Question

1. New guidance from the American health police suggest that the UK government’s recommended minimum of 30 minutes of gentle exercise a day is not sufficient to maintain basic fitness.
2. Scientists writing in Circulation, the Journal of the American Heart Association, including world leaders in public health and exercise advice from the American College of Sports Medicine, now say that people are not doing enough exercise, and that people should do vigorous exercise as well as moderate activity. Jogging and twice weekly weight training sessions are needed to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity.
3. The UK Department of Health currently recommends 30 minutes of moderate physical exercise at least five times a week, which can include walking, mowing the lawn, and housework. The new American guidelines for adults, which are likely to be adopted by the UK government, include advice such as the following:
● Combining days of moderate exercise with other days of vigorous exercise is better for you.
● Moderate exercise should be in addition to daily activities such as casual walking, shopping, or taking out the rubbish.
● Two weight training sessions a week.
4. However, David Haslam, chair of the National Obesity Forum, said: ‘If you suggested everyone here should do weight-training twice a week, they wouldn’t do it. They don’t have the time or money for the gym, it would be an unrealistic guideline. I’d rather see healthy habits built into daily life – gyms aren’t a sustainable habit.’
5. Further concern is caused by a report from Sport England that half the UK population do no sport or active recreation, as revealed by a poll of more than 350,000 people. UK Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn, said the survey showed disappointing levels of participation in sport. He said: ‘The government cab only do so much. Individuals must start to take responsibility for their health and fitness too’.



6. Daily Mail columnist, Janet Street-Porter, in a recent article offered an alternative. ‘Forget jogging. It’s a horrible way to get fit, especially if you live in a town – an opportunity to wreck your knees by pounding up and down on tarmac, wreck your lungs by breathing in clouds of exhaust fumes, and wreck your figure by jiggling your curvy bits about in a really undignified way – and I really don’t want to end up with a washboard chest looking like Paula Redcliffe, thanks very much.
7. Instead, Ms Street-Porter, a prominent member of the Ramblers’ Association, advocated country walks. ‘The best way to avoid heart disease is walking in the countryside, striding up and down hills at a brisk pace, on footpaths, rather than roads, breathing in unpolluted air, enjoying peace and quiet, getting spiritually regenerated by the sights and the sounds of nature, rather than an arterial road. If you want to see healthy people, check out a group of walkers, straight-backed and firm of limb. Running is full of stress – just another way of avoiding human contact.’

Questions:
1. Assess how far the document ‘Forget moderate exercise, say the health police; get sweaty’, is a credible report.
In your answer, you should make two points, identifying and explaining credibility criteria.
2. Consider the map and statistics in the box. Explain whether these are relevant to the discussion.
3. Assess the credibility of David Haslam.
In your answer, you should make two points, referring to credibility criteria and explaining how these may strengthen or weaken his credibility.
4. What else would you need to know in order t reach a judgement about the credibility of David Haslam’s statement?
5. Assess the credibility of Janet Street-Porter.
In your answer, you should make two points, referring to credibility criteria and explaining how these may strengthen or weaken his credibility.
6. In paragraph 7 Janet Street-Porter claims: ‘The best way to avoid heart disease is walking in the countryside.’
a) Identify one piece of evidence in the article that supports this claim. (1 mark)
b) Assess how reasonable this claim is. In your answer, you should refer to the material from the article above. .
7. Make an informed judgement on whether Circulation, the Journal of the American Heart Association, or Janet Street-Porter is more credible. State your judgement. In your answer you should use credibility criteria and contrast credibility of the two sources.
Adapted from OCR Critical Thinking AS (2008), Heinemann

Answer 1

1.

A)

The document ‘Forget moderate exercise, say the health police; get sweaty’, is a credible report as it states 30 Minutes of gentle excerise is not enough to tackle the risk of heart disease and obesity as the Journal of the American Heart Association, including world leaders in public health and exercise advice from the American College of Sports Medicine, now say that people are not doing enough exercise, and that people should do vigorous exercise as well as moderate activity. Jogging and twice weekly weight training sessions to staf fit and healthy are needed to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity.

B) The poll report by Sport England states that half the UK population do no sport or active recreation.