Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is a condition characterized by “a capacity to tolerate environmental demands at the same level and in proportion to the individual’s capacities.” A wide variety of definitions have been utilized over time for different applications. A primary focus of health is prevention of diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
The American government’s definition of public health is an essential part of the responsibility of the American government as it relates to managing disease, injury, disability, and prevention of death and disability. According to this perspective, public health is an approach that enhances the overall wellness of a community or country through a system of public programs and practices. It is an extension of life-style habits, community organization, and policies. It addresses the needs of the individual, family, community, and nation as a whole. Public health aims at preventing, limiting, and controlling health disorders, defining healthy conditions, and promoting healthy life.
Life style is a complex interaction between genes, environment, and lifestyle. According to WHO, “etymology” is the science of determining a person’s life expectancy. A typical life expectancy is about seventy years for males and around eighty for females. WHO defines five-decade life periods as the national life expectancy limits? Life expectancy is influenced by a number of factors, including sex, age, income, and other health conditions.
According to WHO, the quality of health care, the number and percentage of deaths caused by health care, and the extent of life expectancy of people are indicators of the health policy of a country. These indicators are necessary to determine the requirements of the community in terms of resources needed to meet its needs. For instance, the level of education and health expenditures are necessary to assess the level of healthy life expectancy. This will then be translated into expenditure by the government on health policies, either through taxes or public funding.
WHO’s international data collection and analysis program on healthy life has become a leading source of information on health status and preventive health measures, facilitating global cooperation in fighting diseases and preventing health disorders. The key aim of healthy life goal is to achieve universal health coverage with improved access to quality health services, improved nutrition and active participation of all citizens in achieving healthy life. The global goals of the program are to reduce death rates due to disease, improve survival rates caused by health problems, and improve health equity across the globe.
Prevention is better than cure! It is estimated that absence of a disease may save millions of lives. Thus, adequate and timely intake of appropriate nutrients, active participation, and effective treatment, especially when caught in the early phases, can prevent illness and premature death. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and a low calorie, low saturated fat, high fiber diet can go a long way in preventing disease and prolonging life; and in dealing with existing and developing age-related conditions, good health practices, like regular checkups and screening for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, can help avoid them.