Health Behavior

Health behavior refers to any behavioral practice that has relevance to physical health, whether the [Page 1611]behavior is health promoting or health compromising. Health-promoting behaviors include, but are not limited to, physical activity, a healthy diet, brushing and flossing teeth, vaccinations, seatbelt and car seat use, and sleep. Health-compromising behaviors include smoking, substance use, risky sexual behaviors, plus the inverse of many health-promoting behaviors (e.g., sedentary behaviors). Health behaviors are among the primary causes of many prevalent chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, various cancers), and promoting healthy behaviors and changing unhealthy ones have been identified as the most efficient ways to lower chronic disease morbidity rates, decrease mortality rates, and reduce health care costs. Research on health behavior is guided primarily ...