Health promotion
The World Health Organisation.,(2018) defines health promotion as the process of enabling
people to increase control over, and improve, their health. Green & Kreuter.,(1991, p. 432) go
into further detail by defining health promotion as any planned combination of educational,
political, regulatory, and organisational support for actions and conditions of living conducive to
the health of individuals, groups, or communities. The World Health Organisation.,(2018) states
that Health promotion usually addresses behavioural risk factors such as tobacco use, obesity,
diet, and physical inactivity, as well as the areas of mental health, injury prevention, drug abuse
control, alcohol control, health behaviour related to HIV, and sexual health.
According to the World Health Organisation.,(2018) Health is a state of complete physical,
mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is important to
address mental health, According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.,(2017)
mental health refers to a person’s emotional, social, and psychological well-being. Physical
health problems significantly increase the risk of poor mental health, and vice versa, Around 30
percent of all people with a long-term physical health condition also have a mental health
problem, most commonly depression/anxiety (Barnett et al.,2012). According to the National
Institute of Mental Health.,(2017) people who smoke tobacco, drink alcohol, or take illicit drugs
to manage stressful situations are more likely to develop health problems than those who manage
stress through a healthful diet, relaxation techniques, and exercise. Naylor et al.,(2012) stated
, that Mental health problems can seriously exacerbate physical illness, affecting outcomes and the
cost of treatment. The effect of poor mental health on physical illnesses is estimated to cost the
NHS at least £8 billion a year (Naylor et al.,2012).
The prevalence of obesity, The World Health Organisation.,(2017) defines Obesity as abnormal
or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health, A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is
considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. Obesity comes with numerous potential health
related complications Kopelman., (2000) states that Obesity is a risk factor for many health
problems, including stroke, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis. As well as people’s
physical health, living with obesity can also have an impact on mental well-being and has been
associated with anxiety and depression (Nigatu et al., 2016). Foresight.,(2008), a scientific think
tank that advises the UK government, predicted that, by the year 2050, 60% of UK men and 50%
of UK women will be obese, along with 25% of UK children if no action is taken. Dent &
Swanston.,(2010) estimated that life expectancy is decreased by approximately three years in the
moderately obese and between eight and ten years in the morbidly obese. Childhood obesity is
regarded as one of the most serious global public health challenges for the 21st century, Data
from the Health Survey for England.,(2013) shows that 29.5% of children aged 2 to 15 years
were classed as either overweight or obese. The increased prevalence of childhood obesity is so
serious that as a consequence, this will be the first generation in which children will die before
their parents in significant numbers (Wee CC et al.,2005).
