Invitational Conference 'Is health a state or an ability? Towards a dynamic concept of health'

The past years thinking about the concept of health has moved with varying degrees of criticism around the old WHO definition: a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Within this framework, the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) and the Health Council of the Netherlands decided to organize an international conference addressing this conceptual issue, titled ‘Is health a state or an ability? Towards a dynamic concept of health’. Today the report of this meeting has been presented to the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports. The title of the meeting is a banner that covers the topic discussed adequately, according to the vast majority of participants. In view of both scientific and social developments, there is a growing need for a more dynamical approach to health. Being healthy means being able to adapt to disruptions, being resilient and maintaining or regaining balance. A more dynamic definition of health can better support both the ministry’s health policy and intersectoral health policy.