Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is “an overall condition of total health that encompasses physiological, psychological and other aspects.” Numerous other definitions have also been used over the years for various purposes. One such definition, the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Problems, classifies health as “the quality of life achieved and maintained through the processes of life.” It is a state of full well being with respect to health and the ability to cope with everyday living.

For an individual to have a good health, one should be in good health conditions. The definition of good health is influenced by culture and norms, with poor health considered a disease. It is necessary for the definition of health to cover what an individual’s lifestyle is like and to include the elements of prevention and control. An individual’s lifestyle includes the physical activities undertaken and the environment where these activities take place. The activities undertaken include exercise, diet, and behavior modification.

Good health is also defined by prevention, which is the combination of knowledge about disease processes and the use of protective measures and the provision of resources to fight these processes. A disease is defined when there is an absence of effective management of the cause of the disease. This means that the resources to treat or prevent the disease are not in place or are inadequate to combat the disease.

The third definition is that of life course. This is the average life course of a person as they develop throughout their life. Some diseases only manifest during certain life courses. These life courses can be categorized into cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc. Other common diseases include smoking, underweight, obesity and so on.

The fourth definition is that of disability. This refers to the difference between what a person can do for themselves and what they cannot do for themselves. The fifth definition is that of morbidity. This refers to diseases that are generally serious and that affect the quality of life.

The other five definitions are important and necessary and form an important part of any healthy life course and health policy. The sixth definition is that of mortality. This refers to life expectancy at the time of diagnosis. The seventh and last definition is that of disability-adjusted life expectancy. This is the average life expectancy at the time of diagnosis for a particular disease.