The Occurrence of Childhood Obesity - Assignment Example

Introduction The occurrence of childhood obesity has been rising at an alarming rate. The core causes of the childhood obesity epidemic within America entail increased intake of foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt; increased size of food servings; reduced physical activity, and increased time spent during computer-related activities and in front of the television. Researchers projects that, on average, children spends 5.5 hours every day in front of screens including the internet, video games, videotapes, and television. This represents more time than the children spend within the classroom. This heightens the risk of children becoming obese, which possesses physical, emotional, and psychological impacts. Childhood obesity can be linked to negative body image and perception of self, depression, and bullying and teasing among peers. The article by Smallfield and Anderson (2009) describes physical activity program based on occupational therapy, which engages elementary-school age children in running and running-based activities at a period when children can actively develop habits for the future (Smallfield and Anderson 1). Discussion Obesity is a medical condition linked to a broad range of chronic, incapacitating, and life-threatening conditions. The condition imposes significant financial burdens on health care systems, as well as the community at large. It s worrying that obesity prevalence persist to rise at an alarming rate, especially within childhood. The rationale behind obesity prevention rests on the fact that obesity develops over time and is difficult to treat. Second, the health consequences linked to childhood obesity emanate from cumulative metabolic and physical stress over an extended period and may be irreversible by weight loss. Hence, prevention of obesity would be less costly, and possibly highly effective relative to treating obesity. The theoretical grounding of occupational therapy draws from the assertion that human species is occupational in nature. The occupational therapy theoretical model of practice outlines a three-way interaction encompassing three interlinked elements, namely: person, environment, and occupation (PEO). As such, strategies that follow the PEO model should address any or all of the three components. The objective of any of the strategy hinged on the PEO model centers on improving the occupational performance of the individual within his/he desired environment. Based on the utilization of occupation as a shared thread for any activity-based intervention, each practice framework, or model avails a distinct way of organizing and thinking about information relating to functions. The utilization of practice models aids in looking beyond the obvious functional deficits, which guarantees a holistic approach to childhood obesity. In the article, Smallfield and Anderson (2009) utilize the Logic Model Development Guide to foster the development of the after-school program. The Logic Model utilizes change theory to plan and implement a program, which features six steps, namely: (1) the challenge; (2) community profile; (3) outcome measures; (4) leading factors; (5) implementation strategies; and, (6) assumptions (Smallfield and Anderson 2). Smallfield and Anderson concur that ending the rising prevalence of childhood obesity need a concerted effort directed at increasing amounts of physical activity. Occupation therapists can play a critical role in the effort to combat childhood obesity informed by the thought that participation in occupation is at the heart of fostering health and wellness. Critique of the Article The article on physical activity engagement is both insightful and useful; nevertheless, the program described in the article features a number of limitations; first, the length of follow-up was short t0 reveal any meaningful results. Although the testimonials indicate that participants remained active even after the conclusion of the program, longer follow-up may be necessitated to determine whether occupation therapy activities, in this case running is effective for longer periods. Nevertheless, the authors do acknowledge that a full-clinical trial should be implemented so as to enhance the power and clinical meaningfulness of the program. The implications for occupation therapists hinge on the assertion that occupation-based activities such as running can be both motivating and effective interventions for children with obesity. Although, Smallfield and Anderson highlight the positive effects that can be derived from increased physical activity during childhood, the proposed program fails to demonstrate positive influences on the future activity choices, as well the efficacy of the program in enhancing the participants’ overall quality of life (Smallfield and Anderson 2). Occupational therapy studies may be skewed in the sense that researchers may distort results to their liking. Moreover, recall bias could manifest via self-report outcome measurement tools, whereby participants might be unable to remember the amount of screen time, or may distort the results to align with researcher favored outcomes. The program may also be predisposed to incomplete outcome data in which participants may be lost to follow-up. Moreover, the authors do not mention any incidence of drop-out rates at the end of the intervention. It is highly probable such programs would report high attrition rates; moreover, there is no mention of baseline variations between intervention and control groups. However, this does not mean that activity-based interventions are not useful in treating obesity (Smallfield and Anderson 3). Although, there is a pressing urge for occupational therapists to avail research-based practice, there is minimal understanding of strategies and processes that researchers can employ to integrate research evidence into clinical evidence. In order to satisfy the tenets of occupational therapy, occupational therapists must document changes within children’s engagement in everyday life circumstances and build evidence on the efficacy of activity-based interventions in treating childhood obesity. Conclusion The reviewed article illustrates an after-school program anchored on the occupation of running structured and implemented with a focus of enhancing the amount of physical activity and minimizing the risk of childhood obesity. Activity-based interventions manifest a positive and motivating treatment for responding to physical and psychological effects occasioned by childhood obesity. Various studies have demonstrated that activity-based treatment can aid enhance physical fitness, as well as heralding improvements in self-esteem, healthy food choices, and family education. The outcomes derived from this study should not necessarily be conclusive, but express the significance of future research centering on how activity-based interventions such as running can positively impact on children’s health and wellness. It is essential that communities join hands to offer programming aimed at minimizing the high-risk behaviors linked to childhood obesity. After-school programs, for instance, hinged on the occupation of running, can be employed to reduce the risk associated with childhood obesity. The after-school programs should seek to enhance the amount of activity that children engage in, which in turn aids to reduce the risk of childhood obesity. Works Cited Smallfield, Stacy and Anderson Angela. “Using After-school Programming to Support Health and Welness: A Physical Activity Engagement Program Description.” Early Intervention & School 16.3 (2009): 1-4. Read More