Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is an “uneven condition of the body, regarded as normal though not perfectly fit or healthful” with complete physical, emotional and social well being. Various definitions have been applied to health throughout the history of medical studies. However, health is a term open to interpretation by many professionals including the person who is thought to be at risk of developing a particular ailment. A hale and hearty health should be equated with well-balanced diet and active lifestyle with regular exercise.

When it comes to understanding the meaning of health one must consider that disease is more than just an unpleasant physical condition. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, disease can be “any form of abnormality, illness, or condition that results in pain, disfigurement, or bodily agony”. In other words, disease can be described as a negative state of affairs. The definition of health therefore, is something positive that is equated to well-balanced life with less pain and discomfort.

One cannot discount the impact of drug use on the state of health. In fact, drug use and abuse has now become a major health problem in the United States. Over usage of prescription painkillers, such as Oxycontin, Adderall and Vicodin, has resulted in a significant increase in unintentional deaths from prescription drug overdose. Also alarming is the number of people who are turning to illegal drug use such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines to alleviate pain and suffering. These drugs are highly addictive and when used ormisused improperly, have serious and life threatening consequences.

There are several public health determinants of health that can be considered relevant in assessing the health status of an individual. These public health determinants are sociological, biological and environmental and they interact with one another to determine health. These public health determinants include age, sex, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, life style preferences, level of education, neighborhood or community income, ethnic background, health insurance coverage and medical history.

Societal determinants of health include population size, income and social class. Income refers to the value of one’s life and its products. Life style preferences refer to ones’ health behavior. The medical environment refers to the place or setting in which medical care, therapy and medications are administered. Social environment refers to ones’ social support and interaction with other individuals.

A healthy diet is one of the most important determinants of good health. A healthy diet should include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, low fat dairy products and lean meats. An effective exercise program helps to maintain a good health. These are only some of the factors that influence an individual’s overall health.

The term “sport” (as used in the Oxford English Dictionary) refers to a number of athletic activities. Sports can be played for recreational purposes such as leisure sports and games, or professionally, such as motor sport and tennis. Many forms of sports are now considered to have a competitive edge; for example, horse racing is an obvious form of competitive sport, but not many people will follow horse race betting. Professional sportspeople often engage in what is termed as practice; this means that they train rigorously for particular sports, usually for competitive reasons, until they reach a certain level of competence. There are various types of competitions that people engage in, including sprinting for high school athletes, weightlifting for professional gym owners, rugby for Australian rugby players, table tennis for professionals such as tennis legends Billiardi and Andre Agassi, cricket for the popular television coverage in the UK, hockey for the ice hockey players of the NHL and the USHL, golf for professional golfers and the like, running for track and field events, boxing for professional boxers, motor racing for Formula One drivers and so on.

Sports can be physical or non-physical. Physical sports are performed for competition and obtain high marks for them from judges, crowds or fellow athletes. Non-physical sports are those that require physical strength, speed and agility. These kinds of sports can either be amateur or professional; however, most athletes engage in both kinds. Amateur sports frequently require skill alone, but can be of varying levels, depending on how skilled the athlete is.

Most countries have a national association for a particular type of sports, such as cricket for cricket players, rugby for the rugby players and field sports like football for the players of American football. All these associations are governed by a governing body. The level of participation in these associations generally varies according to a country’s economic conditions and culture. A popular pastime in America is baseball, with approximatelyety-five professional teams and many more amateur ones. Major League Baseball is the most popular professional sport in America. Cricket and football are popular in England and Australia, while soccer is growing in the Asian and European regions.

Golf is perhaps one of the oldest sports in the world. Golf has gained popularity in America because it is both an expensive sport and one that requires physical exertion. A typical golfer will need at least one additional set of equipment – a driver, a putter and a ball. Since golf is an expensive game, most clubs and balls are expensive as well.

Playing video games is another example of a sport requiring physical exertion. Most teenagers love to play video games. This means that most children spend at least one hour each day playing video games. For adults playing sports may include climbing stairs, taking a punchbag or throwing a ball around the house. In the case of esports, the activity is more physical than it is mental.

One of the few international sports that doesn’t require much physical activity is American football. However, like all sports, American football players will get some workout. They will run on the treadmill or lift weights. The most important thing is that the player is having fun with the sport rather than simply participating in it.