Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
Various socio-economic, health-related, biological, and behavioral factors may cause childhood obesity. They include unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity and sleep, genetic predisposition, family lifestyle and eating habits, the use of certain medications, and the presence of certain diseases (for instance, Cushing disease) (Mayo Clinic, 2020). Moreover, a childs psychological and emotional health condition directly influences this problem as stress and depression result in faster weight gain. Lastly, obesity risks include such socio-economic factors as the familys ability to obtain food rich in nutrients and the availability of certain products in the region.
As such, obesity risks for the underage population are quite similar to those of adults, except for alcohol and tobacco use and age-related hormonal changes that cause a weight gain in the latter group. Additionally, childbirth has a small but significant negative impact on adult womens body mass. For instance, Yakusheva et al. (2017) mention that every fifth woman experiences a serious weight gain during the first year after delivery.
Healthy People 2020 Objectives
Healthy People 2020 elaborates on several objectives to address the obesity problem among children and adolescents (2020). Firstly, the project seeks to expand the number of jurisdictions that adopt adequate nutrition standards for the food served in preschools. Secondly, it aims at reducing the quantity of offered sweetened beverages and increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables. The project emphasizes the importance of serving food rich in calcium and iron and low in added sugars, sodium, and fats. The next objective includes the promotion of preventive measures against inadequate weight gain among the underage population. Finally, the project intends to eliminate food insecurities and lessen the number of obese children and adolescents.
Suggestions
Community health nurses can help to achieve the objectives of reducing obesity levels among children and adolescents. The professionals can, first of all, seek to increase parents and childrens awareness concerning the problem and explain which factors lead to obesity and what may be the consequences. Secondly, they can suggest which products should be included in the daily diet and which food and beverages should be excluded. Finally, community health nurses can teach people how to determine their body mass index so that they can effectively control their weight. These measures can promote a better understanding of the issue, helping to prevent excessive weight gain and educate people on how to fight this disease effectively.
References
Healthy People. (2020). Nutrition and weight status. Web.
Mayo Clinic. (2020). Childhood obesity.
Yakusheva, O., Kapinos, K., & Weiss, M. (2017). Maternal weight after childbirth versus aging-related weight changes. Womens Health Issues, 27(2), 174-180.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.