What Is Health?

The World Health Organization defines health as a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being. The Ottawa charter has a similar definition: “Health is the means of living and the object of living.” As a result, the WHO definition emphasizes the link between health and social participation. According to the WHO, people can have a good quality of life if they are healthy. The aging population, for example, is experiencing a decline in life expectancy.

As a result, health is a vital resource for human life. It emphasizes physical, social, and emotional capacity. Ultimately, health involves preventing and treating diseases, enhancing personal resources, and encouraging activities that promote wellness. Among these, mental health encompasses a person’s ability to handle stress, acquire skills, and maintain relationships. The World Bank defines health as “the state of being in good physical and mental health.”

The World Health Organization defines health as “complete well-being”. This view of health emphasizes our physical, social, and emotional capacities, and is often counterproductive, failing to account for the fact that a majority of us will not be completely healthy all the time. This concept of health neglects many of the most important aspects of life, such as the ability to develop relationships, handle stress, and acquire new skills. Moreover, the ‘complete health’ idea is also problematic because it fails to take into account the fact that many people will have chronic diseases or disabilities that will require a longer period of time to overcome.