How do you define "healthy" in an individual?

I also like WHO's.

I think health is subjective, at least in some part. So much of it has to do with how a person feels and their personal circumstances, that I don't think you aren't going to find a way to take quantifiable measurements.

My problem is that a person at a healthy weight, body fat percentage, and with great lab work results would be called "unhealthy" by some people based on their diet without any way to justify that assertion other than their personal concept of what healthy food is.

In general, I think some people have narrow views of what health is. And usually they hold their view for a self serving purpose (moral superiority).

Maybe my perspective is skewed. Considering health by the criteria "a healthy weight, body fat percentage, and with great lab work results" I would be considered unhealthy. I am "overweight" according to the BMI by 7 pounds. My BF% and waist measurements are "normal", have no major health issues. So am I less healthy than somebody who just weighs a little less? I would argue no because I feel super and my doctor has quit suggesting I need to lose weight. My point is, I think it's unfair to label anyone "unhealthy" because a lot goes into health you can't see. Or eat.

I think people cling hard to standards of health they have achieved. If that makes sense. It's like pride gone awry.

Whenever a person is at one end or the other of the "healthy" BMI range people on here will determine or diagnose what they think that person's health is. I'm teetering on the edge of the low range, but I'm extremely healthy according to all my tests at the doctors and they say I am not underweight. I just have a very small frame (as does everyone else in my family), and I've always been this size, and I've been an active dancer since I was 11 (and I also lift weights). But, I've never gone on a low calorie diet and usually make an effort to eat more to make sure I don't drop weight (because of my activity levels). I agree that people can be outside the "healthy" range and be very healthy. There are so many factors that go into that individual that can determine a different healthy weight for them. But, people on here have called me a special snowflake for saying that.

For objective metrics (of people)... idk, maybe refer to an actuary or insurance company for probabilities? Even the best clinical tests & measurements are limited in terms of identifying risks (& even active illnesses/injuries).

Re the value of food as far as it contributes to whatever we want to call health, I think that if you hit most of your various nutrients over time, you should be ok. & that *probably*, if along the way, you prioritize, idk, some veg & fruit & protein sources you're more likely to get at those nutrients than otherwise. as far as synthetic supplements/vitamins go, ok, i am not someone who knows how to talk about that, but my understanding is it's all fairly complicated, in terms of metabolism, bioavailability, all that, & depends on regulation, manufacturing, standardization, etc etc.

Then again, wider use of folic acid in manufactured foods is thought to have reduced risk for some cancers, heart defects, and neural tube defects in newborns. And veg/fruit grown in the suboptimal ground we have is apparently less nutritious than it would have been 50 years ago.

In short, who knows. I try to hedge my bets (imperfectly, also comes down to what I can afford, feel like, and is convenient).

Which diseases?

Most? A solid immune system should be able to cope with the more ordinary bacterial & viral onslaughts, acute & chronic stressors, etc. Some portion of vulnerability to/protection against chronic lifestyle diseases (diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc, even dementias) can also be attributed to exercise. Mood disorders, too.

Fitness s/b for as morebean put it the functions of daily life.

I like the WHO's definition of health, which looks at the person in a 'biopsychosocial' context: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

Interesting.

Op, you are getting into tricky territory here. I agree and beleve that "health" has multi dimensions which include physical, mental and spiritual components.

If you want to limit it to physical, which would include many things including health of the body, nutrition can be an important factor. CAN be. Doesn't always end up being the case.

Obviously when one's health deteriorates, they may say they have poor health. But someone can appear to be healthy and not actually be.

In general, I do try to eat a diet of whole foods that are plant based, most of the time. But not all of the time. I do it because I perceive I can get better nutrients from those foods, and luckily I also like the way they taste.

I also, however, firmly believe to each his own. We all have our own journeys to take in all matters of 'health', including all aspects of it. I cannot walk in someone else's shoes and know what is right for them, anymore than they can walk in mine.

Which diseases?

Most? A solid immune system should be able to cope with the more ordinary bacterial & viral onslaughts, acute & chronic stressors, etc. Some portion of vulnerability to/protection against chronic lifestyle diseases (diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc, even dementias) can also be attributed to exercise. Mood disorders, too.

Fitness s/b for as morebean put it the functions of daily life.

I like the WHO's definition of health, which looks at the person in a 'biopsychosocial' context: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

Interesting.

Op, you are getting into tricky territory here. I agree and beleve that "health" has multi dimensions which include physical, mental and spiritual components.

If you want to limit it to physical, which would include many things including health of the body, nutrition can be an important factor. CAN be. Doesn't always end up being the case.

Obviously when one's health deteriorates, they may say they have poor health. But someone can appear to be healthy and not actually be.

In general, I do try to eat a diet of whole foods that are plant based, most of the time. But not all of the time. I do it because I perceive I can get better nutrients from those foods, and luckily I also like the way they taste.

I also, however, firmly believe to each his own. We all have our own journeys to take in all matters of 'health', including all aspects of it. I cannot walk in someone else's shoes and know what is right for them, anymore than they can walk in mine.

Wow, I like where you're going with this. I'm not healthy by the definition I quoted. Haven't moved past anger about it, & don't know where my physical health will go, or what it might feel like to live with some of these (comparatively minor) issues long-term. Thanks for opening up thinking about what optimal health could mean, for people living with diseases or disabilities.

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I would say bloodwork and medical indicators of health, and also what your body can do. In other words if you are "healthy" you should be able to do something more than sit on a couch and watch TV, or walk around or do other ordinary everyday things. Because you don't need to be "healthy" to be able to accomplish those things.

It's been well documented that eating an inadequately nutritious diet leaves people more prone to disease, in both the short and the long term.

Which diseases?


And I'm specifically talking about how you measure health. Actual measurables. As in, you must fit this criteria to be considered in the "healthy" class.

Take a scenario of two people. One eats "clean". The other eats what the first person believes is "processed junk". Both are hitting their calorie goal, their macros, and all of the micronutrients they need. A third person has to determine which of the first two is more healthy than the other but doesn't have any idea what they eat. How does that third person measure their health?

By asking them what they eat, and then telling the junk food eater they will get cancer and, "just wait till you're 70," and then declaring the 'clean eater' the winner, thereby proving that clean eating is healthier.

How would you quantify energy and alertness?

alertness - activity of the reticular activating system or dopaminergic system (but); ability to stay focused on a task that's mildly challenging for that person (previously established)
energy - total daily energy expenditure ; number or intensity of essential & non-essential movements per day compared to a baseline (some kind of kinesometer could measure that, fitbit maybe idk; mood (intensity, not direction), compared to a baseline

sorry for 'kinesometer', i am low tech, w/e something that measures movements

You have an EXTREMELY LIMITED view/perspective of Health. You may Only be including Physical Health and still that is Limited. Health is Soundness in every Measurable Aspect of One's Life: For Me Total Wellness is My Soundness in these areas = Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Mental, Psychological, Social, Financial and Professional/Career.

Relative to Physical Health, many want to look at longevity, in Reality we have NO control over that...what WE DO have control over is QUALITY of Our Life, in particular our Physical Soundness. Whatever YOU choose to do to maximize the Quality of Your Physical Health is up to You...because you can eat "clean" in YOUR opinion and get cancer, become immobile by arthritis or osteoporosis, hug someone and catch Shingles or chicken pox (as Barbara Walters did ), eat some organic spinach and get ecoli from cow manure or just get hit by a Mac Truck running or riding your bike. Everyone has an opinion on what will enhance everyone's Life but it "Just don't work like that"! So the best we can do is look at statistics for longevity and rates of disease; right now Vegans and Vegetarians (who eat fish once a week or so) lead in these areas.

As some one stated, " It would be nice to Live until you are 75, 85, 90... yrs old. But if you have had arthritis for 30 yrs and in pain constantly or some other disease or laid up in bed, is that a good Life...heck, is that a good death?" So for Me, the first things to do to try and get a Sound Physical Life would be to transition all animal products out of My eating, then all refined products...To argue with anyone over what THEY choose to eat to improve the Quality of their life is ridiculous and hypocritical.

Take a scenario of two people. One eats "clean". The other eats what the first person believes is "processed junk". Both are hitting their calorie goal, their macros, and all of the micronutrients they need. A third person has to determine which of the first two is more healthy than the other but doesn't have any idea what they eat. How does that third person measure their health?

That's a non evidence-based arbitrary snapshot of a sample size of 2. In scientific terms, it's meaningless.

I also like WHO's.

I think health is subjective, at least in some part. So much of it has to do with how a person feels and their personal circumstances, that I don't think you aren't going to find a way to take quantifiable measurements.

My problem is that a person at a healthy weight, body fat percentage, and with great lab work results would be called "unhealthy" by some people based on their diet without any way to justify that assertion other than their personal concept of what healthy food is.

My diet is very heavy in eggs, white rice, white bread, fishsticks, oven fries and oven baked meat snacks. I got my lab results back with everything perfectly fine and positive. The only thing that was off is unrelated to my current diet.

A lot of people would call my diet unhealthy, but I feel tons better than I used to and my lab results don't lie. I've replaced a lot of junk with healthier foods and control my portion sizes. I don't do macros because I honestly can't be bothered - with my bloodwork being what it is and my general feeling of increased health, why should I? If I feel I'm low on vitamins because I have off days, I take supplements to assist my body, but I try to get most of my vitamins from fruits and some vegetables. (I'm just not a huge veggie eater)

Take a scenario of two people. One eats "clean". The other eats what the first person believes is "processed junk". Both are hitting their calorie goal, their macros, and all of the micronutrients they need. A third person has to determine which of the first two is more healthy than the other but doesn't have any idea what they eat. How does that third person measure their health?

Well surely things like blood pressure, cholesterol levels? I know its all about calories in vs calories out for weight loss, and that a calorie is a calorie as they say. But I know I would prefer to eat clean, unprocessed foods as much as possible, as I wouldn't want the additional sodium, sugar, trans fat etc, yes those things may not cause me to gain weight, but I don't want my blood pressure to go through the roof if all I do is eat heavily salted food all day -even if it is within my calorie goals.

I have a high sodium/high cholesterol diet through the use of a lot of salt on my oven baked fries/potatoes, sometimes a dozen eggs a week with yolk etc. and my blood pressure and cholesterol are completely fine. I do drink the recommended 8 cups of water a day and I eat a lot of oatmeal, which are both known to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. I also cook everything in canola oil. Perhaps the way a product is prepared can change the way the body processes it and make junk food choices a lot less damaging than most assume?

To be healthy is not just about an appearance for me.

I have digestion problems so its is a big thing for me in my diet. I have bad stomach pain after some kind of food, like something too fat or fried. My stomach just cant do the fried food like French fries, last time I had it, i ended up at ER . My doctor prescribed me certain medicine of course AND a diet of food that would be easier to digest.
Because I also want to lose weight, my diet is focused not on just getting healthy, but ALSO weight loss.

I also have allergies and asthma, and have to eliminate some food because of it.

So I don't count calories. I use the MFP for the food diary and success diary.