Mini-Lesson

Health, Fitness & Well-being

This mini-lesson covers AQA GCSE PE — Health, Fitness & Well-being: the physical, emotional and social benefits of exercise, the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, diet and nutrition, energy balance and BMI, and the effects of obesity and somatotypes on performance.

There's a BMI calculation, so keep BMI = mass ÷ height² in mind. Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Press Start when you're ready.

Well-being

Physical, emotional & social well-being

The World Health Organisation defines health as a state of complete physical, mental (emotional) and social well-being, not merely the absence of illness. Exercise benefits all three:

Physical — stronger heart and muscles, healthy weight, lower risk of disease, more energy.
Emotional (mental) — reduces stress, lifts mood, boosts confidence and self-esteem.
Social — meeting people, teamwork, making friends and belonging to a group.

Quick check

Which type of benefit?

?Joining a netball club helps a student make new friends and feel part of a team. Which type of well-being does this most improve?

Sedentary lifestyle

The sedentary lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle means very little physical activity. Over time it raises the risk of:

Weight gain and obesity;
Coronary heart disease (CHD) and high blood pressure;
Type 2 diabetes;
weaker bones and muscles, poorer posture and lower fitness;
lower self-esteem and higher stress.

Quick check

Consequence of inactivity

?Which of these is a genuine long-term risk of a sedentary lifestyle?

Diet

A balanced diet

A balanced diet provides the right nutrients in the right amounts. The main nutrients and their jobs:

Carbohydrates — the body's main energy source (especially for exercise).
Fats — a store of energy and insulation (needed in moderation).
Proteins — growth and repair of muscle and tissue.
Vitamins & minerals — keep body systems working (e.g. calcium for bones, iron for red blood cells).
Fibre — healthy digestion. Water — hydration and temperature control.

Energy balance: if energy in (food) equals energy out (activity), weight stays stable. Eat more than you use and the excess is stored as fat.

Sort it

Put each one in the right group

Tap a food or its job, then tap the nutrient group it belongs to.

⚡ Carbohydrate

🥩 Protein

🦴 Vitamins/minerals

BMI

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI estimates whether someone is a healthy weight for their height:

BMI = mass (kg) ÷ height² (m²)square the height first, then divide the mass by it

Worked example

Mass = 70 kg, height = 1.75 m.

height² = 1.75 × 1.75 = 3.0625. BMI = 70 ÷ 3.0625 = 22.9.

Limitation: BMI does not tell muscle from fat. A very muscular athlete can have a "high" BMI while carrying little fat, so BMI must be used with care.

Calculate

Calculate BMI

1A person has a mass of 60 kg and a height of 1.5 m. Calculate their BMI. (height² = 1.5 × 1.5)

Hint: height² = 1.5 × 1.5 = 2.25, then BMI = 60 ÷ 2.25.

Calculate

BMI again

2An adult has a mass of 81 kg and a height of 1.8 m. Calculate their BMI. Give your answer to one decimal place.

Hint: height² = 1.8 × 1.8 = 3.24, then 81 ÷ 3.24.

Obesity & somatotypes

Obesity is having so much excess body fat that health is harmed. It can limit performance — reducing agility, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility — and raises the risk of the diseases above.

Somatotypes describe body shape and suit different sports:

Ectomorph — tall, thin, narrow shoulders/hips (high jump, long-distance running).
Mesomorph — muscular, broad shoulders, narrow waist (sprinting, rugby, swimming).
Endomorph — wider, more body fat, pear-shaped (sumo, some throwing/anchoring roles).

Quick check

Match the somatotype

?A world-class marathon runner is typically tall, lean and light. Which somatotype does this best describe?

Match it

Match each statement to its answer

Tap a term on the left, then its correct description on the right.

Statement

Answer

Recap

The big ideas to know

Well-being: physical, emotional (mental) and social benefits of exercise

Sedentary lifestyle: obesity, CHD, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes

Diet: carbohydrate (energy), protein (repair), fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre, water

Energy balance: in = out → stable weight; excess is stored as fat

BMI: mass (kg) ÷ height² (m²) — but can't tell muscle from fat

Somatotypes: ectomorph (lean), mesomorph (muscular), endomorph (wider)

You've covered the whole Health, Fitness & Well-being topic. Press Finish to see your score.

🏆

Mini-lesson complete!

⭐⭐⭐

You've worked through Health, Fitness & Well-being for AQA GCSE PE. 🎉

Your stars: 0 / 0

Next: test yourself in the Evaluate stage Confidence Quiz, then lock it in with Verify.

📣 Smashed it? Share your score

Challenge a mate to beat your stars, or show a parent how you got on.

→ Back to all subjects