WELCOME - eTutorial 1

MPU3313
HEALTH & WELLNESS
- Topic 1

Mr Rames Prasath
mrprai@yahoo.com
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1) Differentiate between health and wellness;
2) Describe the characteristics of a healthy lifestyle;
3) Identify the personal responsibilities for attaining and
maintaining health and wellness in an individual;
4) Identify factors which characterise the health and
wellness state of an individual;
5) Summarise the benefits of a comprehensive health and
wellness lifestyle
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 Introduction
• Greetings are projections of wishes for safety, security,
spirituality, good health, abundant wealth and lots of
happiness. .e.g. selamat pagi, salam sejahtera, good
luck, best wishes..etc.
– We can observe that the well-being of a person is actually
contingent on a combination of factors.

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 What is Health?
• ‘Health’ can be defined as the state of complete physical
health, mental health and social well-being, and not merely
the absence of illness and infirmity. ....WHO (1947)
• There are several dimensions that can affect the health of a
person.
– Donatelle, Snow and Wilcox (1999) state that a vigorous balance
between the social, physical, psychological, intellectual,
environmental and spiritual dimensions are important for health
of a person.

• Today, health status is regarded as a dynamic balance

between the various dimensions that is very much
dependant on personal choices.
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 What is Wellness?...

• ‘Wellness’ is a
commitment within
personal limitations and
potentials, to continual
striving to attain and
optimize current health
status.

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 …What is Wellness?
• The concept of ‘Wellness’ was refined in the early 1970s
to represent individual efforts to improve the existing
state of personal health.

–‘Wellness’ is an active process of

awareness & efforts taken by a person to
achieve a healthier state of being in
life…Dunn (1977)

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 Comparing Health & Wellness
• Subtle differences between the concept of ‘health’ &
‘wellness’.
– Health is a state of well-being at a particular moment based
on the ability of an individual to perform basic activities of
daily living.

– Wellness is an active process through which a person

becomes aware of personal limitations and yet makes
conscious choices to gain more independence from the
constraints for his or her contentment.

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 What is a Healthy Lifestyle?
• A healthy lifestyle offers a choice of living behaviours
which maximise the state of wellness and decrease
risk of illness and premature death.

Choices for leading a healthy

lifestyle can be influenced by
a multitude of personal
factors as well as external
influences.

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 Examples of Healthy Lifestyle Choices

1) Eating a well-balanced and 9) Avoidance of smoking, alcohol

nourishing diet; and abuse of recreational drugs;
2) Maintaining a healthy body weight; 10) Regular health screening for early
3) Regular exercising; detection of health threats;

4) Able to control stress; 11) Prioritising personal safety;

5) Able to manage extreme emotions; 12) Making an effort for continuous

self-improvement;
6) Adequate rest and sleep;
13) Maintaining an optimistic and
7) Maintaining a healthy balance positive outlook at life;
between work and social activities;
14) Being an active advocate for a
8) Engaging in spiritual nourishment healthy environment.
or worship according to one’s faith;
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 Personal Responsibility for Health and Wellness

• A practical approach for maintaining health and wellness

requires people to take personal responsibility for their own
quality of life.

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 (a) Personal Responsibility for Action
• Individuals who strive for optimum health are able to
differentiate between modifiable risk factors and non-
modifiable risk factors that can influence their health status.

Modifiable Risk Factors Non-modifiable Risk Factors

• factors within control of a • factors that are not within

person, whereby he or she
can take action to reduce or
prevent the risks of adverse
events from occurring, e.g.
choosing to refrain from
smoking, healthy diet..etc
the control of a person, such
as increased vulnerability to
certain diseases due to
gender or as a result of
advancing age.
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 Guidelines to enhance modifiable
behavioural patterns:

a) Engaging in regular and effective physical exercises;

b) Not smoking or indulging in recreational drugs or alcohol;
c) Eating wholesome nutritious meals;
d) Striking a healthy balance between work, personal, family
and social life;
e) Shunning excessive stressors;
f) Advocacy for health-orientated policies and programmes
within the family and community.

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 (b) Concern for Others
• Societal elements and active participation in community
activities has a strong potential to influence the health and
wellness choices of a person.
• People-centred individuals tend to enjoy a greater sense of
wellness compared to social recluses because:-
• feel an aura of freedom and sense of social connectedness,

• comfortable in adapting to changing situations while remaining

committed to their wellness goals.

• role models for others who may wish to participate in wellness

orientated activities but are shy to do so.

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(c) Health Awareness and Sound Decision-making

• A high degree of wellness does not happen through ‘quick-fix’

overnight methods, ‘fast-track’ means or just wishing and
being positive about it alone without sustained effort.
• Some people are in a hurry to ‘look fit’ by resorting to shortcuts
from ‘fast-track’ means commercialized in the market.

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 INFLUENCES ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS...
• Certain factors influence people to pursue fitness and to adopt a
healthy lifestyle such as:
a) Predisposing factors: factors that exert influence prior to a
behavior occurring, by increasing or decreasing a person’s
motivation to undertake that particular behavior .

- characteristics that motivate behaviour

towards certain habits or actions such as
knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, values, self-
efficacy, behavioral intentions, and
existing skills

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…INFLUENCES ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS
b) Reinforcing factors : are elements that help to promote
and encourage behaviours towards continuation of health
and wellness options in a person’s life..eg. Reminders,
feedback, and support for continuation of the desired
health behavior.
c) Barriers: are obstacles that
prevent the adoption of
healthy lifestyle behaviours.
d) Personal lifestyle: are choices
that influence and motivate
action or delay participation in
improving one’s overall health
and wellness state.
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BENEFITS OF A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH
AND WELLNESS LIFESTYLE

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 Activity 1
• Based on your understanding of the definition of
Health by WHO, identify at least one example of
health-related threat to a person, based on each of
the following dimensions:-
– Physical health
– Mental health
– Social wellbeing
Discuss your answers above on the forum...
 Activity 2

• Discuss your own efforts and challenges in

trying to maintain the six comprehensive
benefits of a health lifestyle identified above:
Activity -
Personal
Health
History

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 Conclusion
• It is hoped that the understanding gained
from this topic will enrich you intellectually
and at the same time, empower you on a path
of personal health & wellness.

All the best!

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Thank you

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