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How would our world change if everyone practiced healthy behaviors?
Imagining such a world is difficult because changes would affect not
only the people of the world but also the social, economic, and
institutional structures around the world. A global effort to
eat healthfully, quit smoking, and maintain a healthy weight could
drastically reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes,
heart disease, and obesity. Chronic conditions such as these directly influence
the ways people live and indirectly influence the way societies are
organized. Small behavioral changes among individuals would ultimately
change communities, cultures, and countries. The cumulative effect of
individuals everywhere practicing healthy behaviors would transform our
world.
This issue of Preventing Chronic Disease highlights healthy
behaviors around the world, from American Samoa to Ethiopia. The mandala
depicted on the cover, created using icons of healthy behaviors, reflects the synergistic nature of health. A mandala is a geometric pattern used
to represent the universe that originated with Tibetan monks and has been
used in many religious traditions and as a healing tool in various cultures
(1). The mandala is thought to aid in the healing of society (2), and,
loosely translated, the Sanskrit word mandala means “world in
harmony” (3). Just as each piece of the mandala is an integral part of the
larger pattern, the health of each individual affects our world. Similarly,
change in society affects behaviors of individuals, and the mandala
illustrates this two-way relationship. The collective adoption of healthy
habits by people everywhere has the power to make our world a harmonious
one.
References
The Mandala Project. What is a mandala? Seattle (WA): The Mandala
Project; 2006 [accessed June 4, 2008].
http://www.mandalaproject.org/What/Index.html.
Mandala gallery [homepage on the Internet]. Maitland (FL): Mandala
Gallery; 2007 [accessed June 4, 2008]. http://www.mandalagallery.com.
Davis Museum and Cultural Center. Circles of healing, circles of
peace: a Tibetan mandala project at the Davis Museum and Cultural
Center, Wellesley College [press release]. Wellesley (MA): Wellesley
College; February 16, 2005.
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
