Glossary of Terms
Activation Wizard
The Activation wizard is a small piece of software that sits on your PC or Mac and activates your Activity Monitor and Smart Scales when you first get started. Your Activity Monitor will then become personalised to you and your Smart scales will become linked to your Activity Monitor.
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Activity Constraints
Limits on duration, when to exercise and intensity e.g. MET levels (see definition METs).
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Activity Monitor
The activity monitor records your weight from your scales and tracks your movement as you wear it through the day (and night) to record the duration and intensity of all activity you do. It transmits this data to Imperative so that Imperative can coach you. Physical activity is proven to be a major factor in helping improve health, reduce blood pressure and slow the development/progression of diabetes.
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Ankle / Arm Band
If you like cycling outdoors or in or do other activities where you arms remain static, then Imperative supply a band that allows you to put the Activity Monitor on your ankle. Also not everyone likes to have an Activity Monitor on their wrist. This band allows you to wear it on the upper arm or ankle permanently.
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Blood Pressure
Pressure exerted by blood on the walls of blood vessels with a maximum (systolic) and minimum (diastolic) pressure during a heartbeat. High blood pressure (Hypertension) is caused when either the systolic or diastolic is increased. The ranges for blood pressure are:
| Hypotension (low BP): |
[0-90)/[0-60) |
| Normal: |
[90-120)/[60-80) |
| Prehypertension (at risk of high BP): |
[120-140)/[80-90) |
| Hypertension Stage 1: |
[140-160)/[90-100) |
| Hypertension Stage 2: |
[160+)/[100+) |
Both Hypertension and Prehypertension increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. Generally it results from poor lifestyle, although genetics can also be a cause. Age does affect blood pressure; however is often misrepresented as the driving factor when lifestyle itself can be improved. Healthier eating, physical activity and weight loss can all help reduce blood pressure.
Those with diabetes or high cholesterol have an elevated risk of high blood pressure.
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Bluetooth receiver
The activity monitor “talks” to your computer and sends data via a secure Bluetooth connection. If your computer does not have Bluetooth, don’t worry! Imperative supply you with a Bluetooth receiver. Not all computers will need this, and if you are unsure, the Activation Wizard will tell you if your computer already has Bluetooth or not.
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Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that’s found naturally in the body and is key to keeping every cell running smoothly. Cholesterol also produces vital chemicals such as vitamin D and some hormones. Most cholesterol is made in the liver and some comes from your diet. Too much saturated fat in the diet can increase blood cholesterol. If you have more cholesterol than your body needs it can cause the build up of fatty deposits in your arteries and lead to heart disease, stroke and problems when arteries get blocked in the arms and legs.
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Diabetes
There are two types of Diabetes, commonly called Type 1 or IDDM (Insulin-dependent) and Type 2 or NIDDM (Non-insulin dependent). 85% of people with Diabetes have Type 2. Diabetes occurs when the body can no longer control the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. This is because the body either does not produce enough, or does not properly respond to the hormones (including insulin) that regulate blood glucose. Blood glucose comes from carbohydrates eaten in the diet and is also made by the liver. The failure to control blood glucose can result in damage to the circulatory system, resulting in a variety of complications.
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Discretionary Calories
Difference between total energy requirements and the energy consumed to meet recommended nutrient intakes. Many people have used up discretionary calories even before meeting recommendations for nutrient intakes.
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Food Diary
Online Tool and physical diary to record the food you have eaten.
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Glycemic Index
GI; a measure of the effect that a food containing carbohydrates would potentially have on your blood glucose levels. The GI of a food is a reflection of both the amount of carbohydrate in the food and also the speed at which that carbohydrate is digested as a result of the type of carbohydrate and the other components in the food. For example, the sugar in fruit juice is absorbed much more quickly than the sugars in a baked potato.
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Glycemic Load
GL; This is the total effect of the food consumed on blood glucose levels and is based on the concept that a small portion of high GI food would raise blood glucose in a similar way to a larger portion of lower GI foods. GL is calculated by; the Glycemic Index multiplied by the carbohydrate content of food (in g) divided by 100.
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Imperative Servicelink
The Servicelink software is a very small program that sits on your computer and connects it to the Imperative service. It securely encrypts the data from your activity monitor and sends it to the Imperative servers for analysis.
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METs
METs or metabolic equivalents are used to determine the intensity of the activity that an individual is undertaking. 1MET is the metabolic rate (or in simple terms the energy needs) of the individual at rest. 2METs is undertaking an activity that doubles this and so on. Sleeping is 0.9 METs and the highest value of 18METs is sprinting at world class speed. Most moderate activities fall within the 3-6MET range.
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Meal Planner
Tool to generate a personalised weekly meal plan.
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Nutri-Target & Nutrition Coach
Identifies specific nutrients that are key to you in order to achieve your goals and helps you to get these within the target range e.g. salt, sugar, saturated fat.
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Obese
Defined here as BMI≥30 and waist circumference ≥ (Male:100cm, Female:90cm)
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Physiologist
Our Physiologists are experts who are educated to at least degree level in the way the human body works and responds to different behaviours and circumstances e.g. eating and exercise. They are trained and experienced in helping others to achieve their goals in the context of conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
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Service Pack
The Imperative Service Pack containing your activity monitor and smart weighing scales. This is required to use the Imperative service because the data from these devices provides Imperative with important information about your progress so that Imperative can best coach you through the lifestyle change process to support an improvement to your health.
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Smart Scales
The Imperative smart weighing scales take your weight and send it to your activity monitor using wireless technology. Reducing bodyweight by just 5-7% is proven to improve health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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