Physical Activity Epidemiology, Second Edition , provides a comprehensive discussion of current population-level studies showing the influence of physical activity on disease. Updated with extensive new research collected in the eight years since the previous edition, the second edition adds the expertise of respected epidemiologist I-Min Lee. To assist readers in understanding the public health significance of physical activity, Dishman, Heath, and Lee present a detailed review of research findings and what those findings suggest regarding the relationship between physical activity and a variety of health risks. The second edition of this groundbreaking text has been exhaustively updated to reflect the wealth of new research published in this fast-moving field of study. With more than 100 pages of additional content, the text also offers more detailed coverage of all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality, expanded coverage of pathophysiology and biological plausibility, new information on physical activity among various racial–ethnic populations, and the effects of physical activity on cognitive function, dementia, and HIV/AIDS. More than 250 tables and figures, twice the number found in the previous edition, highlight the latest epidemiological information in an easy-to-understand visual format. Physical Activity Epidemiology, Second Edition , assists readers in understanding how leisure-time physical activity can enhance people’s quantity and quality of life by summarizing the available knowledge, detailing the methods used to obtain it, considering its implications for public health, and outlining the important questions that remain. Readers will find comprehensive discussion of these topics: • Evidence that physical activity protects against the development of coronary heart disease and stroke and premature death from all causes • Population-based studies and clinical experiments providing evidence that physical activity and exercise play a role in the primary and secondary prevention of mild hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity • Contemporary epidemiologic evidence that physical activity reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis and protects against the development of breast and colon cancers, some inflammatory diseases, depression, and anxiety disorders • Considerations in the promotion of a safe, physically active lifestyle among all segments of the population Physical Activity Epidemiology, Second Edition , will engage and challenge students by examining the state of current research in all of its variation and even ambiguity. The text details the methodology and findings of classic and contemporary studies and then helps students begin to analyze the results. Special Strength of the Evidence sections found at the end of most chapters summarize the findings to determine the extent to which correlation and causation can be proven. Chapter objectives, chapter summaries, and sidebars in each chapter assist students in focusing on the key points of study, and an extensive glossary with detailed definitions provides a handy reference for review. Instructors will find a new image bank in this edition to enhance their class lecture materials. Physical Activity Epidemiology, Second Edition , offers students, sport and exercise scientists, health and fitness professionals, andd public health administrators a comprehensive presentation of significant studies, how these studies contribute to understanding the relationship between activity and disease prevention, and how this information can be used in leading individuals, communities, and global society toward increased health and longevity. Rod K. Dishman, PhD , is a professor of exercise science, adjunct professor of psychology, and the director of the Exercise Psychology Laboratory at the University of Georgia at Athens. He is also adjunct professor in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. Dr. Dishman is a reviewer for more than 50 journals, including Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and American Journal of Public Health . He has served on editorial boards of numerous journals in preventive medicine and public health, such as Exercise and Sport Science Reviews, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, and Health Psychology and as an exercise consultant to public health agencies in the United States, Canada, and Europe. He has published approximately 150 peer-reviewed articles and written or edited several books related to physical activity and health. Dr. Dishman is an American College of Sports Medicine fellow, where he has served as a member of the Research Advisory Committee and the Board of Trustees. He was a member of the jury for selection of the Olympic Prize in Sport Sciences awarded by the International Olympic Committee's Medical Commission and served on the scientific advisory committee for the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans