Health Issue Analysis
In the United States, one-third of adults and children are obese. According to CDC, obesity describes a person with a body mass index equal to or above 30. Obesity is among the leading cause of death, and it is associated with heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes two which are also fatal diseases. Although obesity has been in the rise for all socioeconomic groups, it is higher in some groups than in others. Recent studies associate obesity to a social, economic status where the poor are more likely to develop obesity unlike the rich. Economic development and socioeconomic status are highlighted among the factors that facilitate the development of obesity. The higher the economic development of a country, the more likely the individuals will develop obesity. Some determinants of health will be discussed together with the past and current efforts to curb obesity. Also, outcome indicators will be discussing which will be used to measure the effects the health of individuals. Health determinants range from personal, social, economic and progress of the issues and the current status of the issue.
While economic development is assumed to improve health, the problems of malnutrition are being replaced by overconsumption that environmental factor. The health determinants of obesity include the physical environment, social environment and the behaviour of individuals. The physical environment refers not only to the shelter but also available resources meant for sustainability. Social environment pertains to income, access to health services, education and respect for human rights. The biological and behavioral determinants include diet, lifestyle and genetic factors. Obesity, in particular, can be attributed to both behavioral factors and the social environment. Individuals who take foods with high cholesterol levels are more likely to become obese, and that is what has contributed to a high rate of obesity in the United States. Individuals who have low income and those who are less educated lack knowledge of better eating habits where they end up consuming fewer health foods that are readily available. Lack of high income has turned most of the United States population to taking fast foods and exposing their children to an unhealthy lifestyle. Lack of income limits the life of families where they stay in constricted compounds even children lack space to engage in physical exercise. Lack of access to healthcare is another determinant that has increased the rate of obesity in the United States. In most healthcare facilities, individuals are advised on what foods to take that will limit the chances of obesity unlike when one is at home. Limited access to care exposes individuals in lower socioeconomic status to conditions related to obesity which could have been limited if one accessed healthcare.
Some of the past and present initiatives aimed to address the global health problem of obesity include community health education. According to the World Health Organization, obesity is a nutritional disorder and can be prevented if the population is aware of healthy eating behaviours. The government has tried to initiate educational programs that educate communities on the relevance of physical exercises and healthy eating habits. The community programs educate families on best behavioral practices and the foods that should be consumed to reduce the rate of obesity. The population is also advised to use vegetable-based oils rather than using animal-based fats so that they can limit the rate of contracting obesity. The government has also expanded schools by creating playgrounds where children can engage in physical exercise when they are not at home. Also, the government have started the initiative where children will be eating when in school so that they can take regulated foods that have limited fats and sugars. This has facilitated the reduction of obesity although the rate is still alarming. Individuals are also advised to eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains instead of fatty foods and fast food.
The outcome indicators that are used to measure the progress of obesity include reduced mortality among cases of obesity and reduced co-morbidity diseases such as diabetes type 2, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Another outcome indicator is the reduced consumption of fast foods and the increased number of grocery stores to make groceries accessible to most populations. Also, the health of the population is used as the measure of the progress on the issue.
The current status of obesity when the outcome is measured indicates that obesity has been in the rise despite all the initiatives implemented for curbing the conditions. Most populations continue to see obesity in the rise and have also contributed to the rise of racial and ethnic disparities. Several windows of intervention should be proposed to limit obesity prevalence in the United States. Also, the comorbidity diseases have been in the rise, an indication that the obesity rate is still high. Few obesity drugs exist, but they are not as effective as expected that is why the obesity rate is on the rise.