Physical Activity and Children

Obesity and Diabetes: A Community Health Problem Many people do not consider obesity to be a deadly non-communicable disease -- and yet research shows that obesity is one of the main causes of death in American communities, and it is growing (Tabish, 2007). The community chosen for this paper is a typical, demographically diverse suburban Middle America community: the city is Pueblo, Colorado. The vulnerable population chosen here is the community's children. Children are especially vulnerable to the risk of obesity and by extension diabetes.

This paper will review why this is so and what a community health nurse can do to help address the issue. The purpose of this paper will be to identify strengths, risks and barriers associated with this population's vulnerability to obesity and diabetes and what can be done to actively combat this problem. Vulnerable Population Overview Diabetes is a growing threat to communities around the world (Tabish, 2007). One population that is particularly vulnerable to diabetes, however, is children.

Indeed, as Goran, Ball and Cruz (2009) point out, "obesity continues to increase in children and adolescents, and annual obesity-related hospital costs in 6- to 17-year-olds have reached $127 million per year" (p. 1417). Obesity and diet has been linked to diabetes by various researchers (Davis, 2008; Cunninham-Myrie et al., 2015), so this startling statistic regarding overweight children is an indication that the child population in America is vulnerable to the community health problem that is diabetes.

In the Middle America suburban community, children are at risk of becoming obese and developing diabetes, as they do not have good exercises habits, good dietary habits, and do not play outdoors as much as children used to thanks to the increase in digital technology, video gaming, computer usage, and feeling of a lack of safety in neighborhoods in the community (Cunningham-Myrie, et al., 2015).

Observations from the windshield survey of this population indicate that children in this community do not frequent parks or playgrounds; very seldom is one seen riding a bicycle; very seldom are children seen playing in an outdoor sports activity. Sometimes a handful of children can be seen playing basketball but there is never an overwhelming number of children doing so at any one given time. Children in most cases when they are seen do show visible signs of being overweight.

Economic conditions in the community have worsened over the years, which has allowed many neighborhoods in the community to show signs of wear and tear; up-keep is not as common as it once was, and many homes look unkempt. This gives neighborhoods the appearance of inviting crime and vandalism, according to Broken Windows Theory -- and as a result children are less likely to be active outdoors, according to the study by Cunningham-Myrie et al. (2015).

Strengths, Risk Factors, and/or Barriers The strengths of this population are that they are still young and can have new and better habits ingrained into them over time through the right course of action -- namely education about how to take care of their bodies through exercise and diet (Davis, 2008). The best way to do this is to address these issues in schools in the community.

Children can see how a good diet and a healthy amount of exercise can keep them from becoming obese and being put at risk for diabetes. The study by Cunningham-Myrie et al. (2015) was chosen for this portion of the paper because it sheds light on how a community environment can impact a child's health specifically as it relates to obesity and diabetes.

The study is entitled "Associations between neighborhood effects and physical activity, obesity, and diabetes" and it examines how poverty, crime, and a lack of safety can negatively impact the child's health by reducing his or her tendency to want to participate in outdoors activities. The study shows that in neighborhoods that are economically depressed, there is a greater tendency for children to be obese: their food options are geared more towards unhealthy diets and their outdoor activity options are scant.

The study is helpful in highlighting the role that the built environment plays in the health of children. Community Resources Pueblo County's Community Health Improvement Plan, 2013-2017, is meant to address the issue of childhood obesity among other health issues in the community. Part of the plan is to "mobilize community partnerships" to address the issue of obesity (p. 7). To this end, the YMCA of Pueblo offers several MEND programs that are geared towards getting kids more active.

Aquatics activities are available, camping, climbing, and dance lessons are available to help children have opportunities to be active in safe and fun environments that are secure. Since the YMCA is a charitable organization, cost is not a factor, and that appeals to the poorer communities in Pueblo and should help to provide opportunities to fight obesity.

The YMCA is a good option for this community because it offers free programs in a setting that is safe and secure: it has a variety of activities that can appeal to the community's child population and encourages and promotes healthy physical activity in an environment that is not ridden with vandalism. Pueblo could certainly do more to promote health among the child population, as there are many articles in newspapers and local national publications that indicate the community's poor record when it comes to child health.

The Community Health Improvement Plan along with the YMCA programs are good first steps, but more will need to be done in the future to keep the movement going. Community Health Problem Diagnosis As Healthy People 2020 shows, diabetes (Topic Number 8) is a serious issues that need to be addressed.

One priority community health problem that a community health nurse could positively impact, therefore, is to raise awareness about the relationship between community environments, safety, obesity and diabetes -- as everything is connected and poor upkeep at the one end can lead to a chain reaction that impacts children's health at the other. By making neighborhoods safer and more inviting, children can feel safer and.