Health, Fitness and Wellbeing Revision

This final lesson brings together all the key concepts from the Health, Fitness and Wellbeing topic for Edexcel GCSE PE Component 2. Use this as a comprehensive revision resource — it summarises the core knowledge, links the topics together, provides key term definitions, and includes practice questions with guidance on how to approach them.

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Topic Overview

The Health, Fitness and Wellbeing topic covers everything related to how physical activity, nutrition and lifestyle choices affect a person's health and sporting performance.

graph TD
    A["Health, Fitness<br/>and Wellbeing"] --> B["Three Dimensions<br/>of Health"]
    A --> C["Sedentary Lifestyle<br/>Consequences"]
    A --> D["Energy Balance"]
    A --> E["Somatotypes"]
    A --> F["Nutrition"]
    A --> G["Obesity"]
    F --> F1["Macronutrients"]
    F --> F2["Micronutrients"]
    F --> F3["Hydration"]
    F --> F4["Nutrition for<br/>Different Activities"]
    F --> F5["Diet Planning"]
    style A fill:#1565c0,color:#fff

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Key Definitions

Term	Definition
Health	A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO)
Fitness	The ability to meet the demands of the environment
Exercise	A form of physical activity done to maintain or improve health and/or fitness
Sedentary lifestyle	A lifestyle involving little or no physical activity
Energy balance	The relationship between energy consumed (food) and energy expended (activity + BMR)
Positive energy balance	Energy in > energy out = weight gain
Negative energy balance	Energy in < energy out = weight loss
BMR	Basal Metabolic Rate — energy used at rest for basic bodily functions
BMI	Body Mass Index — weight (kg) / height (m)²
Somatotype	Body type classification (endomorph, mesomorph, ectomorph)
Macronutrients	Nutrients needed in large amounts (carbohydrates, proteins, fats)
Micronutrients	Nutrients needed in small amounts (vitamins, minerals)
Dehydration	Insufficient fluid in the body; impairs performance and health
Carbohydrate loading	Strategy to maximise glycogen stores before endurance events
Obesity	Excessive body fat presenting a risk to health (BMI 30+)

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Topic Links

One of the most important skills for the exam is linking topics together. The examiner rewards answers that show connections between different areas.

Link	Explanation
Sedentary lifestyle → Obesity → CHD	Inactivity causes positive energy balance, leading to obesity, which increases CHD risk
Energy balance → Somatotypes	An endomorph who overconsumes will gain weight more easily; an ectomorph may struggle to maintain weight
Nutrition → Performance	A marathon runner who does not carb load will run out of glycogen and "hit the wall"
Hydration → Performance	Even 2% dehydration reduces concentration and physical performance
BMI → Obesity	BMI is used to classify obesity but has limitations (does not distinguish fat from muscle)
Somatotypes → Sport selection	An ectomorph is better suited to distance running; a mesomorph to sprinting
Diet → Energy balance	Eating too much (especially fat at 9 kcal/g) creates positive energy balance

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Revision Summaries by Sub-Topic

Three Dimensions of Health

Dimension	Key Benefits of Exercise
Physical	Stronger heart, reduced disease risk, better body composition, improved body systems
Emotional	Serotonin release, stress reduction, improved self-esteem, reduced depression
Social	Friendships, teamwork, communication, sense of belonging

Sedentary Lifestyle

Consequence	Mechanism
Obesity	Positive energy balance
CHD	Cholesterol build-up; weak heart
Type 2 diabetes	Insulin resistance
Hypertension	Stiffer blood vessels
Depression	No serotonin boost; isolation
Poor posture	Weak core; tight hip flexors
Osteoporosis	Reduced bone density
Poor sleep	Lack of physical fatigue

Somatotypes

Type	Key Feature	Best For
Endomorph	High body fat, wide hips	Rugby prop, sumo, shot put
Mesomorph	High muscle, broad shoulders	Sprinting, swimming, gymnastics
Ectomorph	Low body fat, long limbs	Marathon, high jump, cycling

Nutrition