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In 1948, the World Health Organisation(WHO) defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” ^[1]^[2] In 1986 the World Health Organization in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion said health is “a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities.” Classification systems such as the WHO Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC) (composed of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)) also define health.

Aspects of health

Physical health

Physical fitness is good body health, and is the result of regular exercise, proper diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery.

A strong indicator of the health of localized population is their height|weight, which generally increases with improved nutrition and health care. This is also influenced by the standard of living and quality of life. Genetics also plays a major role in people's height. The study of human growth, its regulators, and implications is known as Auxology.

Mental health

Mental health refers to an individual's emotional and psychological well-being. "A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life."

One way to think about mental health is by looking at how effectively and successfully a person functions. Feeling capable and competent; being able to handle normal levels of stress, maintain satisfying relationships, and lead an independent life; and being able to "bounce back," or recover from difficult situations, are all signs of mental health.

A combination of physical, emotional, social and most importantly mental well-being is necessary to achieve overall health.

Determinants of health

The LaLonde report suggested that there are four general determinants of health including human biology, environment, lifestyle, and healthcare services.^[3] Thus, health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society.

A major environmental factor is water quality, especially for the health of infants and children in developing countries.^[4]

Studies show that in developed countries, the lack of neighborhood recreational space that includes the natural environment leads to lower levels of neighborhood satisfaction and higher levels of obesity; therefore, lower overall well being.^[5] Therefore, the positive psychological benefits of natural space in urban neighborhoods should be taken into account in public policy and land use.

Health maintenance

Achieving health and remaining healthy is an active process. Effective strategies for staying healthy and improving one's health include the following elements:

Nutrition

Personal health depends partially on the social structure of one’s life. The maintenance of strong social relationships is linked to good health conditions, longevity, productivity, and a positive attitude. This is due to the fact that positive social interaction as viewed by the participant increases many chemical levels in the brain which are linked to personality and intelligence traits.

Sports nutrition

Sports nutrition focuses the link between dietary supplements and athletic performance. One goal of sports nutrition is to maintain glycogen levels and prevent glycogen depletion. Another is to optimize energy levels and muscle tone. An athlete's strategy for winning an event may include a schedule for the entire season of what to eat, when to eat it, and in what precise quantities (before, during, after, and between workouts and events).

Exercise

Exercise is the performance of movements in order to develop or maintain physical fitness and overall health. It is often directed toward also honing athletic ability or skill. Frequent and regular physical exercise is an important component to prevention of some of the diseases of affluence such as cancer, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and back pain.

Exercises are generally grouped into three types depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:

Flexibility exercises such as stretching improve the range of motion of muscles and joints.
Aerobic exercises such as walking and running focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance and muscle density.
Anaerobic exercises such as weight training or sprinting increase muscle mass and strength.

Physical exercise is considered important for maintaining physical fitness including healthy weight; building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints; promoting physiological well-being; reducing surgical risks; and strengthening the immune system.

Proper nutrition is just as, if not more, important to health as exercise. When exercising it becomes even more important to have good diet to ensure the body has the correct ratio of macronutrients whilst providing ample micronutrients; this is to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise. When the body falls short of proper nutrition, it gets into starvation mode developed through evolution and depends onto fat content for survival.

Hygiene

Hygiene is the practice of keeping the body clean to prevent infection and illness, and the avoidance of contact with infectious agents. Hygiene practices include bathing, brushing and flossing teeth, washing hands especially before eating, washing food before it is eaten, cleaning food preparation utensils and surfaces before and after preparing meals, and many others. This may help prevent infection and illness. By cleaning the body, dead skin cells are washed away with the germs, reducing their chance of entering the body.

Stress management

Prolonged psychological stress may negatively impact health, such as by weakening the immune system. Stress management is the application of methods to either reduce stress or increase tolerance to stress. Relaxation techniques are physical methods used to relieve stress. Psychological methods include cognitive therapy, meditation, and positive thinking which work by reducing response to stress. Improving relevant skills and abilities builds confidence, which also reduces the stress reaction to situations where those skills are applicable. Reducing uncertainty, by increasing knowledge and experience related to stress-causing situations, has the same effect. Learning to cope with problems better, such as improving problem solving and time management skills, may also reduce stressful reaction to problems. Repeatedly facing an object of one's fears may also desensitize the fight-or-flight response with respect to that stimulus -- e.g., facing bullies may reduce fear of bullies.

Health care

Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions.

Workplace wellness programs

Workplace wellness programs are recognized by an increasingly large number of companies for their value in improving the health and well-being of their employees, and for increasing morale, loyalty, and productivity. Workplace wellness programs can include things like onsite fitness centers, health presentations, wellness newsletters, access to health coaching, tobacco cessation programs and training related to nutrition, weight and stress management. Other programs may include health risk assessments, health screenings and body mass index monitoring.

Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. The population in question can be as small as a handful of people or as large as all the inhabitants of several continents (for instance, in the case of a pandemic). Public health has many sub-fields, but is typically divided into the categories of epidemiology, biostatistics and health services. Environmental, social and behavioral health, and occupational health, are also important fields in public health.

The focus of public health intervention is to prevent rather than treat a disease through surveillance of cases and the promotion of healthy behaviors. In addition to these activities, in many cases treating a disease can be vital to preventing it in others, such as during an outbreak of an infectious disease. Vaccination programs and distribution of condoms are examples of public health measures.

Role of science in health

Health science is the branch of science focused on health, and it includes many subdisciplines. There are two approaches to health science: the study and research of the human body and health-related issues to understand how humans (and animals) function, and the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and cure diseases.

Where health knowledge comes from

Health research builds primarily on the basic sciences of biology, chemistry, and physics as well as a variety of multidisciplinary fields (for example medical sociology). Some of the other primarily research-oriented fields that make exceptionally significant contributions to health science are biochemistry, epidemiology, and genetics.

Putting health knowledge to use

Applied health sciences also endeavor to better understand health, but in addition they try to directly improve it. Some of these are: biomedical engineering, biotechnology, nursing, nutrition, pharmacology, pharmacy, public health (see above), psychology, physical therapy, and medicine. The provision of services to maintain or improve people's health is referred to as health care (see above).

Notes

^ [1] Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1947 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100); and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
^ [2] Constitution of the World Health Organization- Basic Documents, Forty-fifth edition, Supplement, October 2006.
^ Lalonde, Marc. "A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians." Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services; 1974.
^ The UN World Water Development Report | Facts and Figures | Meeting basic needs
^ . "Recreational Values of the Natural Environment in Relation to Neighborhood Satisfaction, Physical Activity, Obesity and Wellbeing."

References

Jadad, AR and O'Grady L. How should health be defined? BMJ 2008; 337:a2900 [3]
WHO (1979) Health for all.
WHO (1980) WHO Chr., 34(2)80
WHO (1986) Concepts of Health Behavior Research, Reg. Health Paper No.13, SEARO, New Delhi
WHO (1978) Health for all.
UNDP, Human Development Report 1999, Oxford University Press
UNICEF (2001) State of world's children, 2001
WHO (1979) Health for all.
Evang, K. (1967); In health of mankind; Ciba foundation; 100th symposium, Churchill, London
Last, J.M (1983) A Dictionary of Epidemiology, Oxford University Press
Raska, K (1966), WHO Chr., 20, 315

External links

Template:Link FA

[WHO_definition-1] [1] Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1947 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100); and entered into force on 7 April 1948.

[WHO_constitution-2] [2] Constitution of the World Health Organization- Basic Documents, Forty-fifth edition, Supplement, October 2006.

[Lalonde-3] Lalonde, Marc. "A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians." Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services; 1974.

[4] The UN World Water Development Report | Facts and Figures | Meeting basic needs

[FannyPrice-5] . "Recreational Values of the Natural Environment in Relation to Neighborhood Satisfaction, Physical Activity, Obesity and Wellbeing."

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@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 {{main|Nutrition}}
-[[Image:MyPyramid1.png|right|thumb|270px|The updated [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [[MyPyramid|food pyramid]], published in 2005, is a general nutrition guide for recommended [[food]] consumption.]]
-Nutrition is the [[science]] that studies how [[diet (nutrition)|people eat]] affects their health and performance, such as foods or food components that cause diseases or deteriorate health (such as eating too many calories, which is a major contributing factor to [[obesity]], [[diabetes]], and [[atherosclerosis|heart disease]]).  The field of nutrition also studies foods and dietary supplements that improve performance, promote health, and cure or prevent disease, such as eating [[Dietary fiber|fibrous foods]] to reduce the risk of colon cancer, or supplementing with vitamin C to strengthen teeth and gums and to improve the immune system.
-Personal health depends partially on the social structure of one’s life. The maintenance of strong social relationships is linked to good health conditions, longevity, productivity, and a positive attitude. This is due to the fact that positive social interaction as viewed by the participant increases many chemical levels in the brain which are linked to personality and intelligence traits. Essentially this means that positive reinforcement from a third party make one more socially adept, in control, and relaxed physically and mentally, all of which are proven to affect the nervous system (UHF).
+Personal health depends partially on the social structure of one’s life. The maintenance of strong social relationships is linked to good health conditions, longevity, productivity, and a positive attitude. This is due to the fact that positive social interaction as viewed by the participant increases many chemical levels in the brain which are linked to personality and intelligence traits.
 ===== Sports nutrition =====
 {{main|Sports nutrition}}
-Sports nutrition focuses the link between dietary supplements and athletic performance.  One goal of sports nutrition is to maintain glycogen levels and prevent glycogen depletion. Another is to optimize energy levels and muscle tone.  An athlete's strategy for winning an event may include a schedule for the entire season of what to eat, when to eat it, and in what precise quantities (before, during, after, and between workouts and events). Participants in endurance sports such as the [[Ironman triathlon|full-distance triathlon]] actually eat ''during'' their races.  Sports nutrition works hand-in-hand with [[sports medicine]].
+Sports nutrition focuses the link between dietary supplements and athletic performance.  One goal of sports nutrition is to maintain glycogen levels and prevent glycogen depletion. Another is to optimize energy levels and muscle tone.  An athlete's strategy for winning an event may include a schedule for the entire season of what to eat, when to eat it, and in what precise quantities (before, during, after, and between workouts and events).
 === Exercise ===
 {{main|Physical exercise}}
-[[Image:Soldier running in water original.jpg|thumb|right|150px|A [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine]] emerges from the water upon completing the [[swimming]] leg of a [[triathlon]].]]
 Exercise is the performance of movements in order to develop or maintain [[physical fitness]] and overall health. It is often directed toward also honing athletic ability or skill. Frequent and regular physical exercise is an important component to prevention of some of the [[diseases of affluence]] such as [[cancer]], [[heart disease]], [[cardiovascular disease]], [[Type 2 diabetes]], [[obesity]] and [[back pain]].
@@ Line 67: / Line 61: @@
 Physical exercise is considered important for maintaining physical fitness including healthy weight; building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints; promoting physiological well-being; reducing surgical risks; and strengthening the immune system.
-Proper nutrition is just as, if not more, important to health as exercise. When exercising it becomes even more important to have good diet to ensure the body has the correct ratio of macronutrients whilst providing ample micronutrients; this is to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise. When the body falls short of proper nutrition, it gets into starvation mode developed through evolution and depends onto fat content for survival. Research suggest that the production of thyroid hormones can be negatively affected by repeated bouts of dieting and calorie restriction<ref>Common fitness mistakes people make [http://www.stayfitalways.com/fitnessmistakes.php Stay Fit] retrieved on 11-13-2006</ref>. Proper rest and recovery is also as important to health as exercise, otherwise the body exists in a permanently injured state and will not improve or adapt adequately to the exercise.
+Proper nutrition is just as, if not more, important to health as exercise. When exercising it becomes even more important to have good diet to ensure the body has the correct ratio of macronutrients whilst providing ample micronutrients; this is to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise. When the body falls short of proper nutrition, it gets into starvation mode developed through evolution and depends onto fat content for survival.
-The above two factors can be compromised by psychological compulsions ([[eating disorders]] such as [[exercise bulimia]], [[anorexia nervosa|anorexia]], and other [[bulimia]]s), misinformation, a lack of organization, or a lack of motivation. These all lead to a decreased state of health.
-[[Delayed onset muscle soreness|Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness]] can occur after any  exercise, particularly if the body is in an unconditioned state relative to that exercise and the exercise involves repetitive [[eccentric contraction]]s.
 === Hygiene ===
@@ Line 81: / Line 72: @@
 {{main|Stress management}}
-Prolonged psychological stress may negatively impact health, such as by weakening the immune system.  ''See [[Fight-or-flight response#Negative effects of the stress response in humans|negative effects of the fight-or-flight response]].''  Stress management is the application of methods to either reduce stress or increase tolerance to stress.  Certain [[nootropic]]s do both.   [[Physical exercise|Exercising]] to improve physical fitness, especially cardiovascular fitness, boosts the immune system and increases stress tolerance.  [[Relaxation technique]]s are physical methods used to relieve stress.  Examples include [[progressive relaxation]] and [[fractional relaxation]].  Psychological methods include [[cognitive therapy]], [[meditation]], and [[positive thinking]] which work by reducing response to stress.  Improving relevant skills and abilities builds confidence, which also reduces the stress reaction to situations where those skills are applicable.  Reducing uncertainty, by increasing knowledge and experience related to stress-causing situations, has the same effect.  Learning to cope with problems better, such as improving problem solving and time management skills, may also reduce stressful reaction to problems.  Repeatedly facing an object of one's fears may also desensitize the fight-or-flight response with respect to that stimulus -- e.g., facing bullies may reduce fear of bullies.
+Prolonged psychological stress may negatively impact health, such as by weakening the immune system.  Stress management is the application of methods to either reduce stress or increase tolerance to stress.    [[Relaxation technique]]s are physical methods used to relieve stress.  Psychological methods include [[cognitive therapy]], [[meditation]], and [[positive thinking]] which work by reducing response to stress.  Improving relevant skills and abilities builds confidence, which also reduces the stress reaction to situations where those skills are applicable.  Reducing uncertainty, by increasing knowledge and experience related to stress-causing situations, has the same effect.  Learning to cope with problems better, such as improving problem solving and time management skills, may also reduce stressful reaction to problems.  Repeatedly facing an object of one's fears may also desensitize the fight-or-flight response with respect to that stimulus -- e.g., facing bullies may reduce fear of bullies.
 === Health care ===
 {{main|Health care}}{{see also|#Public health}}
-Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the [[Medicine|medical]], [[nursing]], and [[allied health]] professions. According to the [[World Health Organization]], health care embraces all the goods and services designed to promote health, including “preventive, curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals or to populations”.<ref>{{cite book | author = World Heath Organization Report. | title= Chapter 1: Why do health systems matter? | publisher=WHO | url = http://www.who.int/whr/2000/en/ | year = 2000| accessdate = 2008-02-19}}</ref> The organized provision of such services may constitute a [[health care system]]. This can include a specific governmental organization such as the [[National Health Service]] in the UK, or a cooperation across the National Health Service and Social Services as in [[shared care]].
+Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the [[Medicine|medical]], [[nursing]], and [[allied health]] professions.
 ==== Workplace wellness programs ====
 {{main|Workplace wellness}}