Includes bibliographical references and index.

Physical activity, health and chronic diseases -- Physical activity, health, and disease -- Cardiovascular disease -- Hypertension -- Hypercholesterolemia and dyslipidemia -- Cigarette smoking -- Diabetes mellitis -- Obesity and overweight -- Metabolic syndrome -- Musculoskeletal diseases and disorders -- Review material -- Preliminary health screening and risk classification -- Preliminary health evaluation -- Testing procedures for blood pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiogram -- Sources for equipment -- Review material -- Principles of assessment, prescription, and exercise program adherence -- Physical fitness testing -- Basic principles for exercise program design -- Exercise program adherence -- Certification and licensure -- Review material -- Assessing cardiorespiratory fitness -- Definition of terms -- Graded exercise testing -- Maximal exercise test protocols -- Submaximal exercise test protocols -- Field tests for assessing aerobic fitness -- Exercise testing of children and older adults -- Sources for equipment -- Review material -- Designing cardiorespiratory exercise programs -- The exercise prescription -- Aerobic training methods and modes -- Personalized exercise programs -- Review material -- Assessing muscular fitness -- Definition of terms -- Strength and muscular endurance assessment -- Sources of measurement error in muscular fitness testing -- Additional considerations for muscular fitness testing -- Muscular fitness testing of older adults -- Muscular fitness testing of children -- Sources for equipment -- Review material -- Designing resistance training programs -- Types of resistance training -- Developing the resistance training programs -- Effects of resistance training programs -- Muscular soreness -- Review material -- Assessing body composition -- Classification and uses of body composition measures -- Body composition models -- Reference methods for assessing body composition -- Field methods for assessing body composition -- Sources for equipment -- Review material -- Designing weight management and body composition programs -- Obesity, overweight, and underweight -- Obesity -- Weight management principles and practices -- Designing weight management programs -- Designing weight-loss programs -- Quick weight-loss diets and precautions -- Designing weight-gain programs -- Designing programs to improve body composition -- Review material -- Assessing flexibility -- Basics of flexibility -- Assessment of flexibility -- Flexibility testing of older adults -- Sources for equipment -- Review material -- Designing programs for flexibility and low back care -- Training principles -- Stretching methods -- Designing flexibility programs -- Designing low back care exercise programs.