Determinants of Health and Well-Being

Health is a condition of mental, physical and social well being where infirmity and illness are absent. It also entails aspects such as the proper diet, maintenance of personal hygiene, regulation of body temperature, and appropriate behavior in regard to stress and safety measures. People strive hard for their health because it affects their way of life and the way they perceive themselves. In fact, healthy people are happier and healthier than those who are unhealthy. Mental and physical health are interrelated because when one suffers from an illness or disease, the other is affected as well.

A well balanced diet that consists of all the essential food groups can provide the necessary nutrition to maintain health. However, it is impossible to obtain this from our modern day diet so it is important to incorporate the nutritional content that we need from the different determinants of health status. One of the most significant determinants of health status is lifestyle choices.

There are four factors that have been proven to affect the well-being and mental health of a person. These factors include: physical size, gender, social context, and genetics. When one falls in the small category, they feel self-conscious about their size and appearance; they tend to have lower self esteem and engage in negative self-talk. This may result to depression and low self-confidence. A person with a large frame is generally perceived as an individual who takes well to his environment and is outgoing.

Health care is important to alleviate or stop the onset of diseases and chronic illnesses. There are a number of determinants of health status in the United States. These include: general health and height; the percentage of people who smoke; the percentage of overweight and obese people; the percentage of diabetic and hypertensive people; the physical activity level and the eating habits of an individual.

Being physically fit is important to maintain good health status. It promotes a healthy lifestyle and it also helps prevent a number of chronic diseases. A person who has a healthy lifestyle has fewer incidences of heart diseases, cancers, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases. It is also recommended to practice a healthy lifestyle by including the following recommended practices: regular exercise, balanced diet, smoking cessation and regular checkup.

There are several determinants of health status in the United States. These are influenced by the social environment, cultural background, occupation, genetics, physical appearance and age. The determinants of health and well-being may be affected by a number of environmental factors. These include: stress, sunlight, air pollution, physical environments, social environment and lifestyle. The four factors that are influenced by human behavior are: the self-esteem, the attitude and behavior of the individual, and the determinants of health and well-being.