healthy

Healthy is an adjective describing a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. It is often framed in relation to health, with the World Health Organization defining health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being rather than merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

In daily language and in public health, a healthy condition results from interactions among individual behaviors and broader determinants such as income, education, housing, environment, and access to healthcare. These factors shape risks and opportunities for maintaining health over a lifetime.

Common components of a healthy lifestyle include a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; regular physical activity; adequate sleep; avoidance of tobacco; moderate alcohol use; and participation in preventive care such as immunizations and screenings.

Health status is assessed through a combination of measures, including self-rated health, clinical indicators, life expectancy, and the prevalence of chronic conditions. Public health emphasizes prevention, risk reduction, and equitable access to care as core strategies for maintaining a healthy population.

As a term, healthy is used across medicine, psychology, nutrition, and everyday language, and it is related to but distinct from wellness, which some definitions describe as a broader sense of well-being or vitality.