Health

Defining Health and Well-Being

Begin by asking students what it is to be ‘healthy’? How would they define this? In feeding back, ascertain whether the definitions created focus on ‘positive’ aspects, such as, having certain things (a balanced diet for example) or negatives (I am healthy because I am not ill). It could be useful, depending on the ability levels of the group, to provide some booster material here as things can become a little abstract. GCSE Health and Social Care textbooks often touch upon definitions of health, with their positive, negative and holistic definitions.

After they have created their own definitions and fed back, ask them to consider the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) definition, found here:

Discover More WHO definition of Health Is their definition different? Notice how it also includes mental health. What does it mean to be mentally healthy? Notice also how it refers to it not simply being the ‘absence of disease’. Why do students think this might be the case?