Applied Nutrition

Practical Exercise in Exercise Physiology

Introduction:

This practicum is designed to illustrate and measure physiological changes associated with exercise

Students will work in groups of the or four. One student will act as the subject and the other students in the group will take measurements. Measurements will be taken of the subjects pulse breathing rate, body temperature and blood pressure before exercise and following various activities.

Method

1) Resting Measurements

Measure the subjects resting breathing rate by observing her chest movement and counting the number of breaths in one minute. Count the pulse rate and take body temperature with a clinical thermometer. Take three measurements each time. Measure the exact height of the step used.

2) Mild exercise

The subject is to step up one ca. 400 cm step at a rate of 2 step up per second for 2 minutes

Then the same measurements as performed on the resting subject are repeated

The above test (2) should be repeated three time with a 5 min. rest in between.

Measure the exact height of the steps used.

3. Medium exercise

The subject is to step up three ca. 400 cm steps at a rate of 2 x 3 steps up per second for 2 minutes

Then the same measurements as performed on the resting subject are repeated

The above test (3) should be repeated three time with a 5 in rest in between.

Measure the exact height of the steps used.

4. Greater exercise

The subject is to step up several ca. 400 cm steps at a rate of X step up per second for 2 minutes

The number of steps to depend on the fitness of the subject

Then the same measurements as performed on the resting subject are repeated

The above test (4) should be repeated three time with a 5 in rest in between.

Measure the exact height of the steps used.

4. Re-breathing exercise

The subject is to remain seated and to breath in and out of a plastic bag 5 times at a normal breathing rate.

Then the same measurements as performed on the resting subject are repeated

The above test (5) should be repeated three time with a 5 min. rest in between.

Results

Tabulate all measurements using MKS units

Calculate the Energy need to take the steps in each of parts 1 to 4 of the practicum

using the formula E = mgh .

Calculate the power used from E/time

Calculate the number of grams of fat needed to provide the energy in each part.

Using the number of kJ/ gram of fat.

Plot graphs of each physiological parameter against power use.

Questions:

1. Explain why the physiological measurements change with each part of the experiment.

2. Explain why pulse and breathing may not indicate a true measure of increased metabolism

3. Explain why the actual amount of fat used in the exercise is much greater than indicated in the calculations above. How can this vary from one subject to another.

4. Why was fat used for calculating the amount of nutrient used and not carbohydrate? Under what conditions could this change?

5. How could respiratory quotient be used to determine which nutrient is being utilized?