Health is a key to life’s enjoyment and ability to adapt to changing circumstances. However, there are many factors that influence health. These are known as health determinants.
A simplest definition of health is that it is the absence of disease. This excludes a person who may have symptoms but be free of disease.
Physical activity
A person’s level of physical activity is important for their health. It can help prevent and control chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer and improves other health outcomes such as a healthy weight, muscle strength, blood pressure, flexibility and insulin sensitivity. It also contributes to learning and well-being.
Physical activity is any movement involving skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. It can be at any intensity, from a little muscle twitch to a full-out sprint. It is usually measured in terms of how much energy it expends, known as metabolic equivalents (METs).
Physical activity includes all forms of movement that use body weight and involves skeletal muscle. It can be done for enjoyment, in sports and recreation, for work, or as part of daily life activities like walking the dog, cleaning the house, taking the stairs, or mowing the lawn. Exercise is a subset of physical activity and is planned, structured and repetitive for the purpose of improving or maintaining fitness.
Cancer screening
Cancer screening means testing for a disease before symptoms occur. It can involve blood tests, urine tests, DNA tests and medical imaging. The aim is to detect precancerous lesions, intervene in the carcinogenic process early and slow cancer progression so that curative treatment can begin.
It is often argued that cancer screening saves lives by finding cancers at an early stage. However, it is important to realise that a positive test result does not necessarily mean that the benefits outweigh the harms.
It is critical that cancer screening guidelines be updated regularly based on the results of new research. These include determining which groups would benefit most from screening, and which populations need more intensive interventions (such as those who are at high risk for cervical or colorectal cancer). New technology may also provide for more targeted and accurate screening approaches. However, there is a risk that more sensitive tests could lead to the overdiagnosis of indolent cancers (i.e., those that would never have become symptomatic during the person’s lifetime) that then result in unnecessary treatment with harmful side effects such as impotence and urinary incontinence.
Alcohol
Alcohol affects all parts of the body, but the stomach and brain are especially sensitive. It affects levels of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), insulin, inflammation, coagulation and mood. It also impacts blood pressure and heart rate.
Drinking too much alcohol increases a person’s risk of heart disease, some cancers, and other health problems. It can cause damage to the liver, pancreas and nerves. It can interfere with the production of new bone and lead to thinning bones and osteoporosis. It can also disrupt menstruation and cause erectile dysfunction in males.
Young people often have a difficult time listening to warnings about drinking and believe that they are nearly invincible. This supplement uses inquiry-based lessons to help students construct understandings about the complex relationships between alcohol and human biology and behavior.