Childhood obesity in nursing: policy implications and intervention strategies

Policy-Priority Issue on "Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is considered to a global epidemic demanding prioritizing in policy and health care reform. This is a disorder that has a lot of effects on long-term and acute health, as well as increasing the risk for other illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, and particular kinds of cancer. This essay brings up my personal interest in the disorder of childhood obesity, also, the significance to nursing, problem sources, and prioritizing the level of action to best achieve the objective of eliminating obesity in childhood.

Why it is important to me

This paper was important to write because there are quite a few family members of mine that have an extended history of Type II Diabetes. I want to diminish any chances of my children getting any of these conditions down the road. Furthermore, I live in Atlanta, Georgia, which is considered to be one of the utmost ranking cities in the nation for obesity, so it is important to for me to see my community get well. The influence for nursing on childhood obesity is no small thing.

There needs to be an in-depth study of how to make sure that nurses are able to be proficient and understand the policy, and also the leadership, and behavioral change intervention skills, for instance collaborative leadership, advocacy, and social marketing skills, that hold assurance for stopping the critical public health challenge of obesity and overweight disorders in our children (Patton C, 2013). The epidemic of childhood obesity is truthfully a nursing worry as it represents every feature of the met paradigm of nursing: environment, health, person, and nursing. Nurses are in charge for being supporters for the patient at the political and legislative level also. They care for obese children through recognizing the causes, measuring the condition, applying treatment modalities.

Problem Sources: Evidence

The need to focus on weight control during pregnancy is an extensively under-researched theme not simply in the United States nevertheless likewise global. One of such studies was reported by Hawe P, (2013). As stated by the study results, pregnant women who were getting dietary conferences with a dietician concentrating on controlling weight gain during pregnancy described two times lesser weight gain compared to those women who did not get any consultations. Furthermore, women who were getting consultation maintained 7 kg less compared to those who did not after giving birth (Hawe P, 2013).

The idea for policy change appeals for proposal of a specialized program pointing at stopping obesity among young child. The follow-up on policy operation necessitates a continuing orientation as the change in movement concerning obesity prevalence among preschoolers will not be obvious in a short-run. Simultaneously, the favorable results of family-centered nursing interventions were talked about in other nations, in addition to Australia and the UK. The United States of America is not on the same page in this respect, although the nation is characterized with disturbingly high amount of preschoolers that are obese.

The investigation by Brownson RC J.E., (2012) showed that recent interventions directed at prevention of obesity in children were quite effective, especially for preschoolers. Also, merely 9 out of 200 childhood obesity intervention programs are aiming at preschoolers (Patton C, 2013). Preceding studies suggested that mixture of physical activity and diet was the important to achievement in stopping obesity in preschoolers, and however family involvement or home-based component is coved merely by 4% of the current programs. Bearing in mind the huge influence of parents on their children, as well as dieting, and lifestyle, behavioral patterns, the possibility for planning a national program concentrating on stoppage of obesity in preschoolers and incorporating family members, beginning with the weight gain control all through pregnancy, is of serious necessity.

Samples

The effective visit to a policy maker will activate expansion of a family-positioned intervention program for stopping obesity among young child. The basis for proposal of such program is reinforced with varied studies, especially the ones representing continuing opposing effects of obesity on preschoolers. For instance, the investigation by Jilcott S, (2013) reported that obesity in children is responsible for death from the time they are young people all the way to adulthood. Furthermore in regards to the health results, obesity has an impact on emotional and social progress of children. Disadvantaged of being able to have the luxury of physical movement, compared to children with healthy weight, obese preschoolers can sometimes fight with making friends in later years of their growth in addition to may turn out to be victims of social isolation and bullying. Intervention program concentrating on deterrence of obesity among preschoolers has been productively introduced in England. As stated by Brownson RC C.J., (2013), the program starts with education sessions for pregnant women and continues during the first year of an infant's life.

In conclusion, excessive weight in childhood obesity among young child is a somewhat abandoned matter in healthcare policy. However, a positive official visit to a policy maker can outcome in the expansion and assimilation of a family-centered line of attack to stopping obesity in children through education and abilities promotion for parents. Those that are nursing specialists have an exclusive chance to turn out to be the leading providers of such education as a result of their direct dealings with pregnant women.