GCE O/L Health & Physical Education key terms

The ability of the body to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with enough energy left to enjoy leisure activities and meet emergencies.

The parts of fitness that directly affect health status: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. These components are improved mainly through regular moderate-to-vigorous activity.

Components of fitness that support performance in sport and movement: speed, agility, balance, coordination, power, and reaction time. They matter most for athletic performance rather than everyday health.

The ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to supply oxygen to working muscles during sustained activity. It is developed by continuous rhythmic exercise such as running, swimming, or cycling.

The proportion of fat mass to lean mass (muscle, bone, water, organs) in the body. It is estimated using measures such as body mass index, skinfold calipers, or waist circumference.

A screening number calculated from weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. It gives a rough indication of whether weight is appropriate for height, but it does not measure body fat directly.

The range of movement possible at a joint or group of joints. It is improved by regular stretching when muscles are warm and can reduce the risk of strain injuries.

The ability to change the position and direction of the body quickly and accurately while under control. It combines speed, balance, and coordination and is trained with drills such as shuttle runs and zig-zag courses.

The ability to exert force quickly, calculated as strength multiplied by speed. Jumping, throwing, and sprinting starts depend on power, which is trained with explosive movements such as bounding and medicine-ball throws.

The smooth, efficient working together of the senses and body parts to produce controlled movement. Hand-eye and foot-eye coordination are developed through practice of catching, striking, and dribbling skills.

The ability to keep the body stable whether still (static balance) or moving (dynamic balance). It relies on information from the eyes, inner ear, and muscles and is central to gymnastics and many sports.

The range of heart rates, usually expressed in beats per minute, at which exercise best improves cardiorespiratory fitness. It is often estimated as 60 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate.

A short period of light activity and gentle stretching done before exercise to raise muscle temperature, increase blood flow, and reduce the chance of injury.

Gentle activity and stretching performed after exercise to help the heart rate return gradually to resting level and to reduce muscle stiffness and soreness.

A diet that supplies all the nutrients the body needs in the right amounts, drawn from a variety of foods including staples, vegetables, fruits, proteins, and fats, without excess of any one group.

A substance in food that the body uses for energy, growth, repair, or regulation of body processes. The main groups are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

The indigestible part of plant foods that helps food move through the gut, prevents constipation, and may lower the risk of heart disease. It is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Poor health caused by an unbalanced diet, which may involve too little food (undernutrition), too much food, or a shortage or excess of particular nutrients such as iron or vitamin A.

A condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to a level that raises the risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and joint problems. It usually results from energy intake exceeding energy use.

A state in which the body has lost more water than it has taken in, causing thirst, dark urine, tiredness, and reduced performance. It is prevented by drinking water before, during, and after activity.

The practices a person follows to keep the body clean and healthy, such as bathing, handwashing, dental care, and clean clothing. Good hygiene prevents infection and skin disease.

Cleaning the hands with soap and running water for at least twenty seconds, especially before eating and after using the toilet. It is one of the simplest ways to stop the spread of germs.

An illness caused by a pathogen such as a bacterium, virus, fungus, or parasite that can pass from one person, animal, or surface to another. Examples include influenza, tuberculosis, and malaria.

A disease that cannot be spread between people, often linked to lifestyle factors such as poor diet, inactivity, tobacco use, or alcohol. Examples include diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

Giving a person a weakened or inactive form of a pathogen, or its components, so the immune system learns to defend against it. It protects the individual and, when widespread, the community.

The body's ability to resist a particular infection, gained either after recovering from the disease or through vaccination. It depends on antibodies and specialised white blood cells.

Immediate help given to a sick or injured person before professional medical care arrives. Its aims are to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, and promote recovery.

A lifesaving technique of chest compressions, with or without rescue breaths, used when a person has stopped breathing or has no heartbeat. It keeps blood and oxygen moving to the brain.

A safe side-lying posture used for an unconscious person who is breathing, to keep the airway open and allow fluids to drain from the mouth while waiting for help.

An injury to a ligament, the tissue joining bone to bone, caused by a sudden twist or stretch. It causes pain, swelling, and bruising and is treated with rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

An overstretch or tear of a muscle or tendon, often from sudden effort or poor technique. Signs include pain, weakness, and swelling, and treatment follows the rest, ice, compression, and elevation approach.

A heat-related illness with heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, and nausea, caused by loss of water and salt during activity in hot conditions. The person should be moved to shade and cooled and given fluids.

The stage of development in which the body matures sexually and becomes capable of reproduction. It brings growth spurts and physical changes controlled by hormones, and it usually begins between ages 9 and 14.

The period of life between childhood and adulthood, roughly ages 10 to 19, marked by rapid physical growth, emotional change, and the development of personal identity and social relationships.

A person's overall sense of worth and confidence in their own abilities. It is shaped by experience, feedback, and success, and it strongly influences how a young person handles challenges and setbacks.

The body's and mind's response to demands or pressures, such as exams, conflict, or danger. Short-term stress can motivate, but prolonged stress harms health and is managed by exercise, rest, and relaxation.

A state of well-being in which a person can cope with normal stresses, work productively, and contribute to the community. It includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being, not merely the absence of illness.

Influence from people of similar age or status to behave in a particular way, which may be positive or negative. Resisting harmful pressure requires confidence and clear decision-making skills.

The harmful or hazardous use of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, including use that damages health, relationships, or school performance. It can lead to dependence and long-term disease.

A strong, often compulsive need to keep using a substance or repeating a behaviour, despite harmful consequences. It involves changes in the brain's reward system and usually requires professional support to overcome.

A learned movement pattern performed with purpose and efficiency, such as running, throwing, or catching. Skills progress from simple to complex through practice and feedback.

The study of the forces that act on the body and the effects they produce in movement. It explains how levers, momentum, and balance affect technique and performance.

The point at which the body's weight is evenly balanced in all directions. Stability improves when this point is lowered and kept over the base of support.

A rule in football and hockey that penalises an attacking player for being ahead of the required number of opponents when the ball is played forward. It prevents players from waiting near the goal.

The exchange of the baton between runners in a relay race, which must occur within a marked zone. Poor changeovers waste time, so timing and communication are as important as speed.

The deliberate control of speed and effort over an event so that energy is used most effectively. Good pacing prevents early fatigue and is essential in middle- and long-distance running and swimming.