Reports from the WHO Regarding Obesity &BMI - Assignment Example

Structured Analysis: Public Health Policies According to reports from the WHO regarding obesity &BMI, in the year of 1997, it was observed that obesity/overweight is one of the fastest growing issues that needs to be given a deeper look; it was ranked tenth on the list of issues that must be dealt with immediately (WHO, consultation on Obesity). Statistics data from the WHO report also state that obesity contributes a percentage of 8.6 in the total number of pre mature deaths and disability and is, thus, taken as a risk where biomedical and behavioral risk factors are brought into the discussion [WHO, World Health report]. The Australian government has taken a number of initiatives regarding this issue in order to gain healthier weight in young people and children, NHMRC states. This paper would be discussing the Prevention and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Australia Policy by the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and The Eat Well Be Active Healthy Weight Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010 from the Australian Government that will be compared regarding their policy principles, political ideology, and impacts on public health outcomes. 1. Intent of the policy against basic public health principles: The Prevention and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Australia Policy As far as the Prevention and Management of Overweight and Obesity In Australia Policy by the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) is concerned, the policy aims to state a number of principles as well as measurable and quantifiable actions that are aligned with a number of specific and measurable goals. The basic goals and aims of this policy can be understood in the following lines. The PHAA intends to ensure that the levels of government manage to keep obesity actions on their priority list. Further, the intent is also to implement the recommendation developed by the Preventive task force which needs to be endorsed through efficient funding as well as the policy as its support. Also, the regulations regarding the foods and beverages being provided to the children of all ages must be rigorously examined and kept in check. Of course, with the presence of physical activity strategies, a brand new National Food and Nutrition Policy must also be developed. It has also been noticed that an urgent need for developing a regulatory framework to improve the diet quality and nutrition is needed (PHAA 1). The PHAA has thus introduced The National Preventative Health Taskforce (NPHT) and the “Taking Preventative Action – A Response to Australia: The Healthiest Country by 2020 – The Report of the National Preventative Health Taskforce” to deal with the growing issue of obesity and overweight where the intended audience are the Australian, State and Territory Governments, policy makers, program managers, and key non-government and industry stakeholders (PHAA 1). The Eat Well Be Active Healthy Weight Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010 Comparing the above policy with The Eat Well Be Active Healthy Weight Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010 from the Australian Government, it has been observed that this policy has been presented by Mike Rann, the Premier of South Australians, as a way forward to work together in order to promote a healthier life style and fight obesity. The currently mentioned policy aims at many levels where obesity and healthier eating style is dealt with, and introduces a variety of precautionary and running strategies. The levels or the audience in this case are the development of the policy and program, the planning of workforce and monitoring. The feedback was generated from the community and industry groups as well groups from government and non-government. A consultation process was carried out and a review of the commitment of the task force members was also carried out (4) 1.1 An outline of the policy principles and proposed / actual strategies of the two documents; The basic policy principles on which the Prevention and Management of Overweight and Obesity In Australia Policy by the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) functions can be outlined in the following lines: The policy refuses to maintain any sort of discrimination regarding body weight and supports the promotion of a positive body image rather than body dissatisfaction. Further, the policy also states that programs for the overweight are developed that are suitable regarding all sorts of cultures. A change intervention in the behaviour of the government, individual, and nongovernment bodies to strike the right balance is required to be developed for the responsibilities of individual and society. Lastly, the measure taken must deal with the growing diversity while a reduction in the health discrimination is observed through ensuring protection of high risk target groups. These groups include the likes of those from the low socioeconomic status and ATSI groups (PHAA 4). The basic policy principles on which The Eat Well Be Active Healthy Weight Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010 from the Australian Government functions can be outlined in the following lines: The policy works on the principle of introducing and maintaining an environment that is physically, economically, politically, and socially health promoting. It aims to promote an increase in knowledge on how to avoid obesity and understands that such changes can take a lot of time to show results and is indeed quite complex. Further, it also functions on the principle that the gap between the groups that are advantaged and those that are not should be reduced. In this policy, individual blame is condemned and principle of reconciliation is ensured. Lastly, State and National initiatives are used to build upon along with maintaining the responses of local and regional initiatives (Government of South Australia 8-10). Considering the proposed and actual strategies, the PHAA took the responsibility of ensuring that contributions regarding the advisory forums regarding obesity and weight gain are made; this is related to the young as well as the adults. The PHAA would also make recommendations to the government as well as the rest of the organizations to work together in an incorporated and multidimensional advance that would prove as a lethal tool against the presence of obesity in the country. The policy also aims to develop a new National Food and Nutrition Policy that would be achieved through motivating the Commonwealth Minister for Health as well as the NHMRC. Further the strategy contains the proposition to fund the Preventative Health Taskforce in order to tackle obesity as well as the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition Strategy and Action Plan which can only be done by the Commonwealth Minister for Health and the NHMRC (PHAA 5-6). As for the Australian Government, the proposed strategy is to first develop a sound partnership between various sectors of urban planning, health and environment, recreation and transport along with the local government. The encouragement of physical activity would be developed through the development of facilities and physical space through ensuring efficiency in the location, design, and construction. The government would also meet its aim to fight obesity through working with the literary heads that encourage healthier eating habits in their respective areas. Key parent groups are also focused which will ensure that the efforts and guidelines reach the preschools and schools. Initiatives with the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) would also be guaranteed that will make sure that the workforce is the recipient of appropriate training (Government of South Australia 11-17). 1.2 A discussion of the relationship between political ideology and policy principles and strategies; The education on health being provided to various individuals under the policy principles and strategies can be viewed as it is enveloped by the health promotion. With that, it can be easily stated that the social and political actions taken with it act as a complementary tool to achieve many economical supports for the quality of life gains. These approaches are thus a collection of many necessities and expediencies such as political, philosophical, and practicality. Thus, these policies have always been a shared responsibility between institution and groups that has been swinging like a pendulum and has been relying on the government for the changes in the environmental policies and individual as well as the families for a change in behaviors. With the fact being accepted that both parties must be engaged, the ideological attempts to shift the responsibility has always brought in the factor of political swings. The scope of these strategies is always in variation because of the changes in the institutional and political commitment. Thus, these changes could be a political case. More specifically, the prevention of such issues with the help of policies and statements acts as an investment to produce a well informed electorate and consumer demand which advertently and directly stimulates the political change and consumer demand for the desired advantages that states the direct relation these policies and the political ideology hold (CHP 255–228). 1.3A conclusion regarding the likely impacts on public health outcomes of the policy statements With the policy statements in place, it can be concluded that a change in the statistics can be observed regarding obesity. More specifically, it has been stated according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics that only 37 percent of adult individuals showed normal results as compared to the 61 percent result of overweight and obese individuals. Now with the introduction of these policies, it can be concluded that a reduction in the percentage of obese individuals might be recorded. As for children, the risk of putting the 25 percent Australian children in obese condition might be dealt with. The statistics state a total of 25 percent children within the age bracket of 5-17 that were predicted to reach the obese condition. Lower social-economic group, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and the immigrant groups can also be helped willingly with the help of these policies which is a likely impact of these policy statements (Ball and Crawford1987-2010) and (McLaren29-48) However, the presence of many programs has developed a somewhat fragmented approach as well as the delivery of assistance towards the prevention of this issue. Due to this, a disturbance in the flow of information as well as networking is observed (FACS 4). Along with that, when measurement and collection of the outcomes are carried out, a severe blockage is experienced in the comprehensive analysis. Thus, NHMRC states that such services must be built and focused upon by these policies that facilitate effective coordination of services. It has also been observed from the NHMRC that with the introduction of these policies other impacts that have been observed are an increase in the overall capacity of the community and professionals that use the evidence based guidelines. A sound implementation of the policies at the health services of NHMRC, an increase in the healthy weight range bracket when the babies are born, and an increased proportion of infants that are fed according to the guidelines of the NHMRC, infant feeding can be also be taken into account as it impacts on public health outcomes of the policy statements. Work Cited Australian Bureau of Statistics. National Health Survey 2007-08. 2008. Print. Ball, K. and D. Crawford. “Socioeconomic status and weight change in adults: A review”. Social Science & Medicine, 60: 1987-2010, 2005. Print. “Community Health Promotion: Applying the Science of Evaluation to the Initial Sprint of a Marathon”. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 13(4):255–228, 1997. Print. Family and Community Services Branch. National Approach to Parenting, Early Childhood intervention and Child Abuse Protection. Department of Family and Community Services: Canberra, 2004. Print. Government of South Australia, Department of Health. Eat Well Be Active, Healthy Weight Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010, SA Dept. of Health, Adelaide, 2006. Print. McLaren, L. “Socioeconomic status and obesity”. Epidemiology Reviews, 29: 29-48, 2007. Print. National Health and Medical Research Council. Acting on Australia's Weight: a strategic plan for the prevention of overweight and obesity. C.o. Australia., Editor. 1997. Print. National Health and Medical Research Council. Recent and Current Policies of Australian Governments in the Broad Area of Child Health and Wellbeing, Strategic Research Initiatives Section, May 2006. Print. PHAA. Public Health Association of Australia: Policy-at-a-glance – Promoting Healthy Weight Policy, 2010, Web. March 8 http://www.phaa.net.au/documents/forums/11865472618-08-07_draft_policy_forum_PromHealthWeight.pdf World Health Organization. Global Database on Body Mass Index an interactive surveillance tool for monitoring nutrition transition, 2010 Web. March 8 http://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp World Health Organization. Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation on Obesity, World Health Organization: Geneva, 1998. Print. World Health Organization. World health report 2003. World Health Organization: Geneva, 2003. Print. Read More