Eat Healthy, Stay Active Response Paper

Eating healthy is important for many reasons, it will promote intellectual development in children and adolescents prevent major health problems from developing and ensure a long and healthy life style. This research paper will introduce the importance of forming a healthy eating habit from a young age onto the senior years and will also point out some of the negative effects not eating healthy can cause such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, iron deficiency anemia, dental caries, under-nutrition, and eating disorders.

Over the last thirty years, there has been an increase in the widespread presence of childhood obesity, as reported by the American Obesity Association (AOA) in Eliadis’ (2006) commentary article. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity “is now considered the number one nutritional public health concern of children and adolescents in the United States” (Sealy, Y., & Farmer, G., 2011). Individuals living in high-poverty neighborhoods; along with multiple other risk factors; have an increased rate of overall physical health disparities and inequalities (Komro, K.A., Flay, B.R. Bigland, A., 2011). This paper examines eight peer reviewed articles of research, studies and statistical data on childhood obesity in high-poverty neighborhoods and highlights the social worker’s role in the epidemic of childhood obesity.

Within the last 30 years, there has been an increase in childhood obesity that is alarming for parents, health care professionals, and children advocates. This epidemic is a result of children not participating in regular exercise and eating high caloric, fast food. We can combat this epidemic by increasing the education to the family and encourage more physical activity and nutritious foods.

“The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake” a quote made by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, as she launches her comprehensive initiative to change the way children think about nutrition and physical fitness (“Learn the Facts,” 2010). Three decades ago, children lived active lives that kept them healthier. They walked to and from school, ate home cooked, reasonable portion meals with vegetables and played outdoors most of the time. Today, children ride the bus instead of walk, eat more fast food and snacks throughout the day because parents are busier, and watch more television or play video games rather than be active outside with peers (“Learn the Facts,” 2010). Young children are becoming overweight and obese along with being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more frequently. They are making poor dietary choices, inadequate physical activity, and spending too much screen time all contributing to the obesity crisis. One of the effective solutions to reversing the trend of childhood obesity is to provide safe, affordable and accessible after-school health and physical fitness educational programs for all school ages across the nation.

In 2015, we estimated that 107.7 million children and 603.7 million adults were obese worldwide (The GBD 2015 Obesity Collaborators. 2017.). These numbers will continue to rise because of many reasons. There are quite a few families that rely on convenience, so instead of cooking a healthy home cooked meal some families will eat fast food simply because it is easy and quick. Some families may not have time because they are busy with work or other social activities. As a nurse, we can educate parents and their children about healthy lifestyles like eating habits and the importance of

Team BLAZE (Beginning Life with AmaZing Examples) is a project designed to decrease childhood obesity in low income school districts. Team BLAZE is a school based program that incorporates healthy nutritional options along with daily physical activities within a safe learning environment to low income regions in America. The program initially focuses on children ages 5-17 in the rural Mississippi Delta, where obesity rates “far exceed those of the state and nation” (Gamble et al., 2012, p 478). Team BLAZE is modeled after Save the Children’s CHANGE (Creating Healthy, Active and Nurturing Growing-Up Environments) study, a 2-year (2007-2009) randomized, controlled, community and school-based intervention to prevent unhealthy weight gain among rural school aged children (Save the Children, 2008). The CHANGE study used an innovative, multicomponent community-based intervention in rural America to improve the diets of children and proved to be successful in lowering rates of obesity at the studied locations (Save the Children, 2008). Likewise, Team BLAZE uses a multidirectional approach by targeting changes in school nutrition,

They aim to eliminate the childhood obesity epidemic by working with policy makers, clinical improvement professionals, and healthcare professionals to ensure every child has access to high-quality care through a medical home. Even as early as conception, parents, healthcare providers and leaders can take steps during prenatal care to keep children fit and on track for a healthy future. It is organizations like these that we need. More involvement will create a wide spread and influence more people to commit towards fighting against obesity validating its importance.

The obesity epidemic is at an all-time high as evidenced by the fact that there are more overweight and obese people than those of healthy weight in the U.S. today. Many political, medical and surgical interventions have proven to be largely unsuccessful. There has only been marginal success with government led nutritional initiatives such as First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign. The key to ending this obesity epidemic lies within health promotion. Nurses possess the essential skills and training developed from nursing practice to use health promotion and preventative health care to target at risk clients and communities before obesity develops. Through teaching, especially children what foods they should eat and the right portion size we can save the next generation from an obesity epidemic.

Childhood obesity has expanded tremendously within the past thirty years (CDC, 2015). It is not only a state, but also a nationwide issue. For many children, they depend on their school lunches to provide them the nutritious meals they cannot afford to have at home. As a community, we need to get our children into better shape. Not only will they become more astute, but they will also live healthier lifestyles, and have less health complications as they age. When you are overweight or obese, you are much more likely to develop health problems like heart disease, diabetes, or even a stroke. It is our responsibility as a community, state, and nation to offer nutritious meals and activities for our youth and future.

Thank you for accepting my invitation to “Healthy Me”, at 1:00 pm on October 3rd. This event will take place at East Street Family Health Clinic. “Healthy Me” is an excellent opportunity to improve your understanding of effective eating habits. As well as, how to achieve individual health goals through meal planning and mindful eating habits. During the Event, we will illustrate how to set short and long-term S.M.A.R.T goals. We will establish what skills are required to effectively meal plan, and what healthy eating looks like.

This is a Community Teaching Plan Work Proposal group project for the city of San Diego, and our target community is children in elementary school. We have chosen primary health promotion/prevention and will address Childhood Obesity, which falls under the category of Nutrition and Weight Status in Healthy People 2020.

Across the nation childhood obesity has been slowly increasing over the past few decades and is now considered an epidemic. Georgia just so happens to hold the 2nd highest rate of childhood obesity in the nation. With more and more obese children being treated for health problems normally seen in adults and some of the top professionals at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta decided the problem needed to be addressed. With an effort to reverse the ever growing epidemic of childhood obesity, they launched the Strong4life program in 2011. With the Strong4life program in place they decided to reach out and bring awareness to the public by using signs, posters, and billboards in and around the Atlanta area and by eventually using television to spread

Nutrition and weight status is a vitally important issue as obesity is on the rise in the United States. One third of children in this country ages 2-19 are either overweight or obese and this potentially sets them up to develop diabetes and other comorbidities during their lifetime (U.S. Task Force, 2010). It is important to promote health by way of consumption of healthy foods, getting adequate exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight and body image. The Let’s Move initiative, founded by First Lady Michelle Obama, approaches the obesity epidemic at a grassroots level and encourages children to eat healthy, get active and take actions towards a healthy lifestyle ("Let’s Move," n.d.).

This article examines the positive impact and growth of knowledge concerning childhood obesity prevention when parents are involved throughout the process. “Engaging parents throughout the research process may serve to open communication, break down hierarchical relationships and build trust” (Jurkowski et al., 2013, p. 2). Parents from a local Head Start program joined with volunteers and agency representatives at regular meetings to develop a plan for childhood obesity awareness. Through regular attendance at meetings, parents demonstrated knowledge regarding the growing problem and prevention of childhood obesity (Jurkowski et al. 2013). “To advance the field and improve child health, it is essential to work with parents in the research process” (Jurkowski et al., 2013, p. 9). This article proves how significant the involvement of parents can be regarding the priority to end childhood

Jamie Oliver’s Ted Talk “Teaching every child about food,” captures his great passion and investment in fighting childhood obesity, improving children’s health, and lengthening their life expectancy. Obesity affects not just those that are obese, but family, friends, community, and country. The healthcare expense for obesity in the United States per year is two hundred and ten billion per year and growing, this expense is then passed down to Americans who have to pay more money in health insurance premiums as well as tax dollars to help cover this massive expense. (Oliver, J., 2010)