Health Promotion is the art and science of helping people discover the synergies between their core passions and optimal health, enhancing their motivation to strive for optimal health, and supporting them in changing their lifestyle to move toward a state of optimal health. Optimal health is a dynamic balance of physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual health. Lifestyle change can be facilitated through a combination of learning experiences that enhance awareness, increase motivation, and build skills and, most important, through the creation of opportunities that open access to environments that make positive health practices the easiest choice.
- Emotional : Care for emotional crisis. Stress Management
- Intellectual : Educational. Achievement. Career development
- Physical : Fitness. Nutrition. Medical self-care. Control of substance abuse.
- Social : Communities. Families. Friends
- Spiritual : Love. Hope. Charity.
Milestones in health promotion: Statements from global conferences
This compilation of consensus documents brings together Charters, Declarations, Statements and Recommendations from past Health Promotion conferences. With the statements from Ottawa in 1986 to Bangkok in 2005 under one cover, this publication is a ready and authoritative reference. It includes the Discussion Document on the Concept and Principles of Health Promotion, Copenhagen, 9-13 July 1984.
Promoting health
Health promotion strategies are not limited to a specific health problem, nor to a specific set of behaviours. Health Tips for Today - Health Promotion Definition. WHO as a whole applies the principles of, and strategies for, health promotion to a variety of population groups, risk factors, diseases, and in various settings. Health promotion, and the associated efforts put into education, community development, policy, legislation and regulation, are equally valid for prevention of communicable diseases, injury and violence, and mental problems, as they are for prevention of noncommunicable diseases.
School health and youth health promotion
Effective school health programmes
An effective school health programme can be one of the most cost effective investments a nation can make to simultaneously improve education and health. WHO promotes school health programmes as a strategic means to prevent important health risks among youth and to engage the education sector in efforts to change the educational, social, economic and political conditions that affect risk.
Preventing leading causes of premature death, disease and disability
Many of today's and tomorrow's leading causes of death, disease and disability (cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung diseases, depression, violence, substance abuse, injuries, nutritional deficiencies, HIV/AIDS/STI and helminth infections) can be significantly reduced by preventing six interrelated categories of behaviour, that are initiated during youth and fostered by social and political policies and conditions:
- alcohol and substance use
- behaviour that results in injury and violence
- dietary and hygienic practices that cause disease
- sedentary lifestyle
- sexual behaviour that causes unintended pregnancy and disease
- tobacco use
- In some countries, up to 60% of all new HIV infections occur among 15-24 year olds.
- Injury is the leading cause of death and disability among school-age youth.
- Iodine deficiency is the single most common preventable cause of mental retardation and brain damage in children.
- One out of two young people who start and continue to smoke will be killed by tobacco-related illness.
- Vitamin A deficiency is the single greatest cause of preventable childhood blindness.
- Worldwide, 5% of all deaths of young people between the ages of 15 and 29 are attributable to alcohol use.
- Worm infections are the greatest cause of disease among 5-14 year old children.
- All of the above health problems can be prevented or significantly reduced through effective school health and youth health programmes.
Chronic diseases and health promotion
Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, are by far the leading cause of mortality in the world, representing 60% of all deaths. Out of the 35 million people who died from chronic disease in 2005, half were under 70 and half were women.
This invisible epidemic is an under-appreciated cause of poverty and hinders the economic development of many countries. Contrary to common perception, 80% of chronic disease deaths occur in low and middle income countries. Health Tips for Today - Health Promotion Definition.
FACTS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Increasing levels of physical inactivity are seen worldwide. Globally, 1 in 3 adults is not active enough.
However, given a supportive environment, increasing levels of physical activity bring health benefits across age groups. WHO provides recommendations for the optimal amounts of activity, but doing some physical activity is better than doing none. Inactive people should start with small amounts of physical activity and gradually increase duration, frequency and intensity over time.
Both, society in general and individuals can take action to increase physical activity. In 2013, WHO Member States agreed to reduce physical inactivity by 10% by 2025 in the framework of the "Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013-2020".
5-17 years old
People aged 5–17 should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. Amounts of physical activity greater than 60 minutes provide additional health benefits.
18-64 years old
Adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity throughout the week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activity. In order to be beneficial for cardio-respiratory health, all activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration.
Adults aged 65 and above
The main recommendations for adults and older adults are the same. In addition, older adults with poor mobility should do physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls 3 or more days per week. When older adults cannot do the recommended amount of physical activity due to health conditions, they should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow.
Both moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity bring health benefits
Intensity refers to the rate at which the activity is being performed. It can be thought of as "how hard a person works to do the activity". Health Tips for Today - Health Promotion Definition.
The intensity of different forms of physical activity varies between people. Depending on an individual's relative level of fitness, examples of moderate physical activity could include: brisk walking, dancing or household chores. Examples of vigorous physical activity could be: running, fast cycling, fast swimming or moving heavy loads.
Doing some physical activity is better than doing none
Inactive people should start with small amounts of physical activity and gradually increase duration, frequency and intensity over time. Inactive adults, older adults and those with disease limitations will have added health benefits when they become more active.
Pregnant, postpartum women and persons with cardiac events may need to take extra precautions and seek medical advice before striving to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity.
Physical activity should not be mistaken for sport
Physical activity is any bodily movement produced by the skeletal muscles that uses energy. This includes sports, exercise and other activities such as playing, walking, doing household chores, gardening, and dancing.
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality
Globally, 6% of deaths are attributed to physical inactivity. This follows high blood pressure (13%), tobacco use (9%) and is equal to high blood glucose (6%).
Moreover, physical inactivity is the main cause for approximately 21–25% of breast and colon cancers, 27% of diabetes and 30% of ischaemic heart disease burden.
Regular physical activity helps to maintain a healthy body
Physically active persons:
- have a lower risk of falling and of hip or vertebral fractures;
- have lower rates of: coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression;
- improve their bone and functional health;
- improve their muscular and cardio-respiratory fitness;
- are more likely to maintain their weight.
Supportive environments and communities may help people to be more physically active
Urban and environmental policies can have huge potential to increase the physical activity levels in the population. Examples of these policies include ensuring that:
- labour and workplace policies encourage physical activity;
- schools have safe spaces and facilities for students to spend their free time actively;
- sports and recreation facilities provide opportunities for everyone to be physically active.
- walking, cycling and other forms of active transportation are accessible and safe for all;
Unless specific medical conditions indicate the contrary, these recommendations apply to all people, irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity or income level. They also apply to individuals with chronic noncommunicable conditions, not related to mobility, such as hypertension or diabetes. These recommendations can be valid for adults with disabilities as well. Health Tips for Today - Health Promotion Definition.
What we do
Care
Help provide appropriate care by facilitating equitable and good quality health care for major chronic diseases.
Prevent
Prevent premature deaths and avoid unnecessary disability due to chronic diseases. The solutions exist now, and many are simple, cheap and cost effective.
Promote
Promote healthy living (better diet, more physical activity and tobacco cessation) and healthy societies, especially for the poor and those living in disadvantaged populations.
Treat
Treat chronic diseases effectively, using latest available knowledge. Make treatment available to all, especially those in the poorest settings.
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