Mental and Physical Health and
Physical Activity
The health of the human body is a direct result of how well we take care of it. This
includes everything from eating the right food to getting regular exercise lifevoyageurs. It also has
a major impact on our mental health, too.
Physical health is all about maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly,
and going to the doctor for screening tests. These practices can help keep your body
healthy and prevent serious diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and
cancer.
Good mental health is also about being mentally active, having good social
connections and avoiding negative habits that can lead to anxiety and depression. It
can be hard to talk about these things, but it is important to have open
conversations about them and seek support.
A healthy body helps you feel better, perform daily activities and be more productive
at work. It can also lower your risk of many serious chronic diseases, such as high
blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
It can also improve your mood, increase energy and help you sleep better at night. It
can boost your self-esteem and improve your relationships.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines physical health as the state of a
person’s physical, emotional and social wellbeing, including his or her quality of life.
It is influenced by how well we are nourished, the amount and type of exercise we
get, our stress levels and how much sleep we get.
Physical health has long been recognized as an important factor in mental health,
and research has shown that it can play a major role in preventing or managing
depression, reducing the risk of suicide, and improving overall mood.
Despite its well-established benefits, there are still many people who do not get
enough physical activity. This is a global health problem that requires a concerted
effort to ensure that all individuals have the opportunities to be physically active.
It is therefore essential that countries, cities and communities develop policy and
solutions that provide a safe and supportive environment for physical activity to
thrive. This can include ensuring adequate access to transport, education and
workplaces that are suitable for physical activity.
WHO has launched the toolkit ACTIVE to support Member States and international
partners in their efforts to promote physical activity. It includes four policy actions
areas and 20 specific policy recommendations. It provides information to support a
whole-of-system response to increase physical activity at the global, regional and
local level.
The World Health Assembly has committed to a 15% reduction in physical inactivity
by 2030. This is a key step towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The WHO
toolkit ACTIVE provides the technical guidance and support to implement this global
action plan.
Increasing physical activity is the best way to prevent and manage many of these
noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can
reduce the risk of obesity, hypertension and many cancers, and has been linked to a
reduced risk of dementia, improved sleep and other psychological benefits.
