An Illustrated History of Health and Fitness, from Pre-History to our Post-Modern World (Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Book 39)

This Book Examines The Health/fitness Interaction In An Historical Context. Beginning In Primitive Hunter-gatherer Communities, Where Survival Required Adequate Physical Activity, It Goes On To Consider Changes In Health And Physical Activity At Subsequent Stages In The Evolution Of “civilization.” It Focuses On The Health Impacts Of A Growing Understanding Of Medicine And Physiology, And The Emergence Of A Middle-class With The Time And Money To Choose Between Active And Passive Leisure Pursuits. The Book Reflects On Urbanization And Industrialization In Relation To The Need For Public Health Measures, And The Ever-diminishing Physical Demands Of The Work-place. It Then Evaluates The Attitudes Of Prelates, Politicians, Philosophers And Teachers At Each Stage Of The Process. Finally, The Book Explores Professional And Governmental Initiatives To Increase Public Involvement In Active Leisure Through Various School, Worksite, Recreational And Sports Programmes. Health And Fitness In Prehistory, Including Inferences From The Current Lifestyle Of Indigenous Populations -- Examples Of Early City Life From Ancient Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Israel, India And China : Health As A Gift Of The Gods -- Legacies Of The Classical Era : Minoa, Greece And Rome; A Recognition Of Material Causes Of Poor Health And Fitness -- The Middle-ages : Monasteries, Medical Schools And The Dawn Of State Health Care -- The Renaissance : The Dawn Of Scientific Enquiry Into Health And Fitness -- The Englightenment : The Impact Of Reason And Religion Upon Health And Fitness In A Period Of Urban Growth And Industrialization -- The Victorian Era : The Birth Of Scientific Societies And The Blossoming Of Public Health -- The Modern Era : Blossoming Of The Olympic Movement And The Conquest Of Acute Disease -- The Post-modern Era : Chronic Disease And The Onslaught Of A Sedentary Lifestyle -- Future Directions In Health And Fitness. Roy J. Shephard. Includes Bibliographical References. Front Matter....Pages i-xxii Health and Fitness in Prehistory, Including Inferences from the Current Lifestyle of Indigenous Populations....Pages 1-72 Examples of Early City Life from Ancient Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Israel, India and China: Health as a Gift of the Gods....Pages 73-154 Legacies of the Classical Era: Minoa, Greece and Rome; A Recognition of Material Causes of Poor Health and Fitness....Pages 155-239 The Middle-Ages: Monasteries, Medical Schools and the Dawn of State Health Care....Pages 241-346 The Renaissance: The Dawn of Scientific Enquiry into Health and Fitness....Pages 347-445 The Enlightenment: The Impact of Reason and Religion upon Health and Fitness in a Period of Urban Growth and Industrialization....Pages 447-557 The Victorian Era: The Birth of Scientific Societies and the Blossoming of Public Health....Pages 559-714 The Modern Era: Blossoming of the Olympic Movement and the Conquest of Acute Disease....Pages 715-901 The Post-Modern Era: Chronic Disease and the Onslaught of a Sedentary Lifestyle....Pages 903-1063 Future Directions in Health and Fitness....Pages 1065-1077 This book examines the health/fitness interaction in an historical context. Beginning in primitive hunter-gatherer communities, where survival required adequate physical activity, it goes on to consider changes in health and physical activity at subsequent stages in the evolution of ĺlcivilization.ĺl It focuses on the health impacts of a growing understanding of medicine and physiology, and the emergence of a middle-class with the time and money to choose between active and passive leisure pursuits. The book reflects on urbanization and industrialization in relation to the need for public health measures, and the ever-diminishing physical demands of the work-place. It then evaluates the attitudes of prelates, politicians, philosophers and teachers at each stage of the process. Finally, the book explores professional and governmental initiatives to increase public involvement in active leisure through various school, worksite, recreational and sports programmes 1.4.4 North American Indians1.5 Oral Tradition and Historical Records of Habitual Physical Activity Levels in Pre-history; 1.5.1 Inuit; 1.5.2 North American Indians; 1.5.2.1 Quebec Indians; 1.5.2.2 Indians of Ontario and the Great Lakes; 1.5.2.3 Cree Indians of Central Canada; 1.5.2.4 West Coast Indians; 1.5.3 The Kalahari Bush People; 1.5.4 The Tarahumara Indians; 1.5.5 Meso-America; 1.5.5.1 The Aztecs; 1.5.5.2 The Mayan Civilization; 1.5.5.3 Inca Civilization; 1.5.6 Other Pre-historic Societies; 1.6 Acculturating Influences and Objective Data on Physical Activity and Fitness 1.7 Empirical Data on Habitual Physical Activity and Energy Expenditures1.7.1 Issues of Methodology; 1.7.2 The Influence of ``Rest Days; 1.7.3 Igloolik Inuit; 1.7.4 Alaskan Inuit; 1.7.5 Siberian Circumpolar Populations; 1.7.6 Sami Lapps; 1.7.7 North American Indians; 1.7.8 Conclusions; 1.8 Empirical Data on Fitness Levels of Prehistoric Societies; 1.8.1 Body Mass; 1.8.2 Body Fat; 1.8.3 Aerobic Fitness; 1.8.4 Muscular Strength; 1.8.5 Conclusions; 1.9 Health of Pre-historic Societies; 1.9.1 Early Health Status of Pre-historic Societies; 1.9.1.1 Role of Deities; 1.9.1.2 Inuit Preface; References; Contents; Chapter 1: Health and Fitness in Prehistory, Including Inferences from the Current Lifestyle of Indigenous Populations; 1.1 Introduction; 1.2 Early Hominoids and the Paleolithic Era; 1.2.1 Early Humanoid History; 1.2.2 Palaeolithic Habitat; 1.2.3 Emergence of Homo sapiens; 1.2.4 Recreation of the Palaeolithic Lifestyle; 1.3 The Mesolithic Era; 1.3.1 Mesolithic Society; 1.3.2 The Dorset Culture; 1.3.3 The Thule People; 1.4 Neolithic Societies; 1.4.1 Characteristics of Neolithic Society; 1.4.2 Middle East and South Asia; 1.4.3 Meso-America 1.6.1 Early Explorers1.6.1.1 Norse Settlers; 1.6.1.2 John Cabot; 1.6.1.3 Corte-Real; 1.6.1.4 Martin Frobisher; 1.6.1.5 Elisha Kane and Roald Asmundsen; 1.6.2 Traders; 1.6.3 Christian Missionaries; 1.6.4 Residential Schools; 1.6.5 Military and Industrial Intrusions; 1.6.6 Specific Impact of Acculturation Upon Igloolik; 1.6.6.1 Explorers; 1.6.6.2 Traders and Commerce; 1.6.6.3 Missionaries and Governmental Interventions; 1.6.6.4 Residential and Other Schools; 1.6.6.5 Military and Industrial Initiatives; 1.6.6.6 Governmental Initiatives; 1.6.6.7 Conclusions 1.9.1.3 North American Indians1.9.1.4 The Mexica; 1.9.1.5 The Incas; 1.9.2 More Recent Health Status of Indigenous Populations; 1.9.3 Infectious Disease and Suicide; 1.9.4 Metabolic Risk Factors, Diabetes and Chronic Cardiovascular Disease; 1.9.5 Changing Patterns of Nutrition; 1.10 Attitudes to Health and Fitness; 1.11 Preventive Measures; 1.11.1 Traditional Arctic Games; 1.11.2 ``White Sports and Athletic Competitions; 1.11.3 Community Recreational Facilities; 1.11.4 Overall Assessment; Conclusions; References Chapter 2: Examples of Early City Life from Ancient Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Israel, India and China: Health as a Gift of the