An Explanation of the Definition of Health
Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is “the state of full physical, mental and emotional well-being and not just the absence of illness and infirmity”. A wide variety of definitions has been used over the years for various purposes. Today, the word health is often used to describe a condition or disorder that affects an individual’s quality of life. It is associated with prevention, treatment and cure.
One definition of health is that it is the quality of life that is attained after an individual has attained his or her minimum healthy conditions. This minimum has been called the ideal health system or the definition of adequate health. A different definition is that which makes every person fit and in good health for him/herself and for other people. This minimum is called the criterion of healthy weight. The definition of health care is a state in which all the health systems are working efficiently to promote the health of the residents of a community.
This definition of health care may include a focus on prevention through public education, promotion of healthy behaviors and practices, and providing support services for those who need them. These measures have been shown to reduce the burden of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, and osteoarthritis. By far, prevention is the most important component of this definition of health care. This concept of managing disease can be accomplished through promoting healthy nutrition and keeping the environment safe.
Community-wide efforts aiming at achieving healthy weights are part of the definition of good health. Community-wide strategies are made up of policies and programs that aim at making a community as healthy as possible. Healthy behaviors are taught to all residents of the community through education, mass media promotion and by example. Programs are implemented that offer weight loss and maintenance of healthy weights. Prevention is a major component of this definition of good health.
This definition of health focuses on the reduction of public health problems related with common diseases. Common diseases include obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, cancer, and chronic conditions such as asthma, COPD, and other lung diseases. These problems are typically associated with the lack of physical exercise, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy food choices, smoking, and poor nutrition.
There are many ways to measure the well-being of a person, including his or her ability to participate in society, his or her level of personal and family communication, and his or her ability to manage stress. Health education, family structure and income level, to name a few, are some of the factors that are included in the measurement of a person’s well-being. This definition of health is actually a way of understanding the concepts of disease prevention as well as the concepts of good nutrition and active participation in community health activities.