This paper examines obesity as a critical population health issue in New Jersey, situating it alongside heart disease and cancer as one of the state's most pressing public health challenges. Drawing on the 2018 New Jersey State Health Assessment and peer-reviewed literature, the paper identifies the demographic groups most affected—including low-income residents, African American and Hispanic youth, and residents of South Jersey—and explains why disparities in obesity rates exist. It also reviews legislative and programmatic interventions, including the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and New Jersey's Smart Snacks in School initiative, while acknowledging that even well-designed evidence-based programs have achieved limited success in reversing obesity trends among young people.
The paper effectively synthesizes multiple source types—a state health assessment, federal legislation, and peer-reviewed journal articles—to build a layered argument. Rather than relying on a single authoritative source, the writer triangulates evidence across sources, using each to support a distinct claim: prevalence data from the state report, health consequences from Emmett and Chandra, and intervention outcomes from Chriqui et al. and Leahy and Wright. This multi-source synthesis is a core skill in public health writing.
The paper opens by defining the scope of the problem and identifying at-risk demographic groups. It then details health consequences before pivoting to federal and state policy responses, including specific nutrition programs and school food initiatives. The conclusion candidly assesses the limits of these interventions and reaffirms the urgency of the issue, particularly for minority youth. The references section lists five properly formatted APA citations supporting all major claims.
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 warrants serious attention because obesity has assumed epidemic levels in the state and across the country in recent years, resulting in a wide array of largely preventable medical conditions. Although all age groups and ethnicities are affected, certain demographic segments of the New Jersey population suffer from disproportionately higher rates of obesity. 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 at present (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018).
Residents of some parts of South Jersey also have higher obesity prevalence rates. Among all African American adults living in New Jersey, the prevalence rate for obesity is fully 150% of that for white residents and 300% of that for Asian American adults (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018). 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 meet minimal physical activity recommendations compared to whites (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018).
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 their white peers, and are twice as likely to consume soft drinks compared to white youths (New Jersey State Health Assessment, 2018). These disturbing trends represent a significant public health problem for multiple reasons, particularly given the adverse effects that obesity has on individual health both now and in the future.
According to Emmett and Chandra (2015), "Obesity among children is a matter of major concern because in all likelihood, a large number of currently obese youth will end up becoming obese adults, which will trigger greater health risks for these individuals" (p. 93). This is a critical issue because obesity is directly correlated with a number of health problems such as high blood pressure and related cardiovascular diseases, which can shorten lifespans and adversely affect 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). Studies have shown that even when obesity interventions for young people—such as increased physical activity levels—are implemented, diet choices and nutritional intake for this population still remain suboptimal (Emmett & Chandra, 2015).
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