What is the Difference Between Health and Wellness?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between health and wellness lies in the fact that health refers to a state of being free from disease or infirmity, while wellness is an active process through which people become aware of and make choices toward a more successful existence. In other words, health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, whereas wellness is the act of living a healthy lifestyle and striving for balance in all aspects of life.
Key differences between health and wellness include:
- Origin: Health is a state defined by the World Health Organization as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". Wellness, on the other hand, is a lifestyle that focuses on achieving well-being in all areas of life, including physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and occupational aspects.
- Scope: Health primarily focuses on diseases, genetics, and illness, while wellness encompasses a broader range of factors, including a person's physical, social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, environmental, and occupational well-being.
- Choice: Wellness is always a matter of choice, as it involves making decisions and practicing behaviors based on sound health knowledge to achieve optimal well-being. Health, however, is not always a choice, as it can be influenced by factors such as genetics, accidents, or other unforeseen circumstances.
In summary, health is a state of being free from disease, while wellness is an active process of living a healthy lifestyle and striving for balance in all aspects of life. Understanding the difference between health and wellness can help individuals make informed choices to improve their overall well-being.
Comparative Table: Health vs Wellness
The main difference between health and wellness lies in their definitions and the aspects they cover. Here is a table comparing the two:
Aspect | Health | Wellness |
---|---|---|
Definition | "A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (World Health Organization) | An active pursuit of optimal health, encompassing a person's physical, social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, environmental, and occupational well-being |
Dimensions | Physical, mental, and social well-being | 8 mutually interdependent dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental |
Goal | To be free from disease or infirmity | To strive for optimal health and well-being in various aspects of life |
Approach | Reactive, as it involves treating and managing diseases or conditions | Proactive, as it involves making conscious choices to improve various aspects of life |
In summary, health is a state of being free from diseases or infirmities, while wellness is the active pursuit of optimal health in various dimensions of life. Wellness goes beyond just physical health and includes emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, vocational, and financial aspects as well.
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