New Jersey Obesity Prevention Public Health Strategies

Besides heart disease and cancer, another severe population health issue that has been identified as a problem for residents of New Jersey is obesity. This public health issue was selected because obesity has assumed epidemic levels in this state and across the country in recent years, resulting in a wide array of largely preventable medical issues. Although all age groups and ethnicities are involved, certain demographic segments of the New Jersey population suffer from inordinately higher rates of obesity. For instance, according to the 2018 New Jersey State Health Assessment, obesity rates are persistently high across the state, but New Jersey youths and lower income residents have the highest prevalence rates of obesity in the state at present (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018).

Likewise, residents of some parts of South Jersey also have higher obesity prevalence rates, as well as all African American adults living in New Jersey where their prevalence rate for obesity is fully 150% of that for white residents and 300% for Asian-American adults (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018). In addition, young Hispanics have nearly double the prevalence rate for obesity compared to their white counterparts, and all minority young people in New Jersey are less likely to satisfy minimal physical activity recommendations compared to whites (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018). In addition, black and Hispanic youths in New Jersey are also more likely to engage in sedentary activities such as using personal computers, playing video games or watching television compared to whites, and are twice as likely to drink more soft drinks compared to white youths (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018).

These disturbing trends represent a significant public health problem for New Jersey for a number of reasons, including most especially the adverse effects that obesity has on individual health, at present and in the future. For instance, according to Emmett and Chandra (2015), “Obesity among children is a matter of matter of major concern because in all likelihood, a large number of currently obsess youth will end up becoming an obese adult, which will trigger greater health risks for these individuals” (p. 93). This is an important issue because obesity is directly correlated with a number of health issues such as high blood pressure and related cardiovascular diseases which can shorten lifespans and adversely affect the quality of life for the young and old alike (Emmett & Chandra, 2015).

The research to date indicates that addressing the obesity problem among young people requires a multifaceted population health management approach that takes into account individual lifestyles and family history, among other factors (Eisenberg et al., 2017). Indeed, studies have shown that even when obesity interventions for young people such as increased physical activity levels are used, diet choices and nutritional levels for this population still remain suboptimal (Emmett & Chandra, 2015). In response to this constraint, the U.S. Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 which provides funding and establishes the public policies for child nutrition programs, including:

· The National School Lunch Program;

· The School Breakfast Program;

· The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children;

· The Summer Food Service Program; and,

· The Child and Adult Care Food Program (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018).

In addition, New Jersey also launched an innovative initiative called “the Smart Snacks in School program” which has been implemented to address the problem of childhood obesity the state. The Smart Snacks in School initiative which mandates that all foods sold in schools throughout the school day satisfy nutritional standards was first implemented during school year 2014-2015. The initiative is applicable to all foods, including those sold at cafeterias but in vending machines, school stores, and any other locations where foods are sold at any time during school days (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018). The research to date confirms that states that have implemented similar “smart snack” laws have experienced increased consumption of fruits and vegetables by students compared to states without these laws (Chriqui et al., 2020). In addition to these types of school food policies that regulate food consumption, there have also been numerous curriculum-based initiatives that provide young learners with timely and relevant information concerning making healthy food choices and the importance of good nutrition (Leahy & Wright, 2016).