Families and physical health

This chapter focuses on the physical health of families. The components of physical health discussed in this chapter include diet and nutrition, physical activity, sleep patterns, medical self-care, smoking as well as alcohol and drugs. Family members’ health behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, eating, exercise, and sleep) show more similarity than would be expected by chance. An individuals’ quality of life (QoL) is closely related to the QoL of those around them, be it their spouse, children, or parents. As a result, any kind of chronic sickness present within the family has the potential to affect the lives of the other members. Health problems in any family member were associated with a high incidence of mental health issues in other family members. Involvement of families can be effective in health promotion programs.