To outline the general features of study of a healthy way of life as part of a society's and individuum's culture in the research literature in Ukraine and abroad.

The object of the study in this publication is a healthy way of life as an essential part of the individuum's health. The subject of the study is the cultural context of a healthy way of life and its coverage in scientific literature.

Health is the key concept in this study. Although its definition that would satisfy everyone has not been determined so far (there are about 70 of them), most national and foreign scholars agree with several axiomatic statements [1, 3, 4, etc.].

The definition of a healthy way of life suggested by O. Perevozchikova should be provided. In her opinion it is "a combination of behavioral factors (style of life) that contribute to preservation and strengthening of health of the individuum provided such individuum is satisfied with its position (quality of life) and a favorable combination of external factors (way of life, wellbeing, psychological and spiritual comfort)" [9, p.117].

The healthy way of life as a certain cultural tradition of society, which is widely spread in many countries of the West and East, cames to be cultivated in Ukraine. This statement is proved from the point of view of cultural studies. First of all, the concept of a healthy way of life is oriented on a certain person and stipulates determining individuum's risk factors and developing specific programs aimed to reduce potential damage to health. A healthy way of life makes the individuum change the attitude to own health and taking the latter as the main human value.

Among the most recent definitions of culture of health one can state the following (L. Lavrova, N. Mikulak) - it is an integrated practice-oriented system of knowledge and skills of self-development of an indivi - duum and a combination of norms and values that ensure the insight on the role and place of health in the system of public relations [2, p.168].

Summarizing the existing opinions we shall note that the culture of health may be referred to a system of spiritual values based on the ideal of health and a system of activities aimed to prevent different illnesses due to a particular mode of healthy individuum life. From the point of view of cultural studies the level of culture of health can be considered as one of the criteria of a healthy way of life.

Understanding of a healthy way of life as a phenomenon of culture has a deep historical tradition. The importance of patient's treatment for his/her recovery was affirmed by Hippocrates (Ancient Greece), Avicenna (the Medieval East) and Paracelsus (Medieval Europe) [4, p.35].

The prerequisites for development of such scientific trend and a mandatory component of a healthy way of life - preventive medicine - appeared only at the end of XIX century. The idea that prevention is more advantageous than treatment has been established due to the works of L. Pasteur and M. Pettenkofer [4, p.40].

The study of a healthy way of life is connected to the formation and development of experimental hygiene according to scientific studies of the late XIX - early XX century. Such scholars like F. Erisman (school hygiene) and A. Dobroslavin were among the founders of the science of hygiene on the territory of Europe and the Russian Empire.

In the Soviet times the studies in the field of higienistics was conducted by G. Khlopin (Odessa, Tartu), V. Uglov and A. Minkh (Leningrad, Moscow) [9, p.118].

Actually the philosophy and culture of a healthy way of life (as an separate trend in social practice) started to establish them selves on a system basic only in the second half of XX century.

In the USSR the idea of social and cultural determinants of health was studied by Yu. Lisitsyn (1960-1970). This outstanding scientist published fundamental works on the issues of the population's health and its conditionality, organization of health care, social and hygienic aspects of psychology and bioethics, i. e. one of the key elements of the culture of health. It was Yu. Lisitsyn who was the first to offer the term of "sanol - ogy" (health of healthy people) [4, p.155].

In 1990 I. Brekhman started using "valeology" instead of the concept of "sinology". At the same time, a term "healthy way of life", borrowed from the Western literature, became very popular. The prominent Ukrainian academician M. Amosov was an active promoter of the concept of "healthy way of life" [1, p.50].

In the western scientific literature the idea of a healthy way of life is used in the context of the term "strengthening (promotion) of health" (health promotion), implemented by the World Health Organization. Of course, the propaganda of a healthy way of life is the main part of health promotion [8, p.37].

Western scholars M. Perre and U. Baumann referred the term of a healthy way of life to the term "norm", considering, first of all, the relation of the norm and pathology. In particular, they pointed out the following types of norm:

perfect norm: a philosophical and ideological justification as a "state of perfection" and postulated as significant, whereby abnormal means not conforming to the ideal;

statistical norm is determined using the arithmetic mean of experimental data, according to which abnormal means unusual;

social norm means standards of conduct offered by the society according to which abnormal means a deviant;

subjective norm: individual data are used as a scale to estimate changes and thus abnormal means not suitable for an individuum;

functional norm is used as an intermediate function (or dysfunction) of the desired states of "higher level", according to which abnormal means harmful [6, p.237].

Thus, the term of "ideal norm" concerns cultural context of a healthy way of life to the greatest extent. Of course, it can never be reached and moreover it cannot be maintained on a constantly high level.

In independent Ukraine the issue of development of a healthy way of life from the point of view of culture studies is just starting to be studied comprehensively. In particular, L. Sokolenko claims that it is very important to involve every individuum, in particular among youth, to create valuable orientations in the field of health preservation and formation of the culture of a healthy way of life. In addition, L. Sokolenko names other works, in which scientists, directly or indirectly, consider the issue of the culture of health - the studies of G. Apanasenko, V. Bobrytska, O. Vashchenko, V. Goriachyi, S. Zdioruk, V. Kuz, B. Mokin, N. Pobirch - enko and N. Sopneva [9, p.116].

In addition, they state that developing of the culture of a healthy way of life in certain groups of population will be more effective, if the content of valeological education is developed to create value orientations in the field of a healthy way of life, as well as activation of a conscious activity in any forms of the culture of health [9, p.118]. L. Sokolenko is convinced that a healthy way of life has four interrelated aspects: actual physical, mental, social and spiritual. The very last aspect concerns a healthy way of life, which involves, in particular, the ability to keep and use your moral potential (spirituality, charity, ethical values and beliefs).

L. Sokolenko argues that the culture of a healthy way of life includes three interrelated components: practical behavioral, cognitive and motivational-valuable [9, p.117].

Other Ukrainian scientists, in particular L. Lavrova, have studied a healthy way of life from the point of view of philosophical and educational analysis and one of the components thereof is the study of cultural aspect of health. The researcher stands out that the process of formation of a healthy way of life is an important task of modernization of our education [2, p.137].

Moreover, according to L. Lavrova a healthy way of life of the individuum and society is a direct result of the values determined by the culture. It is true that human health is a global phenomenon, which has been studied in almost any humanology sciences [2, p.137].

Such Ukrainian scientists as T. Boichenko, V. Brekhman, N. Gorashchuk, N. Novikova and G. Petukhova are convinced that the culture of a healthy way of life involves various aspects, ranging from environmental awareness, knowledge and reasonable use of body potential the human, appropriate use of different methods of rehabilitation up to skillful use of valeological knowledge, propaganda and implementation of the ideas of a healthy way of life, ability for self-correction and implementation of systematic measures to strengthen health [10, p.117].

Many Ukrainian scholars (G. Apanasenko, V. Volkov, D. Davydenko, N. Zavydivska, S. Kanishevskii, Yu. Novytskyi, R. Raevskyi, A. Rybkovskyi, I. Smoliakova and M. Filippov) examine the current state of health and justify the necessity of a healthy way of life for different age groups of population, including students. Thus, I. Smoliakova is convinced that negative trends in the state of health of young people of Ukraine are caused by the lack of scientifically based and really effective method of formation of a healthy way of life [1, p.15].

The stages of research of a healthy way of life are an interesting issue worth studying. This subject has been addressed in some thesis papers [1, 3, 5, 8].

Conclusions