Matters of Definition

The World Health Organization has defined health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Some people have criticized this definition for being too idealistic. However, it does set forth a goal toward which public health leaders and individuals can aim.

The fact that the definition includes goals for mental and social well-being is extremely im­portant. Boredom, anxiety, loneliness, or gen­eral unhappiness can affect the way we func­tion. These emotional states can actually lower the body's physical resistance to disease. They can also lead people to drink excessively, use drugs excessively, or overeat. Such behavior will, of course, damage physical health.

The link between physical, mental,andsocial well-being has, then, been clearly estab­lished. By recognizing this link and by paying attention to the various factors that contribute to well-being, we can gain more controlover our own health.

Factors Beyond Our Control

Certain factors that have a bearing on ourhealth are beyond our control, however. We cannot, for instance, choose the genes that we inherit from our parents. Those genes deter­mine our body shape, our physical constitu­tion, and our inborn resistance to disease. They also influence our emotional make-up and our susceptibility to certain diseases.

Also beyond our control is the environment in which we grow up. We can't choose the type of family into which we are born. It may be rich or poor, well educated or poorly educated, black or white, argumentative or peaceful. All of these factors have an influence on our health. So do the neighborhood we live in and the people with whom we come into contact during our formative years.

For each one of us, then, certain aspects of our health are already determined. However, many important factors are well within our control. Let's consider the three parts of the World Health Organization's definition of health in turn.