The completely revised seventh edition of Fitness & Health offers a comprehensive understanding of the exercise–health relationship and provides a framework for attaining health and fitness goals. This one-stop handbook for students and fitness professionals explores the physiology and benefits of fitness while also providing information and tools for improving health and wellness. Authors Brian J. Sharkey and Steven E. Gaskill have 60 years of combined experience in the field, as evidenced in the depth of content and accessible style of writing. The book aims not only to educate but also to inspire the audience to put the suggested methods into practice and have a positive effect on their quality of life.

Fitness & Health, Seventh Edition, includes fresh, new content and has been restructured to enhance the educational experience:

• An entirely new chapter detailing behavior change, helping readers better understand the psychology of activity and how to modify individual behaviors using documented strategies

• A revised chapter on the physiology of fitness to help readers grasp the science behind aerobic and muscular fitness

• Proven methods for achieving aerobic and muscular fitness, plus strategies for exercising in high heat and humidity, extreme cold, high altitude, and environments with low air quality

• New information on physical activity and brain health that shows how an active life improves learning, higher-order brain processes, and academic achievement

• A detailed explanation of the Exercise is Medicine movement that highlights the benefits of regular physical activity in terms of improving quality of life and reducing health risks

Students will excel with chapter summaries of content for easier review and tables and figures that organize information for quick reference. The seventh edition also includes special elements to highlight interesting content on health and fitness, including important health behaviors, testing procedures, and proven fitness programs. In addition, instructors benefit from the inclusion of new ancillaries containing an instructor guide complete with lab activities, a test package, and a presentation package plus image bank.

With Fitness & Health, students learn the body’s response to exercise and acquire strategies for motivating themselves or others to commit to an active and healthy life. The book explains how the body responds to physical activity; why physical activity is beneficial to health; and how physical activity can help people increase aerobic and muscular fitness, achieve and maintain a healthy weight, enhance performance in work and sport, and improve vitality.