Healthy lifestyle behaviors may consist of healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and avoiding dangerous behaviors such as smoking and substance abuse. Since it can’t be controlled by the person, a healthy lifestyle is also a matter of concern. Healthy lifestyle is commonly defined as?the control of the individual’s behavior that influences his/her health status while orginating the day-to-day activities and choosing the appropriate behaviors to his/her health status? A healthy lifestyle also involves the maintenance of good health conditions through education, assessment, and research. It may involve the modification of lifestyle habits, the prevention of a potential threat, and the management of the changes that occur in a person as a result of those changes.
The Concept
The concept of healthy lifestyle behaviors is intended to enhance wellness, enhance health, reduce health risks, improve the quality of life, and reduce costs associated with illness, disability, and disease. The goals of these behaviors may include weight loss, decreased risk for chronic diseases, and increased longevity. These goals may vary from individual to individual and may depend on a number of factors. One of the major contributors to the success of the United States in achieving healthy lifestyle behaviors is the recognition of obesity as a medical and societal problem. In the past, individuals have been conditioned to accept the societal stigma associated with being overweight.
The Challenge
The challenge here is to change the paradigm so that individuals are comfortable with accepting the fact that they need to engage in physical activity and engage in mental activities to maintain healthy lifestyles. In other words, fitness has become an issue. Another challenge is in terms of sleep quality. Sleep quality has become linked to a variety of negative outcomes including poor mental health and increased risk for depression, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The challenge here is to promote better sleep quality, which in turn will lead to improved physical activity and weight loss.
The Third Area Includes Education
The current state of obesity and the associated problems require that we make an effort to educate the population about the adverse effects of obesity. This effort can be done through the promotion of awareness, through public service advertising, and by linking it to the prescription of effective medications. This can best be done through implementation of coordinated marketing efforts and by promoting affordable policies for everyone. Adherence to a healthy lifestyle behaviors may involve the encouragement of better diet and exercise programs.
The Success Rate
Policy makers and researchers have identified several factors that affect the success rate of healthy lifestyle behaviors. One of these factors is the level of physicians’ willingness to be open and knowledgeable about weight loss. Patients who are not able to communicate their feelings and needs to their physicians are likely to suffer from depression and other psychological disorders. As physicians become more knowledgeable about the impact of their behaviors on patients, they can begin to treat these patients with a greater degree of care. Physicians may also work toward encouraging patients to adopt new lifestyle changes that are beneficial to their health outcomes.
Healthy Lifestyle on The Internet
Some of the best resources for promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors can be found on the Internet. These online sites focus on the importance of proper nutrition and stress reduction. They also provide a plethora of tips on how to maintain these behaviors once they have been introduced into the lives of patients. There are several websites that provide excellent information on how patients can get started on a healthier diet and exercise program. Many of these websites provide links for a variety of resources that can help individuals to implement these healthy lifestyle habits. In addition, there are several newsletters and publications that focus on maintaining these behaviors and offer tips for improving these habits.
