Studies show that American men and women have realized significant gains in body weight over the years. In fact, a larger proportion of the gains in the body mass arise from the escalating promotional activities carried out by the fast-food producing companies such as McDonalds.
In addition, the companies enjoy massive sales volume of processed and packed food. In this regard, many people continue to consume such foods thereby experiencing significant weight gains.
Based on these factors, several food advocates in the American markets such as Hamburger Chef Jamie Oliver have continuously toiled to make the general society aware of the processes that are utilized by different industries to process fast foods.
Further, the activist exposes the dangerous effects that are attributed to the increased consumption of such foods. Jamie Oliver, through documentaries, television shows as well as interviews has made major strides in explaining to the public the processes that the McDonalds Companys products undergo before they are sold for consumption (Oliver, 2013).
Jamies exposure on the processes used by McDonalds in the manufacture of hamburger has compelled the company to change its production procedures (Peters, 2013).
Further, companies such as Burger King and Taco Bell have ditched the utilization of ammonium hydroxide components in their procedures. Due to the changes in the manufacturing processes by the companies, cases of obesity have been on the decrease across several states in the US (Peters, 2013).
Most importantly, the fast food companies have flooded larger proportions of the American states. As such, the firms are taking advantage of the less cautious territories overseas. For instance, McDonalds Company operates in the UK as well as Ireland where the firm utilizes the meat from the local suppliers at lower price rates.
In order to realize declining levels of overweight, individuals should circumvent the sustenance of companies that exploit populace for profit at the expense of individuals health implications. In addition, the families should also divert their eating habits to plant-based edibles. As such, the populace will be reducing the greenhouse gas discharges emanating from the livestock units.
References
Oliver, J 2013, Unfit for human consumption. Web.
Peters, S 2013, Chef Jamie Oliver Proves McDonalds Burgers Unfit for human consumption . Web.
Obesity is a serious challenge Australia has recently faced in the field of health care. Today, this country shows one of the highest overweight rates around the world. The Australian Preventative Health Taskforce has put this problem in the list of the major health challenges along with tobacco and alcohol addictions (National Preventative Health Taskforce, 2010).
The deplorable results of numerous research show that the problems solution requires the introduction of a wise health care policy and efficient preventative measures. Thus, it is important to understand the roots of the problem and its character in order to define a right improvement strategy.
Statistics shows that Australia takes a leading place among developed nations in obesity. According to the official data, the overweight problem is present in 60% of adults and 25% of children. Researchers point out that an average Australian has become about seven kilograms heavier in the past twenty years. The figures are even worse for Aboriginal people and the inhabitants of the Torres Strait Islands (National Preventative Health Taskforce, 2010).
The number of obesity cases is rapidly increasing that causes a great concern on the part of the government. According to The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle annual study, the National Health Care System received 2 billion dollars in the framework of the overweight and obesity prevention program in 2008. The indirect expenses, however, are considerably larger.
The study claims that the total cost of the problems solution in the same year comprised a sum of 8.3 billion dollars (Colagiuri et al. 2010). It is presumed that there will be about 6.9 million people suffering from obesity in Australia by 2025 (National Preventative Health Taskforce, 2010).
This perspective seems to be twice alarming taking into account the fact that obesity is a potential cause of other diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Therefore, the governments primary concern is to work out a definite plan aimed at the situations improvement. The strategy is to include not only the methods proper for the problems solution but also the efficient preventative measures.
The Australian Preventative Health Taskforce has announced a series of statistical facts. First of all, the obesity progression is evident the number of overweight people becomes a couple of millions larger every two-five years. Secondly, a weight increase is prevalently present in young women: 21.8% of the relevant cases contrary to 19.1% of the same problems in men.
Moreover, it has been discovered that 7.5% of all the diseases in 2003 were the immediate consequences of the overweight issue. The major part of this percentage is represented by cardiovascular disorders and diabetes. It is also stated that disadvantaged social groups are more amenable to the obesity problem.
The Taskforces study claims that the progressions figures are practically similar for adults and elderly people; thus, the obesity rate in grown-ups reaches 6.1% (National Preventative Health Taskforce, 2010). One should point out that the situation is additionally complicated by the fact that current generations are likely to pass the problem to their children.
In order to find an efficient solution to the obesity problem, one is to perform a careful analysis of the issues roots. It is commonly known that a healthy diet and physical activity are the key factors determining a persons weight. Hence, none of the suggested health care programs can be useful unless people realize the necessity of improving their current healthy environment.
One of the major problems is that the importance of healthy eating is frequently underestimated. Whereas people are perfectly conscious of the harmful effects of smoking and drinking, the consequences of an inappropriate diet normally remain undervalued.
A research conducted by several Australian institutions in 2005 showed that although first-grade children can identify healthy products and their beneficial qualities, they tend to experience difficulties in defining the wrong food. The researchers found out that a mass advertising on the TV and the Internet has a significant influence on childrens perception of the healthy eating concept.
It has also been discovered, that although parents are roughly well-informed about the diet issue, they express the necessity for the assistance in their childrens persuasion. In other words, a large number of parents understand the principals of healthy eating but they fail to find an approach to encourage the children to give up the bad habits (Hesketh et al. 2005).
One should point out that while the weight of an adult depends on his lifestyle, the weight of a child is significantly conditional on the parents behavior. Hence, it has been found out that the children of part-working mothers are less likely to suffer from obesity. It is explained by the fact that the former have more time to spend with their little ones; thus, distracting the children from sedentary activities (Brown et al. 2010).
However, excessive parental care in the questions of diet seems to be as harmful as a complete lack of control. A recent Australian research has proved that balanced food practices show more efficiency with children as they do not imply any moral pressure and consequently create a healthy psychological environment (Champion, Giles & Moore 2010).
Another root of overweight problems is insufficient physical activity. Numerous research state that people that prefer walking to using the public transport are less subject to obesity than those that go to work by bus or metro.
A thorough consideration of the researchs results has helped the Australian government to work out a health care strategy aimed at minimizing the risks of obesity. One of the central areas of focus is the encouragement of the societys demand for good food and healthy lifestyle. A particular emphasis is also put on childrens protection from the marketing influence in the field of a diet.
Thus, schools and other social institutions are supposed to integrate a healthy culture into their environment through special programs and practices. The government is ready to contribute to the development of the general healthy culture among both adults and children with the help of the introduction of extra educational sources.
It is also targeted to reduce the gap for the disadvantaged groups by providing them with additional facilities and services. The authorities are aware of the importance of tracking the progress; therefore, the relevant monitoring procedures are also included in the strategy (National Preventative Health Taskforce, 2010).
The problems of overweight and obesity are relatively new to the experience of the mankind. The increasing number of obesity cases in Australia signifies the existence of essential drawbacks in the current health care program. It is crucial that the government performs a profound analysis of the collected data and bases its policy both on the statistics and the practical insights.
It is evident today that the problems solution requires active participation on the part of the public, as healthy perspectives cannot be forced from the top-down. Thus, an efficient preventative policy is only possible on condition that there is a close cooperation of the Australian society and the health care services.
Reference List
Brown, J, Broom, DH, Nicholson, JM & Bittman, M 2010, Do Working Mothers Raise Couch Potato Kids? Maternal Employment and Childrens Lifestyle Behaviours and Weight in Early Childhood, Social Science & Medicine, vol. 70, no.11, pp. 1816-1824.
Champion, S, Giles, LC & Moore, V 2010, Parenting beliefs and practices contributing to overweight and obesity in children, Australasian Epidemiologist, vol. 17, no.1, pp. 21-25.
Colagiuri, S, Lee, C, Colagiuri, R, Magliano, D, Shaw, JE, Zimmet, PZ & Caterson, ID 2010, The cost of overweight and obesity in Australia, Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 192, no.5, pp. 260-264.
Hesketh, K, Waters, E, Green, J, Salmon, L & Williams, J 2005, Healthy Eating, Activity and Obesity Prevention: a Qualitative Study of Parent and Child Perceptions in Australia, Health Promotion International, vol. 20, no.1, pp. 19-26.
National Preventative Health Taskforce 2010, Australia: The Healthiest Country by 2020, Commonwealth of Australia, Sydney.
The author is justified to write this article because is a qualified nurse who works at Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow, where she uses the tools in question to attend to her patients. Therefore, one can have confidence in her contribution to this topic. In addition, the author is knowledgeable and well-informed on this subject.
This is supported by the fact that she can understand the importance of the information that she has obtained to her patients (Cowan 59). Also, the writer can quote how the tools under consideration are applied in nursing, as well as the various challenges that face the application of these tools. The author says that As a nurse, health promotion is part of my role, and will pass on to patients the information that I have learned (Cowan 59).
After reading through this article, one can tell that the author is a dedicated health professional. She has been able to present what she learned about body mass index (BMI), as well as malnutrition universal screening in a way that proves that she was attentive during the training that she attended. Some of the participants in various trainings are not able to comprehend and present what they learn after training.
On the contrary, Cowan can give the reader what the training was all about. It is encouraging to read that the writer is dedicated to educating her patients on the new information that she has obtained. Therefore, one can conclude that the character of the author is one of dedication, and she loves her profession.
The organization of the work into short, yet informative paragraphs portray the author as an organized individual. The fact that there is a picture to illustrate the topic under discussion clearly shows that this writer is passionate about delivering her message to many people as possible. This is supported by the fact that pictures can draw the attention of many individuals because pictures are easy to interpret.
Summary of the Article
The article is about two commonly used tools in the nursing sector; that is, the body mass index (BMI) and the Malnutrition Universal Screening, with particular attention to BMI. It is like a presentation by a nurse who followed training on the prevention of obesity. Some of the limitations that hinder the effectiveness of the BMI have been given as changes in the mass around the belly and ethnicity because some communities have varying differences in masculinity.
The predisposing risk factors for obesity have been outlined. The major factor has been given as the environment surrounding the uterine that may lead to failure in hormonal balance. This may then lead to increased appetite and obesity in the future. Other factors that may lead to obesity have been given as genetics, choice of food, stress, inadequate physical exercises, and medications.
The prevention measures against obesity have been given in order to educate the reader on how well to guard oneself against the condition. One such measure is regular physical exercises. The writer says that the recommended amount of time that should be dedicated to physical activity is between 45 and 60 minutes. This time can be spread across the day into smaller portions of, for example, 10 minutes each.
Another measure that has been emphasized in this article is the issue of a good diet. Cowan says, some patients have a poor understanding of food choices, so nutritional education is important, particularly for men (59). Therefore, the writer decided to educate the men in her ward so that they could adjust to better nutritional choices.
One of the critical questions that the reader asks himself while reading this article is: What could happen to our health sector if all nurses were as dedicated as Cowan?
Work Cited
Cowan, Michelle. Obesity Prevention. Nursing Standard 24.26 (2010): 59-59. Print.
The author of this article is Carrie Ruxton, a freelance dietician, and nutritionist. Currie Ruxton has several credentials when it comes to nutrition and has served as a nutritional and diet consultant on several occasions. The author is knowledgeable on the matter because she has attained a Ph.D. in nutritional studies, and she has amassed over a decade of experience as a practicing nutritionist.
The article dwells on the issues of childhood obesity, and methods of curbing and treating it. The authors socio-centric character and philanthropic tendencies are well reflected in her article. This essay is a review of Ruxtons article, including its strengths and its weaknesses.
The article clearly outlines the issue of obesity based on gender and age. This article describes the consequences of obesity so that an affected person or a guardian of an obese child is able to understand the specific traits of obesity. The article not only talks about the causes and consequences of obesity but also its treatment (Ruxton 49). Consequently, the author indicates to the readers that it is possible to overcome the scourge of obesity.
The author challenges the readers to ensure that they acquire some skills and knowledge after reading this article. This approach indicates that the author has the necessary authority on the subject of obesity. The author is an expert in the field of diet and nutrition. Through this article, the author has carried out extensive research to obtain the right data for her work.
The authors expertise is also expressed by the fact that he has a wide knowledge of the food varieties that should be avoided by children in their fight against obesity. The author is able to apply the different aspects of obesity to every-day life so that the article does not appear to be impractical when presented as a recommendation for treatment. Some of these practical applications include cutting down on high-fat foods and creating time for physical exercise.
This article is quite helpful to its readers. The author talks about the causes and consequences of obesity and then proceeds to educate the readers on the fact that obesity can be prevented and treated. The authors main interest is the young and innocent children who are born with pre-existing health conditions.
The article indicates the authors willingness to help by directing people to the right sources from where they can get help; dieticians, multidisciplinary teams, and nurses. Even though the author has acquired a wide scope of knowledge in her field of study, he shares it with the public as a sign of her willingness to help curb the spread of obesity or assist the obese individuals in dealing with their condition.
Most specialists tend to hold back information they have acquired for fear of exposing their techniques, bedding competition, or losing customers who would have otherwise approached them for consultation. The article also presents the author as a promoter of group work.
Ruxton admits that the efforts of individuals are not enough in their efforts to treat, cure or prevent obesity, especially since it entails refraining from favorite high-fat foods while other family members enjoy them (Ruxton, 51). Overall, the article is helpful to its readers. For instance, the author requests all people to work towards a common goal of helping obese people by not allowing them to deal with their situations alone.
Works Cited
Ruxton, Carrie. Obesity in children. Nursing Standard 18.20 (2004): 47-52. Print.
This research paper was initiated to uncover one of the most hazardous problems in the U.S. obesity and weight loss, particularly weight-loss participants feelings and attitudes towards exercising and dieting among kids, teenagers, and adults using netnography method. During the research, we explored several problems caused by obesity and various reasons that influence on exercising and dieting.
Obesity is a global epidemic issue, as the prevalence of obesity has grown tremendously in the last years. Our findings include such groups as anxiety and self-esteem, systematic fatigue, couples exercising together, embarrassment, and discomfort and generally meet our expectations.
Undoubtedly, obesity is a risk factor for many diseases, especially diabetes, hypertension, asthma, gallstones, atherosclerosis, and joints diseases. It does reduce not only the duration of life but also affects its quality.
To begin with, anxiety and self-esteem are the key factors that inhibit exercising. Both literature and our research report that men are more likely to talk about their feelings when they might keep anonymousness. How can I, the person who was engaged in some sports activity at school last time, compete with these Apollo and Aphrodite in the gym with their brought-up priests, massive biceps, and cubes on a stomach? think a typical overweight man.
However, the reality is that they also had once crossed the threshold of the gym for the first time and managed to overcome anxiety. Moreover, even during the first workout, one will notice that everyone in the gym is focused on himself, on how to correctly perform the exercise, and do not lose count. Therefore, there is absolutely no need to be anxious.
Our research ascertained that, in some cases, it is a woman who forces a man to exercise or vice versa. Many young people spend hours in the gym to make their bodies perfect, and so become attractive to girls or boys. Of course, a muscular body is beautiful, but it should be kept in mind that it is not the only necessary factor in finding a partner.
The other group of our findings is systematic fatigue that appears almost in every case. The majority of people complain that they feel tiredness, pain, and even apathy after the workout. It is important to give your body the proper rest after hard training so that the body is fully recuperating.
The next day after a workout, people should relax, do not do any strenuous exercises as muscles need to be restored, and while resting, muscle growth occurs. Wait until the pain would pass, and even then go to workout again because unless muscles are restored, there is no sense to go to the gym. If you exercise for a long time, the pain after a workout would be slight.
According to our research, people have to start out slowly as their organism should accustom to new constant exercising. Besides, food quality also matters. It is a known fact that protein helps the body recover, and carbohydrates return lost energy. Water makes up 60 percent of the total weight of the human body.
The lack of water can lead to dehydration, which in turn can result in weakness and systematic fatigue. If you feel that you are tired after the workout, try to drink more water before, during, and after the exercise. In order to help cool down the muscles involved in exercising and reduce the amount of lactic acid, which would decrease the risk of muscle cramps, it is necessary to perform pull-ups.
Motivation is a leading power. Sometimes posing a serious purpose is an excellent incentive for further development. A person might try judo or yoga, or something else in order to give himself the opportunity to find enjoyable exercise, to write down achievements and increase motivation for future success.
We consider that various obstacles, such as fear, embarrassment, and discomfort, inhibit exercising. Often it is connected with memories of the previous experiment. People, especially women, might hate sweating and corresponding odor, but plenty of gyms are equipped with air conditioning nowadays.
However, individuals should come to the gym only in a good mood without any negative associations or pressure of a husband or someone else. One of the solutions is to find a partner or personal trainer because people who lose weight often do it with a partner who changes his diet and develops a habit of cooking and eating in a new healthy way.
According to our research, only a good training partner can provide motivation, but a partner who has other plans can create a distraction.
In conclusion, it should be stressed that people are likely to underestimate their abilities when considering going to the gym. Despite all the difficulties, it is significant to perform the workout in order to gain physical and mental health. Weight losers should find a balance between a personal trainer and an independent workout, laziness and motivation, and self-control and rest. We believe that the results and conclusions of this study would be useful for some overweight people and future research.
Overweight and obesity are the causes of several workplace problems for employers, namely higher rates of injuries and absenteeism, lower productivity, and higher insurance-related expenses. However, it appears that not many companies have implemented obesity-related programs to help their employees. The present paper is a large-scale quantitative study consisting of structured surveys of both employers and employees regarding their perspective on the existence and desirability of such programs. The findings reveal a significant gap between the percentage of employers and workers who believe companies should provide obesity-related programs, as well as between large and small companies in the provision of such services.
The study is significant because it highlights two problems: firstly, employers are likely to be misinformed about the costs of employee obesity to them. Secondly, if they lack the resources to implement obesity-related programs, they do not have to bear the costs on their own.
Introduction
While certain diseases like AIDS, cancer, and Ebola receive significant worldwide attention, they are far from being the only health problems plaguing the modern world. One of the so-called silent killer diseases are overweight and obesity, especially prevalent in the developed countries (Swinburn, Gill & Kumanyika, 2005).
An Australian cross-sectional study, conducted as early as the beginning of the 2000s, discovered that approximately 60 percent of adults are either overweight or obese, regardless of whether the body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference is used as the defining measure. Moreover, this number has more than doubled in comparison to the previous study conducted 20 years earlier (Cameron, 2003). Currently, Australia is the worlds fourth-leading country in terms of its overweight and obese population, right after the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom (Australian Safety and Compensation Council, 2008).
The numbers are clearly staggering, and several calls for a comprehensive approach to solving this problem have been made by scientists, researchers, and policy-makers alike (Swinburn, Gill & Kumanyika, 2005; Ostbye, Dement & Krause, 2007; Australian Safety and Compensation Council, 2008). However, these action plans remain limited in scope as they typically target two main sub-problems: childhood obesity and individual behavior and lifestyle preferences (Swinburn, Gill & Kumanyika, 2005). While these issues are of utmost importance to combatting obesity, they nevertheless ignore a large segment of the population: working adults who have little time and other resources to make healthier life choices. Recently, the medical community issued a call for action for employers to provide obesity-related programs at their workplace (Ostbye, Dement & Krause, 2007; Australian Safety and Compensation Council, 2008; Chalupka, 2008).
It is not only a public health issue, as companies increasingly suffer from their employees obesity-related problems that result in higher rates of injuries and absenteeism, lower productivity, higher insurance-related expenses, as well as costs of accommodating weight and dimension requirements of heavier people (Australian Safety and Compensation Council, 2008). According to Ostbye, Dement, and Krause (2007), on average, employees with a BMI of 30 or higher cost the company seven times higher in medical claims and eleven times higher in indemnity claims, compared to the workers within the recommended weight range. Nevertheless, employers appear to remain reluctant about introducing obesity-related programs (Chalupka, 2008).
The present paper thus aims to examine both the employer and worker perspectives on responsibility and expectations on addressing obesity-related problems. The study consisted of a series of structured interviews with heads of human resources from 500 randomly selected companies with 50 or more workers (representing the employer perspective), as well as with 1,350 randomly selected workers who were a) 1864 years of age; b) employed either full or part-time; and c) employed by a company with fifty or more employees. The results revealed a significant gap between the percentage of employers and workers who believe companies should provide obesity-related programs, as well as between large and small companies in the provision of such services. These findings are consistent with the evidence of employers reluctance to provide obesity-related programs, and they yield some important practical implications.
Results
The first interview recorded the employers perspective on what entity is responsible for providing obesity-related programs (Appendix A). As much as 60 percent of the respondents named the individual to be the most responsible, and none assigned little responsibility to them. Generally, employers tended to believe that health insurers and physicians have the most responsibility to address the problem. The government, together with employers, were believed to have little to moderate responsibility according to approximately 70 percent of those surveyed.
The second gathered the data on how many companies offer weight-related services to at least some of their employees, and the findings were reported separately on jumbo firms with more than 5,000 employees (Appendix B). Companies provided consistently few services, with the most popular ones being less expensive options such as healthy snack vending machines and gym discounts, provided by 35 and 40 percent, respectively. Jumbo companies were sometimes twice as likely to offer the whole range of services, even including nutrition classes. Some of the most popular services relate to general health rather than obesity or weight management, in particular for instance, a smoking cessation program or an assessment of health risks.
Finally, the last survey examined the employee perspective on whether or not companies should provide various health services, even if it increases the insurance costs (Appendix C). Approximately half agreed that disease management and nutrition counseling programs were necessary, with the least support given to plastic surgery methods. The findings also indicate a consistent positive correlation between the workers BMI and their support for various health services provided by the company.
Discussion
These findings confirm the anecdotal evidence that employers are reluctant to provide obesity-related programs to their workers. Given the costs that companies bear because of the problem, one can assume that their attitude is uninformed. Like the rest of society, they believe the individual to be most responsible for solving the problem by changing their lifestyle and behavior. However, they seem to ignore their role in this matter, as most employees lead a sedentary lifestyle at work. Employers should be better informed about the costs of obesity to them.
Quite expectedly, large companies are more generous in providing obesity-related services to employees. Most likely, this is because large corporations have the resources to do so and also enjoy the economies of scale because of the size of their workforce. Consequently, smaller companies should be encouraged to invest in such programs, perhaps, in exchange for tax breaks or other insurance-related benefits. It is also predictable that people with a higher BMI will be more supportive of obesity-related programs as they are aware of the health problems and other challenges brought by excessive weight. Importantly, employees are willing to pay a higher insurance fee if such programs were introduced so the costs can be shared.
The implications of these studies are twofold. Firstly, it is clear that employers are not fully aware of the benefits of implementing obesity-related programs to them, as they would help solve such problems as absenteeism and low productivity. Secondly, the employers do not have to bear the associated expenses alone as workers are willing to contribute, as well, and there may be a possibility of funding from the government.
Appendix AAppendix BAppendix C
References
Australian Safety and Compensation Council 2008, Overweight and obesity: implications for workplace health and safety and workers compensation. Web.
Cameron, AJ, Welborn, TA, Zimmet, PZ, Dunstan, DW, Owen, N, Salmon, J, Dalton, M, Jolley, D & Shaw, JE 2003, Overweight and obesity in Australia: the 19992000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study, Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 178, pp. 427-432. Web.
Chalupka, S 2008, Workplace obesity prevention, AAOHN Journal, vol. 59, no. 5, p. 236. Web.
Ostbye, T, Dement, JM & Krause, KM 2007, Obesity and workers compensation: results from the Duke Health and Safety Surveillance System, Archives of Internal Medicine, vol. 167, no. 8, pp. 766-773. Web.
Swinburn, B, Gill, T & Kumanyika, S 2005, Obesity prevention: a proposed framework for translating evidence into action, Obesity Reviews, vol. 6, pp. 23-33. Web.
In this study, the main focus group will be taken from major cities, which include Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Niceville/Valparaiso, and Destin. These cities were chosen because most of the residents in Okaloosa County live here. The county has a population of over 185,000 people, according to the census conducted in 2010 (Lightfoot, Trenton & Vaughan, 2015).
The Demographics and Agencies Relevant in the Management of Obesity
In this county, the ratio of male to female is 50.2:49.8. The majority of the residents are Caucasians at 84% While African Americans form 9.2% of the total population (Cholcher & Ziegler, 2015). Other minority groups include Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and Asians. According to recent statistics, obesity affects people of all races, sex, and age groups.
This means that people who fall in the above groups can become obese if they fail to manage their diets and engage in physical activities. The fight against obesity brings together various agencies, which include schools, healthcare centers, and even the organizational employers concerned about the health of their employees.
Rational for agencies mentioned
Obesity is majorly caused by a lack of proper activity and a poor diet. Schools are currently playing a major role in combating this disease. Programs have been developed to ensure that children engage actively in sports.
They are also educated on the dangers of obesity and how to fight it at an early stage. In healthcare centers, those who are already suffering from obesity get medical help. Firms have also developed programs to ensure that their employees engage in sports or other physical leisure activities.
The Group at Risk
The people who are at high risk of developing health complications that relate to obesity are those in the middle and advanced ages (Butterfoss & Kegler, 2005). According to Berry, Kaplan, Reid, and Albert (2009), after delivery, women are likely to gain weight, especially if they become less active than they were before conception.
At this age, women find it unnecessary to go to the gym or engage in sports. They concentrate on taking care of their families. They also rely on cars for most of their movements, putting them at the greatest risk of becoming obese.
Engagement of the Majority Groups
In order to find a lasting solution to the problem of obesity among the middle-aged and aging women, it is necessary to develop engagement programs that will help in awareness creation. Obesity does not just affect this group, but also other members of the society (Butterfoss & Kegler, 2005).
The engagement program should focus on reaching the target group with the right information and involving them in coming up with appropriate intervention measures. Instead of telling them what to do, the facilitators will allow them to give their own contributions on how they think the problem should be solved.
How to include them in the coalition
In order to include the focus group in the coalition, we will develop community-based programs because of the need to include everyone, including those who are not working. The program will be taken a right to their own neighborhoods.
Barriers to the participation for these groups
A number of factors may be barriers to the participation of the identified groups. They include tight work schedules, family issues, skepticism, and low morale. We will find ways of addressing each of these issues when they arise.
Conclusion
Obesity is a health problem that affects people without discriminating on the basis of age, race, sex, or any other demographical factors. However, middle-aged and aging women are more prone to disease. To fight this disease, this program seeks to engage the relevant stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of strategies relating to diet and physical exercise.
References
Berry, C., Kaplan, S., Reid, A. & Albert, S. (2009). Local acts: the viability of community partnerships initiated by community funders. Public Health Reports, 124(3), 590-593.
Butterfoss, F. & Kegler, M. (2005). Community Coalition Action Theory. New Jersey: John Wiley.
Cholcher, K. & Ziegler, C. (2015). Okaloosa County Community Health Improvement Plan. Okaloosa: Florida Department of Health.
Lightfoot, T., Trenton, S. & Vaughan, N. (2015). What Makes a Healthy Okaloosa County: An Assessment of Community Themes and Strengths? Okaloosa: Okaloosa County Health Department.
The prevalence of childhood obesity in schools can be compared to an epidemic of a virulent disease on a global scale. Research statistics have shown that on average 15.5% of children aged between five to fifteen in school have body mass indexes reaching 30 or higher, far above the norm of 25 or below. In total, nearly 25 million children around the world can be considered overweight, obese or morbidly obese. In the U.S. and U.K. populations alone the sheer rate of childhood obesity has caused an upsurge in cases associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and other maladies associated with being overweight. The source of these problems is threefold namely: eating habits, the sedentary lifestyle of children in the modern era and the lack of proper education on the future problems associated obesity. I encountered this particular topic in various schools I have gone to over the years wherein I saw only a quarter of children who come to school actually opt to eat at the schools cafeteria.
The remainder chooses to either bring their own lunches or have their lunches handed over the fence to them by their parents. Unfortunately, a vast majority of these lunches are composed of unhealthy fast food options which can cause serious health problems when consumed consistently over a long period of time. Lunches that are brought from off campus sources usually consist of various unhealthy food options such as burgers, fries, soft drinks and chips bought from the local Mc Donalds or a variety of other establishments scattered around the surrounding neighborhood. For me this is a particularly interesting topic since childhood obesity, based on the various online articles I have read, is a growing epidemic which impacts not only the U.S. which is known for its obesity problems but other countries around the world as well.
I believe that the source of the problem is that in nearly every town, city and state groceries, shopping malls and fast food restaurants carry some form of junk food that is rapidly consumed by a voracious public that enjoys the taste and convenience of such products. Parents often take their children to such establishments due to their convenience and popularity despite the potential health risks. As a result, children get used to these types of foods early on and carry on their desire to eat such types of foods. This results in them consuming unhealthy and fattening foods on a daily basis resulting in cases of obesity. Due to the various issues related to obesity, a solution must be created in order to help prevent cases of childhood obesity in the future.
Response
The justification for the development of genetically modified food is based on the need to feed an ever growing population which the current methods of food production cannot sustain in the long run. As such, the need will arise to effectively and efficiently provide enough food for a continuously growing population. The use of genetically engineered food might be the only way to do so despite the apparent risks in eating products that may cause allergies or change the bodys genetic chemistry. It must also be noted that humanity is still in the beginning stages of the science of genetic engineering; as such, the potential results for genetically modifying certain types of food crops are still unknown. Given enough time and development, it may be possible to develop genetically modified crops with greater yields and possibly little danger.
Obesity is a medical condition in which there is more than average fatness. The results could be negative on ones health. It could lead to reduced life expectancy and or increased health problems. The causes of obesity are a lifestyle related to the diet that one takes. The government tries as much as possible to reduce the spread of diseases by passing stringent laws in parliament.
The laws to increase the taxes on sugared beverages are already applicable in the states of Maine and New York. The other states are already putting in place measures to see how the laws can work. The two states act as an example of how to deal with the problem of obesity and diabetes. People need to hear that continuous and excess consumption of unhealthy foods causes early death. Some of the beverages that have sweetened sugar include soda, corn syrup, carbonated and uncarbonated drinks. They include the sports and energy drinks (Brownell and Frieden).
Recent metaanalysis showed that increased intake of sugared beverages is associated with increased body weight (Brownell and Frieden). It also results in poor nutrition and causes displacement of more healthful beverages. People reduce their intake of healthy beverages due to the availability of the sugared ones.
Another interventional study revealed that when people reduce the intake of soft drinks, their health improves. The soft drinks promoters always use their advertisements on children and teenagers. Some of them can not differentiate between a Television program and an advertisement. There is evidence also that the intake of sugared beverages surpassed that of milk consumption in mid 1990s (Brownell and Frieden). Beverages account for about 11% of calories in children and adolescents. And in the past decade the beverages intake increased by 30%. For every glass of beverages that one takes in there is a 60% chance of getting obese. Higher prices on these beverages reduce their consumption rate by a corresponding higher margin. The reduction of soda intake reduces the risk of heart diseases and other related conditions. The government would also have a better chance of serving a healthy nation.
The government spends close to $79 billion yearly for lifestyle diseases like the obesity and overweight. Medicare and Medicaid cater for half of the obesity and overweight treatments. It is quite a large sum of money. If people could listen and eat healthy then it would benefit other areas. In charging the higher tax, the government would be helping the society since sickness and disease is a problem to society. It reduces production levels. People begin to deal with how to treat their ailments rather than work to make themselves and the nation more productive. It also increases absenteeism at work (Brownell and Frieden).
Workers fail to report to work so that they can attend to their health problems. It causes the employers lose a lot of work hours and try to find a replacement. For those who attend school, it causes poor performance. Students do not get time to study because they are mostly sick or at hospitals getting treatment. Absenteeism from classes causes one to lose many important class hours and lessons. There is also reduced fitness in military recruits (Brownell and Frieden). As a result, it causes the military to lack best suited soldiers for combat.
The second consideration is the information that the marketers give to the audience is not balanced. Instead of telling the potential buyers the health hazards involved, they only give positive news. They claim that the beverages give energy and or vitamins to the body. Their techniques tend to concentrate on the young children who do not understand the difference between a television program and an advertisement (Brownell and Frieden). By so doing they make them continue consuming the products that destroy their health slowly unknowingly.
The tax consideration generates revenue for the state. A penny per ounce can raise $ 1.2 billion in New York State alone. Such taxes that generate income while at the same time promoting health benefits are the best options. They are much better than those taxes that only exist to generate income for the State. Citizens should realize that the government is also concerned about their wellbeing.
It is not a must for one to take sugared beverages because they are not necessary for survival. Half of the increase in consumption of calories is accounted for in sugared beverages. Even if no single action would solve the obese menace, it does not mean that the government should not try available options.
The tax on sugared beverages can be fruitful if it helps to reduce the consumption and people can relate the tax to its benefits. Since manufactures pass the excise tax cost to the consumers, then if it becomes expensive it discourages people from purchasing it. The tax can be used to stop childhood obesity. The government can use the media to promote advertisements on the healthier foods. It can also use the proceeds to subsidize the healthy foods. Such action would also help combat the regressive effects (Brownell and Frieden).
However, there are objections to this kind of taxation. One cannot compare food taxes to tobacco and alcohol taxes. One must eat to survive. It would be unfair to select particular foods and impose a tax on them (Brownell and Frieden). Tax alone cannot solve the obesity problem. There has to be other means and methods. Public policies only cause impact after they become effective. One should not rely very much on statistics that have not been tested. It is true that the selection involves a particular set of foods. But it is also unfair to let such foods to continue harming the American citizens health. It is also unfair to continue allowing the manufacturers to continue making profit on products that are unhealthy.
Good health is the responsibility of everyone. In as much as it affects individual citizens, it also affects society and the government. If all stakeholders can find a workable solution to obesity, then the consultations would provide the best decision. The implementation of the taxes, especially the excise taxes would go a long way in combating the menace. It would push the shelf prices on sugared beverages up, making them to be more expensive to use.
The price consideration is not just enough to solve the entire problem. The revenue generation must be put into good use. The use of media and all available means to discourage consumptions would be helpful. The government can also make the healthy products cheaper through subsidies using the revenue generated from the sugared beverages.
Works Cited
Brownell, Kelly D., and Thomas R. Frieden. Ounces of Prevention The Public Policy Case
for Taxes on Sugared Beverages. New England Journal of Medicine 360.18 (2009): 1805-1808. Web.
Recent living conditions have resulted in an increase in malnutrition disease. Among the children, obesity is one of health condition that has been caused by the lifestyle that people are continually adopting. Obesity is accumulation of body fat and weight to a point that it can cause danger in the life of human being. In adults, obesity is measured by calculating body mass Index, it compares ones height and weight. There are set limits that define whether a person is obese or not. The situation in children is different. This paper analyzes current issue in life-span development with childhood obesity.
Current Statistics
According to National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health, 2008, the rate of children obesity in the past 30 years has tripled. In the 1980s children of the age 8-11 years preference rate of being obese was at 6.5%, however in the period between 1980 and 2008, the rate had increased to 11.6%. On the other extreme the preference rate of those aged between 11-19 years had reached 18.1% up from 5%.
A report by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), between 2007 and 2008 showed that in the world there are approximately 17% children between the ages of 2-19 years who are obese. The statistic showed that America has the largest portion of these obese children. Realizing the dangers associated with the trend, World Health Organization established a task force which was mandated to collect data about the trend and recommend the way forward. The worry was on health implications that obese people have. The report also indicated that about 70% of obese children have a likelihood of being obese in their adult life.
In United Kingdoms 2001 statistics , it had been estimated that about 8.5 per cent of 6 year olds and about 15 per cent of 15 year olds were obese. In 2002 statistics from British Medical Association, showed that 5.5% of boys and 7.5% of girls in United Kingdom were obese. Between 1995 and 2003, the preference of obese children rose from 10% up to 14%. The increase was higher 11-17 years old children when it rose from 11% to 17%. National Health Service has become concerned about the trend and has put measures to reverse the trend, however recent statistics in United Kingdom showed that 25% of boys between the age of two years and the age of nineteen years are overweight or obese.
In the US, health officials are of the observation that there are 23million obese or overweight children between the age of two years and nineteen years. Obese children are not healthy and are at the risk of developing diseases later in life or at tender age. According to CRC Health Group website 2000, 19% of children aged between the ages of 2-11 were obese and 17 % of those aged 12-17 years were obese (Ben-Sefer, Ben-Natan & Ehrenfeld, 2009).
Current Issue Programs
Every country should have a legislation that is aimed at addressing the issue of obesity; it should;
Sensitize parents on good feeding process to their children; this will be offered in pregnancy clinic where feeding mechanisms of a child before birth and after birth will be advocated.
Creating awareness on the dangers brought about by being obese, both children and adults obesity
Develop guiding brochures to be given alongside birth notification certificate to new born. The brochures will advise the parent on right feeding process that he should adopt.
Incorporate obesity cases in health insurance policies.
To attain the above objectives, there is need for corporation among all stake holders involved. Parents should be given the mandate of ensuring that their children are fed in the right way; they should ensure that food eaten by a child whether when with the parent or not is the right portion (Ben-Sefer, Ben-Natan & Ehrenfeld, 2009).
Reference List
Ben-Sefer, E., Ben-Natan, M., & Ehrenfeld, M. (2009). Childhood obesity: current literature, policy and implications for practice. International Nursing Review, 56(2), 166-173.