Childhood obesity interventions - Research Paper Example

Childhood obesity interventions Childhood obesity is one of the main concerns facing the healthcare systems of the developed countries. Nations suchas the United States of America and the United Kingdom have seen a dramatic change in diet for quite some time and children are now a victim of such change. The food now readily available, junk food, is sold at almost every street and children can be seen at almost all. The fatty food causes a large proportion of weight gain and leads to various problems. Problems as a result of obesity may cause heart conditions and breathing problems and may be genetic. These obese children may even grow up to be obese adults and such health complications that may follow can certainly reduce the life expectancy of an individual (Kini, 2010). There have been various prevention programs introduced by concerned parties to try and combat childhood obesity. Due to the amount of children who are entering the range of obesity there have been calls for some action to be taken. The American Heart Association has put forward a few practices and programs that are used to improve the lifestyle of those children who are obese (Daniels & Jacobson, 2009). These practices for the prevention of obesity are being followed by medical practitioners and there is hope that intervention will help to limit the problem and perhaps even reduce it. A strategy such as a change in the diet and the lifestyle of individuals is one of the main forms of strategies to fight obesity. Medical personal use various forms of surveys to gauge the effect of the diet and the lack of physical activity in a child’s life and then propose a diet and exercise plan which will help to cut down on fatty food and help improve health and overall quality of life. Other strategies are much more invasive such as surgery to remove the extra fat from the body but such actions are not taken lightly by doctors. Even if such treatment is taken into account then it must also be considered that if no proper care is taken in terms of diet and exercise then the child will again gain weight. Surgery can be traumatizing for the patient themselves and it may only last for a specific time period. Medication is also another method that can be used to reduce a child’s weight but this may be a cause of concern as the medication used can be quite draining. There may be long term side effects and if the medication is not taken then weight is gained once more. The National Institute of Health has a childhood obesity prevention named Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR) which spends $49.5 million on research in order to find a way to prevent obesity (N.A, NIH-funded studies aim to prevent, treat childhood obesity, 2010). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) focuses on children’s physical activity and also the type of diet that they take in. There is a program by the Centers for Disease Control which in 2004 reported that they had a funding of $15 million so that they could health programs in schools and with parents (Project, 2004). The children who are referred to these programs are done so on a basis of necessity. Children are observed by their family doctors and their medical history is kept in mind and then they are referred to programs which may best suit their needs. Some children who are not overly obese are at times dealt with their school nurse or doctors as they may be better able to help them. They set up certain diet and exercise plans and outlines which suit the particular individual. They are also better able to communicate with the family of the children and encourage the family to help the child to improve their lifestyle. Even in schools it is now recommended that thirty minutes be spent on physical activity everyday (N.A, Federal Policy Recommendations for Combating Childhood Obesity, 2010). Other medical programs that are supported by grants, donations and at times the government look to involve those children in their programs who have put on more weight than healthy. It has now been recommended to doctors and nurses that they screen all children between the ages of 6 to 18 to see whether they are obese or not. They have even chalked out the particular method that need to be followed such as the use of height and weight to calculate the body mass index of a child and then comparing it with a cross section of children from the same age and gender. Once a child’s body mass index is determined to be over the ninety-fifth percentile then they are considered to be obese and recommended by their medical practitioner to a program for weight-management. These weight-management programs are to include counseling for those who have weight problems as well as some physical activity to increase exercise and encourage some movement. Another aspect of such programs is to include some counseling for the children and allow them to set goals and help them accomplish it (Calonge, 2010). These programs are helpful to some and manage to help reduce weight. The American Academy of Pediatricians in 2010 conducted a study in which 216 families took place who had obese children in their family. Of those who were in the intervention group it was noticed that two thirds of the children either maintained the weight that they had when they joined the program or they had lost some small amount of weight (Stein, 2010). The successes of the programs are deemed to determine on the amount of intervention that takes place. Those children who have had more intervention in their life regarding their weight have shown greater results. The statistics are determined with the help of tests and research that conduct studies to determine the effects of various strategies. If done in a proper manner these interventions may even help to keep a child’s mood in balance (Wollenberg, 2010). The programs are successful in certain terms when there are responses on the side of the children and they provide an outlet to families and children who need support and guidance. They also help to raise awareness among the general public about the impact that child obesity can have on not only the child but a family in general. However, they may be unsuccessful in certain situations. It has been argued that children who are in their teen years may find it difficult to lose weight or even control it in that particular age frames regardless of the intervention that takes place (Stein, 2010). It is important to realize that there are particular factors that need to be looked at when such programs are being implemented. First and foremost they need to be wide reaching and it needs to be ensured that they try and help as many children with this problem as possible. The aim of these programs also needs to be to target children with obesity in their early ages so that it becomes easier to help the kids adjust to a particular lifestyle where they need to take care of their diet and spend time outside rather than in front of the computer or television. Works Cited Calonge, N. (2010, January 18). Federal Panel Urges Obesity Screening for Kids Ages 6 and Up. Retrieved Ocotber 9, 2010, from Womens Health: http://www.womenshealth.gov/news/english/635052.htm Daniels, S. R., & Jacobson, M. E. (2009). American Heart Association Childhood Obesity Research Summit Report. American Heart Association (pp. 419-513). American Heart Association. Kini, R. (2010, March 9). Retrieved October 9, 2010, from Steady Health: http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/How_to_Prevent_Childhood_Obesity_a1230.html N.A. (2010). Federal Policy Recommendations for Combating Childhood Obesity. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. N.A. (2010, September 9). NIH-funded studies aim to prevent, treat childhood obesity. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from National Institute of Health: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/sep2010/nhlbi-09.htm Project, T. F. (2004). Financing Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs. Washington DC: The Finance Project. Stein, J. (2010, July 15). Child-obesity programs not equal. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from Health Key: http://www.healthkey.com/sns-health-child-obesity-programs,0,5581213.story Wollenberg, B. (2010). Childhood Obesity Facts. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from Childhood Obesity 101: http://www.childhoodobesity101.com/childhood-obesity-facts.html Read More