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Essay on Healthy Lifestyle

The top secret of being physically fit is adopting a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, taking good care of self, healthy sleep habits, and having a physically active daily routine. Lifestyle is the most prevailing factor that affects one’s fitness level. A person leading a sedentary lifestyle has a low fitness level whereas living a healthier life not only makes a person fit but also extends life. Good health has a direct impact on our personality. A person with a good and healthy lifestyle is generally more confident, self-assured, sociable, and energetic.

A good and healthy lifestyle allows one to relish and savor all the pleasures in life without any complications. Even all the wealth is less valuable when compared to sound health. Having all the luxuries in the world does not fulfill its purpose when one is continuously ill, depressed, or suffering from a significant health complication. A healthy person has a clear and calm perception of everything without prejudice. His actions and decisions are more practical and logical and are hence more successful in life.

A good habit is a key factor for a healthy lifestyle. To maintain a stable body and mind, one needs to inculcate good habits. Waking up early in the morning, regularly exercising or a good morning walk helps to keep our body energetic and refresh our mind. Maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet throughout the day is vital for maintaining a good lifestyle. Too much indulgence in alcohol or smoking excessively is not at all appropriate for a healthy lifestyle.

Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is important for maintaining a good lifestyle. When we are self-disciplined then we are more organized and regular in maintaining good health. A disciplined life is a regulated life. A man without discipline is a ship without a rudder. Discipline needs self-control. One who cannot control himself can seldom control others. The level of discipline and perseverance largely determines a person’s success. Self-discipline is the act of disciplining one’s own feelings, desires, etc. especially with the intention of improving oneself. It strengthens our willpower. The stronger our will power the positive will be our decision. It enables us to conquer our own self.

Punctuality

Punctuality is the habit of doing things on time. It is the characteristic of every successful person and everyone must observe punctuality in order to win success in life. Punctuality is necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It should become a habit with us. A punctual person is able to fulfill all his responsibilities and hence is treated with respect in society. It is needed in every walk of life.

Diet is an important component for overall fitness and works best in combination with exercise. A balanced diet and exercise regularly help to maintain good health. It is necessary to reduce weight if one is overweight or obese, failing which one cannot be physically fit for long. For people with obesity, more exercise and a strict regime are necessary, preferably under guidance. There are many ways of making the diet healthier.

Use less sugar and salt while cooking food.

Use less oil while cooking. Avoid deep-frying as much as possible. 

Eat more fruits daily. They provide more vitamins and minerals to our bodies.

Add sprouts of gram and moong dal to at least one meal in a day. Add fiber to your diet. Use whole grains instead of polished cereals. Eat lots of salad and yogurt.

Eat fermented food regularly. Fermented food contains many useful bacteria that help in the process of digestion.

Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases

By adopting a healthy lifestyle one can avoid lifestyle diseases. The following are some ways in which we can prevent lifestyle diseases.

Eat a balanced diet that contains important nutrients. One must include more fresh fruits and green vegetables in the diet. Refrain from eating junk food. Stay away from foods that contain large amounts of salt or sugar.

Exercise regularly. Spend more time outdoors and do activities such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling.

One must avoid overindulgence in alcohol, junk food, smoking, and addiction to drugs and medicines.

Avoid spending too much on modern gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, televisions, etc. Spend time on these gadgets for short intervals of time only.

Set a healthy sleeping routine for every day. Waking early in the morning and going to bed early at night should be a daily habit. Lead an active life.

Unhealthy Lifestyle

Bad food habits and an unhealthy lifestyle such as less or no physical activity may lead to several diseases like obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension, diabetes, anemia, and various heart diseases. An unhealthy lifestyle reduces productivity and creativity in a person. It also adversely affects moods and relationships. It leads to depression and anxiety in human beings.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only makes a person confident and productive but also drives him to success. A person with a healthy lifestyle will enjoy both personal and social life.

FAQs on Healthy Lifestyle Essay

What Do You Understand about a Healthy Lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle is a lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, taking good care of self, healthy sleep habits and having a physically active daily routine.

How is Punctuality Important for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle?

Punctuality is the habit of doing things on time. It is the characteristic of every successful person and everyone must observe punctuality in order to win success in life. It should become a habit with us. A punctual person is able to fulfil all his responsibilities and hence is treated with respect in society. It is needed in every walk of life.

What Happens When One Does Not Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle?

When one does not maintain a healthy lifestyle then several diseases like obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension, diabetes, anaemia and various heart diseases can occur. An unhealthy lifestyle reduces productivity and creativity in a person. It also adversely affects moods and relationships. It leads to depression and anxiety in human beings.

What are the Main Factors that Determine a Good and Healthy Lifestyle?

In order to maintain a good and healthy lifestyle, one must be self-disciplined, self-motivated, maintain punctuality and have good habits like waking early in the morning and maintain a regular fitness regime and a balanced and nutritious diet.

Is writing an essay hard?

Essay writing is a difficult task that needs a great deal of study, time, and focus. It's also an assignment that you can divide down into manageable chunks such as introduction, main content, and conclusion. Breaking down and focusing on each individually makes essay writing more pleasant. It's natural for students to be concerned about writing an essay. It's one of the most difficult tasks to do, especially for people who aren't confident in their writing abilities. While writing a decent essay is difficult, the secret to being proficient at it is reading a lot of books, conducting extensive research on essential topics, and practicing essay writing diligently.

Why is it important for one to aspire to have a healthy lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle is an important way for reducing the occurrence and impact of health problems, as well as for recovery, coping with life stressors, and improving the overall quality of life. An increasing collection of scientific data suggests that our habits have a significant impact on our health. Everything we eat and drink, as well as how much exercise we get and whether we smoke or use drugs, has an impact on our health, not just in terms of life expectancy but also in terms of how long we may expect to live without developing chronic illness. A large proportion of fatalities are caused by conditions such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, joint disease, and mental illness. A healthy lifestyle can help to avoid or at least delay the onset of many health issues.

How to download the Essay on Healthy Lifestyle from the Vedantu website?

The Essay on Healthy Lifestyle, which is accurate and well-structured, is available for download on the Vedantu website. The Essay is accessible in PDF format on Vedantu's official website and may be downloaded for free. Students should download the Essay on Healthy Lifestyle from the Vedantu website to obtain a sense of the word limit, sentence structure, and fundamental grasp of what makes a successful essay. Vedantu essay is brief and appropriate for youngsters in school. It is written in basic English, which is ideal for kids who have a restricted vocabulary. Following the Vedantu essay ensures that students are adequately prepared for any essay subject and that they will receive high grades. Click here to read the essay about a healthy lifestyle.

Who prepares the Essay for Vedantu?

The Essay on Healthy Lifestyle designed for the Vedantu is created by a group of experts and experienced teachers. The panel of experts has created the essay after analyzing important essay topics that have been repeatedly asked in various examinations. The Essays that are provided by Vedantu are not only well-structured but also accurate and concise. They are aptly suited for young students with limited vocabulary. For best results, the students are advised to go through multiple essays and practice the topics on their own to inculcate the habits of time management and speed.

What constitutes a healthy lifestyle?

Healthy life is built on the pillars of a good diet, frequent exercise, and appropriate sleep. A healthy lifestyle keeps people in excellent shape, it also gives you more energy throughout the day, and lowers your chance of developing many diet-related chronic diseases. Healthy living is considered a lifestyle choice that allows you to enjoy more elements of your life. Taking care of one's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being is part of living a healthy lifestyle.

Good Nutrition, Eating Right and proper diet.

Getting Physically Fit, Beneficial Exercise and working out often.

Adequate rest and uninterrupted sleep.

Proper Stress Management.

Self-Supportive Attitudes.

Positive Thoughts are encouraged.

Positive Self-Image and body image.

Inner Calmness and peace.

Openness to Your Creativity and Self-care.

Trust in Your Inner Knowing and your gut feeling.

Healthy Living Guide 2020/2021

A digest on healthy eating and healthy living.

As we transition from 2020 into 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect nearly every aspect of our lives. For many, this health crisis has created a range of unique and individual impacts—including food access issues, income disruptions, and emotional distress.

Although we do not have concrete evidence regarding specific dietary factors that can reduce risk of COVID-19, we do know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is critical to keeping our immune system strong. Beyond immunity, research has shown that individuals following five key habits—eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, keeping a healthy body weight, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smoking— live more than a decade longer than those who don’t. Plus, maintaining these practices may not only help us live longer, but also better. Adults following these five key habits at middle-age were found to live more years free of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

While sticking to healthy habits is often easier said than done, we created this guide with the goal of providing some tips and strategies that may help. During these particularly uncertain times, we invite you to do what you can to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and hopefully (if you’re able to try out a new recipe or exercise, or pick up a fulfilling hobby) find some enjoyment along the way.

Download a copy of the Healthy Living Guide (PDF) featuring printable tip sheets and summaries, or access the full online articles through the links below. 

In this issue:

• Understanding the body’s immune system
• Does an immune-boosting diet exist?
• The role of the microbiome
• A closer look at vitamin and herbal supplements
• 8 tips to support a healthy immune system
• A blueprint for building healthy meals
• Food feature: lentils 
• Strategies for eating well on a budget
• Practicing mindful eating
• What is precision nutrition?
• Ketogenic diet
• Intermittent fasting
• Gluten-free
• 10 tips to keep moving
• Exercise safety
• Spotlight on walking for exercise
• How does chronic stress affect eating patterns?
• Ways to help control stress
• How much sleep do we need?
• Why do we dream?
• Sleep deficiency and health
• Tips for getting a good night’s rest

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Essay on Healthy Lifestyle for Students and Children | PDF Download

Essay on Healthy Lifestyle for Students and Children in English: We are here to compose an essay on a Healthy lifestyle with two objectives. We have come up with the first objective of this Essay on Healthy Lifestyle for Students and Children in English is to motivate everyone towards a healthy lifestyle and the second objective behind this essay on Healthy lifestyle for the students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are to assist them in their comprehensive tasks, class assignments, and competitions.

Short Essay on Healthy Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle includes exercise, nutrition, healthy sleep patterns, and a healthy group of friends. A Healthy Lifestyle not only changes your body but also changes your mind, your attitude, and your mood. Follow your dreams, work hard, practice, and persevere. Make sure you eat a variety of foods, get plenty of exercise,s and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The body needs its rest, and sleep is extremely important in any health regimen. There should be three main things: eating, exercise, and sleep. All three together in the right balance make for a truly healthy lifestyle.

A healthy lifestyle is not about doing exercises regularly but also about proper diet, adequate sleep, positive thinking, being happy, having healthy friends, etc., If we consist all those essential elements in our life then we are leading a healthy lifestyle. The person who leads a healthy lifestyle is less prone to life-threatening diseases like cancer, diabetics, asthma, heart stroke, etc., To live longer one must possess a healthy lifestyle. Diabetes can be successfully prevented and managed by a healthy lifestyle. When not managed, it can lead to severe organ damage and death.

A healthy lifestyle is not about physical and mental health. It is also about being happy and having good behavior. Maintaining a balanced diet ( taking foods which consist of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber) sleeping sufficiently( having 6-7 hours per day), and doing physical activities ( exercises, yoga, bicycling, dancing, walking, jogging, running, skipping, etc.,) are the elements of a healthy lifestyle. One should possess positive thinking, positive talking, and positive behavior and should lead a stress-free life by avoiding mental distractions to fulfill the meaning of a healthy lifestyle.

Till now we discussed what healthy life entails now let’s see what all doesn’t. One must get rid of many things that are unhealthy to have a completely healthy lifestyle. There are some habits which are not only harmful to us but also to the people surrounding us those are consuming drugs, smoking, drinking, spending too much time on tv or phone, gambling, etc., once a person started to do smoke, drink, consume drugs, etc., he will be addicted to those habits. Addiction leads to unhealthy behaviors and attitudes. Other unhealthy habits are skipping meals and physical activities, habituated to eating junk foods.

10 lines on Healthy Lifestyle Essay:

• A healthy lifestyle is all about physical, Mental, and Social well-being.
• Change your unhealthy habits into healthy habits and make them your favorites.
• Do physical activity daily such as walking briskly, jogging, playing sports, dancing, etc.,
• Have a balanced diet ( proteins, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, carbohydrates, fiber, good fats)
• Ensure sufficient sleep i.e., 6-7 hours every day, and Consume more water as much as you can.
• Keep away from bad and harmful habits like consuming drugs, smoking, gambling, drinking, etc., and Avoid mental distractions and disturbances.
• A healthy lifestyle lowers the risk of life-threatening diseases like heart stroke, cancer, diabetes, asthma, etc.,
• A healthy lifestyle keeps your mind at peace.
• A Healthy Lifestyle not only changes your body but also changes your mind, your attitude, and your mood.
• Live your life to the fullest by having a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Lifestyle: Quotes

• Start with changing unhealthy habits to healthy ones —and make them your favorites. – Sahara Sanders
• The reason I exercise is for the quality of life I enjoy. – Kenneth H. Cooper
• Living a healthy lifestyle will always be a personal decision for everyone but we can always pass the message to those who need help. – Odeta Rose
• Everyone has their definition of a healthy lifestyle, and mine has come to mean making health a priority but not an obsession. – Daphne Oz
• Diabetes can be successfully prevented and managed by a healthy lifestyle. When not managed, it can lead to severe organ damage and death. – Tedros Adhanom
• While positive mental states may be associated with less stress and more resilience to infection, positive well-being might also be accompanied by a healthy lifestyle. – Michael Greger
• My job is to be fit and I’m blessed that I get to go and work out and live a healthy lifestyle. – Kerri Walsh Jennings
• I’ve always wanted to be in the health and wellness business. I try to encourage people to live healthy lifestyles. – Mark Wahlberg
• Everybody is constantly struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the ideal body, regardless of whether they’re overweight. – Harley Pasternak
• You can live a healthy lifestyle and do your best to be aware of your body and consciousness, and that’s what I attempt to do. – Hill Harper
• You should never go on diet and must follow a healthy lifestyle. – Nargis Fakhri
• The more we see health as a practice rather than as a problem to fix, the more we encourage the body’s natural potential to be healthy. – Aarti Patel
• Don’t go to battle trying to stop a habit. Instead, reshape it and send it in a new direction. – Sarah Pullen
• Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open. – B.K.S. Iyengar

Healthy Lifestyle: Poems

A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be hard Just do some exercise and go for your chocolate bars

You can’t be healthy by just gaining weight You can’t be healthy by waking up late

Eat more veggies and love yourself Eat that food which is homemade Being skinny doesn’t mean you are weak cause being too fat can make you sick

Don’t judge anyone by their body shape and not with the kind of food they take They may be more healthy than you from inside and can also be your health guide

Your body is important so give it a nice treatment I want you to have a wonderful life with happiness and a healthy lifestyle

Healthy Lifestyle: Images

Conclusion: We would like to conclude this Essay on Healthy Lifestyle for Students and Children in English that a Health lifestyle is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open. Every person should strive to lead a healthy lifestyle to live their life happily to the fullest.

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Article Contents

Introduction, acknowledgements.

• < Previous

Living longer and feeling better: healthy lifestyle, self-rated health, obesity and depression in Ireland

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Janas Harrington, Ivan J. Perry, Jennifer Lutomski, Anthony P. Fitzgerald, Frances Shiely, Hannah McGee, Margaret M. Barry, Eric Van Lente, Karen Morgan, Emer Shelley, Living longer and feeling better: healthy lifestyle, self-rated health, obesity and depression in Ireland, European Journal of Public Health , Volume 20, Issue 1, February 2010, Pages 91–95, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckp102

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Background: The combination of four protective lifestyle behaviours (being physically active, a non-smoker, a moderate alcohol consumer and having adequate fruit and vegetable intake) has been estimated to increase life expectancy by 14 years. However, the effect of adopting these lifestyle behaviours on general health, obesity and mental health is less defined. We examined the combined effect of these behaviours on self-rated health, overweight/obesity and depression. Methods: Using data from the Survey of Lifestyle Attitudes and Nutrition (SLÁN) 2007 (), a protective lifestyle behaviour (PLB) score was constructed for 10 364 men and women (>18 years), and representative of the Republic of Ireland adult population (response rate 62%). Respondents scored a maximum of four points, one point each for being physically active, consuming five or more fruit and vegetable servings daily, a non-smoker and a moderate drinker. Results: One-fifth of respondents (20%) adopted four PLBs, 35% adopted three, 29% two, 13% one and 2% adopted none. Compared to those with zero PLBs, those with four were seven times more likely to rate their general health as excellent/very good [OR 6.8 95% CI (3.64–12.82)] and four times more likely to have better mental health [OR 4.4 95% CI (2.34–8.22)]. Conclusions: Adoption of core protective lifestyle factors known to increase life expectancy is associated with positive self-rated health, healthier weight and better mental health. These lifestyles have the potential to add quality and quantity to life.

It has been known for some time that adoption of a number of core protective/health promoting lifestyle behaviours at an individual level has a potentially large positive influence on population health. There is increasing recognition of the value of these behaviourally defined protective behaviours for health promotion and population health monitoring, 1–8 and advice on smoking cessation, healthy diet, physical exercise and moderation in alcohol consumption has been a pillar of health education for many years. While anecdotally a perception exists that adoption of a healthy lifestyle may impair quality of life as evidenced by the admonition ‘You won’t live forever, it will just feel like it’, recent evidence suggests that quality as well as quantity can be added to life through the adoption of relatively minor lifestyle changes. 5

Results from the Nurse's Health Study 9 reported the positive effects of a limited number of core protective lifestyle behaviours (PLBs) [body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg m −2 ; a diet high in cereal fibre and polyunsaturated fat and low in trans fat and glycaemic load; engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for at least half an hour per day; no current smoking and the consumption of an average of at least half a drink of an alcoholic beverage per day] in relation to the decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. This work has been replicated in a cross-sectional study with markers of cardiovascular risk including hypertension, dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance. 4 , 5 , 10 More recently, Khaw et al. , 1 in their work from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) study, focused on behaviourally defined measures. They identified four lifestyle behaviours: being physically active, a non-smoker, having a moderate alcohol consumption and an adequate fruit and vegetable intake and found that the combined effect of these health behaviours predicted a 4-fold difference in total mortality in men and women, 1 equating to a 14-year difference in life expectancy between individuals practising none of these behaviours relative to those practising all four of them. In further work from the EPIC study, Myint et al. 11 concluded that behavioural factors were associated with substantial differences in age-related decline in functional health and the prevalence of those in good and poor functional health in the community.

Examining the effects of individual risk factors for chronic disease and poor physical and mental health is not a new concept; however, their combined effect on general health, obesity and mental health is less well defined. The aim of this study was to examine the combined effect of practising four non-clinically defined lifestyle behaviours (being a non-smoker, being physically active, being a moderate drinker, and consuming five portions of fruit and vegetables daily) on self-rated health, overweight/obesity and mental health.

Based on the work by Khaw et al. , 1 we constructed a PLB score. Participants scored one point for each of the following health behaviours: being a non-smoker, being physically active (moderate/high activity score), being a moderate drinker (1–14 alcohol units per week) and consuming five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Respondents could score from zero to four on protective health behaviours.

General study design

The study was the third national Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition (SLÁN) in Ireland conducted in 2007, 12–14 involving a nationally representative sample of 10 364 respondents (62% response rate) to whom a detailed health and lifestyle questionnaire was administered by face-to-face interview. In addition, 9223 (89%) completed a Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The FFQ was an adapted version of the EPIC study, 15 validated for use in the Irish population. 16 Participants who did not complete a FFQ were excluded from this analysis.

The population for the survey was defined as adults aged 18 years and over living in residential households in Ireland (residents of institutions, nursing homes, hospitals, prisons and homeless hostels were not included). Full details of the sampling frame and weighting can be found elsewhere. 12 In summary, the sampling frame used for the survey was the GeoDirectory, a list of all addresses in the Republic of Ireland, which distinguishes between residential and commercial establishments. The sample was a multi-stage probability sample, where each dwelling has a known probability of selection. The sample was weighted to closely approximate the Census 2006 figures for gender, age, marital status, education, occupation, region, household size and ethnicity.

Health and lifestyle questionnaire

A single question was included on self-rated health, respondents were asked to rate their health on a 5-point scale ranging from ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’. Being a current smoker was defined as smoking either ‘every day’ or ‘some days’. Non-smokers were classified as those who had never smoked; former smokers were those who had smoked ‘at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime’ but do not currently smoke. For the purpose of this article, current smokers are compared with non-smokers. Average alcohol consumption was estimated as the units of alcohol consumed per week. For the purpose of this article, a moderate drinker was defined as someone who consumed between 1 and 14 units a week. A unit is defined as either ‘a half pint of beer; a single measure of spirits; or as a single glass of wine, sherry or port’. Respondents were also asked if they had experienced any chronic illness from a pre-defined list in the previous 12 months.

International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ)

Respondents were asked a series of questions relating to the time they spent being physically active. The responses were used to calculate a physical activity score (IPAQ score) for each respondent. These scores were classified as high (over 10 000 steps per day), moderate (5000–10 000 steps per day) or low (less than 5000 steps per day). For this analysis, a binary variable was created; ‘low’ or ‘moderate/high’, ‘low’ was defined as being physically inactive.

Composite international diagnostic interview (CIDI)

Respondents were asked a series of questions pertaining to their mental health status. The CIDI-SF (short form) Version 1.1 health interview survey, part of which was incorporated in the main SLÁN interview, provides a probable diagnosis (CIDI-SF yields a likelihood of having a major depression rather than a full diagnosis; hence, the term ‘probable Major Depressive Disorder’ is used throughout this article) of major depressive disorder. 17 Full details of the mental health measures have been reported elsewhere. 18

Food frequency questionnaire

The dietary habits of respondents who completed a FFQ were analysed in relation to food groups. Full details of the FFQ have been documented elsewhere. 19 For this analysis, fruit and vegetable intake was collapsed to a binary variable with participants categorized as consuming ‘five or more servings daily’ or ‘less than five servings daily’.

SLÁN 2007 respondents were also asked to self-report their own height and weight. BMI was calculated based on the standard formula [height (m)/weight (kg) × weight (kg)], they were classified as overweight or obese based on a BMI score of ≥25 or 30 kg m −2 , respectively.

Statistical analysis

Data were analysed using SPSS TM (Version 15.0). Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between PLB score, self-rated health, probable depressive disorder and obesity levels after adjusting for age, sex, education and social class. Additionally, we examined the relationship between PLB score and past diagnoses of medically diagnosed chronic illness.

Table 1 shows a breakdown of the relevant participant characteristics differentiated by gender. Higher proportions of women were of normal weight and consumed five or more daily servings of fruit and vegetables compared with men. Men were more likely to be smokers, to consume more alcohol and to be physically active compared with women. Women were more likely to have adopted more of the PLBs. Table 2 shows the age, gender, social demographic profile and the distribution of key outcome variables in five groups of study participants defined on the basis of number of PLBs. Clear and highly significant trends were seen for age, gender, education and social classification status. Those with three and four PLBs were more likely to be female, in the younger/middle age group to have tertiary education and to be in the ‘large employers/professional/manager’ socioeconomic classification group. Respondents with a lower PLB score were significantly more likely to have a depressive disorder ( P < 0.01).

Distribution of variables for SLÁN 2007 participants included in this analysis (participants who did not complete a FFQ were excluded from the analysis)

a: Smoker was classified as someone who smokes either everyday or some days

*Significant gender difference P < 0.01; ***Significant gender difference P < 0.05

Demographic breakdown by number of protective lifestyle behaviours practised

Associations between PLBs and feeling healthy

The association between PLB score, self-rated health, healthy weight and better mental health adjusted for age, sex, education and social class is shown in table 3 . For self-rated health and depressive state, clear and highly significant trends in odds ratios were observed across the five groups of study participants. These trends were not as obvious for body weight. Relative to those with zero PLBs, those with four were almost seven times more likely to rate their general health as excellent/very good [OR 6.8, 95% CI (3.64–12.82)]. These trends persisted even when the model was adjusted for depressive disorders. Those with four PLBs were also four times more likely to have better mental health [OR 4.4, 95% CI (2.34–8.22)] indicating a better overall general health and well-being. While similar trends were not as obvious in relation to BMI status, those with four PLBs had an elevated likelihood of being normal weight (BMI < 25 kg m −2 ) than overweight/obese (BMI > 25 kg m −2 ) compared with those with fewer PLBs.

Respondent's likelihood of self-rated general health being excellent/very good/good; likelihood of BMI <25 kg m −2 and the likelihood of not having depressive disorder compared with having depressive disorder by number of protective lifestyle behaviours adjusted for age, gender, education and social class

*For trend significant P < 0.01

We know from longitudinal studies that PLBs increase longevity 1 ; this article shows that they are also associated with better self-rated health, better mental health and healthier body weight; conversely, those who had fewer PLBs were ‘not only’ leading unhealthier lifestyles, but they also perceived their overall health to be poorer, had a higher likelihood of having depression and were heavier than those with higher numbers of PLBs. Higher scores were also less likely to be associated with being diagnosed with a cardiovascular event and being diagnosed with any illness by a doctor in the last 12 months. While our results are congruent with the work by Khaw et al. 1 and Myint et al. 11 who examined the relationship between PLBs and mortality 1 and PLBs and functional health, 11 this is one of the first studies to look at self-rated health, depression and overweight/obesity in relation to PLBs.

Limitations of the study include the cross-sectional design, and the relatively low response rate (62%). However, this is similar to response rates seen in other major National Health and Lifestyle Surveys. 13 , 14 It is increasingly difficult to get high response rates from national general population surveys due to the sociodemographic trends in the modern society including longer working days and the phenomenon of gated communities, particularly in urban areas. Unfortunately, data on non-participation are not available. However, sample weights were used derived from the most recent Census. 20 Interpretation of the data must be cautious; since exposure and outcome were measured at the same time, it is not possible to ascertain which is the cause and which is the effect. It can be argued that persons with better than average self-rated health and better mental health are more likely to engage in health seeking behaviour. The issue of reverse causation cannot be resolved in this study; however, it is likely that the causal effects of these health seeking behaviours flow in both directions are mutually beneficial: better mental health and better self-rated health leading to increased health seeking behaviours and vice versa. What is clear is that there is no evidence to suggest that the presence of health seeking behaviours is associated with poorer mental health and well-being.

Our findings add to the evidence that we can achieve progress to address the ‘causes of the causes’ of all-cause mortality, mental ill health and cardiovascular disease through small achievable lifestyle behaviour modifications. A key challenge for future research is to better understand the individual and societal determinants of health-seeking behaviour. For instance, there is emerging data highlighting the importance of adverse childhood experiences as a determinant of health-related behaviour in adult life. 21 Data from the USA 22–24 show that children with low rates of childhood adversity not only have better mental health in adult life but better physical health with lower rates of high-risk behaviours and conditions e.g. obesity.

Given the association between self-rated health, better mental health and higher numbers of PLBs, we propose that the four lifestyle behaviours detailed in this article be used as outcome measures from which effectiveness of public health policy can be gauged.

SLÁN was funded by the Department of Health and Children.

Conflicts of interest : None declared.

Being a non-smoker, being physically active, having a moderate alcohol intake and consuming five portions of fruit and vegetables daily are associated with better self-rated health, better mental health and a healthier weight.

We would propose that the four lifestyle behaviours detailed in this article be used as outcome measures from which effectiveness of public policy can be gauged.

The authors thank other SLÁN 2007 Consortium members for their contribution to this research. Consortium members: Professor Hannah McGee (Project Director)(RCSI), Professor Ivan Perry (PI)(UCC), Professor Margaret Barry (PI)(NUIG), Dr. Dorothy Watson (PI)(ESRI), Dr Karen Morgan (Research Manager, RCSI), Dr. Emer Shelley (RCSI), Professor Ronan Conroy (RCSI), Professor Ruairí Brugha (RCSI), Dr. Michal Molcho (NUIG), Ms. Janas Harrington (UCC) and Professor Richard Layte (ESRI), Ms Nuala Tully (RCSI), Ms Jennifer Lutomski (UCC), Mr Mark Ward (RCSI) and Mr Eric Van Lente (NUIG). Also Jan van den Broeck for his helpful comments during the drafting of the paper. SLÁN 2007 was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.

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• depressive disorders
• mental health

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Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

Living a healthy lifestyle promotes good health and a longer life expectancy by incorporating behaviors that improve health into a person’s lifestyle while avoiding behaviors that are damaging to health. Ways you can promote a healthy and longing living life is by doing things like Exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and avoid smoking and excess alcohol consumption promotes good health. Making these behaviors a part of a person’s lifestyle reduce a person’s chances of developing many serious health problems. Hence, person is more likely to have good health and not have their life span cut short by the effects of a serious health problem. Exercising regularly produces better health and a longer life. Physical fitness is not the sole basis of being healthy; being healthy means being mentally and emotionally fit. Being healthy should be part of your overall lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent chronic diseases and long-term illnesses. Feeling good about yourself and taking care of your health are important for your self-esteem and self-image. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by doing what is right for your body.

Related Papers

Asian journal of Physical education & computer science in sports, ISSN No: 09757732

M Kamraju , Mohd Akhter Ali

Health and fitness is the key to a long, active and enjoyable life. It is correctly stated that Health is the actual Wealth that a person can retain. Teachers assign this topic to their students to enhance their knowledge about staying healthy and fit, and create awareness among others as well. It also results in the development of a healthy lifestyle for children. Being healthy and fit in simple terms means taking good care of the body. We should remember that a healthy mind resides only in a healthy body. Good health of both mind and body helps one maintain the required energy level to achieve success in life. All of us must strive to achieve wholesome health. Protecting your body from the intake of harmful substances, doing regular exercises, having proper food and sleep are some of the important instances that define a healthy lifestyle. Being fit allows us to perform our activities without being lethargic, restless or tired. A healthy and fit person is capable of living the life to the fullest, without any major medical or physical issues.

Kyle Macario

Having a healthy lifestyle is important for everyone. A good habit, balanced diet, and regular exercise has various benefits both mentally and physically. People, in general, only take into consideration a healthy life for its positive effects to our physical well-being whether to prevent illness, to be physically stronger, or to have a more aesthetic physique. Some overlook the fact that a healthy lifestyle has been linked to psychological benefits.

International journal of physical education, sports and health

AKBAR HUSAIN

Balneo and PRM Research Journal

Cristian Ștefan Liușnea

Introduction. Currently, the crises triggered by the pandemic, in the fields of health, freedom of movement, economic, with impact in the social and cultural spheres, bring back today the practical applicability of the concepts of fitness and wellness. Material and method. In our study we will refer to the effects of the pandemic on health (everyone's well-being), to see how they accentuated the negative effects of the risks that specialists linked to sedentary lifestyle; increased stress; static anti-physiological positions for prolonged periods of time, which result in cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and even cancer, to which is added an irrational diet. We will also refer to the relationship between the quality of life of people and the need to find the most effective ways to combat the negative effects of risk factors, by overcoming the obstacles posed by the financial situation and cultural patterns both in terms of lifestyle, as well as the eating behavior of people from different backgrounds. Results and discussions. We are of the opinion that specialists must go in their approaches, from the cultural understanding of man, to find ways to individualize the means of intervention so as to achieve the proposed objectives. The framework could be, for children and adolescents - the reorganization of school physical education, and for young people and adults - leisure activities, in which the emphasis could be falls on the concepts of Fitness and Wellness, with a beneficial effect on quality of life and personal satisfaction. Conclusion In this context, we believe that it is necessary to reconsider the need to make the population aware of the formation of a healthy lifestyle. The means could be physical fitness, wellness, rational nutrition and recovery according to the effort made, their benefits can have a major impact on health and prolong life expectancy.

Sport Psychology in Sports, Exercise and Physical Activity

Marco Batista

The expression “lifestyles” describes several expressed behaviors, usually in the form of consumption and behaviors patterns, which characterizes how an individual or group fits into society. Although, with the advancement of science and the facilitation of human tasks in the daily living, there is a reduction in mortality from infectious diseases and an increase in longevity, however the appearance of chronic-degenerative diseases that negatively affect the quality of life have been found when some behaviors, defined as “good” lifestyles are not considered. The lifestyles could be defined as a set of mediating structures that reflect a totality of activities, attitudes and social values ​​closely related and that depend on economic and social conditions, education, age, among other factors. It manifests historical and cultural experiences and emerges from a set of decisions, over which the subject assumes control, thus, the lifestyle is revealed to be fundamental in the promotion a...

Psychology & Psychological Research International Journal

Jose Antonio Garcia del Castillo

The concept of healthy lifestyle is one of the most used in the promotion and health prevention. Its vagueness can generate problems of adjustment when it comes to understanding its ultimate objective and, above all, generate confusion in the investigations that use it to generate healthy behavior patterns. The dimensions on which the concept of healthy lifestyle is based are in themselves very disparate, intervening behaviors and actions executable, emotions, cognitions and perceptions, which makes its functionality much more complex and controversial when it comes to agreeing on its final content. Risk perception in lifestyle is intimately linked to the concept of perceived psychosocial vulnerability, because it is a concept that varies according to age and has a direct impact on psychosocial factors that affect lifestyle such as susceptibility, adaptation, coping and resilience. Our goal is to narrow and delimit the concept of healthy lifestyle from a theoretical perspective, so that a construct so widely used in psychology and health research can be addressed more objectively, with agreed parameters and taking into account its dimensions and the perception that people have of it.

Geta Mitrea

Lifestyle describes a complex behavioral strategies and routines, attitudes and values, norms assumed in order to individual or group to score as convenient in a social context. The importance of medical education in terms of healthy lifestyle is very well recognized nowadays. Lifestyle medicine offers important information about nutrition, physical activity, stress control and social support systems. Lifestyle can be treated as an indicator of social attitudes and of the ideologies that are functioning in the social space. In aboriginal tribes, eating behaviors had a strong religious imprint referring directly to obtain favors from the gods as health, wealth, healing and long life. Even if blatant promotion of a lifestyle can produce civilization, modelling behaviours, yet strongly promoting a lifestyle can become a subtle tool of manipulation and control. Following a healthy lifestyle, regardless of age, will have numerous health benefits, being proven that it reduces the risk of ...

Dr Nicola Davies

Yamna Hasan

Grace Bassey

Making conscious decision and assuming responsibility for improving one&#39;s health and fitness will result in good health and improved quality of life. The choices, great and small, that one makes influence and impact on one&#39;s health and wellness. Although certain diseases are predisposed by genetic factors, studies have shown that many illnesses are preventable (example, heart diseases, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, stroke and diabetes). The preventive strategies include caution in what we eats and drinks, level of exposure to stress, patterns of sleep exercise, attitude to life/lifestyle and environment exposure.

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English that goes straight to the heart

Healthy Lifestyle Essay

Wealth matters, but, is not as important as health. Money is the source to carry on with a healthy life however good health is the source of living a happy and peaceful life.

“Healthy Lifestyle Essay” will make you understand everything.

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Healthy Lifestyle Essay (500 Words)

In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, maintaining a healthy lifestyle has become more important than ever. A healthy lifestyle encompasses a variety of choices and habits that prioritize physical, mental, and emotional well-being. However, recent studies have revealed that the stress and demands of modern life can lead to various medical conditions, such as heart problems and neurological disorders.

The Value of Health over Wealth:

The saying, “The greatest wealth is our own health,” holds true as no amount of material riches can compensate for the absence of good health. While a healthy body has the potential to amass wealth, the reverse is not necessarily true. Prioritizing one’s health allows individuals to approach work and life with a positive attitude, fostering success in all aspects of life.

The Impact of Lifestyle on Health:

The fast-paced nature of modern life often leaves individuals with little time for self-care. Unhealthy eating habits, such as consuming junk food for taste and neglecting balanced diets, have become commonplace. A healthy lifestyle, on the other hand, reduces stress levels, supports mental well-being, and enables individuals to face life’s challenges with vitality.

The Importance of a Balanced Diet:

A healthy lifestyle starts with a balanced and nutritious diet. A healthy diet is a cornerstone of maintaining good health. It should consist of essential nutrients such as proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and adequate calories. Emphasizing the consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, and yogurt contributes to overall well-being. Additionally, adhering to fixed meal times, consuming the right quantities, and avoiding unhealthy and fried foods is vital.

Engaging in Physical Activity:

Regular physical activity is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. A healthy body requires regular physical activity. Daily exercise promotes physical fitness, boosts energy levels, and improves mental clarity. Engaging in activities such as walking, jogging, or participating in sports not only enhances physical well-being but also strengthens the immune system, making individuals more resistant to infections and diseases.

Rest, Hygiene, and Environment:

Adequate rest and sleep, personal hygiene, and a healthy environment are integral to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sufficient sleep rejuvenates the body while maintaining cleanliness and hygiene safeguards against illness. Fresh air, clean water, and a positive living environment contribute to overall well-being and help prevent various health issues.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, adopting a healthy lifestyle is paramount for individuals seeking to lead fulfilling lives. While wealth may hold its own importance, it pales in comparison to the value of good health. A healthy body enables individuals to perform optimally in all aspects of life, from personal relationships to professional endeavors. By prioritizing a balanced diet, regular physical activity, adequate rest, and a clean environment, individuals can ensure their physical, mental, social, intellectual , and financial well-being. In essence, good health is the foundation for a happy and prosperous life, and it is incumbent upon each individual to embrace and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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Importance of Exercise Essay

500 words essay on exercise essay.

Exercise is basically any physical activity that we perform on a repetitive basis for relaxing our body and taking away all the mental stress. It is important to do regular exercise. When you do this on a daily basis, you become fit both physically and mentally. Moreover, not exercising daily can make a person susceptible to different diseases. Thus, just like eating food daily, we must also exercise daily. The importance of exercise essay will throw more light on it.

Importance of Exercise

Exercising is most essential for proper health and fitness. Moreover, it is essential for every sphere of life. Especially today’s youth need to exercise more than ever. It is because the junk food they consume every day can hamper their quality of life.

If you are not healthy, you cannot lead a happy life and won’t be able to contribute to the expansion of society. Thus, one needs to exercise to beat all these problems. But, it is not just about the youth but also about every member of the society.

These days, physical activities take places in colleges more than often. The professionals are called to the campus for organizing physical exercises. Thus, it is a great opportunity for everyone who wishes to do it.

Just like exercise is important for college kids, it is also essential for office workers. The desk job requires the person to sit at the desk for long hours without breaks. This gives rise to a very unhealthy lifestyle.

They get a limited amount of exercise as they just sit all day then come back home and sleep. Therefore, it is essential to exercise to adopt a healthy lifestyle that can also prevent any damaging diseases .

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise has a lot of benefits in today’s world. First of all, it helps in maintaining your weight. Moreover, it also helps you reduce weight if you are overweight. It is because you burn calories when you exercise.

Further, it helps in developing your muscles. Thus, the rate of your body will increases which helps to burn calories. Moreover, it also helps in improving the oxygen level and blood flow of the body.

When you exercise daily, your brain cells will release frequently. This helps in producing cells in the hippocampus. Moreover, it is the part of the brain which helps to learn and control memory.

The concentration level in your body will improve which will ultimately lower the danger of disease like Alzheimer’s. In addition, you can also reduce the strain on your heart through exercise. Finally, it controls the blood sugar levels of your body so it helps to prevent or delay diabetes.

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Conclusion of Importance of Exercise Essay

In order to live life healthily, it is essential to exercise for mental and physical development. Thus, exercise is important for the overall growth of a person. It is essential to maintain a balance between work, rest and activities. So, make sure to exercise daily.

FAQ of Importance of Exercise Essay

Question 1: What is the importance of exercise?

Answer 1: Exercise helps people lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases. When you exercise daily, you lower the risk of developing some diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and more. It also helps to keep your body at a healthy weight.

Question 2: Why is exercising important for students?

Answer 2: Exercising is important for students because it helps students to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness and build strong bones and muscles. In addition, it also controls weight and reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Further, it can also reduce the risk of health conditions like heart diseases and more.

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• J Lifestyle Med
• v.10(1); 2020 Jan 31

Promoting Healthy Lifestyle in High School Students: Determination of the Lifestyle Status through the Healthy Lifestyle Screen (HLS) Assessment

Jerre mae tamanal.

College of Health Science and Social Welfare, Sahmyook University Graduate School, Seoul, Korea

Cheong Hoon Kim

Healthy lifestyle behaviors have given emphasis as an important characteristic in health promotion and to prevent diseases. Individuals who practiced healthy lifestyle behaviors in the early stage of life can withstand health risks in later life. To this end, researchers conducted a healthy lifestyle assessment as the initial step in school-based programs promoting healthy lifestyle and wellness among high school students. The aim of this study was to determine the lifestyle status among students and further assess lifestyle components that could affect them.

Data were collected from 380 high school students from grades eighth (n = 192) and tenth (n = 188). The Healthy Lifestyle Screen (HLS) was utilized to assess the lifestyle condition of the subjects of this study and it has components consisting dietary behavior, exercise or physical activity, water intake, sunshine exposure, temperance or self-control, quality of air, quality of rest or sleep, trust of which the higher score denotes healthier lifestyle.

The results showed that respondents of the study are in the unstable lifestyle status as they obtained low mean sub-scale scores on lifestyle components such as water, rest and exercise. Lifestyle components included in HLS showed significant differences comprising the physical/mental, behavioral and environmental aspects (p < 0.001) associated with the general characteristics of the high school students.

Findings of this study showed the necessity in assessing the lifestyle status as an initial step for promoting, maintaining and establishing a well-balanced life and preventing the increase of health-risk behaviors and thus, highlighted the need of transforming healthy lifestyle behaviors among students through school-based intervention programs.

INTRODUCTION

Healthy lifestyle is expressed into positive health behaviors being practiced so to be healthy as well as to prevent diseases. Healthy lifestyle behaviors are important characteristics in health promotion and may suppress markers of illness. Individuals who embraced healthy lifestyle behaviors can withstand health risks linked to disability and disease in later life. The World Health Organization has emphasized that 60% of the quality of an individual’s life depends on his or her behavior and lifestyle. Therefore, the development and promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents is the foundation of disease prevention and in maintaining a healthy life [ 1 - 3 ].

In contrast, health-risk behaviors such as substance misuse, mental health, obesity and sedentary lifestyle becoming prominent during adolescence can increase an individual’s vulnerability to negative health outcomes. Such modifiable behaviors usually established during adolescence as being the time of risk-taking and experimentation. When reaching the adolescent phase, an individual begins to integrate various roles to play in meaningful and constructive ways. Adolescence is the stage of life in which opportunities for health are promising and future patterns of adult health are manifested [ 3 - 7 ].

Pender stated in his study that a healthy lifestyle is necessary for improving health [ 8 ]. Many public health agenda aim to reduce health risks by giving a greater attention that can provide important opportunities to improve health and focus on assets including positive relationships, skills and values that help adolescents obtain a better quality of life. These health-enhancing behaviors include behaviors to be applied in an individual’s life for improving well-being and self-actualization. Çelebi and colleagues [ 9 ] stated that a healthy lifestyle should not only focus on prevention from diseases, but also those behaviors that can improve the holistic well-being of a person throughout life. Healthy lifestyle behaviors are positive attitudes practiced daily by an individual including good nutrition, adequate rest, regular exercises, adequate water intake, good environment, self- control and even interpersonal relationships, however unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are defined as attitudes that deteriorates health due to acquired incorrect or incomplete information as well as observations. To obtain a healthy life, individuals have to control their own behavior, make better decisions, and cope with negative situations. The high school period is found to be the time that a person can develop a complete self-awareness. Schools are an outstanding venue to provide young ones with skills to improve their healthy lifestyle behaviors including mental health, social skills, and academic performance. Assessing the health behavior of young people in this period and providing them support in the lacking areas is of great importance.

According to the data from the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines as of 2017, the number of junior high school students is around 8.2 million out of the 28 million students from public and private schools, as well as state universities and colleges. The high school period is characterized by rapid physical, psychological and social changes experienced simultaneously. Students are in the rapid growing period and were identified as in the high risk of developing negative behaviors. Previous studies reported that more young people are involved in substance abuse, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, as well as early development of cardiovascular diseases [ 10 - 13 ].

The Department of Health Philippines [ 14 ] reported that adolescents in the Philippines practiced unhealthy diet, sleep deprivation, and physical inactivity. Philippines is still one of the unhealthiest countries in Asia being cardiovascular diseases (CVD) as the number one cause of death. Young individuals are not exempted among lifestyle-related non- communicable diseases (NCDs) such as smoking that obtained 19.7%; alcohol consumption up to 37%; and drug use with 4% admitting to the act. In addition, the Dangerous Drugs Board [ 15 ] reported that the lifetime drug use prevalence is around 6.1% of the same sample population of which 4.8 million Filipinos have used prohibited substances at least once in their lives.

Tamanal, Park and Kim [ 16 ] in their study had indicated that despite of the abundance of the information about lifestyle among individuals in the Philippines, there was lacking of necessary information regarding the lifestyle status and behaviors of high school students that belong to the vulnerable and crucial stage and thus, intervention is needed to be implemented at an early stage of life [ 17 , 18 ]. The objective of this study was to determine the lifestyle status of the high school students in the Philippines and further assess lifestyle components that affect that could affect them and could be critical for an individual’s health improvement as well as establishing healthy lifestyle behaviors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

1. design and participants.

This study used the Healthy Lifestyle Screen (HLS) as an assessment tool to assess the lifestyle condition of the students. The tool comprises three categories involving physical, mental, behavioral, and environmental aspects in nine areas of lifestyle such as dietary behavior, exercise or physical activity, water intake, sunshine exposure, temperance or self-control, quality of air, quality of rest or sleep, trust. It is a Likert-Scale type of questionnaire in the degree of agreeableness (4; strongly agree, 3; agree, 2; disagree, 1; strongly disagree). The total score has three ranges: 36-71 = urgent status, 72-107 = unstable lifestyle, and 108-144 = stable lifestyle. The higher score denotes healthier lifestyle General characteristics including age, gender, grade level as well as life satisfaction, happiness rate and health status were also utilized in this study.

The selection of this secondary school was based on the recognition of the ASEAN Training Center for Preventive Drug Education (ATCPDE) as one of the public schools dealing students having engaged into substance use (e.g., drugs, alcohol, and smoking of which needing to be addressed as one of the issues in the health risk behaviors among high school students. The criteria for selection of subjects were grade 8th and 10th grade currently enrolled in the school year of 2017-2018 and conducted to 380 randomly selected eighth and tenth high school students of Sta. Lucia High School, Pasig City, Philippines.

2. Measures

The Healthy Lifestyle Screen (HLS) having a total of 36 items in different lifestyle components was utilized to assess the lifestyle condition of the students (N = 380). The assessment tool was categorized in physical/mental, lifestyle behavior, and environment including eight aspects of lifestyle such as dietary behavior, exercise or physical activity, water intake, sunshine exposure, temperance or self-control, quality of air, quality of rest or sleep, trust including the general physical condition in a Likert-Scale type in the degree of agreeableness and frequency (4; strongly agree, 3; agree, 2; disagree, 1; strongly disagree) of which the higher score denotes healthier lifestyle depicting in an individual’s lifestyle choices. The questions used in this study were developed by the author in order to look at the different components and compare which one has most influence on high school students. Different lifestyle components including sunlight, water, air, rest, exercise, nutrition, temperance, trust and general physical condition. For the validity of the questions, five professionals participated in the validation process. Each question was evaluated utilizing Content Validity Index (CVI) [ 19 ] and the result was more than 80% on all questions in categories (e.g. sunlight, water, air, rest, exercise, nutrition, temperance, trust and the general physical condition).

General characteristics including age, gender, grade, life satisfaction, happiness rate and health status were used in the study. The general characteristics of the high school students such as age, gender, year level, life satisfaction, happiness rate, and health status were included in the assessment.

3. Statistical analysis

Data being presented were frequencies, means, and standard deviation. T-test and One-way ANOVA were performed to determine the differences among lifestyle components of the high school students. Statistical significance will be set at p < 0.05. Content Validity Index [ 19 ] was measured using ratings of item relevance by content. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 23) for Windows statistical software.

4. Ethical approval

Ethical consent for the study was obtained from the institutional review board (IRB) of Sahmyook University, for the assessment (IRB No. 2-7001793-AB-N-012018031HR). In addition, the Schools Division Superintendent’s approval to administer the study as it had met the overall objectives of the needs of the high school students designated by the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines.

For the high school students’ general characteristics, the mean age is 15 years of which 28.9% are males (N = 110) and 71.1% females (N = 270). Students are from the grade eighth 50.5% (N = 192) and tenth 49.5% (N = 188). The satisfaction level of the students has a mean score of (1.75) indicated as satisfied, both happiness rate (1.58) and health status (1.89) indicated as good ( Table 1 ). In this study among Filipino high school students, lifestyle components such as rest having the item about sleeping for 7 to 8 hours had the lowest mean score (1.97), water having the item about drinking caffeinated drinks (1.27) had the lowest mean score and exercise having the item about staying in one position for a longer period of time (2.30) had the lowest mean score and thus, these three lifestyle components obtained low in the total mean. Trust, air and nutrition were high in total mean score; and sunlight, temperance and general physical condition were in the middle range of the total mean score.

General characteristics of subjects

Moreover, results showed significance of healthy lifestyle components among high school students of Sta. Lucia High school and the mean score of each significant item. For the sunlight, items about sun protection (2.37), sleeping at night without light (3.35) and places having good amount sunlight (2.96) are significant (p < 0.001). For the water, an item about drinking 8 glasses of water daily (3.34) and a negative item about drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, supplements, energy drinks, etc. (2.34) are significant (p < 0.001). For the air, the negative item about staying in an area with polluted air (2.55) is significant (p < 0.001). For the rest, all items such as sleeping for 7 to 8 hours (2.68), being on a regular sleep-wake pattern (2.54), and negative items using electronic devices after midnight (1.97) and feeling sluggish and tired most of the time (2.32) are significant (p < 0.001). For the exercise, items about doing exercise for 30 minutes or more every day (2.35), usually sweating when exercising (3.17) and enjoying physical activities (3.06) are significant (p < 0.001). For the nutrition, items about eating a healthy breakfast (3.23), eating meals regularly (3.55) and eating balanced diet (2.40) are significant (p < 0.001). For the temperance, the item about getting angered and/or annoyed easily (2.71) is significant (p < 0.001). For the trust, the item about generally trusting people (2.92) is significant (p < 0.001). For the general physical condition, items about did not catch a cold or flu for one year (2.18) and doing bowel movements at least once a day (2.99) are significant (p < 0.001) ( Table 2 ).

Significance of healthy lifestyle among Filipino high school students

* p < 0.001.

For the water, the age (t = 3.653, p < 0.001), grade (t = 3.24, p < 0.001), life Satisfaction (F = 3.054, p = 0.017), health status (F = 2.801, p = 0.040). In item 6 about access to clean and drinkable water, gender (t = −2.120, p = 0.035), grade (t = −3.39, p = 0.001), and the mean in item 7 about drinking water during meals, gender (t = 2.788, p = 0.006), happiness (F = 3.787, p = 0.005) are significant. In the 8th item about drinking caffeinated drinks, life satisfaction (F = 2.536, p = 0.040), happiness (F = 3.228, p = 0.013), and health status (F = 5.687, p = 0.001) are significant.

For the air, the age (t = −0.423, p < 0.001), in the 10th item about the window to have fresh air daily, life satisfaction (F = 5.789, p < 0.001), happiness (F = 6.347, p < 0.001), in the 11th item about being in an area with polluted air, age (t = 4.59, p < 0.001), grade (t = 5.15, p < 0.001), life satisfaction (F = 2.543, p = 0.038), health status (F = 3.044, p = 0.029), and in item 12 about smoking or exposed to second-hand smoking, the grade (t = 2.29, p = 0.022), happiness (F = 3.833, p = 0.005), and health status (F = 2.801, p = 0.040) were significant.

For the rest, the gender (t = 4.626, p < 0.001), gender (T = 5.73, p < 0.001), grade (t = 7.73, p < 0.001), life Satisfaction (F = 4.910, p < 0.001), health status (F = 8.341, p < 0.040). In item 14 about using electronic devices after midnight, the health status (F = 2.981, p = 0.031) and happiness (F = 6.347, p < 0.001). In the 15th question, gender (t = 3.373, p < 0.001), the age (t = 2.15, p = 0.033), and grade (t = 3.94, p < 0.001) were significant.

For the exercise, the 17th item about exercising for 30 minutes or more everyday had resulted into the following: gender (t = 2.280, p = 0.024) and grade (t = 2.84, p = 0.005). In item 18 about sweating when doing exercises or physical activities, the age (t = −2.00, p = 0.045), grade (t = −2.27, p = 0.024), and health status (F = 3.269, p = 0.021). In the 19th item about enjoying physical activity, life satisfaction (F = 3.171, p = 0.014), happiness (F = 2.566, p = 0.038), and health status (F = 2.800, p = 0.040), In item 20 about working or staying in one position for a longer period of time, there is a significant difference according to life satisfaction (F = 2.978, p = 0.019) were significant.

For the nutrition, the item 21 about eating a healthy breakfast resulted in gender (t = 2.326, p = 0.021), age (t = 4.07, p < 0.001), grade (t = 7.07, p < 0.001), happiness (F = 3.549, p = 0.007), and health status (F = 6.986, p < 0.001). In item 22 about eating meals regularly, the age (t = 2.14, p = 0.033), grade (t = 2.01, p = 0.045), happiness (F = 3.715, p = 0.006), and health status (F = 6.910, p < 0.001). In item 23 about eating food slowly and chewing it well, gender (t = −2.949, p = 0.003), grade (t = −2.38, p = 0.018), and happiness (F = 2.742, p = 0.028). In question 24 about eating a balanced diet, the grade level (t = 2.85, p = 0.005) and health status (F = 2.694, p = 0.046) were significant.

For the temperance, item 25 about controlling one’s self not to overeat resulted happiness (F = 2.504, p = 0.042). In item 26 about a negative question on drinking alcohol, gender (t = −3.672, p < 0.001), life Satisfaction (F = 8.025, p < 0.001), and happiness (F = 3.710, p = 0.006). In item 27 about a negative question on getting angered or annoyed easily, the age (t = 2.13, p = 0.034) and life satisfaction (F = 5.379, p < 0.001) were significant.

For the trust, item 29 about had resulted into gender (t = 2.782, p = 0.006), age (t = 2.30, p = 0.022), grade (t = 4.48, p < 0.001), satisfaction with life (F = 4.419, p = 0.002), and happiness (F = 3.031, p = 0.018). In item 30, the age (t = −3.37, p = 0.001) and grade (t = −2.31, p = 0.022). In item 31, age (t = 2.61, p = 0.009), grade (t = 3.43, p < 0.001), life Satisfaction (F = 5.159, p < 0.001), happiness (F = 7.361, p < 0.001), and health status (F = 7.822, p < 0.001). In item 32 about being satisfied with the one’s daily, the grade level (t = 2.33, p = 0.020), satisfaction with life (F = 2.409, p = 0.049), happiness (F = 9.770, p < 0.001), and health status (F = 9.163, p < 0.001) showed significant differences.

For the general physical condition, item 33 about the little change in one’s weight over the past year showed that the significant difference in grade level (t = −2.24, p = 0.026) and life satisfaction (F = 4.050, p = 0.003). In item 34 about not catching a cold or flu for one year, age (t = 2.12, p = 0.035), satisfaction with life (F = 3.865, p = 0.004), and happiness (F = 2.498, p = 0.042). In item 35 about normal range of blood pressure and blood sugar, the grade level (t = 2.74, p = 0.006), life Satisfaction (F = 5.210, p < 0.001), happiness (F = 5.652, p < 0.001), and health status (F = 5.067, p = 0.002). In item 36 about doing bowel movements at least once a day, happiness (F = 2.574, p = 0.037) and health status (F = 4.171, p = 0.006) were significant differences ( Table 3 ).

Differences of healthy life style according to the general characteristics in high school students

* Healthy Lifestyle Screen (HLS) Question number contents are consistent with the items shown in Table 2 .

This study aimed to determine the lifestyle status of high school students and further assess lifestyle components that affect the Filipino high school students. The Healthy Lifestyle Screen (HLS) was an intended assessment tool to assess the current lifestyle of the students as this stage is crucial specifically in forming behavior patterns [ 20 ].

In this concept of the study, gathered data have been documented with findings indicated to determining the lifestyle status of high school students utilizing the HLS comprising nine lifestyle categories (sunlight, water, air, rest, exercise, nutrition, temperance, trust and general physical condition establishing a holistic healthy lifestyle behaviors in physical/metal, behavioral and environmental aspects of the high school students as well as the further assessment of the lifestyle components that greatly affect them. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show the different lifestyle components comprising the physical/mental, behavioral and environmental aspects having positive effects to the healthy lifestyle behaviors of an individual. In the national agenda for improving the health of the youth, it is unfortunate that in healthy lifestyle programs, aspects such as mental or psychosocial health has been largely missing in creating health programs for the adolescents. Thus, there is only a little evidence that manifest health curricula for high school students, though it can positively improve not only the healthy lifestyle behaviors, but also the academic performance, stress management as well as their psychosocial health.

This study showed that among high school students, lifestyle components such as water, rest and exercise were low compared to other lifestyle components (e.g. sunshine, nutrition, air, temperance, trust and general physical condition) as resulted from the assessment utilizing the HLS. The water as a lifestyle component includes drinking 8 glasses of water daily, easy access to clean, drinkable water and negative items as drinking during the meals and drinking caffeinated drinks. Iglesia and colleagues [ 21 ] stated that a high proportion of adolescents are at risk of an inadequate fluid intake. Previous study regarding the water and fluid intake of the population across age groups in the Philippines implied low water intake adequacy and higher intake of sugary beverages. Ly and colleagues [ 7 ] stated that students who drank more water have a better defecation pattern which is a good indication of being healthy and to take into consideration regarding the access to foods and beverages that are low in nutrients and high in fats and sugar in schools [ 22 - 25 ].

Another finding of this research is that the lifestyle component having a low mean sub-scale score of the HLS was rest including items about enough hours of sleep, stay on a regular healthy sleep-wake pattern and the negative items on the use of electronic devices after midnight and feeling sluggish and tired most of the time. An increasing attention in research is given to health risks depicting that many adolescents do not get sufficient and quality sleep. Not having enough sleep or rest is a condition known as sleep deprivation of which can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain and adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. Lack of sleep or quality rest can lead to serious consequences. Chen and colleagues [ 26 ] stated that the amount of sleep is an important indicator of health and well-being in adolescents of which having 6-8 hours per night regularly and a critical factor in adolescent health as well as health-related Behaviors. High school students who had inefficient sleep on an average school night likely to engage in risky behavior as based from the previous report that most teens are not getting the recommended hours of sleep of which associated with a variety of risky behaviors such as physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and even fighting. Unhealthy sleeping habits in students is associated with increased vulnerability to psychoactive substance abuse, injuries as well as poor daytime functioning. Among Norwegian adolescents, delayed sleep phase appeared to be common and associated with negative outcomes such as lower average school grades, high risk in using harmful substances, elevated anxiety and depression scores [ 27 , 28 ].

Physical activity or exercise is another lifestyle component found out to be low in the mean score among high school students having items such as exercising for 30 minutes or more daily, sweating when exercising, enjoying physical activities and the negative item about staying in one position for a longer period of time. Field and colleagues (2001) stated that lack of exercise among young people has been found out to contribute to health problems. Sedentary behavior was found to increase with age especially after early adolescence that is associated with deleterious health outcomes [ 29 - 32 ]. Tanaka and colleagues [ 33 ] stated that sleep health is closely related to physical as well as mental health aspects of an individual. Healthy lifestyle habits such as regular exercise, having a quality sleep and proper diet are important for maintaining and improving students’ health.

According to the results of this study, it was found out that high school students practiced healthy lifestyle status is unstable based on the Healthy Lifestyle Screen assessment tool; and, general characteristics such as gender, age, grade level along with perceived life satisfaction, happiness rate and health status were found to be effective on the healthy lifestyle behaviors in different lifestyle components (sunlight, water, air, rest, exercise, nutrition, temperance, trust and general physical condition). Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as being sedentary or staying in position for a long period, lack of water intake, sleep deprivation along with smoking, consuming alcohol, drinking during meals, drinking caffeinated drinks, being in an area with polluted air, excessive use of electronics, getting angry or annoyed easily as well as losing self-control among adolescents is becoming a major health phenomenon leading to non-communicable diseases, the top cause of death in most countries. It is not only the presence of obesity and unhealthy lifestyle characteristics at this life stage being associated with increased chronic disease risk, but this also may be a critical time during which young people adopt lasting health behavior patterns including unhealthy dietary habits of which becoming a major public health concern [ 34 - 36 ].

Thus, there is a great need to promote healthy lifestyle in all areas among adolescents. Transforming the healthy lifestyle behaviors through school-based intervention programs is of great importance for maintaining and establish well-being and overall health among adolescents. It is beneficial to reach young ones at schools by an effective health programs promoting healthy lifestyles in order to help them gain knowledge, positive attitudes and behaviors in relation to health as well as to prevent them from developing unhealthy lifestyle or health-risk behaviors.

This present study found that high school students’ current lifestyle is in the unstable status and in a high risk of developing unhealthy lifestyle behaviors some of which are poor diet, sleep deprivation, lack of physical activity, harmful substance use, injuries, poor academic performance and the like. HLS obtaining multiple lifestyle components such as sunlight, water, air, rest, exercise, nutrition, temperance, trust and general condition comprised in physical/mental, behavioral and environmental aspects of lifestyle enable an individual to determine areas needed to be improved by considering those lifestyle components that are usually taken for granted. This is a confirmation that HLS is an efficient assessment tool for determining lifestyle components associated with the efficacy of future health-promoting interventions on the health and well-being of adolescents. This study had several limitations such as the number of respondents. Due to the relatively small sample, there remains a problem with generalizing the results. Researchers of this study need to further examine among high school students of different ages, genders, backgrounds, nationalities, economic status and even academic levels in relation to their lifestyle behaviors as initial step in creating school-based programs that could promote healthy lifestyle to the high school students.

In conclusion, respondents of the study were in the unstable lifestyle status having low mean sub-scale scores on healthy lifestyle components such as water, rest and exercise. The assessment tool was designated to initially address lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) due to unhealthy lifestyle practices as well as to establish health-related lifestyle practices in components pertaining to the well-balanced physical/mental, behavioral and environmental factors affecting the individual’s healthy lifestyle behaviors. Findings highlight the need of having school- based healthy lifestyle intervention programs and preventive measures through a positive approach specifically in promoting and developing healthy behaviors as well as establishing resiliency among high school students.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study has been supported by Sahmyook University in Seoul, Repubilc of Korea. The researchers would like to thank the staff of Guidance Office in Sta. Lucia High School for their full support and high school students for their participation of the present study.

Short Essay on Health [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

In today’s lesson, I will discuss how you can write short essays on Health within different word limits. All the essays will be written here with a simplistic approach for a better understanding of all students. 

Short Essay on Health in 100 Words

Health is an important aspect of one’s life. A person is considered healthy when he or she is free from illness or injury. Health can be categorised as physical health, mental health, emotional health, social health, et cetera. However, all these categories are interrelated.

While low physical activity can impact overall mental health, mental stress can adversely affect heart health and poor emotional health can deteriorate one’s quality of life. Being in good health enables a person to function optimally and live their life happily.

Some of the basic rules for maintaining good health include going to bed and waking up on time, exercising regularly, eating healthily and drinking at least eight glasses of water daily. 

Short Essay on Health in 200 Words

Health is one of the most important aspects of one’s life. One can be a billionaire but if he is not in good health, he can not enjoy the luxuries that money can buy. Thus, health is considered as the real wealth. Health can be categorised as physical health, mental health, emotional health, social health, et cetera.

However, all these categories are interrelated and impact each other. For example, not exercising regularly can make a person irritable and cause mental health problems, while chronic stress can lead to health diseases and diabetes. Poor emotional and psychological health can also make people withdrawn and impact their overall health. 

Being in good health enables a person to function optimally and live their life happily. When one feels healthy and is not troubled by pain or discomfort in the body, he can be more active, participate in various activities and be more present in the daily happenings. Being mentally in good health is also very important as suffering from anxiety, depression and other issues can severely deteriorate one’s quality of life.

One can easily improve his health by making some changes in his lifestyle. Some of the basic rules for maintaining good health include going to bed and waking up on time, exercising regularly, eating healthily and drinking a lot of water. 

Short Essay on Health in 400 Words

Health is a key aspect of one’s life. A person is considered healthy when he is free from all illness and injury and can conduct his life well. One can be a billionaire but if he is not in good health, he can not enjoy the luxuries that money can buy. Thus, health is considered as the real wealth and being in good health is very important. Health can be categorised as physical health, mental health, emotional health, social health, et cetera.

Everyone can be healthy but good health does not come without the necessary discipline and care. Going to bed and waking up on time, exercising regularly, avoiding junk food, eating healthily, drinking a lot of water and getting some sunlight are a few good habits that can improve one’s health. However, it cannot be achieved in a day. One needs to change their lifestyle and practice healthy habits daily. 

Sometimes, one’s external environment can also be the reason for their poor health. Living in shabby conditions, breathing in heavily polluted air, consuming unhygienic food and contaminated water can more often than not, result in bacterial, fungal and viral diseases. Hence, cleanliness is an important factor if one wants to be healthy. One should also take care of their diet and include greens and other nutritious food, limit their caffeine intake, stop smoking and drinking as well as follow the basic health protocols. 

Good health is necessary if one wants to achieve their goal in life. One cannot study well or work hard when they are not feeling at ease or are suffering from pain. Adopting a healthy lifestyle makes us healthy and boosts our energy as well as immunity. Thus, good health is the key to enjoying a good life. 

In this session above, I have mentioned everything that could be necessary to write short essays on Health. Through the simple words and sentences, I hope now you have understood the entire context. If you still have any doubts regarding this session, kindly let me know through some quick comments. If you want to read more such essays on various important topics, keep browsing our website. 

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