ARCHIVED - Health Protection and Promotion

Health Canada's health promotion and protection activities aim to keep Canadians healthy.

Health promotion is concerned with helping individuals improve their own health. It also looks at how changes to social, environmental and economic conditions can enhance the health of communities and individuals. Issues may include obesity, smoking, diabetes, physical activity and stress.

Health protection works to prevent or minimize preventable illness or injury. It is particularly concerned with risks to health over which individuals have little or no control. This may include issues such as radiation, vehicle safety, disease outbreaks, water quality or genetically modified foods.