Health and Wellness Chapter 1 Sport Books Publisher

Definitions and Dimensions of Health Sport Books Publisher

Definitions of Health Health is the “capacity to lead a satisfying life, fulfill ambitions, and accommodate to change” (Ottawa Charter, World Health Organization, 1986). Health is: Specific to person’s life -- it is personal Dynamic, ever-changing process Holistic, not simply the absence of disease Related to quality of someone’s life Multidimensional Related to person’s ability to cope with the challenge of change Sport Books Publisher

Dimensions of Health Health is multidimensional. The following are the dimensions of health: Physical Social Mental Environmental Spiritual Emotional Sport Books Publisher

Dimensions of Health These dimensions are interdependent i.e., they interact and overlap with each other to produce health HEALTH Sport Books Publisher

Dimensions of Health As these dimensions interact they produce a unique health and wellness profile for each individual. Environmental Social Spiritual Emotional Mental Physical Sport Books Publisher

Health and Wellness in Adolescence Health and wellness is related to person’s ability to cope with the many interactions and transitions that are occurring in his/her life. Transitions specific to adolescence include: Increase in autonomy and individuality Increase in responsibilities Increase industry Intensification of relationships Changes in body structure Sport Books Publisher

Health and Wellness in Adolescence Dimensions of health that focus on transition might fall under three headings: Being, e.g. Who am I? Who am I becoming as a person? Belonging, e.g. To what groups do I connect with in a sense of belonging? Becoming, e.g. What accomplishments am I striving for? Sport Books Publisher

Health and Wellness: A Personal Journey Sport Books Publisher

Achievement of Health and Wellness Not a single event, it is an ongoing process Making healthy choices (e.g., good nutrition) are important guidelines to consider vs. Sport Books Publisher

Achievement of Health and Wellness Ultimately, it is up to each individual to choose what combination of healthy choices create a healthy balance for them Remember, do things in moderation. Too much or too little of anything is a potential problem E.g. Too little exercise=poor cardiovascular health Too much exercise=weakened immune system Sport Books Publisher

Approaches to Health and Wellness Reactive or curative approach Worrying about your health only when sick. Not asserting control over your health in the absence of disease. Chris’ approach: “If your sick, take a few pills; otherwise, have fun and enjoy yourself! I’ll quit smoking later.” p. 6 Example: Sport Books Publisher

Approaches to Health and Wellness Proactive approach Adopting lifestyle habits that, in the long run, will enable you to lead a more healthy life. Erin’s approach: “I am building for the future. What I do for my body today lays the foundation for a lifetime of involvement in healthy activities.” Example: Sport Books Publisher

Wellness: Your Personal Responsibility Sport Books Publisher

Wellness: Your Personal Responsibility Wellness is: Reflected in a way a person chooses to live his or her life Making informed choices and taking responsibilities for the way we live our lives. Sense of wellness is influenced by the following factors: Family Culture Peers Media Sport Books Publisher

Family Influences on Health and Wellness Sport Books Publisher

Positive Family Influences Family positively influences your health, well-being, and a general sense of satisfaction through: Education The advice your parents give you to stay healthy E.g. “Wear a coat outside or you’ll catch a cold” Values Family values can influence lifestyle choices E.g. Families that value physical activity introduce their children to sports at early age. Support E.g. Emotional support during stressful life events E.g. Financial and mental support to pursue sports that will enable optimal development Picture: parent hugging kid or exercising with a kid Parent giving healthy food to a kid Sport Books Publisher

Negative Family Influences Alternatively, family can have negative influences on one’s health E.g. Families that push their children to compete for rewards outside of the physical, mental, social, and spiritual benefits of activity, can cause their children to withdraw prematurely from participating in physical activity Example: Parent Sideline Rage Yelling parent in sporting environment Aggressive parents are poor role models for their children Sport Books Publisher

Media Influences on Health and Wellness Sport Books Publisher

Positive Media Messages Media messages can be highly motivational: E.g. Sports coverage in the media has created role models that can motivate children to pursue physical activity Picture of a star with children (disabled and mixed) Sport Books Publisher

Negative Media Messages Unfortunately, media also has to power to encourage unhealthy choices: E.g. Commercialization of the body image has distorted interpretation of healthy body See notes for pictures Sport Books Publisher

Ideal Female Body Image Sport Books Publisher

The Reality Behind the Image Sport Books Publisher

Negative Media Messages Further, media has distorted interpretation of what it means to be an accomplished performer. Media coverage has some believe that the pinnacle of achievement comes from beating the competition, being the toughest, and gaining multi-million contracts. However, wellness is about the journey towards personal improvement and aspiring to achieve your individual potential. See notes for pictures Sport Books Publisher

It’s Up To You! In conclusion, images of the sporting life can be motivational or cause unhealthy distortions. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to judge these images in relation to his or her personal goals and values. Sport Books Publisher

Social/Peer Influences on Health and Wellness Sport Books Publisher

Social/Peer Influences Participation in sport comes with social benefits incurred in meeting new people As we have seen in Chris’ example peer influences can be of negative nature. Therefore, it is important to: Choose friends wisely Resist negative peer pressure Sport Books Publisher

Cultural Influences on Health and Wellness Sport Books Publisher

Health in North America Views about health are understood differently across cultures. North Americans tend to think about disease from a scientific point of view. Western medicine deals largely with treatment of organs and systems, in isolation from the person’s mind and environment. Increasingly, a more holistic approach is emerging. E.g. Recognition of the influence of personality on cardiovascular health E.g. Recognition of the influence of environment on obesity Sport Books Publisher

Health In Eastern and Aboriginal Cultures In many non-western cultures, health has a strong spiritual quality. e.g., Oriental culture and chi e.g., Aboriginal culture and sweat lodge Therefore, disease is understood in terms of individual’s spiritual harmony with oneself and/or his or her environment. Sport Books Publisher

Putting It All Together Health is multidimensional One must make informed decision that relate to all the various dimensions of health Perspectives and decisions about health are influenced by family, peers, media, and the culture The journey towards health is lifelong Sport Books Publisher

? Discussion Questions ? 1. What health problems do you predict Chris will face in the future? 2. What has guided Erin’s decisions to be smoke free, eat well etc.? 2. What kinds of supports from family, friends, and the community are needed to adopt a healthy lifestyle? 3. How does culture influence views on what it means to be healthy and to take care of your health? 4. What do you do if your friends have poor health habits? 5. Many people think healthy living means giving up a lot of things (giving up high calorie foods, giving up spare time for workouts, giving up smoking and drugs). What does living a healthy lifestyle enable you to do? Sport Books Publisher