Integrating physical and mental health promotion strategies

While health is defined as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being’, physical and mental health have traditionally been separated. This paper explores the question: How can physical and mental health promotion strategies be integrated and addressed simultaneously? A literature review on why physical and mental health are separated and why these two areas need to be integrated was conducted. A conceptual framework for how to integrate physical and mental health promotion strategies was developed and applied to The Obesity Reduction Strategy for British Columbia. Through this analysis, it is argued that integrating physical and mental health promotion strategies is necessary to have the greatest impact on public health.