Physical Health

What We Found

Physical health is highly important to Utah survey respondents, but not rated as high as other wellbeing categories.

people in an outdoor exercise class using weights

What it is

Physical health refers to an individual’s bodily wellbeing and how well it is functioning. Physical health can include multiple factors such as diet, exercise, or drug-use.

Why it matters

Good physical health is necessary for people to adequately meet their daily needs, actively participate in their community, and to live long, happy lives. Research suggests that illness or premature death due to poor physical health is a leading cause of family poverty, while improved health in a community can lead to more economic growth overall.

What you can do

Many aspects of health, such as diet and exercise, are heavily affected by personal choices. However, research has found that various community characteristics can improve opportunities for people to personally maintain their physical health. In addition, other community characteristics, such as air pollution, can directly cause illness or death. We recommend that city leaders consider factors like physical activity, nutrition, health care, and environmental health by focusing on (1) the built-environment to increase active transport, (2) physical health activities that give people the opportunity to be physically active, (3) ensuring access to healthy food and high-quality health care, and (4) environmental factors to improve air and water quality. Below you can find a list of targeted resources to learn more about physical health and ways to improve it in your community.

Resources and Links

Click the title of the resource or the associated image to be taken to the referenced link. The icons below indicate if a resource is geared toward community leaders or individuals.

Community Focus | Individual Focus

Get Healthy Utah

Get Healthy Utah is a local non-profit dedicated to keeping Utah residents healthy. The link above takes you to their active living resources page which provides various strategies, information, and local, state-wide, and national resources that can be utilized by decision-makers. Additionally, Get Healthy Utah has also provided a Healthy Utah Community Strategies Toolkit and a Menu of Services with a host of other useful resources that can be downloaded here.

Link addresses the following recommendations: physical health activities and ensuring access to healthy food

The Rural Health and Information Hub Toolkits

The Rural Health Information Hub is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Their goal is to provide information and resources to address the health challenges of rural areas. The link above takes you to their “Rural Health Evidenced-Based Toolkits" page. Many other resources can be found throughout the site, such as funding opportunities and case studies.

Link addresses the following recommendations: active transport, physical health activities, and ensuring access to healthy food and health care

Healthy People 2030

Healthy People 2030 is a program from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion that aims to improve health across the United States by providing evidence-based information, tools, and recommendations that can be utilized at multiple levels of government. The link above takes you to their main page where you can access various resources and information.

Link addresses the following recommendations: active transport, physical health activities, and ensuring access to healthy food and health care

Healthy Places for Healthy People

Healthy Places for Healthy People is a program provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that aims to work with community leaders and community health care partners to address multiple aspects of wellbeing, including physical and environmental health. The link above takes you to the initiatives main page which provides information, ideas, and links to additional resources such as the their Smart Growth in Small Towns and Rural Communities resource page.

Link addresses the following recommendations: active transport, physical health activities, and ensuring access to healthy food and health care

Community Preventive Services Task Force

The Community Preventative Services Task Force is a program by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that aims to improve wellbeing by providing evidenced-based tools and strategies that improve community physical health. The link above takes you to their page which details how to plan the built environment to increase physical health and includes resource guides, real-world examples, science-based information on health, and more.

Link addresses the following recommendations: active transport, physical health activities, and ensuring access to healthy food and health care

Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Cities: the Power of Nature-based Solutions

The United Nations Environment Program advocates for and provides resources related to sustainable development and environmental health. They promote nature-based solutions, which are actions taken to restore or maintain altered ecosystems to help solve both social and environmental issues in and around cities. The link above takes you to their Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Cities guide, which provides valuable information and strategies for decision-makers who are interested in learning more about and utilizing nature-based solutions.

Link addresses the following recommendations: environmental quality

What Works for Health Database

What Works for Health is a service provided by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps that allows interested parties to browse evidence-based strategies for specific aspects of health. The link above takes you to their page dedicated to strategies for increasing access to health care, increasing health care quality, and promoting good diet and exercise.

Link addresses the following recommendations: physical health activities and ensuring access to healthy food and health care

Utah State University Extension

Utah State University (USU) has multiple great Extension programs that provide resources and information to benefit both communities and individuals. The link above takes you to Extension's Health and Wellness program, which has great resources that decision makers can use to provide resources for their residents or that residents themselves can view if they would like information on different aspects of health.

Utah Department of Health

The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) provides a large list of resources related to physical health that span various topic areas including pregnancy, nutrition, cancer screening, emergency preparedness, and more. The link above takes you to their "Healthy Living" resources page. Other useful tools and programs can also be found in the drop-down menu on their main website, such as resources to help individuals apply for Medicaid.

Intermountain Healthcare

Intermountain Healthcare is a local integrated system of hospitals and health care workers that provide many health services to Utah residents, such as COVID-19 information and tools, classes and events, volunteer opportunities, financial assistance, and more. The link above takes you to their "Patient Tools and Resources" page, but many other useful resources can be found toward the bottom of their home page.

MyVision.org

MyVision is a free digital resource led by expert ophthalmologists and optometrists to provide trusted information on eye health and vision. For many as they age, deteriorating eyesight is one of the first health issues noticed. To better educate older adults and their caregivers, MyVision recently published an educational guide on aging and eyesight. The link above takes you to this guide, but other helpful information and resources can also be found by browsing through the website.