Lifestyle is generally defined as the way a person lives. It refers to the characteristics and patterns of a person's behavior, which reflects his or her attitudes, values, and preferences in a given environment. Changes in a person's lifestyle may elevate or reduce certain health risks and influence a person's physical health and mental well-being.

Beginning with a brief introduction to the history of how lifestyles ultimately relate to health, this entry focuses on the impact of lifestyle on an individual's health in a family care setting instead of how lifestyle impacts the health of the family itself as a function unit or object of discussion. Lifestyle changes potentially impact the individual's health or even modify his or her disease courses and outcomes. Lifestyle choices, including ...