enable all people to achieve their fullest health potential. This includes a secure foundation in
a supportive environment, access to information, life skills and opportunities for making
healthy choices. People cannot achieve their fullest health potential unless they are able to
take control of those things which determine their health. This must apply equally to women
and men.
Mediate
The prerequisites and prospects for health cannot be ensured by the health sector alone. More
importantly, health promotion demands coordinated action by all concerned: by governments,
by health and other social and economic sectors, by nongovernmental and voluntary
organization, by local authorities, by industry and by the media. People in all walks of life are
involved as individuals, families and communities. Professional and social groups and health
personnel have a major responsibility to mediate between differing interests in society for the
pursuit of health
Health promotion strategies and programmes should be adapted to the local needs and
possibilities of individual countries and regions to take into account differing social, cultural
and economic systems.
Health Promotion Action Means:
Build Healthy Public Policy
Health promotion goes beyond health care. It puts health on the agenda of policy makers in all
sectors and at all levels, directing them to be aware of the health consequences of their
decisions and to accept their responsibilities for health.
Health promotion policy combines diverse but complementary approaches including
legislation, fiscal measures, taxation and organizational change. It is coordinated action that
leads to health, income and social policies that foster greater equity. Joint action contributes to
ensuring safer and healthier goods and services, healthier public services, and cleaner, more
enjoyable environments.
Health promotion policy requires the identification of obstacles to the adoption of healthy
public policies in non-health sectors, and ways of removing them. The aim must be to make
the healthier choice the easier choice for policy makers as well.
Create Supportive Environments
Our societies are complex and interrelated. Health cannot be separated from other goals. The
inextricable links between people and their environment constitutes the basis for a socioecological
approach to health. The overall guiding principle for the world, nations, regions
and communities alike, is the need to encourage reciprocal maintenance - to take care of each
other, our communities and our natural environment. The conservation of natural resources
throughout the world should be emphasized as a global responsibility.
Changing patterns of life, work and leisure have a significant impact on health. Work and
leisure should be a source of health for people. The way society organizes work should help
create a healthy society. Health promotion generates living and working conditions that are
safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable.