Lifespan vs. Quality of Life
What is lifespan?
The total number of years a person lives
Name one physical factor that affects health.
Exercise, sleep, nutrition, hygiene.
What is a health risk factor?
Anything that increases the chance of disease, injury, or poor health.
What does the S & M in SMART goal stand for?
Specific & Measurable
What is a barrier to achieving a health goal?
Something that gets in the way of reaching your goal.
What is quality of life?
How well a person lives — includes health, happiness, and daily function.
Name one mental or emotional factor that affects health.
Stress, confidence, mindset, emotional coping skills.
What is a protective factor?
A behavior or condition that improves health and reduces risks.
What does the A, R & T in SMART goal stand for?
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Name 2 common barriers for teens trying to stay healthy.
Lack of time, stress, peer pressure, too much screen time, lack of motivation.
Give one example of a habit that could increase lifespan but not necessarily improve quality of life.
Examples:
Taking medicine to stay alive but still feeling sick
or staying indoors all the time to avoid risk.
What’s one social factor that can improve quality of life?
Good friends, family support, teamwork, positive relationships.
Give an example of 2 risk factors that many teens face.
Lack of sleep, poor eating habits, vaping/smoking, too much screen time.
Rewrite this vague goal into a SMART goal: “I want to get in shape.”
Example: “I will jog for 20 minutes, 3 times a week, for the next month.”
What is one strategy to overcome the barrier of “I don’t have time to exercise”?
Schedule short workouts, combine with daily routine (walk to school, take stairs).
Explain how someone can have a long lifespan but poor quality of life.
They may live many years but have constant pain, illness, or lack of independence.
How can your environment (where you live) impact your health?
Access to clean water, safe neighborhoods, health care, pollution, access to healthy foods.
Give an example of 3 protective factors that can help you succeed in school.
Good sleep, supportive friendships, healthy stress management, eating breakfast.
Explain why “I will drink more water” is NOT a SMART goal.
It’s not specific or measurable — doesn’t say how much, how often, or for how long.
How could peer pressure become a barrier to a health goal?
Friends may encourage unhealthy habits (junk food, vaping, staying up late), making it harder to stick to your goal.
Compare lifespan and quality of life: Which do you think is more important, and why?
Answers will vary — example: “Quality of life is more important because you want to enjoy the years you live, not just live longer”
Which factor—physical, mental, social, or environment—do you think impacts middle schoolers the most, and why?
Answers will vary example:
“Social factors because friendships and peer pressure affect my daily choices”
or "Mental because we are going through a lot of changes"
Identify one risk factor you want to avoid AND one protective factor you want to strengthen. Explain how they connect.
Answers will vary —
Example: Avoid skipping breakfast (risk) and strengthen eating balanced meals (protective).
Create your own SMART goal for improving a personal health habit.
Answers will vary — Example: “I will get at least 8 hours of sleep on school nights for the rest of this school year.”
Why is it important to plan for barriers before starting a health goal? Give one example.
Planning ahead helps you stay on track when challenges come up.
Example: If bad weather is a barrier to running outside, you can plan an indoor workout instead.