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NOS 8: Students should be able to evaluate media-based arguments concerning science and technology.

NOS 10: Students should be able to research and present information on the contribution that scientists make to scientific discovery and invention, and its impact on society.

NOS 7: Students should be able to conduct research relevant to a scientific issue, evaluate different sources of information including secondary data, understanding that a source may lack detail or show bias.

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Science Collaborative Planning Document - interactive (1)

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Living a healthy lifestyle is extremely important. When your body is healthy, your risk of disease and other health problems will be much lower. This page will cover a few significant factors which can affect your health - diet, exercise and genetically inherited factors.

Unbalanced diet Edit

People who eat a severely unbalanced diet are known to be malnourished. Malnourishment is not the same thing as starvation, which is not eating enough of all nutrients. Malnourished people can be overweight, underweight, or otherwise unhealthy.

Overeating Edit

Too many carbohydrates or fats in your diet can eventually lead to obesity. Obesity is a common health concern in developed countries, and a person is defined as obese if their body mass is at least 20% above their maximum recommended body mass. Hormonal problems can cause obesity, although the most common causes are an unbalanced diet, overeating and not exercising enough.

Many health problems can arise as complications of obesity; these include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and even some types of cancer.

Excessive saturated fat can raise blood cholestrol levels, and too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and heart conditions.

Undereating Edit

Some people suffer from a lack of food, particularly in developing countries. The effects of undereating vary depending on which nutrients are not present in the diet, although common complications include fatigue, a weakened immune system, stunted growth in children, and irregular menstrual cycles in women.

Deficiency diseases are caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals. One example of a deficiency disease is scurvy, which is caused by a lack of vitamin C. Scurvy leads to problems with the skin, gums and joints. Also, a lack of protein can cause a condition known as kwashiorkor; a common symptom of this is a swollen stomach.

Exercise Edit

Exercise is an important factor of a healthy lifestyle; people who exercise on a regular basis are often healthier than those who don't. When you exercise, your body uses up more energy, and stores less energy as fat. Due to this, people who exercise regularly are at a lower risk for health problems such as obesity.

However, it's possible to be fit but not healthy; for example you can be slim and physically fit while malnourished at the same time because your diet is unbalanced.

Inherited factors Edit

Diet and exercise aren't the only things which can affect your health - genetically inherited factors can play a part in your health too.

Some people may inherit factors which have an effect on their metabolic rate. For instance, some inherited factors cause an underactive thyroid gland, which can lower their metabolic rate and lead to obesity.

Others may inherit factors which have an effect on their blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a fatty substance which is vital for good health, and it is found in every cell in your body. Some inherited factors can increase blood cholesterol levels and raise the risk of heart disease.

Fortunately, inherited factors which increase your risk of obesity or heart disease don't mean that you can't stay healthy. You can maintain a healthy lifestyle by keeping a close watch on your diet and exercising regularly.

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Living a healthy lifestyle is extremely important. When your body is healthy, your risk of disease and other health problems will be much lower. This page will cover a few significant factors which can affect your health - diet, exercise and genetically inherited factors. People who eat a severely unbalanced diet are known to be malnourished.

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The Healthy People 2020 website has been archived. Access archived Healthy People 2020 content on Archive-It .

If you can't access the content you're looking for, visit the CDC National Center for Health Statistics website.

To see the latest Healthy People data and resources, visit the Healthy People 2030 site.

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The Healthy People 2020 website has been archived.

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The Healthy People 2020 website has been archived. Access archived Healthy People 2020 content on Archive-It.

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Haemophilia is an inherited condition that affects the blood's ability to clot.

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What Are Microorganisms?

Microorganisms (Latin micro = small) are living beings so small (< 40 µm or 0.04 mm) that they are not visible by the naked eye. Microorganisms related to human health include certain bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

Synonyms: microbes, germs, bugs.

Types of Microorganisms

Microorganisms can be, according to their characteristics, divided into several groups:

bacteria, viruses, certain fungi and parasites

pathogenic (capable of causing disease), non-pathogenic, and opportunistic (causing disease when they have an opportunity, like in people with low immune system)

acellular (without cell, like viruses), unicellular (bacteria, yeasts and certain parasites), or multi-cellular (molds)

1. Bacteria

Bacteria are unicellular organisms, about few microns in size (1 micron (µm) = 1/1,000 of a millimetre), consisting of DNA, cytoplasm, structures needed for metabolism and reproduction, cell membrane, cell wall and capsule ( Picture 1). Certain bacteria use flagella, tail-like appendages, to propel themselves.

Picture 1. Bacterial structure
(source: Wikimedia)

Bacteria multiply asexually by dividing into two daughter cells ( Picture 2).

Picture 2. Bacteria multiply asexually, by dividing into two parts (source: Wikimedia)

Bacteria can be divided into several groups::

Spheres or cocci (like Staphylococcus aureus), rods or bacilli (like Lactobacillus acidophilus), spirals or spirochetes (like Treponema pallidum); bacterial shape can help in their recognizing under the microscope

Aerobic bacteria, like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, need oxygen to thrive, while anaerobic, like Clostsridium difficile, do not. Facultative anaerobic bacteria, like Pseudomonas aureginosa, can live in aerobic and anaerobic environment.

Gram positive (G+) bacteria, like Streptococcus, and Gram negative (G-) bacteria, like Klebsiella

Pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria

Certain bacteria can form endospores, a kind of encapsulated bunkers within a bacteria that enable vital parts of bacteria to survive in harsh conditions, like freezing or boiling water, dessication, lack of nutrients, etc. Some bacteria can survive weeks, and some millions of years in this form.

In the human body, bacteria usually cause localized infections, like pneumonia or skin infections. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections. Bacterial infections can be diagnosed by growing a bacterial culture from a sample of infected body fluid (e.g. urine, blood), stool, discharge (e.g. sputum) or tissue (e.g. mucosal layer of the stomach). Most of bacterial infections can be successfully treated by anti-bacterial drugs - antibiotics.

Picture 3. Stool culture test: colonies of Salmonella bacteria on an agar plate
(source: phil.cdc.gov)

Examples of bacteria pathogenic for a human are:

Staphylococcus aureus, causing skin infections, pneumonia, infection of the heart valves, etc.

Streptococcus pyogenes, causing "strep throat", cellulitis, etc.

Neisseria gonorrheae, causing gonorrhea

Salmonella, causing diarrhea in food poisoning

Helicobacter pylori, causing chronic gastritis

Mycoplasma, causing atypical pneumonia

List of bacteria, pathogenic for human

Examples of non-pathogenic bacteria:

Examples of opportunistic bacteria:

Certain intestinal bacteria, like Escherichia coli and Enterobacter live in the human intestine without causing any symptoms, but in a person with lowered immune system they may overgrow and cause a bowel infection.

2. Viruses

Viruses are simple microorganisms, containing only DNA or RNA molecule and capsule. They can not survive outside the host for long periods, so they are mainly transmitted by blood-to-blood or stool-to-mouth route. In the human body, they have to invade the cells to multiply ( Picture 4).

Picture 4. Virus cycle: entry of herpes simplex virus (HSV) into the cell (on the left), multiplying within the cell and release (right) from the cell (source: Wikimedia)

Viruses usually cause systemic infections, affecting the whole body. Examples of viruses, pathogenic for a human:

Rhinovirus, causing common cold

Influenzavirus, causing flu, bird flu, swine flu

Herpes simplex virus causing herpes labialis (cold sore) or herpes genitalis

HIV, causing AIDS

Ebolavirus, causing hemorrhagic fever

List of viral diseases

Ask a Doctor Online Now!
Viruses can be diagnosed by finding specific antibodies in the sample of blood (serologic tests). Vaccination against several virus infections is possible; only few viral infections can be treated by anti-viral medications, though. Read more about viral infections.

3. Fungi

Fungi are widely present in the environment and also on the human skin, gut and vagina. Read more about fungi.

4. Parasites

Read about human intestinal parasites.

Beneficial Microorganisms

Microorganisms, like certain bacteria and yeasts, living on the human skin or in the nose, mouth, throat, small and large intestine and vagina, are part of the normal human flora; they prevent overgrowth of harmful microorganisms. Some of these microbes, when overgrow, may become pathogenic, though.

Harmful or Pathogenic Microorganisms

Pathogenic means capable of causing disease. An actual harmful effect of a microbe to the body depends on:

microbial virulence - a relative ability of a microbe to cause a disease; for example, a certain, higly virulent subtype of influenza virus may cause a bird flu, which is deadly in a high percent, while "usual" influenza virus is not.

invasion through the body's barriers; staph bacteria might not cause any harm to a person with an intact skin, but can cause a severe infection of a skin wound.

amount of microbes; eating few bites of food contaminated with staph bacteria may go unnoticed, while eating the whole portion of the same food may cause a severe food poisoning.

body's defense (immune) system; patients with a weak immune system, like those receiving corticosteroids, often get oral thrush (candida infection of the mouth), while otherwise healthy people do not.

Related Articles:

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Microorganisms - Types, Harmful Effects on Human Body, Pictures

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Microorganisms (Latin micro = small) are living beings so small (< 40 µm or 0.04 mm) that they are not visible by the naked eye. Microorganisms related to human health include certain bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Synonyms: microbes, germs, bugs.

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Whether you have questions about the universe or a molecule compound or what biome you live in, Sciencing.com is your go-to source for all things science.

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Your health is governed by your Environment | Prof. BM Hegde | TEDxIITHyderabad

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What Makes Us Healthy? Understanding the Social Determinants of Health

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What Does Sugar Do To Your Body? 10 Proven Negative Effects of Sugar

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How Your Smartphone Affects Your Brain And Body

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NOS 8: Students will be able to research media-based arguments on the affects of technology or certain substances such as sugar on the affect of human health. Students will look at the source of the research and will have to argue whether there may be bias and why.

NOS 10: Students will be able to research on how certain scientists have contributed to human health and how it has affected our society. Students will be tasked with presented this information to the class.

NOS 7: This will very much so link in with NOS 8, students will look at how research relevant to a scientific issue may show bias, students may be able to look at issues such as sugar, CO2 levels, smoking and look at who may benefit from sharing specific information on each issue.

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Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. Since these energy sources were formed over millions of years from the decomposition of carbon-based life forms such as ourselves, these resources are completely non-renewable over the course of reasonable time frames. Furthermore, the extraction and burning of them for energy pollutes air, water, and soil alike, negatively affecting the natural world, flora, fauna, and humanity included. This effect can mean extinction for certain animals and plants, as well as diseases, birth defects, and death for humans. Every living thing deserves the right to a clean living environment. This statement means a clean place to live, clean air to breathe, clean water, and a clean place to reproduce. With widespread fossil fuel use, these basic rights have been diminished for living things, especially in the countries where the dependence on fossil fuel for energy is virtually absolute. Over the course of time, countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have become essentially 100% reliant on the non-renewable fossil fuel resources harming our planet.

The Worst Offenders

At least 29 countries source more than 90% of their energy from fossil fuels, including coal, oil, gasoline, and natural gas. The consumption rate seems to be rising most sharply in developing economies with or near rich oil reserves, such as India and Singapore, over the last ten years. There is good news, though, as global dependence on fossil fuels has dropped relative to total energy use since 1971, and the trend is likely to continue as nations convert to greater utilization of renewable resources for energy.

The dire need for such changes is evident daily in countries where the air is so thick with airborne pollution that residents often walk outside with face masks on and sometimes receive warnings to stay indoors for their respiratory safety. Because of the airborne pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels, people who live and work in such areas frequently have respiratory illnesses that often result in death. India is one nation dealing with such problems.

India's dependence on the consumption of fossil fuel has risen to levels almost three times those seen in 1990. This is a big problem, since global warming is a direct result of humans increasing greenhouse gases through things such as burning fossil fuel for energy. With a billion-strong population it could be worse, however, if India had a dependency on fossil fuel use for energy akin to those most enslaved to petroleum and natural.

Complete Dependency on Nonrenewable Energy

Currently, there are at least five countries that depend on fossil fuel for virtually 100% of their respective energy needs. Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Brunei Darussalam are all currently completely dependent on fossil fuels for energy. In these places, there is a pressing need for far-reaching reform policies to educate their populations about the effects that fossil fuel consumption has on the rest of the world, and how long these effects last, and, most importantly, a diversification of energy sources to include more renewable means.

Change is Possible

There have been changes observed in the consumption of fossil fuels that point to better prospects for the future of energy infrastructures and environmental health alike. For example, Egypt and Bosnia and Herzegovina have both significantly decreased their fossil fuel dependence over the last ten years, which points to the possibility of more fossil fuel dependent countries learning about and using renewable resources to help meet their energy needs.

Renewable energy sources are an option for those countries that are completely dependent on fossil fuels. These can include hydroelectricity in areas that have rivers, wind-powered turbine generators in areas with expansive land that is unusable for crops or wildlife, and solar panels that can cover large areas of desert land or even be fixed atop structures. Renewable energy is a way to wean fossil fuel-dependent countries off of non-renewable resources, hedge energy infrastructures for a future sans petrochemical availability, and teach them how to help save the planet from further global destruction.

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Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. Since these energy sources were formed over millions of years from the decomposition of carbon-based life forms such as ourselves, these resources are completely non-renewable over the course of reasonable time frames.

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Where will all the electricity for our electric cars come from?

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Whether you want to start breathing easier, feel the energy boost or even have a little more money to spend, there has never been a better time to stop smoking. Remember, it's never too late to join the thousands of people quitting smoking this October.

Check out our tips and tools.

You've got what it takes to quit this Stoptober!

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Whether you want to start breathing easier, feel the energy boost or even have a little more money to spend, there has never been a better time to stop smoking. Remember, it's never too late to join the thousands of people quitting smoking this October. Check out our tips and tools.

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Within this unit of learning most of the key skills were being targeted to improve on, but four in particular were focused on with more emphasis.
Working with others: within this unit, students will have to not only work with each other but explain and teach the ideas that they have portrayed on the poster. Also students will have to work together to design the poster, this allows students to develop their skills in dealing with conflict and develop their ability to respect differences within the classroom.
Managing information and thinking: Students will have to look at articles online and begin to look at this information critically, questioning whether or not it is primary or secondary data and whether or not the publisher is gaining from the information that is being given. When researching an athlete students will be tasked with trying to justify why different athletes may have different diets and the benefits from these diets.
Staying well: This is one of the key skills that should be most improved through covering this learning outcome. Students should have a deeper understanding of the benefits of being healthy and physically active. This again can be developed through students research of different athletes, and not alone their diets but their daily routines.
Managing myself: The improvement of this key skill will vary considerably between each student as their understanding of human health and their own health will be varied considerably in the classroom. Students who have a strong interest in sports or physically activities may have learned a lot of this content themselves from personal research. Students who do not share this same interest may be interested in the medical aspect which comes from areas such as inherited disorders in human health. Students with different interests can really benefit from each other through the different research and group work activities that they will be tasked without throughout the unit of learning.