Taking Charge of Your HealthChapter 1: Lesson 3

Opening Task• List the choices YOU have made in the last few days that have affected

your health. Identify how each choice affected your physical, mental/emotional, or social well being.

Risk Factors and Teens• Risk Factors – actions or behaviors that represent a potential health threat. • Becoming an adult means being aware of, and avoiding, potential risk factors

that could affect your health.• Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) surveyed 16,000 student from 151 schools

across the nation. The six categories or personal health factors covered include:• Tobacco use• Alcohol and other drug use• Sexual behaviors• Unhealthy eating behaviors• Physical inactivity• Behaviors that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries

Examining Your Habits & Other Behaviors• One finding of the CDC survey revealed 36% of the 16,000 students

smoked cigarettes.• Another 15% admitted to being in a physical fight during the previous

year. • As we continue through this chapter and others, reflect and apply

what is being introduced. Are YOU making decisions with your health and well-being in mind?

Cumulative Risks• Cumulative risks are risks that increase gradually and may add up to a

total that is greater than expected.• Examples: sunburn, smoking, drinking, tanning, diet, inactivity, etc.

• Combination cumulative risks are risk factors whose impact is more serious when combined with another risk factor. • Examples: speeding/no seat belt, smoking/drinking, drinking/driving,

texting/driving, inactivity/poor diet.

Taking Responsibility for the Health of Others• Taking responsibility for your own health includes showing concern

for the health of others. • As an adult, you are expected to behave as a responsible and

productive citizen.• This includes having a concern for the welfare of the community and a

respect for public property and for the property of others.

Protective Factors• The people around you – parents, teachers, amongst others – can help

you become a successful adult. • As proactive factors increase the amount of risk-taking behaviors

decreases and the chances of growing up as a healthy, caring, and responsible adult increase (support and encouragement – social health).• Positive Role Models – Who do you look up to? These people inspire you

to work harder, look toward the future, and choose healthful behaviors. By being a positive role model, you can inspire other around you.• Positive Values – values are beliefs and standards of conduct that you

find important. Honesty, integrity, courage, loyalty, hard work, etc. Family is the earliest source. Define right and wrong.

Abstinence in Your Health• Abstinence – voluntarily choosing not to do something.• Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, sex, etc.

• Responsible teens abstain from risky behaviors. • Although you may not relate your present actions to how they will

affect you in the future, it is important to remember that the behaviors you practice now are setting the stage for the health of the adult you will become.