Overview

Section 1: Getting Started

Welcome to the Empowering Albertans to ChooseWell course.

You may either complete the course using the visual presentation below or click on the sections found in the menu to the left to read through the section content instead.

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1.1 What is health?

There are many ways to define health. Some definitions are very narrow and focus only on the presence of disease.

The World Health Organization adopted a more encompassing definition that has become a standard among professionals in Canada. It is:

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

1.2 What affects our health?

Health is not determined only by our health care system. Or by our genetics. Our choices make a difference, too.

In a fundamental 1974 report, A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians, commonly called the LaLonde Report, the author suggested that there are four broad issues that determine an individual’s health.

1.2.1 What affects our health?

It has become well-accepted that the four broad factors that determine an individual’s health are:

1. Human biology, including genetics
2. Environment and everything around us
3. Lifestyle and the choices we make
4. Healthcare services

Health is maintained and improved not only through health science, but also through the efforts and positive lifestyle choices of the individual and society.

1.3 What are some common challenges and barriers to making good lifestyle choices?

Everyday, we are faced with challenges to making healthy choices.

Think about it…

What are some challenges you face when making choices that impact your own health?

“As I see it every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.” - Adelle Davis, Nutritionist (1904 – 1974)

1.3.1 Consider these trends:

• Increased portion sizes and opportunities to “super-size” your meals.
• Greater availability of fast food and soft drinks than fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Soda and junk food availability at schools and after-school programs.
• Lack of physical activity opportunities in schools and communities.
• Increased television viewing and video game playing.
• Lack of safe and appealing places in many neighborhoods to play or be active.
• Relentless advertising of junk food, with many ads aimed at children.
• Lack of time for daily physical activity.

Find out what barriers you face by completing this optional quiz: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/life/barriers_quiz.pdf

1.3.2 Consider these trends:

The 2008 Alberta Recreation Survey asked respondents why they have not started the recreation activity they desire.

The five reasons mentioned most often were:

1. Too busy with work
2. The cost of buying or renting equipment or supplies
3. Too busy with family
4. Admission fees/charges for facilities or programs
5. Too busy with other activities

1.3.3 Facing common barriers

It can seem hard to make healthy choices when we are surrounded by opportunities to do the opposite. But we can make it easier and more desirable to make better choices.

This is done through health promotion.

1.4 What is health promotion?

Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health.

Through health promotion, we can empower people to improve their health.

“You can set yourself up to be sick, or you can choose to stay well.” - Wayne Dyer,

1.4.1 There are five main priorities for health promotion:

1. Promote social responsibility for health: Social responsibility for health is reflected by the actions of decision makers in both public and private sector to pursue policies which promote and protect health.
2. Increase investments for health development: This implies directing existing resources within health care towards health promotion. This also includes investments for health that people make in their everyday lives.
3. Expand partnerships for health promotion: A partnership for health promotion is an agreement between two or more partners to work cooperatively towards a set of shared goals.
4. Increase community resources and empower the individual: This involves ensuring that communities and individuals have the power and ability to improve the health of themselves and their citizens.
5. Secure an infrastructure for health promotion: Infrastructure for health promotion includes everything needed to implement health promotion. This can include human and material resources, organizational and administrative structures, policies, regulations and incentives.

1.4.2 What is health promotion Cont'd

One well-known and successful health promotion program you likely know of is ParticipACTION.

ParticipACTION is a national voice for physical activity and active living in Canada. This program inspires and supports Canadians to get more active and be healthier.

The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association is the provincial voice for the Sogo Active initiative that managed by ParticipACTION. The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association is partnered with ParticipACTION to act as the Provincial Coordinator for Sogo Active. This initiative gives young Canadians the tools to design, change and control their own individual get-active plan.

1.4.3 What is health promotion Con'd

One example of a community-based health promotion program is Pineridge, Alberta’s volunteer-run H.E.A.L. (Healthy Eating, Active Living) program. Pineridge is one of Alberta’s Communities ChooseWell Champions.

H.E.A.L. helps families make choices that support healthy behaviors for a lifetime.

One challenge many Pineridge residents have to making healthy choices is a lack of awareness of what opportunities and resources are available.

H.E.A.L. tackled this barrier by highlighting numerous nutrition programs available in Pineridge. Some of these include a Collective Kitchen, Centre for Newcomers Collective Kitchen, Good Food Box, Community Gardens… just to name a few!

1.4.4 Think about it...

What kinds of health promotion programs have you encountered?

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