Community Health

Childhood Obesity

Obesity is a life-style disease that result from excess fat being deposited and stored in the body. This condition exposes children and adolescents to contracting other disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, breathing problems, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, among other chronic disorders. Besides suffering from health problems, children’s performance in academic and life is also affected.  In the United States, the percentage of children with obesity has increased significantly since 1970 (Cunningham, Kramer & Narayan, 2014). Today, about two in ten school-aged children (ages 5–17) has obesity. In addition, Mississippi and South Carolina have highest cases of childhood obesity at 21.7% and 21.5% respectively (Williams, 2013). Texas is the sixth leading state in the USA with 19.8% cases of obesity (Gurnani, Birken, & Hamilton, 2015). The rising cases of obesity in Texas and its diverse effects on children’s health make it a serious health concern in the region. Currently, obesity cases have tripled in Texas as compared to the past years. According to the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT), one out of three children is obese or overweight (Gurnani et al., 2015). These children have greater chances of remaining obese up to the age of 35 years and are likely to develop chronic diseases. Controlling fat intake among the children is an effective way of preventing the condition.

Factors that Contribute to Obesity in Texas State

The primary causes of childhood obesity relate to unhealthy eating behaviours, psychological factors, genetic, failure to engage in physical and active activities, or a combination of all the four factors. Unhealthy living and genetic factors have been major factors that contribute to the rise of obese cases in Texas. Eating food rich in calories coupled with lack of sufficient physical exercises contribute to the development of obesity (Gurnani et al., 2015). The rapid growth rates of obesity have been attributed by changes in life-style, where parents introduce their children to snacks rich in sugar and fat at early age.  Most parents also rely on salty snacks, canned pastas, and frozen dinners that contribute to unhealthy weight gain to children.

Besides the type of food taken, inadequate sleep and psychological issues have been found to contribute to development of obesity (Galloway-Gilliam, 2013). Lack of enough sleep leads to secretion of ghrelin hormone by ghrelinergic cells, which stimulates the brain that more food is needed in the body thus increasing food intake among the children. High levels of psychological stress also affect normal eating habits. Therefore, children and adolescents who are depressed, bored, and stressed eat more to manage the negative emotions.

 In addition, with the improvements in technology, most children spend their free time playing video games and watching television rather than participating in physical exercises that would help to deter wait gain. In addition, studies indicate that the use of some medicine such as antidepressants medicines or steroids lead to wait gain among the children. These medicines interfere with hormones that help in glucose balance thus leading to weight gain.

Current Interventions to Deal with Obesity in Texas

One of the interventions that is helping to curb the problem of obesity in Texas is promoting access to healthy foods. This has been achieved for years by expanding grocery shops and creating market for farmers to sell their farm outputs. Other relevant interventions that help to reduce cases of childhood obesity include promoting calorie labelling in manufactured foods, encouraging access to children bariatric surgery, supporting early education and care, and monitoring/regulating nutrition requirements for school meals (Cunningham et al., 2014). The continued use of fat-free food in schools and restaurants also regulates high rates of cholesterol in children. (Cunningham et al., 2014). The state of Texas has also put in place measures to solve the problem of glucose imbalance by encouraging production of sugar- free beverages. The state has also come up with initiatives that emphasize and encourage physical activities in schools. For instance, supporting recreational sports such as biking and swimming, promoting physical education classes, recess and classroom-based movement.

Texas administration accomplish these interventions through civic education, public meetings, reviewing school curriculum to incorporate extra curriculum activities, newsletters, and billboards that encourage healthy living. Physical exercises help in controlling glucose balance and may be achieved if the school curriculum is adjusted to accommodate co-curricular programs. Beside exercises in schools, the government is ensuring safe routes to school to encourage pupils to walk rather than using school buses.

The Scope and Role of Nursing and Public Health Nursing in Current Interventions

Nurses play fundamental roles in supporting the development of guidelines that help in evaluating and reducing the risk factors that relate to obesity and overweight. The nurses and public health practitioners are usually engaged in the formulation and implementation of preventive and curative interventions designed by the local or federal government. They are also responsible of initiating education programs that encourage healthy living and create awareness on the possible risks of poor diet. They also take part in providing preliminary treatment and bariatric care (Gurnani et al., 2015). Scheduling and monitoring children calorie status is another nursing role that help to minimize risk factors of obesity such as hypertension, asthma, stroke, and diabetes. Lastly, nursing support research and scientific studies that come up with new methods of obesity prevention and treatment.

Evidence-Based Recommend to Expand the Scope of Interventions

Nursing care for children suffering from obesity and overweight may be done through the traditional and non-traditional interventions. Therefore, the purpose of using the most convenient method is to promote quality care access, stimulate efficiency in care delivery, minimizing the effect of obesity risk factors, and reducing cost of diagnosing and treating the disorder (Skinner & Skelton, 2014). Therefore, the implementation of the proposed interventions reduces obesity incidence and prevalence rates.  By using proper nursing tools and intervention techniques, identification and deterrence of complications emanating from risk factors become easy.

Conclusion

Obesity and overweight are risky and life threatening disorders that affect both the children and adults. However, the disorder is preventable and even treatable if the interventions are implemented at community and local levels. Parents are always in charge of maintaining good healthy behaviours and encouraging their children to be active to reduce chance of being obese. The disorder has severe risk factors that are also life threating such as stroke, asthma, diabetes, and hypertension. Factors that contribute to increased cases of obesity relate to peoples’ economic status, health policies, level of education, culture, and attitude. Nursing and public health nursing roles help in reducing the cases of obesity in children and adolescents.