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Neighbourhood Study Essay

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This Neighbourhood Study aims to examine the demographics of Hillingdon Primary Care Trust (HPCT) such as age, gender, ethnicity, social groups in relation to the prevention of obesity. An insight into the prevalence of obesity as well as the causes and its effects shall be evaluated. Public health strategies regarding the prevention of obesity and its effects in comparison to Government strategies shall be addressed. The nurse’s role as an educator in relation to this public health issue, strategies formulated by HPCT to prevent obesity and how it focuses on other diseases associated with obesity shall be discussed. The following section gives a definition of obesity, health education and health prevention.

The World Health …show more content…

According to the National Audit Office (2007) the National Health Service (NHS) spends around £4.2 billion a year in curing obesity and its associated illnesses.
The Hillingdon Profile (2008) put forward that out of 149 local authorities in England, Hillingdon is classified as the 58th most deprived in terms of income deprivation affecting children. Hillingdon is also one of the least diverse in terms of ethnicity (appendices 1-3). In 2008 the number of obese cases recorded by HPCT amongst adolescents was 6.9%. In comparison with England it was estimated that 14% of boys and 17% of girls aged between 2 and 15 were obese. The National Institute of Clinical Health and Excellence (2006) propound that Asian children are four times more likely to be obese than children of other ethnic groups. In Central Hillingdon Asians and Afro Caribbeans make up most of the population and have a higher percentage of obesity.

Causes of obesity include lifestyle choices such as diets, lack of physical activity, psychological, environmental, genetics, medical conditions, effects of medication, lack of awareness and its implications as well as lack of education in the community. According to Sethi & Vidal-Puig (2007) there is a high risk of developing a wide range of health problems including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, infertility and osteoarthritis when obese and puts

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