical activity depends on intensity, duration, frequency, recovery and individual characteristics.”
· Avoid absolute statements such as “exercise is always beneficial”; IB expects balanced discussion of positive and negative effects.
Reduced risk of disease
· An active lifestyle can reduce risk of osteoporosis, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
· Osteoporosis: suitable weight-bearing and resistance exercise supports bone health; detailed knowledge of ossification and osteoblasts is not assessed.
· Obesity: activity increases energy consumption, supporting healthier energy balance.
· Hypertension: regular activity can support healthier blood pressure regulation.
· Cardiovascular diseases: activity supports cardiorespiratory health and reduces disease risk.
· Type 2 diabetes: activity supports glucose regulation and reduces disease risk.
· Exam phrase to use: “An active lifestyle reduces the risk of developing non-communicable diseases.”
HL only: prescribing exercise for health and sporting performance
· Exercise prescription = planning exercise by selecting appropriate type, intensity, duration, frequency and progression for a specific person or goal.
· Exercise intensity should progress appropriately to avoid injury risk.
· Progression should usually be gradual, based on the individual’s current fitness, training history, health status and performance goal.
· For health, exercise should support safe long-term participation and physical and mental well-being.
· For sporting performance, exercise should also be specific to the demands of the activity, while still considering recovery and injury prevention.
· Poor prescription may cause overload, overuse injury, poor adherence or reduced health benefits.
· Strong HL phrase: “Exercise prescription must balance overload for adaptation with progression that minimizes injury risk.”
This infographic is relevant to the HL requirement to consider exercise prescription for pregnant individuals. It supports discussion of safe, appropriate activity for a specific target group. Source
Exam technique: cause-and-effect links
· Do not just list benefits; link activity → physiological effect → health outcome.
· Example: physical activity increases energy consumption → supports energy balance → reduces obesity risk.
· Example: regular activity supports cardiovascular function → helps reduce hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk.
· Example: appropriate weight-bearing activity supports bone health → reduces osteoporosis risk.
· For HL, add exercise prescription detail, such as progressive intensity, target group suitability and injury prevention.
Checklist: can you do this?
· Define active lifestyle and explain how it supports physical well-being.
· Describe the three components of energy balance: energy intake, energy consumption and energy storage.
· Explain how physical activity can positively or negatively affect muscular and immune system function.
· Link active lifestyles to reduced risk of osteoporosis, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
· HL: explain how to adapt exercise prescription for children/adolescents, older adults and pregnant individuals.