Concepts of Fitness and Wellness
Scott Flynn
Lisa Jellum
Jonathan Howard
Althea Moser
David Mathis
Christin Collins
Sharryse Henderson
Connie Watjen
Copyright Year:
Publisher: University System of Georgia
Language: English
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Reviews
This book provides an excellent, broad overview of traditional topics in health and fitness that are typical of 100/1000 level courses on these topics. There is no overall glossary, which would be an area of improvement, but the index provides... read more
This book provides an excellent, broad overview of traditional topics in health and fitness that are typical of 100/1000 level courses on these topics. There is no overall glossary, which would be an area of improvement, but the index provides simple navigation for the course. There is a lack of information about social determinants of health and inequity issues in health, which are important topics to include when discussing health and wellness.
The information provided in the textbook is generally accurate according to current research, however many of the links are outdated or missing. In order to provide useful, accurate resources for students these would need to be updated. The chapters on disease lack references, which is a concern and the chapter about weight management includes a reference list that appears to be a draft.
This text does a great job of including information that is both relevant and interesting for students. I have used the chapters on the specific fitness components and most of my students have found the information to be interesting, helpful, and applicable to their lives. Given that most of the chapters are fairly short, it seems updates would be both easy and straightforward to implement.
The text provides a lot of information without being overly technical. For example, one topic that often is challenging for students is the learning about cardiorespiratory system and how this relates to overall health and fitness planning. In this text the cardiorespiratory chapter explains how this complex system works, can be improved and ways to assess fitness. Overall, the text also provides simple, relatable examples for applying the information to one's life. I would have liked more of these examples, but this is often missing from these types of textbooks (paid and OER). As stated earlier, I am rating this a 4 instead of a 5 due to broken/old links.
I really like the format of most of the chapters (overview, content, terminology checklist, self-test) but a few stray from this format. The chapters are informative but shorter than typical paid textbooks, which is a positive given many students struggle to read longer chapters. There are some formatting inconsistencies and missing references which takes away a little from the consistency. This includes missing references and some chan
I have used individual chapters from this book and students were able to understand the content as a standalone chapter. For the most part, different sections within each chapter would be easy to assign separate from the larger chapter, as there are clear headings related to content in each section.
Overall the organization is solid and similar to other textbooks on the topic. This seems to be pretty standard across various authors and publishers. I would prefer the answers for the self-quizzes moved to a page at the end so students would be able to get a better sense of their knowledge. Answer keys on the same page make it easy to sneak a peek at the answers, which often leads people to get a false sense of their mastery of the topic.
Overall the layout of the text is great and the diagrams are clear in the PDF version. There are a few places of inconsistency (i.e in the Cardiorespiratory chapter, the "test your knowledge" text is not in a larger font like other chapters, and the Weight Management chapter has a draft version of the references) but overall the PDF looks good. The main problems are the inconsistencies in formatting and the links, which I have already mentioned are confusing.
I spotted a few spelling and grammatical errors in my reading and review of the text, but nothing major that distracted from the overall content.
For how important culture is to health, it is notable that cultural discussions are not really included in this textbook. For example social determinants of health and health disparities across racial groups is not included in this text. This seems like a glaring omission given the importance of these topics. While there is nothing I would consider offensive in the book, if I adopted this book I would need supplemental resources.
Overall there is a lot of good information in this text and it is presented clearly and consistently. To adopt in a course, there would need to be additional work to update links as many of the links include content I would consider vital to the course, including self-assessment tools, ideas for creating change, and additional resources that are not covered in the textbook. If I were to adopt this text, I might include assignments for students to find some of these tools (i.e. stress assessments) for them to complete and compare.
This text covers a wide variety of subjects in fitness and health including physiological and behavior aspects. read more
This text covers a wide variety of subjects in fitness and health including physiological and behavior aspects.
Material is easy to understand and accurate.
This text refers to established scientific principles in our field and limits discussion on fitness or dietary concepts that could be considered "fads". Unfortunately, many links have a commercial during access that may not always align with the goals of the text. Link may
The text is easy to understand for a 100-200 level college course. Descriptions make clear points without being wordy.
The formatting for terminology, knowledge check and references varies significantly from chapter to chapter. Sometimes absent completely.
Text was well organized and easy to find topic areas within chapters.
Book is well organized with chapters in a logical order.
It feels cumbersome to link out to so many different types of media. I believe students are likely to just skip over links that don't function well or are confusing to access.
Book was well written with no noticeable grammatical errors.
No obvious integration of cultural influences or difference in sport and nutrition, however, I also did not notice insensitivities or offensive language.
This is a helpful resource for 100 and 200 level college students.
This text covers most of the relevant topics for an introductory wellness/health course in a convenient and sufficient manner. Inclusion of the following topics would be beneficial: environmental wellness, healthy relationships & sexuality,... read more
This text covers most of the relevant topics for an introductory wellness/health course in a convenient and sufficient manner. Inclusion of the following topics would be beneficial: environmental wellness, healthy relationships & sexuality, social wellness, infectious conditions, reproductive choices, violence & unintentional injuries, health consumerism, health care choices. Although it may not be possible to cover all of these additional topics in a single semester course, it is necessary to identify that these are not included in this resource.
Accurate with relevant sources and citations.
Relevant course material with helpful links to current data, such as links to the CDC for current facts/data. Updates for the current text appear to be something that would be easy and efficient for an instructor.
This resource is clear and concise, possesses relevant citations, definitions, and clarifications as appropriate.
Highly consistent throughout.
The text is laid out in an easy to read fashion, divided out into relevant sections. As a reader, it is very easy to follow and divide and digest the content.
The text may be ordered differently, but is logical and clear for its intended purpose.
Very easy to navigate, no issues whatsoever.
No grammatical errors detected.
This text appeared to be culturally appropriate.
Overall, this text seems to be an excellent one to utilize for an introductory wellness course. There are helpful questions and definitions at the end of each section. The links to current facts/data is also very helpful. There are a multitude of points in each section that could be utilized to stimulate discussion in a course. This text covers most of the relevant topics for an introductory wellness/health course in a convenient and sufficient manner. Inclusion of the following topics would be beneficial: environmental wellness, healthy relationships & sexuality, social wellness, infectious conditions, reproductive choices, violence & unintentional injuries, health consumerism, health care choices. Although it may not be possible to cover all of these additional topics in a single semester course, it is necessary to identify that these are not included in this resource. Finding an additional OER text to supplement this one for those sections would be great, if necessary, but this text does a great job with the material it does cover. I would strongly consider this resource for an introductory health/wellness course.
It is not 300 level college material. Definitely appropriate for 100 level or possibly 200 level. Its a great start to Fitness and Wellness. read more
It is not 300 level college material. Definitely appropriate for 100 level or possibly 200 level.
Its a great start to Fitness and Wellness.
Many links are no longer working.
Due to large amount of weblinks this text would need regular and systematic updates.
Content is clear and easy. I would like to see more chapter identification on each page.
I love the terms, practice questions and charts. Some references were missing.
Easy to read and follow.
I like the layout, but needs more identification through the text.
Many links are not working.
Easy to read and understand.
Could use a chapter or more information on cultural competence.
Some really great stuff here, however needs to be updated links and references.
I think for a 100 level class, this text is comprehensive. However, I think the book starts out by going over the dimensions of wellness, but doesn't do a great job connecting back to that later in the book. read more
I think for a 100 level class, this text is comprehensive. However, I think the book starts out by going over the dimensions of wellness, but doesn't do a great job connecting back to that later in the book.
I found the content to be accurate. However, throughout the book some of the links did not work for me. The link content needs to be updated.
I believe the content is up to date and can be updated in the future very easily.
The information presented in this book was clearly explained for a 100 level class. I would like to see additional diagrams and figures to help with those students who are visual learners. Having additional diagrams and figures would really help with the anatomy and physiology in this book.
Overall, the book was consistent. However, I noticed the nutrition and weight management chapters were missing the terminology and review questions.
This book would be an easy read for the students. The text appears to be easily divisible due to the section headings and bold words.
I thought the table of contents organized the content in an easy to understand manner and in a way that made sense.
The text itself was fine. However, there were multiple links that did not work or went to a page that you had to search for the information. One example was the video on stress, "How to reduce stress and anxiety."
The grammar seemed fine and it seemed to have been thoroughly proofread.
I did not read anything that I thought to be culturally insensitive.
Overall, I like the text book. It would be a good book for an introductory class at the 100 level. I would like to see this book fix the links that don't work and have additional pictures and diagrams to help the visual learners with this material. Additionally, the weight management and nutrition chapters need to be finished with the terminology and quiz at the end of the chapter.
The text is relevant and holistic. Each chapter covers a detailed fitness and wellness topic with short, concise paragraphs, easy to read glossary, overarching themes, brief questions, and video links. The breakdown of cardiovascular, muscular,... read more
The text is relevant and holistic. Each chapter covers a detailed fitness and wellness topic with short, concise paragraphs, easy to read glossary, overarching themes, brief questions, and video links. The breakdown of cardiovascular, muscular, and flexibility fitness was well laid out and all encompassing from physiology to practical implementation. However, there was no mention of neuromotor fitness. There are brief details and links for assessing in each chapter. However, the most video links to assessing were broken. The links available were excellent choices.
The text accurately portrayed fitness and wellness concepts by using up to date recommendations from gold standard organizations such as ACSM and NIH. This provides the reader with an evidence based approach to learning about fitness and wellness.
Fitness and wellness are concepts that will continue throughout a lifespan. When fitness and nutrition recommendations are updated, there will need to be updates within the text. For the most part, the links could be easily updated. However, some text may need to be revised as well depending on the extent of the updates.
The text is written with clarity and easy to read content. There are technical terms included. However, this is necessary for the reader to comprehend the entire text. The authors did an excellent job of providing a detailed overview with adequate context of each chapter.
The text provides a consistent theme of objectives throughout each chapter. However, within each chapter, some sections are longer than the other with more clarity and detail for different sections. On the other hand, due to the constraint and differences of individual chapter content, this seems to be consistent with other similar text content.
Each chapter could easily be divided and outlined effectively. Due to page numbers within each chapter, the chapters are slightly difficult to manage if using as whole. However, if divided into sections, this should work well.
Each chapter provides relevant content to concepts of wellness and fitness. Many texts are outlined with healthy behaviors listed first. Potentially, by the time the reader enters the last few chapters regarding risk factor details about chronic illness, the reader has already developed an exercise regimen and on their way to wellness. There may be a way to reorganize the chapters to educate about illness briefly first, go into fitness details, and end with behavior change.
Depending on the technical skills of the user, there may be some confusion of which links to use most effectively. There was a slight difficulty with clicking a link and being able to get back to the content with ease.
The text was free of grammatical errors and written in an unbiased manner.
The text may benefit from multicultural pictures and/or perspectives. The text maintains a neutral tone throughout.
Overall, the text provides a concise, relevant, and accurate option for students to learn the concepts of wellness and fitness. Regardless, if the student is searching out wellness or entering a career path, the text provides high value content.
I would rank this book as a 3. It is made up of 13 sections (aptly named because they may be as few as 3 pages) as compared to actual chapters. As a wellness book, I would have thought it might consist of sections on mental health and... read more
I would rank this book as a 3. It is made up of 13 sections (aptly named because they may be as few as 3 pages) as compared to actual chapters. As a wellness book, I would have thought it might consist of sections on mental health and sleep----two very important concepts especially for college students these days. Lastly, there are citations provided.
I give this book a 5 on accuracy. Although it is a much more brief version of wellness books that I have used over the years, I think it hits the mark on accurate material. I didn't come across any errors and it is definitely unbiased compared with the books I have used for my wellness course where politics were brought into play.
This book covers the subjects fairly well in terms of relevance. In other words, the material will not necessarily become dated. This seems due in part to how the authors stuck to the core principles of fitness and wellness. Indeed, I don't feel that the content will necessarily become obsolete as this is due to what we know about lifestyle behaviors impacting health and well-being. based on life and the impact of morbidity and mortality.
Each section of the book ends with a terminology checklist so students can review terms used within the sections. Secondly, the students can take a "Test Your Knowledge" quiz. There is also an answer key so students can check any answers they did not get correct.
I am not sure about framework in terms of what that means for this review. Consistency is not kept across the board though. Some sections have only a few pages where others have up to 10. I realize that there are only 142 pages, but perhaps the authors can consider more equity in each section for subsequent iterations.
The textbook is all in black and white; no color. There are boldface headings and bulleted lists which add clarity and organization to the content.
I don't find the order to be exactly how it should be in order to establish flow. For example, body composition should be followed by weight management but they add in nutrition before the latter.
The interface is quite good in that the authors have provided hyperlinks for this e-book which allow the students to access further content that could not otherwise be available in this very brief text. The links allow students to further their knowledge on health-related concepts.
I did not find any grammatical errors or issues with mechanics.
One of the major themes in section one is the 7 dimensions of wellness. These authors added "cultural wellness" which is not historically mentioned in any other health/wellness book that I have used or perused over the years. This 'added' dimension brings nuances especially as related to co-morbidities that may exist in cultural context.
I am just very grateful to these 6 authors for providing an OER option. My students used to have to spend upwards to $100.00 for their books and now they can save that money and put it to use in other areas. The authors did a nice job of covering the basics and then I can always add further content related to up-to-date studies and health and medicine.
The textbook boradly covers all health-related fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition), fitness principles, and other very important lifestyle behaviors (e.g., healthy eating,... read more
The textbook boradly covers all health-related fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition), fitness principles, and other very important lifestyle behaviors (e.g., healthy eating, stress, substance use and abuse, etc.) that could affect health and wellness. It is also great that the textbook includes knowledge tests for each chapter to help readers assess their understanding of the content. I think there could be other specific chapters that cover quality sleeping and technology in fitness and wellness. Overall, it is thorough for a basic into. to fitness and health.
Overall, the information provided in the textbook is accurate. I only found some minor typos and formatting issues. Some of the web links (when it goes to two lines) did not work well.
The content is pretty up-to-date. For example, when talking about the wellness dimensions, the textbook addresses 9 dimensions instead of 8 by including another dimension called cultural wellness. However, it could be more advanced if the textbook could also address topics such as "Technology in Fitness and Wellness" so that it can be more updated.
Overall, the textbook provides adequate context for all the terminologies. It could be better if the textbook also includes some pictures to assist the context.
Each chapter lists different learning objectives and the text is consistent with the objectives.
Each chapter has different subheadings to guide reading. However, I hoped that the headings and subheadings could be numbered to be clearer. Additionally, on the "Table of Contents" page, a list of subheadings and page numbers for each chapter should be provided to give readers a clearer map of the content. It could also help readers easily and quickly find the chapters and specific content.
Overall, the topics are presented in a logical and clear fashion. It covers a broader aspect of health and wellness starting from "healthy behaviors and wellness dimensions" and then addresses the fitness principles and each health-related fitness component. Other lifestyle behaviors were covered follow after. However, some of the chapters might be a little bit replicated. For example, when addressing chapter 3, cardiorespiratory fitness, it could have addressed the cardiovascular disease, which was independently listed as chapter 10.
Again, it could be better to have the headings and subheadings numbered and the detailed headings should also be listed on the "Table of Contents" page to provide a clearer topic/content/map. I was confused when trying to search for a specific chapter and I was off track when reading a chapter because there were no numbers, and the headings and subheadings were unclear to me.
I didn't see grammatical errors in the textbook. It was overall easy to read.
It does include some examples that are specific to certain races that might be a bit culturally offensive. For example, When discussing the factors that cause CVD, it specifically pointed out that African Americans have the highest risk factor for CVD, however, without a clear citation or a further explanation of it.
Multiple authors offer a thorough introduction to the topics in a readable and direct format. There is thorough information in each chapter that is broken out in topic links, graphs, video links and concludes with citations, a glossary of terms... read more
Multiple authors offer a thorough introduction to the topics in a readable and direct format.
There is thorough information in each chapter that is broken out in topic links, graphs, video
links and concludes with citations, a glossary of terms and brief questions. There is no
concluding glossary or index. The chapters topics are presented in a thorough and factual way,
and each chapter is a stand alone unit written by different authors. It offers great detail of
physical fitness, and a comprehensive overview of behavioral change, as well as detailed
factual information about each topic.
The information and content is factual and accurately presented. It references quality
information sources for students. Some links were no longer available. As each chapter
stands alone, they are not tied with a unifying thread that might integrate the overall topic of
health and wellness.
The text delivers relevant factual information on the chapter topics. It does not attempt to
address current issues which could provide context and future relevance and longevity.
The text is clearly written and understandable as an introduction for students to this selected
set of health topics.
The text is consistent in its format through the chapters, with fitness, nutrition and behavioral
change written in greater depth and length.
The chapters are set at the outset, but it would be helpful if each chapter was numbered with
subheadings in order to direct students to topics and links for their use.
Typesetting and formatting might encourage a better flow of reading and user friendliness. This
might improve the accessibility to many different learning styles.
Depending on an individual’s tech ability, the ease of navigating may vary. Links might be
organized more formally to highlight their use.
The text was free of grammatical errors and clearly written in an unbiased way.
The topics are presented factually and the text is not culturally insensitive, but it does not contain multicultural imagery or perspectives. Images of students and life settings might engage the reader more visually. The text takes a factual approach and does not address current issues surrounding fitness and wellness, such as the intersectionality of social determinants of health, health disparities, cultural strengths and inequities, and the holistic nature of health. It invites the reader into some topics, and offers assessments and inventories for students to take. it maintains a factually neutral tone which informs in a practical manner but may not engage them in a process of reflection of life experience or integrating the topics.
Concepts in Fitness and Wellness is an excellent important addition in OER particularly for
fitness, physical health and wellness. Its material could also be used to supplement additional
personal and community health materials. It will provide accessible, valuable, factual
information for students building their knowledge of fitness and physical health and a
companion guide for select related health topics. In the end, student cost and accessibility is
critical and valuable, and it would be helpful to know student feedback on its user friendliness
and relevance to their lives or career paths.
This is a great book on health, wellness, and fitness for 11th/12th grade and freshman college students. It provides a basic and simple overview of health, wellness, and fitness which would be applicable in any entry level health class. I... read more
This is a great book on health, wellness, and fitness for 11th/12th grade and freshman college students. It provides a basic and simple overview of health, wellness, and fitness which would be applicable in any entry level health class. I appreciated the inclusion of links to videos, but several of these links did not work. I highly suggest including more figures to accompany the text, primarily in the muscle physiology section. It's hard to comprehend muscle physiology without viewing a striated skeletal muscle with the actin and myosin filaments. The inclusion of some exercise physiology topics like muscle physiology and body composition were positive attributes, but I'd like to see a bit more in terms of cardiac and respiratory physiology since muscle physiology was included. A better description of periodization including the different ranges of training (base, endurance, tempo, lactate, VO2, anaerobic, and neuromuscular) is advised. Inclusion of terms like hyponatremia to go along with its already included description would be helpful for students. The quiz at the end of each chapter is valuable and ensures the student understands the material presented. The inclusion of terminology at the end of each chapter is also a valuable contribution.
The content in the book is accurate, though I question some of the static stretching information given recent research which shows limited benefit, if any, that accompanies static stretching and there are drawbacks with static stretching that can lead to injury. Several of the links do not work.
Information presented in this textbook is relevant and current, and the text is highly-readable.
The text was straight-forward, easily readable, and engaging for upper level high school and college freshman/sophomore students. Clarity would be enhanced with more figures and diagrams.
The reading in each chapter was consistent and fluid.
The text is easily divisible into smaller reading sections. More figures are needed to help with understanding and to break up the text.
Organization, flow, and structure are good and consistent. Information is presented logically. The objectives at the beginning of each chapter and the terms/chapter quiz at the end are beneficial.
Some links didn't work. More figures and graphs are very much needed.
No evident grammatical errors were found.
The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It is unbiased and inclusive of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
An excellent textbook for a first-year (semester) health class.
This is a pretty comprehensive text for introductory fitness & wellness concepts. The only minor criticism is a lack of neurological content, specifically regarding muscle contractions that require larger force. The only mechanism discussed is... read more
This is a pretty comprehensive text for introductory fitness & wellness concepts. The only minor criticism is a lack of neurological content, specifically regarding muscle contractions that require larger force. The only mechanism discussed is recruitment of more motor units, when there are at least a few different ways that nerves can generate more force.
Accuracy can be difficult at times to determine, as there are several claims being made that are not accompanied by in-text citation. There is also one chapter that does not list references, but rather notes (that I assume the author wrote) that indicated they needed to find references and update the format.
The content is highly relevant and seems up-to-date. One very minor suggestion would be to mention type IIb muscle fibers are often times referred to as type IIx. Students will see that a lot if they read the literature, so it would be helpful for them to have seen it in text beforehand.
Overall, basic terminology and concepts are explained very clearly for introductory learners. One suggestion for improvement would be to have more diagrams/pictures, specifically when discussing anatomy (e.g. anatomy of motor units).
I found no issues with consistency. The chapters are all laid out in a similar manner that makes it easy to locate the information quickly.
Excellent from this perspective. The concepts connect to one another, but are not dependent upon one another or self-referential.
Very nicely organized. I appreciate that there are explicit objectives listed in the beginning of each chapter as well as a follow-up quiz at the end to summarize and test learning. The questions seem maybe a bit over simplistic, but still have merit.
The hyperlinks in this book are in dire need of an update. There were quite a few links that I tried to access that did not work or the content was no longer available.
There were no noticeable grammar or spelling issues.
I did not notice any insensitive or offensive content.
Overall, this is a comprehensive and good quality textbook for basic level fitness and wellness curriculum to get a general overview of the concepts.
The book is very thorough and addresses concepts of both wellness and disease. read more
The book is very thorough and addresses concepts of both wellness and disease.
The content is generally accurate but links are shared that dont always work and/or are not updated.
Fitness, wellness and disease is constantly evolving due to updates in technology and science. With that said, necessary updates can easily be added to this text, based on its topics and layout.
The text could provide more diagrams and tables but in general is a casual read for any student interested in fitness and wellness.
The text is generally consistent but at times terminology and review questions are not presented.
Due to the various sections of the text, it could be easily incorporated in a course with assignment of various topics and sections as additional reading or references.
Topics are presented in logical fashion, but numbering of the chapters and sections would make for easy reference.
The text is free of navigation problems except the absence of chapter numbers and the fact that some links don't work. (see cardiovascular section)
The text contains minimal grammatical errors.
Although not culturally insensitive, the text could include more information and examples associated with minorities and backgrounds from outside the US.
An excellent, light read for students to gain a solid understanding of health, wellness, and fitness!
This book covers areas of fitness, health, and wellness that is easy to understand. The content covered is perfect for students being introduced to the field. Perhaps serve as book for an ‘Introduction to Kinesiology’ course. Content on the... read more
This book covers areas of fitness, health, and wellness that is easy to understand. The content covered is perfect for students being introduced to the field. Perhaps serve as book for an ‘Introduction to Kinesiology’ course. Content on the Overload, FITT, and Progression principle is at the introductory level. The chapters go into a-lot of depth for newcomers. Chapter on cardio respiratory fitness has a-lot of information and no pictures; that chapter can be a bit heavy for students new to the field. Each chapter tries to incorporate different links for resources, perhaps something beneficial would be to include worksheets for students to get extra practice on a specific topic.
Content in this book is accurate and unbiased. There are several of the links within the text that do not send you to the correct destination.
Information is this book is up to date. It would be helpful to include up to date research findings for the topics discussed to make it more relevant. Enjoyed the Stress chapter of how in detail it went with the different ways to deal with stress. Considering the COVID-19 times we are in, perhaps the book can add additional resources here.
The text is clearly written, with clearly defined terms, and no use of jargon. As stated previously, though there are some figures/tables, it would be more helpful to include more and perhaps include diagrams for better visualization.
The book chapters are relatively consistent (i.e., some have more hyperlinks and go into more detail that the others).
The book is easy to read as it is divided into chapters, sections, and sub-sections. As mentioned, the terms in bold are helpful but figures/flowcharts/diagrams would be helpful for the reader (i.e. when talking about how the CR system works).
The beginning of each chapter has well-defined objectives that gives the reader an idea of what they are about to read/learn. There is a clear description/definition of terms throughout but including clear examples would be more helpful. Enjoy how stages/terms are written in a bullet-point format as it is easier to follow and read. Additionally, I like how the terms are bolded throughout.
The hyperlinks that are functioning do not open in a new window. As a reader, it would be nice to have the book still open while clicking on the links.
No grammatical errors were noticed/found.
This book did not include context that was inappropriate or offensive. Few examples used did not include the role of race/ethnicity. Perhaps a section on age and the changes that occur would be helpful for this type of book. The book does mention differences that can occur due to gender but does not go into specifics. Would be nice to be introduced to those differences.
Well written text book. It would be helpful for the table of contents to include page numbers for direct reference. As a professor in Kinesiology, I would definitely use this textbook if I was teaching an ‘Introduction to Kinesiology’ course. As a researcher, it would have been nice if the book also included current findings into their content. Really enjoy the end of chapter questions. Perhaps additional discussion or reflection questions can be added at the end of each chapter for a deeper understanding. Very few pictures within the book; more pictures would help by adding clarification for some topics (i.e., fast twitch vs slow twitch, body shape, contractions, different forms of measuring body composition). This book would serve well for individuals that are new to the field of health/fitness/kinesiology (i.e. the steps to starting a fitness program). It is unfortunate that some of the links do not work (I was looking forward to reading more about contraindicated stretches).
This textbook has a clearly labeled table of contents; page numbers would have been helpful for easier accessibility to individual chapters. There wasn't a glossary at the end of the textbook, however, at the end of each chapter key terminology... read more
This textbook has a clearly labeled table of contents; page numbers would have been helpful for easier accessibility to individual chapters. There wasn't a glossary at the end of the textbook, however, at the end of each chapter key terminology was presented with practice quizzes. Overall, an excellent reference text for students.
This textbook had no visible bias, was accurate and error-free.
The content in this textbook is relevant and can be easily updated. Fitness and health is a dynamic science; any changes in terminology within the health and fitness field could be updated with minimal issues.
The textbook is written in lucid, accessible prose and provides excellent terminology. I found the key terminology list at the end of each chapter quite helpful.
The terminology, framework and design of the textbook was consistent throughout each chapter. Furthermore, web links to various topics were also consistent in each chapter. Furthermore, additional readings, embedded videos, and references provide supplemental material.
The text modularity is easily divisible into smaller reading sections. Each chapter begins with learning objectives the reader should understand by the end of the chapter. There are chapter quizzes and links to additional exercises within each chapter.
Material is presented in a clear, concise, and logical manner.
Images and charts were free of significant interface issues. More images would have been helpful for the reader.
There were no grammatical errors found.
There was no cultural bias found in the text. However, it should be noted that some key points on certain health issues are more prevalent in other cultures. Furthermore, it should be noted such statements were presented as fact and not bias.
Overall, I found the textbook to be informative, accessible, and easily read. As mentioned earlier, the terminology lists, quizzes, and additional web links were extremely helpful. I would enthusiastically recommend this textbook!
The textbook covers a broad area of fitness and wellness, and it includes physiological, behavioral, psychological, and biomechanical domains. It would be helpful if the depth of each topic can be further elaborated and improved. Nonetheless, the... read more
The textbook covers a broad area of fitness and wellness, and it includes physiological, behavioral, psychological, and biomechanical domains. It would be helpful if the depth of each topic can be further elaborated and improved. Nonetheless, the content of this book covers the basic key principles.
The information provided in this textbook is accurate, and the principles presented in the book are scientific proven.
It is important for authors to keep up with the current knowledge and incorporate them into the book.
The text is an easy read for students which is a big plus. The content could use some real life examples to assist reader's understanding and see how each concept is applied and connected to real life. The textbook can have more tables, graphs and pictures to make the book more interesting to read and also assist reader's understanding. For example, in Chapter 5 on Flexibility, there can be various pictures to illustrate different types of flexibility/stretching exercise.
The general heading of each chapter is consistent. However, the formatting and some organization in chapters may be different a bit. For example, in Chapter 1, the Terminology Checklist is on a separate page with minimal text/explanation for each terminology and the Test Your Knowledge is on a separate page as well. However, in Chapter 2, the Terminology Checklist is a continuation from the last page of chapter content and the explanation for each terminology is longer and more in-depth. The formatting and the font are different from Chapter 1. Similarly, this inconsistency is observed in Test Your Knowledge section.
The textbook is divided into various subsections; however, the page number should be continuous.
The textbook follows a nice logical progression. The content is written for first and second year undergraduate students.
The interface is easy to use and the textbook links to various Youtube sources, which is very convenient.
No grammatical mistake is observed in the textbook.
The textbook could incorporate more variety of races, ethnicities and backgrounds. More emphasis can be placed on black and non-black races to show and recognize the inclusion and diversity of our society.
Overall, this book presents very good information on fitness and wellness, and I would use some of these information and quiz questions in my courses.
The text is thorough and well researched, and covers most topics relevant to college students. However, topics such as relationships, communication, sleep, and mental health are critical areas of concern for this population and would provide... read more
The text is thorough and well researched, and covers most topics relevant to college students. However, topics such as relationships, communication, sleep, and mental health are critical areas of concern for this population and would provide valuable self-care practices for learners. In addition, references to explore what theories articulate behavioral development would complement chapter one. A brief reference to self-efficacy was noted on page 11. The authors did an excellent job providing in-depth, detailed, and reliable content, particularly in the chapter on ‘Fitness Principles.’ Links in this chapter were supported by exercise descriptions followed by demonstrations of an array of exercises for each muscle group. This leads me to believe that the text would be most useful for Exercise Science Majors. Even though the chapter on stress touches upon anxiety and depression, it might be more practical to create a separate heading for mental/psychological health. For example, a link directed to ‘lifestyle change that lasts’ (p. 13) led to “Find a psychologist,” which would make it more intuitive for users to find in a section devoted to psychological/mental health.
There are no obvious errors in the text. Reorganize the test questions on p. 130 and 139 (#4 & #5) for better flow.
The information presented is current with the exception of a few articles that are out of date (e.g., 1992, 2008). Although the fitness section includes an interesting early historical overview, explain other historical features and trendsetting advances that shaped the evolution of fitness through the 21st century. Add an “e-cigarette” lab to be consistent with the ones on alcohol and cigarettes.
The chapters are written for the novice and advanced student, and presented in a user-friendly format.
Some parts of the text omit the terminology checklist (cardiovascular disease), testing your knowledge section (nutrition, weight management, and cardiovascular disease), and a reference page (Healthy Behaviors & Wellness, Stress). Overall, the reference pages are linked to credible sources such as government websites and accredited organizations that conduct scientific research and education about health topics that matter.
Chapters are clearly labeled and include appropriate subheadings. However, it would be easier to navigate the text by numbering chapters (1-13) and pages (0-142).
The chapters seem organized and topics are grouped accordingly. Content flows and writing is clear and concise. As a minor suggestion, separate test questions for all of the chapters for a cleaner look.
Break up the text by incorporating tables, graphics and images that illustrate the concepts. Some of these aspects are attached to the links provided, but could be more visually engaging when paired together on the same page. There are a number of links that were not available, linked to unrelated websites, or inoperable hyperlinks (see p. 24, 31, 41, 43, 45, 57,67, 68, 69, 73, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 95, 97, 103 [Lantern/Webinars], 105, 107, 108, 109, & 110). It is a common and frustrating problem when website links change over time or are permanently removed.
There are no obvious errors in spelling or grammar, with a few minor exceptions. I feel as though the test question on page 16 (#5) could be answered with each response, [although I know what you meant]. On page 59, omit the question mark on question 2 and rephrase 5a. On page 70, the answer could also be a, c, and/or d.
The use of language is neutral and professional. The breast self-exam includes interpretations in a variety of languages. However, when reviewing at least a dozen of the exercise demonstrations, all of the people were white male and female young adults . Integrate a wider range of models that represent different races, ethnicities and genders, providing learners with a diverse educational experience.
On page 20, the example used to increase the weight load of 150 to 170 pounds seems to (slightly) contradict the recommendation of a 2-10% load increase on page 53. Perhaps these topics can also be grouped together. It is important to point out that an advanced strength training program could be performed 2-3 days per week at a higher intensity and an increased volume of work, and not necessarily requiring a 4-5 day regimen. The jogging protocol (p. 21) might be too aggressive for a beginner, even if that person is a young adult. Progression should be geared to an individual’s fitness status. The sections I would like to highlight include: Think Lifestyle (p. 4), Barriers to Change (p. 11-13), and Follow Through (p. 29). It is possible that I will use this text as supplemental material for my Health and Wellness class.
The text covered what I would term “the usual” types of information that would be taught in a 100-level introductory class that focuses on fitness with a connection to selected wellness concepts. The text begins with a discussion of the 9... read more
The text covered what I would term “the usual” types of information that would be taught in a 100-level introductory class that focuses on fitness with a connection to selected wellness concepts. The text begins with a discussion of the 9 dimensions of wellness, however after that, there is very little connection back to these dimensions within the 13 areas of the text.
In general, the content is accurate. That being said, the depth and quality varies which the individual sections. For example, within the Cardiovascular Disease section the links do not function and within the Weight Management section, the reference list is incomplete.
Content is up-to-date and can easily be updated. Because of how it is arranged, this is a straightforward process.
The information is written at a level appropriate for an 100-level student, however, missing are figures and diagrams that would provide students with a secondary way to understand the material. While several links direct the reader to excellent information, because so many of the links do not work and because many of the videos are not connected to what I will call ‘assignments/activities’ I do not feel that students will continue to be motivated to click on them after awhile.
A consistent format was used across the various sections, however some sections appear to be incomplete.
The text most definitely divisible into smaller sections and could be used this way.
The topics were clearly delineated and organized in a logical way.
As already mentioned, the number of links that did not function was frustrating and detracted from the content.
I had no issues with grammar.
I had no issues.
Certain sections of this text are very well done and could definitely be used as a supplementary source for information. However due to the combination of the lack of figures/images and the non-functioning links, it would be difficult for me to use as the sole textbook for a course.
The book covered a great deal of information. The text was complete, I think however to be more comprehensive there needed to be more figures, pictures etc. read more
The book covered a great deal of information. The text was complete, I think however to be more comprehensive there needed to be more figures, pictures etc.
Content is accurate throughout.
The content presented is up-to-date but is easily updated. Many of the lists (e.g.: top 10 causes of death) are done by links to reputable sources (CDC, NIH) which would be updated.
The authors make a very good attempt at keeping the text at a readable level. However, by necessity some content is difficult anatomy/physiology based vocabulary. I think these sections would be clearer with figures.
The text is very consistent in writing and presentation. However, some chapters (nutrition, weight management) are missing both terminology, and review questions. The weight management chapters is missing references (there is a place holder with a note to find a reference but no reference).
It would be easy to assign readings in this book because of the multiple section headings.
Each chapter begins with a list of objectives, followed by multiple short sections on content. The majority of chapters end with a quick glossary and review questions.
The book itself was fine. However, multiple links were no useable which is extremely frustrating. (lifestyle evaluation lab, assessing cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility lab etc). Some links went to a website but the content was different than expected or you can to scroll a long way to get to the information. A good example is the "safety tips for runners link" on page 15.
The grammar is fine.
I did not see anything that was culturally insensitive.
The book would be a good "quick reference" for some students in introductory classes but at this time I would probably find a different resource. The book would benefit a great deal from inserted pictures, especially with anatomy related content. There are many links that do not work and that would be frustrating for student. The nutrition chapter, and the weight management chapter is missing both a terminology list and a review quiz at the end.
This book is very thorough for a basic introduction to health, fitness, and wellness. This book would provide a reader with a limited knowledge of health behavior a solid foundation to begin making healthier choices in their own life. read more
This book is very thorough for a basic introduction to health, fitness, and wellness. This book would provide a reader with a limited knowledge of health behavior a solid foundation to begin making healthier choices in their own life.
Information seems to be accurate, but caution should be taken to make sure that the content is updated frequently enough to keep up with current statistics. Additionally, there were minor what I will call "inconsistencies" in certain areas of content...for example, the section on dietary fat in the text only speaks about cholesterol, not sources of dietary fat. This section needs to be updated.
Statistics may need to be updated, but that should be relatively easy to do.
Information is presented clearly and concisely.
Presentation is consistent, although I would prefer that the page numbers be listed 1-142, as opposed to starting each chapter on page 1.
Content is divided well into modules that make sense and are consistent with the content. Transitions are smooth and follow a logical order.
Content organization makes sense and follows a logical flow.
When clicking on a link it can be difficult to get back to the spot the reader was when they clicked.
I did not notice any grammatical errors.
Content is presented in a way that makes it relevant to all cultures. I did not notice anything that might be considered culturally insensitive.
This book may need supplementary materials depending on the course that it's used for, but would provide a solid foundation to a course that is designed for students who are simply looking for more information on how to improve their health behavior.
Textbook does cover areas of the curriculum and is easy to understand. Topics are basic. read more
Textbook does cover areas of the curriculum and is easy to understand. Topics are basic.
Topics are accurate. Could go into more depth on each topic. I am currently using a textbook with 340 pages. This textbook has 142 pages.
Updates should be easy to do. Not a lot of supplementary materials.
Very basic information. Easy to understand.
Framework is consistent. I would like to see the textbook numbered pages 1-142 instead of each chapter starting on page 1.
Chapters are short and range from 1-6 pages (shortest) and 1-19 pages (the longest). Each chapter has a different subject matter.
Textbook focuses a lot on fitness. I would like to see all dimensions of wellness given the same emphasis.
Navigation is an issue. When one clicks on a highlighted link, they can not get back to the chapter in reference. When returning from a link, the reader starts on page 1 of the first chapter of the textbook and has to scroll to the chapter they were reading.
I did not notice any grammatical errors.
Textbook was not culturally insensitive or offensive. I did not notice reference to race or ethnic backgrounds.
If I were to choose this textbook, I would need to provide additional assessments both intellectual and physical.
I would like to have chapter questions at the end of each chapter and student assessments that assess behaviors in all chapters. About half the chapters have student behavioral assessments.
I have been sitting here trying to decide if it's comprehensive enough and I think that the answer ultimately comes down to who the learners are in the course. I have been using a more comprehensive text but for my 100-level students, I actually... read more
I have been sitting here trying to decide if it's comprehensive enough and I think that the answer ultimately comes down to who the learners are in the course. I have been using a more comprehensive text but for my 100-level students, I actually think this text would be better. It would definitely allow for more discussion, interpretation, and activities.
Upon my review, all of the content seems accurate and updated. I do appreciate it being up-to-date as I have found that to be an issue with statistics in my current text. However, several of the links did not work for me. While it may be user error, the link content is inconsistent with appearing when clicked.
Similar to the previous statement, I think the content is up-to-date and accurate. I don't feel that it will become obsolete within a short period of time as it is understood that statistics change yearly. It provides a chance for conversation and for students to do their own research on statistics if they feel they are inaccurate. Additionally, unlike my current text, this textbook does have the ability to be updated much more frequently making it better for instructors and students.
All concepts were clearly explained and I especially like there is an easily accessible definitions section for each chapter. I know my students would be able to pick up these terms relatively easily. This is even more true since the chapters are shorter and more straightforward than the current course text.
I have no complaints or concerns on the consistency of the text. It flows well in my opinion.
The amount of time it would take for my students to read through these sections would be at least 1/2 the amount of time it currently takes them. The text definitely appears to be easily and readily divisible. There are many headings/subheadings and the use of bolding and italicizing makes certain words and sections stand out and be more memorable.
The Table of Contents flows in a manner that I totally understand. I can see why the authors positioned them in this manner. With that said, I also know the topics that my students tend to gravitate toward and those which seem to take more time when discussing. Personally, I would focus most of my content on the back half of this text because we have a whole specific courses in our curriculum that cover the fitness and nutrition aspects more.
As mentioned earlier, the links either seemed to be outdated or just not functional on my system which is definitely a concern. There also seem to be some spacing issues between sections. One of my pet peeves is having a heading/subheading on one page and the content on the next page. They should always go together. I think the aesthetic could be improved which would help with navigation.
I did not see any grammatical errors. The text appears to be proofread thoroughly.
The book mentions diversity and does seem to appreciate it, but there do not appear to be many person-specific references or examples. So while diversity is mentioned, it is not easily seen in images or examples.
I will be seriously considering utilizing this text next year in my Intro to Health and Wellness course. Thank you!
There is a lot of detail in several the chapters of this book, but not so much as to overwhelm the reader. There are some good links with information to support the learning, including video, articles, etc. As a foundational or introductory text,... read more
There is a lot of detail in several the chapters of this book, but not so much as to overwhelm the reader. There are some good links with information to support the learning, including video, articles, etc. As a foundational or introductory text, this would work.
It appears that most information is accurate but there are a few issues like in the references of Weight Management that are not complete and still have author suggestions in them. The reference area doesn't appear to be similar in all chapters either, but does have good references.
The information they include would be similar to an introductory course to Health or Wellness or potentially fitness. The information is up to date as of now, and contains live links to relevant and timely articles and videos to support the information. Due to health related information such as the Healthy People 2020, it will need to be updated upon the newly released HP 2021 soon, but that will be relatively easy with the use of the live links.
This is easy to read, written in a way for an average college-age reader to get through quickly, and the terms at the end of the chapter are helpful. The chapters do not have Chapter Numbers on them, which would make using this easier, but it is easy to read. The chapters are a live link, however, so if a reader wants to navigate to a specific chapter, it is easy to get there.
Most chapters look similar, but there are a few things that stand out as a bit different. Some chapters do not have the Quiz at the end (Nutrition specifically). Some of the references are written differently. I didn't see a reference list in the Stress Management section or in the Cardiovascular Disease chapter, for example. At the end, there is a semi-complete list of references but it doesn't appear comprehensive.
The chapters themselves are good modules, and within each chapter, the separate sections are well apportioned. As a college-level teacher, I would have little trouble assigning a whole chapter of this text, as it is easy to read and understand. But if someone were to take sections, it would be easy to parcel off.
The flow of the text makes sense - the order in which the chapters are written appear to have a specific relationship and the chapters are each clear with stated objectives, information, additional related information in links, and typically a quiz at the end. Each chapter should have a chapter number for clearly delineated chapter sections, but otherwise the book is well-paced and well-organized.
There are some links that do not work. None of the links in the Cardiovascular Disease chapter work.
I did not notice any grammatical errors, and the writing appears to be at a reasonably easy level to read.
It appears to be a "typical" textbook in cultural relevance. There are several mentions of workout facilities, children and families, etc. but there is little information for those in food deserts, very rural or high-occupancy urban settings that discourage some types of exercise, discussion of the types of food families tend to eat as cultural groups, or how to lose weight without spending much money (dieticians, doctors, etc.) These inclusions help all people feel included.
I believe this book is useful as an introductory tool and very much appreciate that it is the only text of it's topic available.
The breadth of the topics covered is appropriate and is on par with many other Introduction to Wellness textbooks I have used in the past. My issue is that the depth and detail covered in each topic are not sufficient. Many of the topics within... read more
The breadth of the topics covered is appropriate and is on par with many other Introduction to Wellness textbooks I have used in the past. My issue is that the depth and detail covered in each topic are not sufficient. Many of the topics within each chapter only have one-to-two paragraphs, and only provides definitions. There are very few examples or in-text applications to allow the reader to get a better grasp of the concept. For example, the nutrition chapter is only 6 pages long. Even at a very basic level, this is not up to standard.
What is provided in this text is accurate, but not complete. This is a very superficial examination of many wellness concepts.
What is currently provided is relevant. Unfortunately, many wellness textbooks are quickly outdated due to current wellness statistics (obesity, nutrition, government programming). I did find two of the links they provided were dead.
This book is written specifically for undergraduates to understand the language. In that sense, it is very user-friendly.
I see no issues with this specific component.
The text appears very unorganized specific to formatting. There are multiple fonts used throughout, as well as of a lack of uniform headings. I am very surprised they printed this like this, it looks very unprofessional. I, personally, do not like the column style presentation. I will state that the text is quite large and easy to read.
The chapters themselves are arranged in a logical order. I just find the formatting and two-column style of publication distracting. I understand this is an open-source free textbook, but I do not find it flows well to the eye or keeps the reader's attention.
There was no distortion I found in any of the images, but their formatting was extremely inconsistent. This textbook is one giant PDF that you must scroll down through to get where you need to go. This is quite unappealing. Many open-source textbooks I have seen, allow you to click or navigate within the main homepage so you can jump from chapter to chapter. The constant scrolling is tedious.
I did not notice any issues here.
They do not do a great job of addressing a global audience. They talk in a great deal about statistics and facts about women's wellness but spend very little time talking about those who are African Americans (mentioned twice), Hispanic (mentioned once), Asian (mentioned once), lesbian/bisexual (one external link THAT is DEAD)
I have to commend the work the authors put in this text. It would work acceptably for an introductory class. I would not personally use this text because there are MANY low-to-no cost ways to access information related to personal wellness. The formatting on this text is distracting and lost my interest very quickly. I also do not like the large PDF style where I have to continually scroll to find information.
The content is broadly covered. Would like to have seen the authors go a little deeper with the information. Could be a great book for an intro course. read more
The content is broadly covered. Would like to have seen the authors go a little deeper with the information. Could be a great book for an intro course.
The information is accurate but unfortunately many of the links no longer worked.
The content is still relevant and will not likely change anytime soon. Updates will be needed for the links.
The writing is great for an introduction course. It is straightforward and easy to follow.
Multiple authors/writing styles create inconsistency throughout the chapters.
Sections were clearly identified. Makes it easy to pick and choose sections to use for various courses.
The topics are presented in a clear fashion and were easy to follow.
The links provide quality information and when working are easily accessible.
Did not see any glaring errors.
Did not appear to have material that could be deemed insensitive or culturally inappropriate. However, it could expand a chapter or two by delving into different cultures and the issues they face surrounding fitness and wellness.
The book has potential and could be used for an introductory course. The addition of the hyperlinks was helpful but need to be updated. The Test Your Knowledge section was very brief so I would like to see that expanded. I can see using bits and pieces of this text along with other resources in my class. I don't see this as a stand-alone textbook.
There isn't a reference list for the first chapter, healthy behaviors & wellness. There isn't an index or glossary. The name of the textbook should be Introduction to Fitness; the only reference to wellness is covered on pages 5-7. There isn't... read more
There isn't a reference list for the first chapter, healthy behaviors & wellness. There isn't an index or glossary. The name of the textbook should be Introduction to Fitness; the only reference to wellness is covered on pages 5-7. There isn't a reference to wellness outside of the physical dimension. With that in mind, the title is misleading.
There are so many errors in this document. Many of the links are not found, which would make it extremely difficult for the student. The authors also use references that are frequently outdated (3 editions in one case.)
Many of the videos are not from a professional resource and typically just random individuals posting online. Did the book authors validate the accuracy of the information in each? Also, they all have a commercial prior to playing... this isn't appropriate. Some of the information is focused on teens and isn't appropriate for college-aged students.
This is a high school level text, not college. There isn't any indication of problem solving or critical thinking involved.
Please see comments regarding index, glossary, and errors. It is distracting. The terminology sections are lacking and in some chapters, missing.
The terminology format is inconsistent for each chapter. The vitamin chapter doesn't even have a terminology list. The terminology for the stress chapter is odd too - huge font... Why wouldn't there be better definitions? Why wouldn't adrenaline have the accurate names rather than the general name?? I guess there isn't a need for terminology for cardiovascular disease.
Placement of headings shouldn't be at the bottom of a page without any text below.
The layout of the book is logical.
Many of the links aren't useful. Why link to a Prezi ?? It isn't helpful without a narrative of some sort. Page 12 - a 48-page document/presentation from NHS is certainly not useful for a student. P13 - lifestyle changes that last - not needed, it is just a reference to what has just been written.
I did not see errors in grammar.
The authors have not integrated cultural differences in the book.
I'd be worried about using labs from other textbooks without consent (Assess your risk of cancer, for example.) I recommend having a contributing author with expertise in health.
Chpt 1 comments on spirituality as faith based. While Alabama may have a higher % of faith-based connection to spirituality the text could make more global connections such as: Art / Music / Nature / Community groups that may or may not include... read more
Chpt 1 comments on spirituality as faith based. While Alabama may have a higher % of faith-based connection to spirituality the text could make more global connections such as: Art / Music / Nature / Community groups that may or may not include church groups.
I would expand on the importance of Environment in Chpt 1. Culture and racial divide In Alabama could also include more in the way of diversity since approx: 68% of Alabama is white, 26% African American, 2% Asian, Less than 1% Native American and 4% Hispanic.
In the Behavior text I would include the value of the Ecological Model.
Chpt 2 , I would include the value of including simply walking as being more accessible to more of the population as a user friendly mode of exercise
Chpt 5, Add Yoga and Tai Chi.
Chpt 7, Include Alcohol 7cal / gm
Chpt 9, Include more on suicide recognition / support groups and national hyperlinks for 24/7 access for Suicide intervention
Chpt 10, Add distinction between cardiac arrest and heart attack. Add AED information and encourage participating in a CPR course
Chpt 11, Add more on pesticide connection and cancer
Chpt 12, Add more on suicide awareness
Chpt 13, Add Herpes Virus 1 and 2 and how they are transmitted
Overall pretty good.
Few typos.
This is the type of text that is very relevant to an introduction course in Health and Wellness.
It could be updated regularly to be a text that I would consider using ongoing.
I thought clarity was overall very good.
Exception: The spirituality in Chpt 1 that describes faith-based only..
Overall covers the major topics w/ consistency.
I might combine Body Comp w/ Weight Management
or
Body Comp w/ Nutrition
Good.
Not sure if it was just my access but, every time I used a hyper-link it took me all the way back to the beginning of the text. This became quite frustrating and I believe would lead a student to have negative feedback re: using the hyper-links.
Few typos.
It appears all the Authors are noted to be in Alabama and the text as connected to Nursing. Alabama nurses are approx: 75% white / 23% African American / 7% Hispanic / 3% Asian / Less than 1% American Indian so, I believe addressing this at the beginning of the text as an intro topic would be beneficial. Especially if this could influence more people to enter the Nursing profession from backgrounds of color or trans orientation. Address LGBTQ+ as a valuable population of Alabama and how they occupy the work force, especially the Nursing profession.
I would not use this text as is, but with additions and updates I would consider it.
The majority of this book focuses on fitness, one dimension of wellness. It is great for intro to fitness class. read more
The majority of this book focuses on fitness, one dimension of wellness. It is great for intro to fitness class.
The information presented is on point.
The arrangement of the text, with included resources, is very easy to follow and keep the reader's interest.
Wording and layout is nicely done. Links provide a more in-depth understanding of material.
For the number of authors contributing to the book, the wording and structures are consistent.
Chapters are easy to navigate and make functional classroom units.
For an intro to fitness class, the organization of this book is solid. The nutrition chapter should be revised to focus more on all macro and micronutrients.
All links and resources work properly.
Excellent for the beginning college student. Easy to follow and comprehend.
More information on cultural variations with regard to fitness should be included.
This book highlights several important concepts of fitness and a few concerning wellness. It would be most appropriate for an intro to fitness class. Some of the included links are great resources for those wishing to expand knowledge in certain areas.
Covers all areas of my current class. Provides solid links/extra material that helps understanding. Lays out the objectives at the beginning of each section to help provide points of emphasis for the training. read more
Covers all areas of my current class. Provides solid links/extra material that helps understanding. Lays out the objectives at the beginning of each section to help provide points of emphasis for the training.
Information and links seem to be current. Difficult to do in this ever changing field, but seems to be pretty accurate/current. Did not notice any bias or errors.
Some of the material is standard material that has been used for decades, such as the information regarding muscular strength and endurance. It hasn't really changed and I don't expect that it will vary much in the future. The chapter on nutrition does a good job of incorporating some of the newer ideas like macro-nutrients , along with the basics of caloric intake, etc.
It flows well and is easy to follow. From the standpoint of just the text, it seems to be missing some things, until you utilize all of the links to the additional information, such as the video on stress, etc. If you view everything in it's entirety, it is very comprehensive.
Chapters are laid out in a similar fashion, objectives are helpful, as are the quizzes at the end of the chapters. Overviews at chapters end could be a little bit longer, but the terminology checklists are helpful.
Laid out well. Small groups of information, followed by links to additional information. If I am printing out the text as a traditional textbook, it does not flow as well, because of a lack of access to the additional information. If I download and read electronically, significantly better experience. Easy to follow and comprehend.
The organization of the content is very good. Kept some of the larger groups separate, such as nutrition and weight management. Some texts will combine these and I find them too large to teach effectively at the same time, much better when divided. Woiuld benefit from a "Healthy Lifestyles" summary at the end.
As a online reader, seems to flow very well and links are current, etc. Navigation isn't an issue, the only challenge is from the traditional textbook standpoint of having to be online while reading the text to access certain information. The ancillary information that is provided is very current, well though out and placed, as well as relevant.
Did not come across any issues in this regard.
Information that is provided is relevant to all cultures, races and ethnicity. Does not differentiate health concerns among certain groups, which can be relevant. Did not become aware of any material that could be deemed insensitive or culturally inappropriate.
Yes solid, considering utilizing it for my health and wellness class. Very well organized and easy to follow. Goes deep enough with the information that is provided, but is appropriate while not being too heavy for an intro class.
Similar to typical wellness textbook. It uses the transtheoretical model as a basis for behavior change. The text discusses nine areas of wellness but spends most of the text focusing on physical wellness with little in-depth discussion of the... read more
Similar to typical wellness textbook. It uses the transtheoretical model as a basis for behavior change. The text discusses nine areas of wellness but spends most of the text focusing on physical wellness with little in-depth discussion of the other areas.
The text seems to include up to date information and relevant links. I would like to see more depth, but I realize there is a fine balance of amount and depth of information in an introductory text.
The book contains brief overviews of wellness concepts that are not likely to change anytime soon. The downside of this is that there isn't a lot of depth into any of the topics.
The writing is very clear and plain. Appropriate for an intro text.
The formatting was relatively consistent throughout
For the most part, this text can be separated into chunks. However, since there is not much material related to most of the dimensions, a large chunk is devoted to physical wellness which may prevent meaningful grouping.
Topics were in an order similar to comparable texts. I'm not sure how I feel about each chapter being renumbered beginning at 1. This is possibly good for modularity; however, without chapter numbers, continuity of numbering, and links in the table of contents to individual chapters, navigation could be hindered.
Some of the links provided quality information. Some links were unfortunately broken/non-existent. Also, they presented navigation issues in that they didn't return the reader to the same spot in the text forcing him/her to scroll through the text to get back to starting point. This could be mitigated by placing links in the table of contents to at least get back to the originating chapter quickly.
The text appeared to be free of glaring grammatical and/or spelling errors.
While the text isn't offensive, it is also disappointing that it didn't cover cultural issues in any meaningful way. This is especially disappointing in that that seems to be a running theme in a lot of wellness texts. Many texts, including this one, do not spend much time on the identified areas of wellness beyond physical wellness with a bit of extras sprinkled in.
Overall, the book is adequate for an introductory wellness class. The self quizzes at the end of the chapters are nice for a quick self-check. As this text evolves, it would be nice to see some critical thinking questions to push the student towards a deeper examination and application of the material. It would also be nice to see development of more wellness dimensions.
Although the initial dimensions of wellness are listed and explained in the first chapter, the majority of the text is focused mostly on the physical dimension and does not include a comprehensive discussion of all nine dimensions. read more
Although the initial dimensions of wellness are listed and explained in the first chapter, the majority of the text is focused mostly on the physical dimension and does not include a comprehensive discussion of all nine dimensions.
The content included is accurate, error-free, and unbiased.
The content and links utilize updated and current knowledge. Necessary updates and links could be changed as needed in a timely fashion.
Overall, the text is written in a way that could be understood. However, there are terms that may not be familiar to all readers. It would be useful to include a Terminology Checklist for each chapter, similar to the checklist (p. 5) in the Stress chapter.
The text is consistent in regard to terminology and framework.
The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections. The page numbers beginning with “1” for each chapter is beneficial in this regard. However, the reader is always returned to the beginning of the text after reviewing various links in each chapter. Therefore, the reader must remember the page number and the specific chapter to continue reading.
The topics flow and are presented in a logical and clear fashion.
Links to external resources work well. However, each time I would select the “back” arrow to return to the text, it would always return to the beginning of the text instead of where I was reading. The “Making S.M.A.R.T. Goals Activity” link on page 7 does not work correctly and states “Access Denied” when you are directed to the UVA HR site.
The References section (p. 9) of the Weight Management chapter has yellow highlighted sections that need final updates / corrections.
The text could be enhanced by including statistical data regarding physical activity levels of individuals based on their race, ethnicity, and background.
The links to external resources which support the content included in the text are very relevant and useful.
The content is covered accurately and broadly; but, i found commonplace in most chapters to mix in high level knowledge concepts with introductory ones. If this is intended to be used as an introduction book I believe it would be beneficial to... read more
The content is covered accurately and broadly; but, i found commonplace in most chapters to mix in high level knowledge concepts with introductory ones. If this is intended to be used as an introduction book I believe it would be beneficial to expand explanation on introduction terms and set the stage for future classes to discuss more in-depth topics. At times it felt as content was being put place where it didn't necessarily fit, examples: supplements discussions during muscular strength and endurance chapter (there is a nutritional chapter), energy systems in cardiorespiratory chapter (I understand the link and see the rationale, but these are two complex subjects that are typically discussed separately). In a nutshell, it tries to be encompass too much information into each chapter, which I believe ends up hurting the overall intent of the chapter.
The information is accurate and reliable.
Authors cite respectable organizations, author, and groundbreaking theories and papers. The biggest issue is on how the information is delivered.
Biggest issue is the reliance on links that dont work; hence the 3 rating.
Topics are relevant to any field as health should be viewed as priority to most in today's world.
It encompass and discusses the multi-factorial nature of health with suggestion and activities for actions (although this is an issue as some chapters have this and some don't; there inconsistencies in how information is delivered in a per-chapter basis).
Biggest issue is that it relies heavily on links that dont work.
I thought that most chapters seemed to lose sight of their original objectives.
It seems that quantity of information per chapter was a higher need than strength of relevance to items discussed.
This was the biggest issue for me, there is very little consistency throughout the book on how the information was delivered.
It seems to me there was little communication among the authors on how the textbooks chapter's were supposed to be formatted.
There is overlap of content, content that does not necessarily belong in chapters, and inconsistencies with:
- Objectives: some chapters don't have it.
- References: Some chapters have it, some don't; some are APA formatted, some are not.
- Page numbers: each chapter reset the pages
- Labs/Activities: some chapters have it, some dont. Some are introduced randomly (one came after the references, which i thought was the end of the chapter, than it started listing all these activities)
- Some chapters have complete different fonts and spacing.
Overall, I believe it would highly be beneficial for authors to sit and establish parameters in what exactly should be in each chapter and agree on a standard way of formatting
In this the book does well.
I could see myself assigning some of these chapters in class as some of them are well construed.
It could some more graphs and pictures (if possible) to offset the links not working
The original idea as outlined in the table of contents was well thought of and it makes sense; not entirely sure the actual content delivered on this intentions as well as it could have been.
The broken links need to be fixed.
Did not see any glaring/consistent errors in this section
Although it lacks specific discussion on the impacts of exercise and nutrition to diverse background; i do not believe this hurts this book as it seems to be guided as an introduction text. Overall discussion on how most can achieve health and exercise are more important to this textbook that individual discussion different backgrounds. That can come from different classes or separate discussion led by instructor
I do believe this has tremendous potential if the content was to be better organized and chapters better formatted.
This review can be taken with skepticism as this is my first review and interaction wit OERs. I truly would like to use an OER in the near future in my campus as it would bring tremendous benefits to our student population.
I applaud this group of authors for the creation of this textbook as materials in the Exercise Science field are sorely lacking. I do however, urge authors to connect and come up with solutions to increase congruence in content delivery
The text is comprehensive in most of the chapters. The nutrition and weight management chapters are lacking in important information related to these areas of study. It seems that a text addressing overall wellness would include a chapters on... read more
The text is comprehensive in most of the chapters. The nutrition and weight management chapters are lacking in important information related to these areas of study. It seems that a text addressing overall wellness would include a chapters on mental health, as well. Cardiovascular disease and cancer are important aspects in the health conversation. Diabetes would be a great addition.
The fitness related chapters were thorough and accurate. The nutrition chapter was lacking important information such as vitamin D. Limiting the conversation on fat to cholesterol is misleading. The weight management chapter is about calories in, calories out which is an antiquated view considering what research has identified regarding the interplay of hormones, stress etc and their effect on weight.
The content is relevant to fitness and wellness. It's lacking important pieces to the conversation addressed above.
The content is clear and easy to understand.
The level of detail on subjects varies by chapter providing an inconsistent experience.
Clear sections were identified within the content of each chapter. An index with links would be helpful. Continuous numbering through the text would assist in getting to content.
Chapters were clearly organized and easy to follow.
The significant number of broken links provided frustration to students using the text.
No errors found.
There is no information regarding diverse populations including gender.
The first half of the text is comprehensive and a great resource. The second half of the text requires significant supplementation to provide accurate and thorough information within a course.
The text is appropriate for an introductory fitness course. It is most definitely focused on the physical dimension. Although the introductory chapter of the book acknowledges the existence of nine dimensions of wellness, the paragraph in this... read more
The text is appropriate for an introductory fitness course. It is most definitely focused on the physical dimension. Although the introductory chapter of the book acknowledges the existence of nine dimensions of wellness, the paragraph in this opening chapter was the only coverage of said dimensions.
The content of the text is clear and accurate. The majority of the links throughout the text did not work. If I were to implement this book for my course I would need to update it to fix the links, or possibly remove links that were not relevant to the course I am teaching. It would be quite frustrating for a student that is wanting more information on a topic or wanting to watch the video referenced and not be able to make it work.
Content is relevant to the physical dimension of wellness. Nutrition information included is relevant and current, but rather brief...many of today's students are wanting more information on nutritional information in the news such as organic foods, GMOs, and the abundance of popular fad diets. It is also rather confusing as presented. (See comments below under organization). The Fitness principles would need to be updated with new guidelines, and new information on Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans was just updated, so those would need updated as well.
It would be helpful if there were some pictures or graphs to get across some points, especially in trying to understand the complex material such as muscle fibers. The majority of the terminology used is appropriate for the target audience.
Each chapter was definitely structured differently. In the middle of the Muscular Fitness chapter there was kind of a shift from a "textbook" to a "workbook" format. Some of the chapters even had a blank page at the end which had me contemplating if there was missing text.
The material presented was easy to read, perhaps a consistency in font and page design, (i.e. sub-headings all bold and in the same font) would help one to better navigate from one section of the book to another. Possibly numbering the chapters and having the pages in sequential order from beginning to end rather than each section starting with "1". It would also help if the references were included at the end of every chapter.
I felt the majority of the content was well-organized; however, as referenced above, the nutritional section was a bit confusing . It started with the macronutrients by introducing calories and carbohydrates then jumped to the "MyPlate" information before going back to proteins and fats.
As stated, the provided links did not work. Charts and images that were clear and easy to understand, although there were few of them.
I did not notice any grammatical errors.
I did not notice any reference to ethnicity or race throughout the text. The addition of statistics regarding known variances in reference to the different diseases discussed could help expand this area in the book.
I feel that this book has a lot of potential and could be useful for a personal fitness course. The addition of the hyperlinks could prove to make the difference in the usability of the material.
The text covers all of the important concepts of fitness and wellness. All of the major components of fitness are well addressed for the college population. The chapter on stress is excellent for the college... read more
The text covers all of the important concepts of fitness and wellness. All of the major components of fitness are well addressed for the college population. The chapter on stress is excellent for the college student.
I found the text the be very accurate. The chapters over the health related fitness components are excellent. I did find some of the hyperlinks difficult to work. The few that I could get to work seemed to be good and would work well for the student.
I found the information included in the chapters to be current and very up to date. The chapter on nutrition was well presented with accurate information by today's standards. The chapter on weight management includes excellent information that is easy to read and understand.
The only real issue that I found with clarity, are the problems with some of the hyperlinks. I did find the tables, figures, and graphs easy to understand.
The book, overall, was well written and would work well for a personal fitness and wellness course. There are some stylistic differences due to multiple authors, but the text is excellent.
I found the text to be very easy to read and understand.
The text has very good organizational flow and build from chapter to chapter. The text starts with healthy behaviors and progresses through the health related fitness components, nutrition, and weight management. The text also includes chapters on stress, cardiovascular disease, cancer, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases.
I did not find any issues with interface when reviewing this text.
I did not find any grammatical errors when reviewing this text.
I believe there are no appropriate issues with this text. It will work well with the college population.
This is a well written text with great information. The information is up-to-date and easy to understand. I think this text would be an excellent resource for courses on personal fitness and wellness. I like that the text is a true fitness and wellness book, although there are some health education concepts addressed. I believe it relates to the college population and can be used to help individuals who wish to improve their overall fitness levels. This text would also be an excellent resource for courses on personal training.
The selection of topics/chapter are appropriate and common for a introductory wellness course. Concepts within the chapters are appropriate and preferred such as the dimensions of wellness and the transtheoretical model of change. I also... read more
The selection of topics/chapter are appropriate and common for a introductory wellness course. Concepts within the chapters are appropriate and preferred such as the dimensions of wellness and the transtheoretical model of change. I also appreciated a chapter dedicated to stress and stress management. This isn't always included and is believed to be an important topic.
Content is accurate, clear and straight forward. Biased information was not recognized and overall was error free. The one issue and why a "4" is due to inactive or dead links. Much of the content could not be accessed and viewed because of this.
Content is current and includes traditional yet contemporary topics in an introductory wellness course. The textbook is organized in a way where updates or content changes would be easy to implement.
The reading level is appropriate for the intended audience. The use of educational jargon, confusing terms, unnecessarily complex language is avoided. Content is stated clearly and written from the learner's perspective.
Layout of the text and each chapter should be consistent including references. I recommend numerically labeling each chapter, so learners are better to navigate throughout the text. As I scrolled from chapter to chapter, I found myself unaware of what section of the text I was in. Finally, consistency can be compromised, with multiple authors/writing styles, but overall it is good.
The text uses appropriate design elements, including colors, fonts, spacing, graphics, formatting to facilitate modularity and minimize distractions for the learner.
The text is presented in a logical, clear fashion, including the order topics were presented. As aforementioned, numerically labeling the chapters may help with navigation to help learners realign.
Yes. No distortion of images or charts. The textbook facilitates readability and minimizes distractions. The text does contain minimal images and charts.
The text contains no noticed grammatical errors.
The text is not culturally insensitive; however, inclusive examples of race, ethnicities and backgrounds could have been expanded.
It is difficult to thoroughly assess this book, due to the number of inactive links included. I was glad to see this text available, and am interested in adopting a text like this. I do not see ancillary materials associated with and would be interested to learn if they are available. Great topics were included in this text, and they were well organized.
The book covers all the important areas of fitness and wellness. The chapter on stress is an important addition to this book and applies so much to college students who may be using this textbook. Some of the chapters have links to other sites... read more
The book covers all the important areas of fitness and wellness. The chapter on stress is an important addition to this book and applies so much to college students who may be using this textbook. Some of the chapters have links to other sites (but see below comment about links) and have lab activities.
Very accurate. I particularly think the 1st chapter that has so much on behavioral change is important and gives a fair assessment of behavioral change models. They included the strengths and weaknesses of the different models. There are errors with the hyperlinks, most are not working in the book. One of the few I could get to work was in the Flexibility chapter and even that took me to a dead link. I have downloaded it a couple of times using different browsers and programs. However the number of links are nice and by their titles sound helpful. . If I were to use this is a class, I would have to specify how many I expect the students to visit and reflect on. There are lots of them and it could become consuming reading all the links.
I think this is a very fixable issue by the authors. If they could address it, I would give then a 5.
I didn't find an bias in their materials.
Almost all the information is very up to date. The risk factors section and PAR-Q information in the Fitness Principles chapter does need to be updated to reflect new ACSM guidelines, but these were just released in 2018. This could easily be changed in a matter if minutes. Not sure why waist circumference is not included in the book composition section. This could be added also.
Again, hyperlinks aren't working, so hard to make too much of a judgement, but I would have liked to see more figures, tables, and graphs to explain important concepts. More figures or tables worked into the text would have been helpful, especially in complex areas like skeletal muscle.
All the chapters are well written and get across the main points. I think most readers will pick up on different authors for each chapter. Not a bad thing, but definitely different styles. There could be most consistency in referencing, the inclusion and format of the lab activities.
Yes, felt easy to read. See previous comments on some tables, figures, and charts that would make things a little easier for some readers to understand.
Book was well organized and built upon itself.
In some chapters there are references used and other places not so. Some consistency in the referencing would be helpful.
Yes, but again, very limited images or charts.
Fine
No inappropriate issues. There could be room for growth by including a chapter on age associated issues surrounding fitness and wellness. The role of ethnicity and race and wellness could have a place in a book like this.
This is a well written book with a lot of great information. As a professor in a physical therapy program, I could see having my students read parts of the book in our health and wellness module. I like the thoroughness of Chapter 1 with all the behavior change information. I appreciate the amount of information in the fitness principles chapter. Going through all the different areas and concepts such as overload, FITT, and periodization is helpful and important for the reader to understand.
The book feels like it is written to people who are working to improve their own wellness. It would helpful if the authors started off with a summary of how they use this book and why they wrote it. That may help faculty decide whether this is the book for them. However the concepts in the book could be extrapolated to a clinical population or help the reader prepare for working with individuals in a personal training or counseling environment.
Table of Contents
- 1. Healthy Behaviors
- 2. Fitness Principles
- 3. Cardiorespiratory Fitness
- 4. Muscular Fitness
- 5. Flexibility
- 6. Body Composition
- 7. Nutrition
- 8. Weight Management
- 9. Stress
- 10. Cardiovascular Disease
- 11. Cancer
- 12. Substance Use and Abuse
- 13. Sexually Transmitted Infections
Ancillary Material
Submit ancillary resourceAbout the Book
This open textbook for Concepts of Fitness and Wellness at Georgia Highlands College was created through a Round Seven ALG Textbook Transformation Grant.
About the Contributors
Authors
Scott Flynn, Associate Professor of Physical Education and Principal Investigator, Division of Natural Science and Physical Education, Georgia Highlands College.
Lisa Jellum, Associate Professor of Physical Education, Division of Natural Science and Physical Education, Georgia Highlands College.
Jonathan Howard, Instructor of Physical Education, Division of Natural Science and Physical Education, Georgia Highlands College.
Althea Moser, Instructor of Physical Education, Division of Natural Science and Physical Education, Georgia Highlands College.
David Mathis, Lab Coordinator and Assistant Athletics Director, Division of Natural Science and Physical Education, Georgia Highlands College.
Christin Collins, Assistant Librarian of Public Services, Paulding Campus Library, Georgia Highlands College.
Sharryse Henderson, Professor of Biology and Science Coordinator, Division of Natural Science and Physical Education, Georgia Highlands College.
Connie Watjen, Georgia Highlands College.