2. Link between Health and
Education
People with more education are more likely to:
live longer
experience better health outcomes
practice health-promoting behaviors
obtain timely health care check-ups and
screenings
4. Health Knowledge and
Behaviors
Education can lead to healthy choices and
behaviors:
obtaining and managing medical care
eating healthy
engaging in regular physical activity
refraining from alcohol and smoking
Living in neighborhoods that provide access to
recreational facilities
5. Employment and Income
People that do not have an education, or little
education, experience:
lower-paying jobs with more poorer working
conditions
little or no work-related benefits or health benefits
6. Social and Psychological
Factors
Education can lead to:
sense of control
social standing
social support
greater perception of personal control, fostering
skills, habits, and attitudes.
having more friends on whom they can rely on
greater family stability and support
7. Impact of Education on Health
Across Generations
Parents with a lower education can:
typically face greater obstacles
lack knowledge
lack skills
lack money
lack resources and support to help with their
child’s education
8. Improving Health through
Education Policies and Programs
Providing knowledge and skills for society to
succeed in the work force can:
promote social mobility
break the cycle of generations disadvantaged
improve the lives of many
9. Integrating Physical Activity in the
Classroom to Promote Healthy
Lives
Physical activity breaks can:
increase physical activity levels in youth
allow the students to be more focused
infuse meaningful physical activity during the
school day
activate the brain
improve on-task behavior during academic
instructional time
10. References
Egerter, S., Braveman, P., Tabashir, S.,
Grossman, R.,
& Dekker, M. (2009). Education matters for
health. In Commission to build a healthier
america.
National Association for Sport and Physical
Education,
(2011). Integrating physical activity into the
complete school day
Editor's Notes
According toEgerter, Braveman, Tabashir, Grossman & Dekker, (2009)there are three major pathways that link health and education. The three links are the connections with health knowledge and behaviors, employment and income, and social and psychological factors.
These charts show that educated men and women, no matter what race, will typically live longer and live healthier lives (Egerter, Braveman, Tabashir, Grossman & Dekker, 2009).
Education can increase people’s knowledge and cognitive skills to help them make more informed choices of healthy options for themselves and their families (Egerter, Braveman, Tabashir, Grossman & Dekker, 2009).
More education leads to a better likelihood of being employed, having a job with healthy working conditions, and having better employment benefits and higher wages. People with higher paying jobs are able to accumulate wealth, obtain health care, provide themselves and their family with healthier foods, and live in safer neighborhoods with grocery stores and parks (Egerter, Braveman, Tabashir, Grossman & Dekker, 2009).
Education can affect social and psychological factors such as sense of control where a person has better problem-solving skills, purposefulness, and confidence. Having a higher education can also contribute to a person having close friendships which leads to stable and supportive friendships and interpersonal skills. Social support can also be affected by education by creating relationships with others to provide access to relieve stress and other opportunities to better themselves (Egerter, Braveman, Tabashir, Grossman & Dekker, 2009).
Children with less educated parents are less likely to achieve academic success. Parents’ education can affect their children’s education because parents may lack support and resources to provide academic help at home (Egerter, Braveman, Tabashir, Grossman & Dekker, 2009).
(Egerter, Braveman, Tabashir, Grossman & Dekker, 2009)
According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, classroom teachers have the opportunities to influence children’s healthy behaviors and lifetime choices by including small but meaningful times to be active during academic activities.
