Health and Wellness in an Active Economy

Abstract

There are two approaches to health and wellness that are explored throughout this chapter. The first is a socio-ecological response, where the recreation system has been focused on changing individual behaviour at the programmatic level. There is the realization that if programs were the single answer, then all the world s problems would be solved by now. What is needed is a much larger systemic response. The second approach relates to the co-creation of authentic and customized health and wellness solutions. Typically, the notion of health and wellness is viewed through the lens of the “expert” and a prescription model that is grounded in “the expert knows what is best for you.” The emerging model is one where the citizen is at the centre of the solution process. People desire the ability to feel more in control and make informed decisions about their health for themselves and their families. In this chapter, the authors explore this topic by reviewing a Canadian health and wellness action study.