Health and Well-Being Study Notes

Health and Well-Being

What Affects Health?

  • Learning Objectives
    • Describe the biopsychosocial model of health.
    • Discuss health disparities.
    • Discuss the causes and consequences of obesity.
    • Discuss the causes and consequences of smoking.
    • Review the benefits of regular exercise.

Key Concepts in Health and Well-Being

  • Critical Behaviors & Attitudes
    • Essential for maintaining health, regaining health after illness, and achieving overall well-being.
  • Health Psychology
    • Definition: A field integrating health and psychology, applying psychological principles to promote health and well-being.
    • Interdisciplinary nature of health psychology.

11.1 Social Context, Biology, and Behavior Factors

  • Well-Being
    • Definition: A positive state characterized by optimal health and life satisfaction.
    • Personality, thoughts, and behaviors influence health.
Biopsychosocial Model
  • Definition: Integrates effects of biological (genetic predispositions, microbial exposure, brain development), behavioral (thoughts/actions, lifestyle, stress, health beliefs), and social factors (environments, cultural influences, family relationships, social support) on health and illness.
  • Contrasts with the traditional medical model which sees individuals as passive recipients of disease and treatment.

Causes of Mortality

  • In the U.S., common causes of death have shifted toward lifestyle diseases rather than infectious diseases:
    • Heart disease (e.g., high blood pressure, atherosclerosis)
    • Cancer
    • Strokes (obstructive vs. hemorrhagic)
    • Lung disease (COPD)
    • Accidents
  • Lifestyle Factors Contributing to Mortality
    • Poor nutrition (not eating healthy foods)
    • Overeating
    • Smoking
    • Alcohol use
    • Lack of exercise

11.2 Obesity and Health Consequences

  • Body Mass Index (BMI)
    • A measurement of obesity based on weight relative to height.
      • Overweight: BMI > 25
      • Obese: BMI > 30
    • Limitations of BMI: Does not account for age, sex, body structure, or fat distribution.
    • There is no clear health outcome relationship with BMI, especially except among the very obese.
Body Weight and Health Outcomes
  • Individuals with BMIs < 35 have no greater risk of death than those with BMIs < 25.
  • Individuals with BMIs > 35 have a significantly higher risk of death.
  • Low BMI individuals, especially the elderly, face increased risk of premature death.
  • Maladaptive Eating Habits
    • Poor eating habits (junk food, hidden sugars, unhealthy fats) lead to increased abdominal fat, impacting health more than fat amount alone.
    • Visceral Fat: Directly associated with increased risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Metabolic Syndrome
  • Definition: A cluster of risk factors, including:
    • High blood sugar
    • Insulin resistance
    • High triglyceride levels
    • Cardiovascular disease risk
  • Individuals with low BMIs but high abdominal fat are at increased health risks; conversely, individuals with high BMI but distributed body fat have a lower health risk.
Global Obesity Trends
  • Child obesity rates have quadrupled since the 1960s.
    • Approximately 1 in 6 U.S. children are obese, with African American and Hispanic children disproportionately affected.
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is now common among both adults and children due to high sugar diets featuring sodas, processed foods, and high-calorie options.

Social and Genetic Influences on Obesity

  • Obesity has familial patterns; adopted children's BMIs correlate more with biological parents than adoptive parents.
  • Heredity estimates for body weight range from 60%-80%.
  • Gene-Environment Interaction: Some individuals genetically predisposed to obesity will be more affected in environments that encourage overfeeding.

11.3 Dieting Inefficacy and Eating Disorders

  • Dieting often fails due to the body’s defense mechanisms against weight loss.
    • Set-point theory suggests weight is biologically regulated, and weight loss causes metabolic slowdowns.
  • Eating Disorders:
    • Anorexia Nervosa
      • Characterized by self-starvation and an intense fear of weight gain.
      • DSM criteria: Severe underweight (BMI < 17), disturbed body image, and amenorrhea.
      • Health risks include thyroid issues, low blood pressure, and higher mortality rates (15-20% from the disorder).
    • Bulimia Nervosa
      • Cycles of binge eating followed by purging; affects 1-2% of adolescent and young adult women.
      • Associated health issues but rarely fatal.
    • Binge Eating Disorder
      • Binge episodes with no compensatory behaviors. Noted for associated stress eating.

11.4 Smoking as a Death Risk

  • Leading cause of preventable disease with over 480,000 deaths annually in the U.S.
  • Social influences significantly impact adolescent smoking initiation.
  • E-cigarettes: New delivery system with unknown long-term effects, showing both positive (less harmful delivery) and negative (unclear societal effects).

11.5 Exercise Benefits

  • Types of Exercise
    • Aerobic exercise: Light-to-moderate intensity (e.g., walking, running)
    • Anaerobic exercise: Short bursts of high intensity (e.g., weight training)
  • Regular exercise contributes to physical and mental health; recommended at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
  • Protection Against Illnesses
    • Reduces chronic illnesses: cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
    • Psychological benefits include improved mood, memory, anxiety, and depression management.
    • Positive effects on cognitive function, especially in aging populations.

11.6 Understanding Stress

  • Stress Definition: Biological and behavioral response involving unpleasant states such as anxiety or tension.
    • Stressors: Environmentally perceived threats that produce stress reactions.
    • Coping Responses: Attempts to mitigate stress (adaptive vs. maladaptive).

11.7 Stressors

  • Stress is categorized into:
    • Major life stressors (significant life changes)
    • Daily hassles (frequent irritations)
  • Holmes and Rahe Research: Introduced Life Change Units (LCUs) to quantify stress linked to health outcomes.

11.8 Physiological Stress Components

  • Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis: Regulates stress responses and hormone release (e.g., cortisol).
  • Chronic Stress: Associated with various health issues including immune dysfunction and increased disease susceptibility.
  • Stress affects health through physiological responses (sympathetic nervous system overactivity leads to hypertension and cardiovascular risks).

11.9 Coping Mechanisms

  • Effective stress management includes understanding cognitive appraisals (Lazarus model):
    • Primary: Is the stimulus stressful?
    • Secondary: What coping strategies can be employed?
  • Types of coping: Emotion-focused (short-term emotional relief) and Problem-focused (directly addressing the stressor).

11.10 Positive Psychology and Social Support

  • Positive psychology: Focus on strengths and positive aspects of life leading to well-being.
  • Benefits include reduced disease risk and improved immune function correlated with positive emotions.
  • Social Support's Importance: Linked to better coping, less stress, and enhanced health through supportive networks.
  • Trust and spiritual beliefs also correlate with improved health outcomes.