Exercise benefits

Physical exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute positively to maintaining a healthy weight, building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system.

Frequent and regular aerobic exercise has been shown to help prevent or treat serious and life-threatening chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, insomnia, and depression. Strength training appears to have continuous energy-burning effects that persist for about 24 hours after the training, though they do not offer the same cardiovascular benefits as aerobic exercises do.

There is conflicting evidence as to whether vigorous exercise (more than 70% of VO2 Max) is more or less beneficial than moderate exercise (40 to 70% of VO2 Max). Some studies have shown that vigorous exercise executed by healthy individuals can effectively increase opioid peptides (aka endorphins, a naturally occurring opiate that in conjunction with other neurotransmitters is responsible for exercise induced euphoria and has been shown to be addictive), positively influence hormone production (i.e., increase testosterone and growth hormone), benefits that are not as fully realized with moderate exercise.

Exercise has been shown to improve cognitive functioning via improvement of hippocampus-dependent spatial learning, and enhancement of synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. In addition, physical activity has been shown to be neuroprotective in many neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. For instance, it reduces the risk of developing dementia. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that frequent exercise may reverse alcohol-induced brain damage.

Physical activity is thought to have other beneficial effects related to cognition as it increases levels of nerve growth factors, which support the survival and growth of a number of neuronal cells.

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise also work to increase the mechanical efficiency of the heart by increasing cardiac volume (aerobic exercise), or myocardial thickness (strength training). Such changes are generally beneficial and healthy if they occur in response to exercise.

Not everyone benefits equally from exercise. There is tremendous variation in individual response to training: where most people will see a moderate increase in endurance from aerobic exercise, some individuals will as much as double their oxygen uptake, while others will never get any benefit at all from the exercise. Similarly, only a minority of people will show significant muscle growth after prolonged weight training, while a larger fraction experience improvements in strength. This genetic variation in improvement from training is one of the key physiological differences between elite athletes and the larger population. Studies have shown that exercising in middle age leads to better physical ability later in life.

What Are Social Determinants of Health?

The term “social determinants of health” grew out of researchers’ search for the specific mechanisms by which members of different socio-economic groups come to experience varying degrees of health and illness (Graham, 2004; Tarlov, 1996). Everywhere, individuals of different socio-economic status show profoundly different levels of health and incidence of disease (Raphael, 2008d; Wilkinson & Marmot, 2003).

Another stimulus to investigating social determinants of health was the finding of national differences in population health. For example, the health status of Americans—using indicators such as life expectancy, infant mortality, and death by childhood injury rates—compares unfavourably to citizens in most industrialized wealthy nations (Navarro et al., 2004). In contrast, the health status of Scandinavians is generally superior to that seen in most nations (Burstrom, Diderichsen, Ostlin, & Ostergren, 2002). It was hypothesized that perhaps the same factors that explain health differences among groups within nations could also explain differences among national populations.

A variety of approaches to the social determinants of health exist and all of these are concerned with the organization and distribution of economic and social resources among the population. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion identifies the prerequisites for health as peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice, and equity (World Health Organization, 1986). Health Canada outlines various determinants of health—most of which are social determinants—of income and social status, social support networks, education, employment and working conditions, physical and social environments, biology and genetic endowment, personal health practices and coping skills, healthy child development, gender, culture, and health services (Health Canada, 1998).

A British working group charged with the specific task of identifying social determinants of health named the social (class health) gradient, stress, early life, social exclusion, work, unemployment, social support, addiction, food, and transport (Wilkinson & Marmot, 2003). And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlight social determinants of health of socioeconomic status, transportation, housing, access to services, discrimination by social grouping (e.g., race, gender, or class), and social or environmental stressors (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005).

Canadian workers synthesized these formulations to identify 12 key social determinants of health: Aboriginal status, early life, education, employment and working conditions, food security, gender, health care services, housing, income and its distribution, social safety net, social exclusion, and unemployment and employment security (Raphael, 2008b). These determinants are especially relevant to understanding and improving the health of Canadians. Evidence indicates that the health-related effects of each and every one of these factors equals or exceeds the influence of the so-called “lifestyle” or behavioural risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, diet, and physical activity (Raphael, 2008d), a conclusion stated as early as the mid 1970s (Marmot & Mustard, 1994; Marmot, Rose, Shipley, & Hamilton, 1978).

What Is the Evidence Concerning the Social Determinants of Health?

Research findings that examine the importance of the social determinants of health provide insights into:

(a) the general improvement in health among citizens in developed nations over the past 100 years;

(b) the health inequalities observed among populations within nations; and

(c) differences in overall national health among both developed (e.g., between Sweden versus Canada versus the USA) and developing nations (e.g., between Cuba versus Argentina versus Brazil).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_determinants_of_health

Social determinants of health

Social determinants of health are the economic and social conditions under which people live which determine their health. Virtually all major diseases are primarily determined by a network of interacting exposures that increase or decrease the risk for the disease. This is particularly the case for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. And these conditions are a result of social, economic, and political forces.

Factors

Social determinants of health have been recognized by several health organizations such as the Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization to greatly influence collective and personal well-being. A list of determinants of health -- only some of which are social determinants -- compiled by the Public Health Agency of Canada is below:

1. Income and social status
2. Social support networks
3. Education and literacy, i.e. health literacy
4. Employment/Working conditions
5. Social environments
6. Physical environments
7. Personal health practices and coping skills
8. Healthy child development
9. Biology and genetic endowment
10. Health services
11. Gender
12. Culture

The term social determinants of health grew out of the search by researchers to identify the specific exposures by which members of different socio-economic groups come to experience varying degrees of health and illness. While it was well documented that individuals in various socio-economic groups experienced differing health outcomes, the specific factors and means by which these factors led to illness remained to be identified. Overviews of the concept, recent findings, and an analysis of emerging issues are available. All these formulation share a concern with factors beyond those of biomedical and behavioural risk.

The SDOH National Conference list (see Raphael, below) is unique in that it specifically focuses on the public policy environment (e.g., income and its distribution) rather than characteristics associated with individuals (e.g. income and social status). These 11 social determinants of health are:

1. Aboriginal status
2. early life
3. education
4. employment and working conditions
5. food security
6. gender
7. health care services
8. housing
9. income and its distribution
10. social safety net
11. social exclusion
12. unemployment and employment security.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_determinants_of_health

Determinants of health

The LaLonde report suggested that there are four general determinants of health including human biology, environment, lifestyle, and healthcare services. Thus, health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society.

A major environmental factor is water quality, especially for the health of infants and children in developing countries.

Studies show that in developed countries, the lack of neighborhood recreational space that includes the natural environment leads to lower levels of neighborhood satisfaction and higher levels of obesity; therefore, lower overall well being. Therefore, the positive psychological benefits of natural space in urban neighborhoods should be taken into account in public policy and land use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health

Aspects of health

Physical health

Physical fitness is good bodily health, and is the result of regular exercise, proper diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery.

A strong indicator of the health of localized population is their height|weight, which generally increases with improved nutrition and health care. This is also influenced by the standard of living and quality of life. Genetics also plays a major role in people's height. The study of human growth, its regulators, and implications is known as Auxology.

Mental health

Mental health refers to an individual's emotional and psychological well-being. Merriam-Webster defines mental health as "A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life."

According to the World Health Organization, there is no single "official" definition of mental health. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories all affect how "mental health" is defined. In general, most experts agree that "mental health" and "mental illness" are not opposites. In other words, the absence of a recognized mental disorder is not necessarily an indicator of sound mental health.

One way to think about mental health is by looking at how effectively and successfully a person functions. Feeling capable and competent; being able to handle normal levels of stress, maintain satisfying relationships, and lead an independent life; and being able to "bounce back," or recover from difficult situations, are all signs of mental health.

A combination of physical, emotional, social and most importantly mental well-being is necessary to achieve overall health.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health