ECH130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Healthy Diet, Australian Psychological Society, Impulsivity
29 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Wellness and Wellbeing
• Wellness, wellbeing and mental health
• A specific focus on children’s wellness and wellbeing
• How do we promote wellness?
o Kidsmatter
What is health?
• Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity – World Health Organisation, 1948
• Health as a continuum
Mental Health
• Mental health is defined as a state of wellbeing in which every individual
realizes his/her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, work
productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his/her
community
• Good mental health is a sense of wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem
• It enables us to fully enjoy and appreciate other people, day to day life and our
environment
Definitions of Wellness
• “Wellness is the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. There are
two focal concerns: the realization of the fullest potential of an individual
physically, psychologically, socially, spiritually and economically, and the
fulfillment of one’s role expectations in the family, community, place of
worship, workplace and other settings”
• National Wellness Institute of Australia defines Wellness as a complex mix
of environmental, occupational, intellectual, emotional, financial, physical,
spiritual, cultural and social components. Adapted from Hettler’s six
dimensional model, this definition acknowledges the roles of culture,
environment and resources and the parts they play in the lives of all
individuals
Domains of Positive Wellbeing/Wellness
• The Personal Wellbeing Index
o Part 1 (Optional item) – Satisfaction with Life as a Whole
▪ “Thinking about your own life and personal circumstances,
how satisfied are you with your life as a whole?”
o Part 2: Personal Wellbeing Index
▪ “How satisfied are you with…?”
• Your standard of living?
• Your health?
• What you are achieving in life?
• Your personal relationships?
• How safe you feel?
• Feeling part of your community?
• Your future security?
• Your spirituality/religion? (optional)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Wellness and Wellbeing
• Positive wellbeing allows people to:
o Realise their full potential
o Cope with the stresses of life
o Work productively
o Make meaningful contributions to their communities
o Form positive relationships
Domains of Children’s Wellbeing
• Martorano et al. 2013:
o Material wellbeing
▪ Monetary deprivation, material deprivation e.g. family
affluence
o Child health
▪ Health at birth, child mortality, health services e.g. infant
mortality rates, immunization
o Education
▪ Educational achievement, participation e.g. maths, science,
literacy scores, enrolment rates
o Behaviour and risks
▪ Experience of violence, health behaviour, risk behaviours e.g.
bullying/fighting in schools, nutritional, physical activity,
cigarettes, alcohol consumption
o Housing and environment
▪ Overcrowding, environment, housing problems e.g. number of
rooms/members of family, pollution, moisture, running water
Children’s Wellbeing
• UNICEF – 2007 report of child being in rich countries across 6 dimensions
o Material wellbeing; health and sadeety; educational wellbeing; family
and peer relationships; behaviour and risks; subjective wellbeing
o Netherlands leads (ranked in top 10 for all 6 dimensions) – European
countries dominate the top half and UK/USA bottom third for 5/6
dimensions
o Australia sits close to the mean on all dimensions (but data not
available for some measures)
o Health → percentage of young people rating their own health no more
than ‘fair’ or ‘poor’
o School life → percentage of young people ‘liking school a lot’
o Personal wellbeing → percentage of children rating themselves above
the mid-point of a ‘Life Satisfaction Scale’ and percentage of children
reporting negatively about personal wellbeing
How does the wellbeing of young Australians compare?
• The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth is a national non-
profit organization which focuses on bringing together researchers,
policymakers and practitioners to turn the best evidence on ‘what works’ for
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
child and youth wellbeing into practical, preventative action to benefit all
young Australians
• Established in 2001, ARACY continues to build on the founding idea that the
complex issues affecting young Australians cannot be solved by one
individual or organization working in isolation
• Produced reports on the wellbeing of Australian young people and place in
comparison to other countries
• ARACY 2008 report on the Wellbeing of Young Australians aged 0-24:
o Comparison of total Australian population, Indigenous Australian
population and international comparators using same 6 dimensions as
UNICEF report
o Australia does not compare favourably internationally on 4 out of the 6
dimensions (material wellbeing; health and safety; peer and family
relationships; behaviour and risks)
o Compares favourably for educational wellbeing and subjective
wellbeing
o Wellbeing of Indigenous children particular low in comparison to both
total Australian population and international comparators
• ARACY 2003 report
o Australia ranked in top third of OECD countries for approximately ¼
of indicator (12 out of 46) e.g. some educational and employment
outcomes; environmental conditions at home
o Ranked in middle third for almost ½ the indicators (20 out of 46) e.g.
many health indicators; some material basics; love and safety
o Bottom third for approximately ¼ of indicators (14 out of 46) e.g.
incidence of diabetes and asthma; young people in education; 3-5 year
olds in preschool
How does the wellbeing of young Australians compare?
• Areas and themes contributing to ‘a good life’ – supportive systems and
environments
o Healthy
▪ Healthy eating, exercise, good physical health
▪ Happiness, positive outlook
▪ Self esteem and value
o Learning
▪ Developing values and morals
▪ Opportunities to grow and develop self
▪ Participation in education
o Loved and safe
▪ Friends, connections and a social life
▪ Support networks and services
▪ Safe and stable home environment
▪ Family, relationships, being surrounded by loved ones
o Material basics
▪ Food, water and shelter
▪ Money and work
o Participating
▪ Leisure and fun
▪ Involved in community
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Wellness and wellbeing: wellness, wellbeing and mental health, a specific focus on children"s wellness and wellbeing, how do we promote wellness, kidsmatter. What is health: health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity world health organisation, 1948, health as a continuum. It enables us to fully enjoy and appreciate other people, day to day life and our environment. Definitions of wellness: wellness is the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. Adapted from hettler"s six dimensional model, this definition acknowledges the roles of culture, environment and resources and the parts they play in the lives of all individuals. Wellness and wellbeing: positive wellbeing allows people to, realise their full potential, cope with the stresses of life, work productively, make meaningful contributions to their communities, form positive relationships. Domains of children"s wellbeing: martorano et al.
