GCE O/L Health & Physical Education flashcards

39 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Health-related fitness components

Five components linked to health outcomes: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. They are distinguished from skill-related components such as speed and agility.

FITT principle

A training prescription framework stating Frequency (how often), Intensity (how hard), Time (how long) and Type (what activity). All four must be specified for a programme to be measurable and safe.

Progressive overload

Gradually increasing training demand as the body adapts so improvement continues. Overload that is too rapid exceeds tissue tolerance and causes injury rather than fitness gain.

Target heart rate zone

The heart-rate range for aerobic training, typically 50–70% of maximum heart rate for moderate work and 70–85% for vigorous work. Maximum heart rate is estimated as 220 minus age.

Body mass index

Body mass in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. It screens for underweight, overweight and obesity but does not distinguish muscle from fat.

Energy value of nutrients

Carbohydrate and protein supply about 4 kcal per gram, fat about 9 kcal per gram, and alcohol about 7 kcal per gram. Fat is therefore the most energy-dense macronutrient.

Complete protein

A protein containing all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, typically from animal sources or combinations such as rice with beans. Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body.

Dietary fibre

Indigestible plant carbohydrate that adds bulk to stool and slows glucose absorption. Adults need roughly 25–30 g daily; low intake is linked to constipation and diverticular disease.

Free sugars

Sugars added to foods plus those in honey, syrups and juice, excluding sugars inside whole fruit. Intake should stay below 10% of energy, and below 5% for dental health.

Food label ingredient order

Ingredients are listed by descending weight, so the first item is the largest component. A sugar or fat listed first signals that it dominates the product.

Hand washing duration

Wet hands, apply soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds including between fingers and under nails, then rinse and dry. This physically removes transient pathogens.

Danger zone temperatures

The 5–60 °C range in which food-borne bacteria multiply fastest. Hot food should be held above 60 °C and cold food below 5 °C to limit growth.

Toxic shock syndrome risk

A rare but serious illness linked to retained tampons or other retained material. Changing sanitary products every 4–6 hours reduces the risk of bacterial toxin release.

Levels of prevention

Primary prevention acts before disease occurs, secondary prevention detects disease early through screening, and tertiary prevention limits disability and complications after disease is established.

Herd immunity

Indirect protection of unvaccinated people that arises when a high proportion of a population is immune, interrupting chains of transmission. The threshold differs by disease.

Screening versus diagnosis

Screening tests asymptomatic people to find disease early; diagnosis confirms disease in people with symptoms or a positive screen. Screening does not by itself confirm disease.

Adult CPR ratio and depth

For an adult, give 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths at 100–120 compressions per minute, pressing about 5–6 cm deep with full chest recoil between compressions.

DRSABCD action plan

Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation. This sequence structures first-aid response and places calling for help before airway and breathing checks.

Burn first aid

Cool a burn under running water for at least 20 minutes, remove jewellery before swelling, and cover loosely. Never apply ice, butter or toothpaste, and do not burst blisters.

Recovery position

A side-lying position used for an unresponsive casualty who is breathing normally. It keeps the airway open and allows fluid to drain, preventing choking on vomit or the tongue.

RICE protocol

Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation for acute soft-tissue injury. Ice is applied for about 15–20 minutes with a cloth barrier; heat and massage are avoided for 48–72 hours.

Concussion removal rule

Any player with suspected concussion - confusion, vomiting, memory gap or loss of consciousness - must be removed from play and assessed medically. Same-day return is not permitted.

Heat stroke signs

Core temperature above 40 °C with confusion, hot dry skin and collapse. It is a medical emergency requiring immediate active cooling and urgent emergency-services call, unlike heat exhaustion.

Puberty onset signs

Breast budding typically marks the start of puberty in girls around 8–13 years, while testicular enlargement is the first sign in boys around 9–14 years. Timing varies widely.

Ovulation timing

Release of an egg from the ovary, occurring near the middle of the cycle - about day 14 in a 28-day cycle. Timing varies between individuals and between cycles.

Fertilisation site

The usual meeting of sperm and egg in the fallopian tube. The resulting zygote divides while travelling to the uterus and implants in the uterine lining about a week later.

Alarm resistance exhaustion

The three-stage general adaptation syndrome describing stress response. Short alarm and resistance stages can be adaptive, but prolonged exhaustion harms immunity, mood and cardiovascular health.

Eustress versus distress

Eustress is short-lived, motivating stress that improves performance; distress is prolonged or overwhelming stress that impairs function and health. The same event can produce either.

Adolescent sleep need

Adolescents need roughly 8–10 hours of sleep per night. Chronic short sleep impairs attention, mood regulation and reaction time, and raises sports injury risk.

Alcohol metabolism

Alcohol is broken down mainly in the liver at a limited rate. Nothing speeds this process except time, so coffee, cold showers and food do not sober a person.

Tolerance and withdrawal

Two markers of dependence: tolerance means more of a substance is needed for the same effect, and withdrawal means physical or psychological symptoms appear when use stops.

Skill classification types

Motor skills are classified as gross or fine, open or closed depending on environmental predictability, and discrete, serial or continuous by structure. Classification guides how a skill is taught.

Levers in the body

Bones act as levers, joints as fulcrums and muscles as effort. First-class levers include the neck, second-class the calf raise, and third-class the biceps curl, the most common type.

Base of support stability

Stability increases when the base of support is wider and the centre of gravity is lower and centred over it. Moving the centre outside the base causes loss of balance.

Basketball scoring values

A field goal inside the three-point arc scores 2 points, beyond it scores 3, and a free throw scores 1. Teams have 24 seconds on the shot clock to attempt a shot.

Netball footwork rule

A player in possession may not run with the ball and must pass or shoot within 3 seconds. The landing foot must stay grounded until the ball is released.

Principles of defence

Defensive play is organised around pressure on the ball, cover behind the pressuring player, balance across the court or field, and delay to allow teammates to recover position.

Relay changeover zone

The marked 20 m section in which the baton must be passed. A drop must be retrieved by the athlete who dropped it, and passing outside the zone causes disqualification.

Gymnastics body shapes

Core shapes are tuck (knees to chest), pike (legs straight, hips flexed), straddle (legs apart), layout (body straight) and arch. Shape determines difficulty and body tension.