Physical Activity Epidemiology

Physical Activity Epidemiology, Third Edition, provides a discussion of current studies showing the influence of physical activity on disease. Updated with extensive new content in alignment with the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report, the third edition benefits from the expertise of authors Rod Dishman, Gregory Heath, Michael Schmidt, and I-Min Lee. These authors offer insight gained from their professional experiences, which include leadership roles within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contributions to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and a combined 1,000 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals across each of their disciplines.

Physical Activity Epidemiology, Third Edition, explores how physical activity can enhance quality of life. The text summarizes the available knowledge, examines the methods used to obtain these findings, considers the implications for public health, and outlines the important questions that remain. Readers will find comprehensive discussions of these topics:

• Part I introduces physical activity epidemiology and provides an extensive background in research methods as well as physical activity measurement and surveillance.
• Part II focuses on the evidence that physical activity protects against premature death from all causes and inhibits the development of coronary heart disease and stroke.
• Part III offers population-based studies and clinical experiments providing evidence that physical activity plays a role in the prevention of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity.
• Part IV compiles the latest data on two chronic diseases that are increasing in prevalence worldwide: type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.
• Part V describes the evidence that physical activity is associated with reduced risks of certain cancers and explores the use of immunotherapy in cancer treatment.
• Part VI addresses mental health and the promotion of a safe, physically active lifestyle among all segments of the population.

The third edition of this text offers expanded coverage of the measurement of sedentary behavior; the effects of physical activity on osteoporosis and bone health, cancers, and inflammatory diseases; and the potential of exercise to complement immunotherapy in cancer treatment. More than 200 tables and figures highlight information in an easy-to-understand visual format.

Physical Activity Epidemiology, Third Edition, examines the methodology and findings of classic and contemporary studies and then helps students analyze the results. The special Strength of the Evidence sections summarize the findings to determine the extent to which correlation and causation can be proven. Chapter objectives, chapter summaries, sidebars, and a glossary assist students in finding key information. Instructors will find a test package, image bank, and downloadable learning activities to assist with student comprehension.

Physical Activity Epidemiology, Third Edition, offers a comprehensive presentation of significant studies, discusses how these studies contribute to understanding the relationship between activity and disease prevention, and explores how this information can be used in leading global society toward increased health and longevity.

Rod K. Dishman, PhD, is a professor emeritus of the University of Georgia, where he taught courses in exercise science and psychology and served as the director of the exercise psychology laboratory. Dishman is a reviewer for more than 50 journals, including Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), The Lancet, and American Journal of Public Health. He has served on the editorial boards of numerous journals in preventive medicine and public health, such as Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, and Health Psychology. He has been an exercise consultant to public health agencies in the United States, Canada, and Europe. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and written or edited several books related to physical activity and health.

Dishman is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) fellow and has served as a member of their research advisory committee and board of trustees. In 2016, he received ACSM’s Citation Award. He was a member of the jury for selection of the Olympic Prize in Sport Science awarded by the International Olympic Committee's Medical Commission and served on the scientific advisory committee for the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

Gregory Heath, DHSc, MPH, is Guerry professor emeritus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Previously, he worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as lead health scientist in the Physical Activity and Health Branch. He has extensive experience in conducting studies and data analyses in the areas of physical activity epidemiology and public health practice. In 2019, he edited Physical Activity & Public Health: A Practitioner’s Guide, published by the American Public Health Association (APHA Press).

Heath is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, where he has served as a vice president and on the board of trustees. He is also a fellow on the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention in the American Heart Association. He earned his doctor of health science degree in applied physiology and nutrition and his master's of public health in epidemiology from Loma Linda University. Heath has been contributing to the field of exercise science and health promotion for over 35 years.

Michael D. Schmidt, PhD, is an associate professor and graduate program coordinator in the department of kinesiology and an adjunct assistant professor in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Georgia. Schmidt earned a master’s degree in exercise physiology and a doctoral degree in epidemiology, each from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Schmidt is a productive scholar with special training in the measurement of physical activity and sedentary behavior and research foci on obesity and cardio-metabolic health outcomes. He has served as a research fellow in the cardiovascular disease and diabetes unit at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in Hobart, Australia, where he was celebrated as an Honorary Research Associate from 2008 to 2013. In 2007, Schmidt was awarded the postdoctoral research fellowship in public health by the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

I-Min Lee, MBBS, MPH, ScD, is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

A reviewer for over 30 journals, including The Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine, Lee has served on the editorial boards for Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Contemporary Clinical Trials, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, and Brazilian Journal of Physical Activity and Health. She has authored over 500 scientific publications and is a frequent invited speaker at local, national, and international levels.

Lee is an elected member of the American Epidemiological Society and a member of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, the American Heart Association, and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health. She is a member and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and has served on the ACSM’s research advisory committee and board of trustees. Lee also served on the scientific advisory committee for the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and in 2010 she was on the expert panel for the World Health Organization’s Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health. In 2013, she contributed to AHA/ACC Guideline on Lifestyle Management to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk.

Lee is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, in particular the William G. Anderson Award from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (2007); the Charles C. Shepard Award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009); and the ACSM’s Citation Award (2011).