Childhood obesity is one of the public health problems in Florida that has been associated with increasing prevalence of diabetes and other related diseases. The issue has become a serious problem in Florida State as reported by Tampa Bay Times. Therefore, there is a need to control the problem before it can get out of control (Vidian, 2014). This study will discuss the issue of childhood obesity in Florida from different perspectives.
Community Perspective
Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the state that calls for proper initiatives from the community to develop effective strategies for its control. The roles of the community in eliminating the problem cannot be trivialized since the issue has become a public concern. The community through the Public Health Nursing organization in the state has an important obligation to educate parents on healthy nutrition and good food habits. The parents should be educated on how to reduce overweight among children by checking the waistline. The Public Health Nursing organization in the state should also encourage parents to take their children for medical checkups in the local hospitals and clinics. Moreover, children should also be educated on the issues of obesity and how to ensure proper nutrition. Awareness programs on childhood obesity should be launched in schools and other social entities.
Primary intervention measures to control childhood obesity should entail modification of meals given to children at school and at home and encouraging children to participate in physical exercises. On the other hand, secondary measures should entail diagnostic methods to determine the changes in body weight and level of vulnerability to related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular attack (Vidian, 2014).
Policy Perspective
Involvement of the nursing organizations in the state will play an important role in controlling the problem. The issue has attracted the attention of the American Public Health Association and particularly the nursing section. The nurses in the state will work with community based organizations to educate the parents and perform secondary intervention measures such as diagnosis and treatment of various diseases that are associated with obesity. Moreover, the organization has recommended a state of policy initiatives, which should be adopted by the health department in the state. The policies that are deemed important in this case will include legislations to control the sale of fast foods to children and legislations to promote school-based interventions. The position taken by the nursing organization in the state will be very effective in controlling the problem. The policies will not only influence intervention measures at school, but will also control the type of foods that are sold to children by fast food shops (Vidian, 2014).
Healthy People 2020 Perspective
Healthy people 2020 program promotes healthy living among children. Its objectives on childhood obesity fall within the requirements of nutrition and weight status. The goal of the program under this topic is to reduce chronic diseases through the right dietary practices and enhance health by maintaining good body weights (Wang & Beydoun, 2007). The program’s objectives on the issue of nutrition and obesity include initiating nutrition standards in all states, increase the number of schools that offer healthy foods and beverages to students, and increase the number of healthcare workers who will provide diagnostic assistance to affected patients. A comparison between the objectives of the program and the primary interventions that were mentioned in one section of this study reveals that the measures will lead to the achievement of the objectives. For instance, modification of meals given to children at school and at home will lead increase the number of schools that offer healthy meals as stated in the objectives of the program (Wang & Beydoun, 2007).
References
Vidian, E. (2014). Brandon doctor, author offers advice on dealing with child hood obesity. Tampa Bay Times, p. 23.
Wang, Y. & Beydoun, M. A. (2007). The obesity epidemic in the United States—gender, age, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic characteristics: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Epidemiology Review, 29(1), 26-28.