sport books publisher1 health and wellness chapter 1

Sport Books Publisher 1

Health and Wellness

Chapter 1


Definitions and Dimensions of Health


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


Dimensions of Health Health is multidimensional. The following are

the dimensions of health:

Social

Environmental Spiritual Emotional

MentalPhysical


Dimensions of Health

These dimensions are interdependent i.e., they interact and overlap with each other to produce health

Physical

Social

Mental

Emotional

Spiritual

Environmental

HEALTH


As these dimensions interact they produce a unique health and wellness profile for each individual.

Dimensions of Health

Environmental Social

Spiritual

Emotional

Mental

Physical


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


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?


Health and Wellness: A Personal Journey


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.


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


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:


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:


Wellness: Your Personal Responsibility


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


Family Influences on Health and Wellness


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


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

• Aggressive parents are

poor role models for their

children


Media Influences on Health and Wellness


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


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


Ideal Female Body Image


The Reality Behind the Image


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.


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.


Social/Peer Influences on Health and Wellness


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


Cultural Influences on Health and Wellness


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


Health In Eastern and Aboriginal Cultures In many non-western cultures, health has a strong

spiritual quality.

Therefore, disease is understood in terms of individual’s spiritual harmony with oneself and/or his or her environment.

e.g., Aboriginal culture and sweat lodgee.g., Oriental culture and chi


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


? 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 publisher1 health and wellness chapter 1

Documents

unique health

world health organization

healthy life

sense of wellness

wellness profile

persons life

healthy activities

healthy balance