The Definition of Health

Health is defined by the World Health Organization’s constitution, which came into force in 1948. The definition of “health” in the Constitution includes the physical, mental, and social aspects of life, recognizing that everyone has the right to be healthy. The authors of the constitution recognized the tendency to define health in terms of the presence or absence of diseases. Nevertheless, they also included the physical, mental, and social aspects of health as determinants of health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a human right. According to the WHA constitution, the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is the fundamental human right. All human beings are entitled to enjoy a high level of health. The World Bank’s definition of health refers to the totality of an individual’s physical, mental, and social well-being. People are free to engage in any activity that promotes health, regardless of race, gender, political beliefs, economic status, or other characteristics. While many factors influence health, many of them are unavoidable, such as genetics, socioeconomic status, and environmental exposure.

The WHO’s constitution outlines a definition for health. The word “health” originally meant “to be healthy,” but today it encompasses more than just a state of wellness. The concept of health encompasses our social, emotional, and physical capacities. We define health as “the ability to function normally and recover from adverse events.” We also consider mental and emotional health to be aspects of health. And while our physical well-being depends on our physical health, we cannot overlook our mental and emotional well-being.