What Affects Your Health Influences on Your Health

What Affects Your Health?

Influences on Your Health Heredity is all the traits that were biologically passed on to you from your parents. Environment is the sum of your surroundings including the physical places you live and the people who make up your world. The culture you live in is also part of your environment.

Physical Environment You may not have much control over your physical environment however, it is important to recognize how your physical environment can impact all aspects of your health. Environmental factors that can affect your health: • neighborhood and school safety • air and water quality • availability of parks, recreational facilities, and libraries • access to medical care

Social Environment Your social environment is made up of all the people around you. All these people can be positive role models who support your healthful decisions, or they can increase your health risks. Culture refers to the collective beliefs, customs, and behaviors of a group. This group may include: • an ethnic group • a nation • or a specific part of the world It may also include: • the language you speak • the foods you eat • your spiritual beliefs • the traditions you practice

Attitude Your attitude or the way you view situations can have a big impact on your health. (optimist versus pessimist) Behavior Your behavior is the one thing you have total control over. You can choose to avoid high risk behaviors in favor of healthful behaviors. Media and Technology Media is the various methods for communicating information. This content is delivered by technology, such as radio, television, and internet and through print media, like newspapers and magazines.