Reform Program to Reduce Obesity in the United States - Essay Example

? Reform Program to Reduce Obesity in the United s Introduction The problem of obesity of a great portion of the population has been increasing in the United States and the government has been seeking ways to reduce this growing malady which is one of the causes of diabetes. There are various ways to address this problem but a concrete program is needed which might need policy implementation throughout government agencies, including public and private institutions. Overweight and obesity are a world pandemic. Some advanced few regions of the world appear to have escaped its effects. But in the United States, the problem is getting worse. Obesity is not just people going fat – it is a disease that causes maladies like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and strokes. Old and young members of society are susceptible to obesity. Adults suffer economic harm as they become more inactive when their body mass grows. People with a weight control problem have a real and identifiable physiological and medical condition, and obese people have shorter lives than non-obese people. Preventing and addressing obesity has cost billions of dollars for the government, estimated at $110 billion a year, equivalent to 1 percent of the U.S. Gross domestic Product. (Burd-Sharps et al. 2008, p. 64) The Problem Statistics revealed that one American dies every ninety seconds from obesity-related problems (Burd-Shaprs et al. 2008, p. 64). In the late 1990s, 280,000 Americans died of obesity-related problems every year (Allison et al. 1999). The proportion of Americans who are overweight and obese has increased dramatically within the past two decades, and increases in overweight and obesity cuts across all ages, racial and ethnic groups (Bailey, 2006, p. 24). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that for the first time in history, there are more overweight and obese people in the nation than people of normal weight. An estimated 61 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese (Cooke & Wardle 2007, p. 238). Researchers stipulated that if the prevalence of obesity continues to rise especially at younger ages, the negative effect on health and longevity in the coming decades could be much worse. (Bailey 2006) Americans continue their way of life. Modern lifestyles characterized by inactivity are risk factors that will lead to diabetes and high-mortality diseases – insulin resistance, lipid disorders, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Food is cheaper, particularly high-fat foods. Changes in work habits and time pressures in daily living have led to people gaining more weight. Lifestyles throughout the world have changed. This includes reductions in physical activity, increases in dietary intake, and the aging of the population. There is also the westernization of diet and of other aspects of lifestyles in developing countries. All these contribute to the dramatic increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (Shaw & Sicree, 2008). Risk factors linked with the modern lifestyle, including inactivity and obesity, are associated with insulin resistance, lipid disorders, hypertension, and vascular disease (Blaum, 2007). Moreover, concern has been growing over the increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes in childhood and among teenagers, attributed to inactivity and increasing obesity levels in childhood. Early appearance of type 2 diabetes appears to be a growing problem, particularly among minority groups in the United States, including Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans (Blaum 2007). Survey studies conducted among patients and physicians have demonstrated that physicians are failing to adequately identify the overweight and mildly obese patients, although there is greater recognition for the moderately to severely obese patients, particularly when accompanied by co-morbid conditions (Cooke & Wardle 2007, p. 238). In diabetes, there is energy imbalance – more energy intake with less energy expenditure. Therefore, early assessment of energy imbalance should be taken to help individuals counter obesity. Obesity is preventable like cigarette smoking if drastic actions are undertaken. (Burd-Sharps et al. 2008) The American Medical Association considers one overweight when he/she has a BMI of 25 to 29.9. Obesity is divided into mild (BMI of 30 to 34.9), moderate (BMI of 35 to 39.9), and severe/extreme (BMI ? 40). A BMI of 30 is about 30 lbs. overweight and equivalent to 221 lbs. in a 6’0” person. In children, the relationship between BMI and body fat varies considerably with age and with pubertal maturation. (Bailey 2006, p. 23) The Role of government Obesity should be the number one priority and must be a number one business of government (Waldman 2012). Priority should be on prevention and weight maintenance. Prevention is the key to fight obesity, but this must be done right in the midst of obese adults. Adult obesity is the real problem. (James & Gill 2008, p. 155) We support recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force along with multiple other organizations which has endorsed periodic measurement of height and weight for all patients. In line with this is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) checklist for health which also recommends that all men and women have their body mass index (BMI) calculated to screen for obesity. (Bailey 2006, p. 24) By screening obesity, the problem can be easily pinpointed and addressed to. Communities, members of society on all levels, private organisations and institutions can help address the problem. Physical education subjects have be required in all grades up to college. Businesses are encouraged to produce and sell health and diet foods. The Department of Education is hereby asked to formulate programs that will help fight obesity, such as more physical activities. Diet, exercise and enough sleep are the keys to a successful diabetic regimen. Government run institutions are asked to be more active in implementing guidelines to help fight obesity in children. Programs such as doing away from fat-filled foods, keeping on monitoring blood pressure, glucose, and following what the doctor and other health professionals say, can help fight obesity. We have to encourage physical exercise or aerobic exercise which is a planned and structured bodily movements resulting in increased oxygen consumption and calorie expenditure. There is also substantial evidence demonstrating that 5% to 10% loss of initial weight is sufficient to reduce, at least in the shot term, the risk of many health complications associated with obesity including hypertension, type-2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. (Bailey 2006, p. 24) The importance of adult interventions should be reinforced by a new analysis which models the potential gains that might occur if children or adult prevention are the primary focus of action. James and Gill (2008) argued that the sharpest increase in the incidence of obesity is in adulthood. Adults usually continue to gain weight at this age, and adult weight gain is almost always fat gain except in athletes in training. The relative risks for many diseases associated with obesity decrease with age but the absolute and population-attributable risks for disease increase with age. Adults and parents act as role models and have other responsibilities toward the diet and physical activity behaviours of children. Thus, the prevention of obesity in childhood depends on the parents. (James & Gill 2008) We encourage a full cooperation from the government and the private sectors. Interventions in children and adolescents need to be maintained. Preventing weight gain is likely to produce better returns than attempting to achieve population weight loss. There are more benefits in identifying and focusing preventive efforts on those who are more at risk of developing chronic disease. We should focus prevention on all sides, the adult and children population. Evidence discovered from epidemiological studies that the period of early adulthood has now become the new age group that is gaining weight the fastest and thus has the greatest incidence of overweight and obesity. (James & Gill 2008) With respect to women, experts have observed that a considerable variation has been noted in the amount of weight gained during gestation and this excess weight is often retained after giving birth. Some women experience extreme weight gains and others increase weight after pregnancy. Obese women have the tendency to produce large babies and there’s a great possibility for these children to become obese. Women generally enter the middle years with a lower level of abdominal fat but it begins to accumulate rapidly within this period so that by the seventh decade of life, men and women have a more equal distribution of body fat. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reaffirmed the importance of addressing abdominal obesity. (James & Gill 2008) Funding will be sourced from the government agencies which are responsible to physical activity programs. Before office hours begin, offices are entrusted to conduct physical exercises. Sports competitions are encouraged and funds for these competitions must be allocated from the budget of the different departments or offices. The communication departments will provide posters, banners and other information materials about health and diet foods, and programs and activities to fight obesity and diabetes. The American public along with the different sectors of society is asked to join the campaign. Parents and members of the family have to be encouraged to fight obesity. Follow-up study will be conducted on the WHO consultation on obesity. The WHO Report stated that there are different but equally valid and complementary levels of obesity prevention. The approach of governments should be to identify the borderline of obesity, or adults with BMIs of 28 to 29/kg/m2 for individual adults. (James & Gill 2008) Weight gain prevention should be applied on adults to achieve a successful outcome. Before applying prevention programs for adults, we have to know that most adults do not consider obesity as a serious health problem. We also have to set goals that are achievable. We should focus on weight gain prevention as the main outcome. Agencies involved should understand the effective prevention strategies, know the real problems by identifying and targeting risk individuals and groups. Focus on preventing obesity in childhood and adolescence is also another line of defence. Lifestyles are learned at an early age and unhealthy patterns can lead to a lifetime of increased risk of ill-health. It is important to treat obesity while it is still beginning to grow so that the root of the problem will not be so difficult to treat. (Lobstein 2008) Multiple actions in school for children can have a sustainable impact than single actions. The more an environment is consistently able to promote healthy behaviour, the greater the likelihood that such behaviour will occur. In schools, we can help in instilling awareness on children, and this can continue in their homes and as they grow up. Interventions that can be controlled should be done in schools where specific inputs can be measured and the experimental designs can ensure a degree of scientific validity to the results. The focus on the school creates a strong “setting bias” in the scientific evidence. (Lobstein 2008, p. 1) WHO recommends population-based interventions and to tackle the determinants of food choices and physical activity levels. There is also the need to introduce clear nutritional food labelling, and this must be done as a policy. The concept of investment paradigm where prevention initiatives are considered speculative ventures is encouraged. Businesses are encouraged to invest on foods that reduce fat. (Lobstein 2008) More funding for research into childhood obesity is recommended here, perhaps double than the existing funds available. Interventions on children should be designed to change dietary patterns while others are designed to increase physical activity and increase energy expenditure. Interventions should also be designed to tackle both energy intake and expenditure in a combined program in schools. A report published in Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine states that child obesity has become an epidemic since 2003. In 2007, about one third of children in the early years of prep and elementary were reported overweight. In Mississippi, 22% of surveyed children were reported clinically obese and proceeding to heart diseases and diabetes. (ZD Net Healthcare: government campaigns to fight obesity can work 2010) From the health department’s standpoint, we have this policy implementation which will be narrowed down into specific problems. Policies and programs should be focused on controlling obesity in the young and adults, and these will be backed with the right political will. We will institute programs to encourage the young and the students to eat the right food and not resort to overeating. Physical education in all levels from grade school, high school and colleges should be enhanced, and improve the programs involving athletics and exercises. Physical exercise should be a part of the activities in government offices and to encourage the same in private offices or businesses. Children and adults can avoid risk factors that increase obesity. This we can do while at school and at home. We have to apply what we learn at school in our lifestyle. On the problem of information dissemination, we will employ different media – radio, television, print media, and internet to maximize our information campaign. Funds will be allocated for this purpose. We will provide a mechanism in which programs from private agencies will be tax deductable. We can focus on prevention, on programs promoting exercise, diet and on ways of life in the American setting. Interventions and policies can be instituted and implemented by the health department in cooperation with health professionals and workers, both private and public. Recommendations of diet, exercise and enough sleep should be a part of American life. Not only diabetics and obese people can do it but also everyone. Everyone should have a change of attitude, from inactivity or full dependence on technology and robots to active lifestyle, full of energy and efforts to combat the disease. Diet and exercise are two simple but effective solutions to the problem of obesity. This can be a part of the daily programs of school, homes and offices. “Let’s move” is President Obama’s program to fight child obesity, a move on the right direction. This is being supported by the different sectors of society with the government spearheading. First Lady Michelle Obama has been across the country promoting health and diet foods. (Waldman 2012) We need the support of private and government agencies in fighting obesity and diabetes. We have to succeed on this endeavour as the disease may uncontrollably spread without our knowledge. The Department of Health is spearheading the campaign with all agencies asked to provide support and institute their own programs to fight obesity and diabetes. We will suggest a theme for every activity geared towards the ultimate solution. For example, for a single day, the theme will be: ‘Move now’. The next day, it will be: ‘It’s time to wake up early.’ Every single day is important. Every activity will focus on making everyone as slim and lovely as possible. That will be a new America – strong and healthy to for the new millennium. References Bailey, E 2006, Food choice and obesity in black America: creating a new cultural diet, Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., Westport, Connecticut. Blaum, C 2007, “Descriptive epidemiology of diabetes”, in M Munshi & L Lipsitz (eds.), Geriatric diabetes: aging diabetes, Informa Healthcare USA, Inc., New York, pp. 1-2. Burd-Sharps,S, Lewis, K & Martins, E 2008, The measure of America: American human development report, 2008-2009, Columbia University Press, USA. Cooke, L & Wardle, J 2007, “Depression and obesity”, in A Steptoe (ed.), Depression and physical illness, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. James, W & Gill, T 2008, “Prevention of obesity”, in G Bray and C Bouchards (eds.), Handbook of obesity: clinical applications (third edition), Informa Healthcare, New York, pp. 157-170. Lobstein, T 2008, “The prevention of obesity in childhood and adolescence”, in G Bray & C Bouchards (eds.), Handbook of obesity: clinical applications (third edition), Informa Healthcare, New York, pp. 131-150. Shaw, J & Sicree, R 2008, “Epidemiology of type 2 diabetes,” in M Feinglos & M Bethel (eds.), Type 2 diabetes mellitus: an evidence-based approach to practical management, Human Press, New Jersey, pp. 1-5. Waldman, K 2012, Is obesity the government’s business?, viewed 29 March 2012, ZD Net Healthcare: government campaigns to fight obesity can work 2010, viewed 29 March 2012, . Read More