Meaning of Healthy Eating in Healthcare: Awareness of Overweight Problem of Students - Dissertation Example

? Encouragement from Secondary Schools by Interactive Media to Eat Healthy, and Creating Awareness of the Growing Overweight Problem Among These Children Name University Name Date Introduction: Overweight of human bodies lead to several problems, those at times are severe in nature and can significantly affect the normal living of the individuals. Health problems such as diseases of the heart, diabetes, cancer of certain types, pains in the joints, gallbladder dysfunctions are caused as a result of overweight in bodies (Heymsfield, 2005). The following chart represents an idea of the weight that an individual should possess based on his/her height: Figure 1: Weight-for-Height Chart (Are You Overweight? n.d.). Considering the cases of school children, the number of children suffering from overweight has been rising over the years. Records reflect that one out of three children is becoming obese or overweight. These children are also affected with heart diseases, high blood pressure and diabetes that are associated with the increase in weight. It is a matter of serious concern that lead to several challenges for such school children to cope up themselves in situations of the school environment and lead a healthy life (Congress, 2000). Thus there is a need to reduce the problems related to overweight in school children in order to protect them from the above mentioned diseases of the health (Pillitteri, 2010). The present study focuses on the effects of interactive media towards encouraging children from secondary schools to eat healthy and become aware of the growing overweight problems among such children. Meaning of Healthy Eating in Healthcare: By healthy eating in healthcare, it refers to the foods in amounts and types that contain a proper balance between nourishment and power supporting the growth of the children as well as of the metabolism of the adults. In order to eat healthy, such foods need to be selected that contain vitamins for the promotion of the health, as well as minerals that are required by the body. The quantities of fats, cholesterol, sugar and sodium need to be less in such foods (Tassoni, 2002). Thus healthy eating means intake of those foods and nutrients that are actually needed by the food for proper growth and health. The necessary nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals (Boyle and Long, 2008). Thus it can be realized that healthy eating is extremely essential for individuals to remain healthy such that they do not suffer from severe diseases that result from overweight problems. With the school children the problems are more since they tend not to understand the problems and the ill effects of unhealthy foods and their obesity can actually lead to them becoming obese when they are grown up as well (Penn, 2005). Trends and Development in Healthy Diet: Studies have revealed certain trends in health eating. These trends do not include only losing weight and diet regimens. Rather they consider the healthy eating habits in order to bring about a change in the lifestyle, with balanced and proper diet particularly focused on eliminating or reducing the problems of child obesity and overweight problems in school children. In the present times, several individuals, as reflected by the Americans, have turned their focus on improving their diets. Thus diets are obtained to have changed and people are now more concerned to follow the dietary instructions as provided by health departments. Low fat diets have been obtained to have gained attraction among most individuals that reflect a turn towards the positive effect as far as healthy eating is concerned (Weimer, n.d.). The governments in this regard have started playing a significant role. Since dietary constraints have proved to prevent several health problems in individuals, considering the small children as well, hence governments are also taking initiatives to encourage healthy eating among small children and other individuals. They are providing effective nutritional information to individuals and trying to persuade them towards following healthy eating habits. National interventions and campaigns are being developed and followed for this purpose as well. Special programs are targeted towards school children. These include giving training to the teachers and leaders associated with schools such that they are able to encourage the school students towards healthy eating to avoid obesity. Efforts are also been considered by both the local and the federal governments to improve the nutrient contents of different foods and meals available for the consumers, and small children (Weimer, n.d.). Trends in Healthy Eating and Secondary School Students: The trends as mentioned above can be said to have some positive influences on the minds on the consumers in order that their focus is more on natural, fresh and healthy foods instead of the processed and unhealthy foods. Studies have revealed that consumers, in the present times, realizing the ill effects of unhealthy foods, are even ready to spend more in order to have natural and fresh foods (Hammaker, 2010). This can be associated with the eating habits of school children in the way that these facts and effects of unhealthy foods need to be presented in front of the school children such that they do not get attracted to such unhealthy eating habits. If the consumers are gradually realizing the negative effects of unhealthy products, then they can take this responsibility to make their children and the younger ones at home realize these effects and motivate them towards healthy eating habits. With the growing trends in obesity among the school children, the departments of health in different countries are taken serious concern of this issue, and the above mentioned trends can only bring in more of positive effects on the way the young children are attracted to unhealthy foods, and hence change their lifestyles and eating habits. Schools can take a significant role in this regard by explaining to the students the correct foods and their amounts that should be taken during different times of the day. Following the positive trends towards healthy eating habits, school children needs to realize the effects of good eating practices and intake foods that are healthy and balanced (Brown, 2011). Overweight: An individual is said to be overweight if he/she reflects a body weight which is 10 percent more or above the normal weight that can be recommended for his/her body depending on his/her age and height. There are particular calculative measures like BMI or Body Mass Index that may be used to determine the weight of a body. Overweight of human bodies tends to cause severe health diseases (Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman, 2009). If children are overweight, then they need healthy eating habits and exercises regularly to bring them to normal health. The weights of the body depend on the shapes of the body that may vary from one individual to another. Thus, professionals need to be consulted before deciding on obesity of any child, and putting on any strict regulation of limitation of food habits. Children are not supposed to go for any strict diet; rather their diet should be balanced and proper for their growth keeping in mind that they do not become obese at the same time (Hannon, Porth and Pooler, 2009). If obesity is not checked or prevented at the right time, then these children may feel different from the other normal children as well as suffering from several health problems (Hannon, Porth and Pooler, 2009). Causes and Consequences of Overweight: Some of the primary causes that can lead to obesity or overweight in human bodies include (Kiess, Marcus and Wabitsch, 2004): Heredity or genetics Hormonal imbalances Environmental factors such as cultural habits, etc. Inadequate physical activity Eating habits such as overeating and improper diets Of the above mentioned factors, improper diet has been obtained to be one of the most significant causes leading to obesity. Overeating leads to intake of more energy within the body than the output that might take place out of the body. The habits of eating largely determine the types and quantities of foods that an individual intakes and thus eating habits depending on cultural habits and environment where an individual is growing up are essential factors leading to obesity or overweight of children (Kiess, Marcus and Wabitsch, 2004). Considering the consequences or effects of obesity, as already mentioned, severe health diseases may be caused as a result of obesity. The direct effects of obesity include (Kiess, Marcus and Wabitsch, 2004): Changes in normal functioning of the body: Such changes may vary from individual to individual and cause respiratory problems in individuals, abnormal clotting of blood, and swelling of heart, congestive failure of the heart, and lethargy. Increased risk for health diseases like coronary diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and arthritis. Diseases that are already established in the body are further developed as a result of obesity. Health effects like heart attack, hypertension, congestive heart disease, diabetes, and orthopedic problems are to a great extent reduced with the reduction of weight. Emotional or psychological effects are also caused as a result of obesity since reactions and beliefs of the societies are largely focused on bodies that are slim and fat-less. Culture Defining Overweight among Young People: In the present times, the rate of children and adolescents being overweight has increased drastically than that found in the adults. This has naturally increased the rates of there being overweight when they become adults. Culture and family environment are significantly responsible for children growing out to be overweight. Changes in the cultural environment have been found to affect the behavior of the children towards choices of foods that they intake, leading to obesities. High calorie foods available in the market and targeted towards the young children are attracting such children towards consuming such foods. Also, food being more affordable to people of all income levels, has become a source of pleasure than need, thus making individuals, particularly the school children to enjoy having them than realizing the effects of overeating (Ahmad, Ahmad and Ahmad, 2010). The problems with overweight more arises since with most people, overweight means a problem only related to appearances. Thus they do not realize the actual ill effects of being overweight leading to severe health diseases and suffering. Hence when school children are not concerned with their looks, they also do not focus on eating healthy (Korthals, 2011). This can be associated to be a cultural issue, where the society is more concerned on looks and appearances of individuals than the healthy habits of living. It needs to be understood that only losing weight does not reflect healthy lifestyle. Eating the right foods at the right time is necessary for school children to realize (Dolgoff, 2009). The Growing Overweight Problems in School Children: Figure 2: Moderate and Serious Overweight among Children/Young People and Adults (Groot and Bruggink, 2012). From the figure above it can be realized that the problems of overweight in young children has taken a serious concern than that in adults. “Obesity among adults increased dramatically from more than 5 percent in the early 1980s to nearly 12 percent in 2009/2011. Moderate overweight among adults also increased, from 28 to 36 percent” (Groot and Bruggink, 2012). This is a global problem and studies have revealed that an augmented eating of energy-intense foods that are rich in fat has become a trend across the world, accompanied by decrease in physical activity that has resulted from the nature of the work in the present times, the work being sedentary in nature (Fogelholm, 2001). Considering a study on the Dutch people, it has been obtained that “about 11 percent of the Dutch population aged 2 through 19 was overweight in 2003” (Frenken, 2004). Serious overweight has been obtained in about 3 percent of these young people. The tendencies of these overweight young people have been found to be more to become overweight adults. This may be represented through the following figure: Figure 3: Overweight young people and adults (Frenken, 2004). Obesity in young children is one of the severe problems that the world is encountered with. Several low and middle income countries are getting affected as a result of this problem. The dominance has become greater than before at a startling rate (Brown, Miller and Eason, 2006). A large proportion of this record represents children from developing countries. Taking into consideration the effects of overweight and obesity in young children, it is necessary that this problem is taken into serious consideration and measures be taken to influence children towards reducing their weight and eating healthy. Prevention of obesity in children is a major priority as can be realized from the present situation (Brown, Miller and Eason, 2006). Causes of Overweight between Indigenous and Immigrant Youth: There has been several recent studies on Canadian youth that determines the causes of overweight between indigenous and immigrant youth. Owing to the socio-demographic differences between indigenous and immigrant youths, their lifestyles also vary greatly, leading to differences in their body weights as well. The immigrant individuals were found to be less protective of their body weights and hence their eating habits. Also, involvement in the sedentary type works was found more among the immigrants than the indigenous people. The intake of fruits and vegetables was more among the non-immigrants than the immigrants. Thus in general, the social and the demographic factors, the differences in the lifestyles, and the protective or non-protective nature of heath and body weights, are some of the causes leading to the differences in the body weights of indigenous and immigrant youths, with the immigrant youths being more overweight than the non-immigrants (Wahi, 2012). Interactive Media in Encouraging Children towards Reduction of Weights and Eating Healthy: Interactive media, in the present times, has a significant influence over the minds of young children towards the purchase of any product or even in the way they modify their lifestyles. Studies have revealed that interactive media has been capable of providing adequate information of health care and overweight problems trying to influence the minds of the youth towards eating healthy and reducing their weights. The use of old media like the television, movies and magazines, as well as the new ones like the internet and social sites of networking, computer games, and cell phones, are known to influence young people negatively as well. However, research has also obtained that there are certain positive effects of these media as well (Strasburger, Jordan and Donnerstein, 2010). In the present times, the use of television and more importantly the use of the internet can be useful in encouraging the young children towards eating healthy and reducing weights, presenting to them the global problem associated with increasing obesity and health problems owing to obesities (Strom and Strom, 2009). Televisions through movies or advertisements can bring out the negative effects of overeating and overweight. Since young people spend a lot of time watching television, such programs and advertisements would naturally attract their attention. Moreover, in the present times, the internet can be considered to be one of the most effective interactive media with which young people are significantly attached to (Strom and Strom, 2009). There are several websites and articles that explain the ill effects of overweight and the growing problem associated with obesity across the world. These studies, along with the help of school activities can allow the young school to be encouraged towards reducing weights and eating healthy. Role of Persuasive Design: Persuasive design is referred to a process that makes use of persuasive technology trying to influence the behaviors and attitudes of individuals by persuading them on a particular issue. Consumers and users of different products can be influenced through the use of such persuasive designs like product and system design. Such designs are generally targeted towards improving the performance of the users in regard to any product as well as reduce the errors or misconceptions that the consumers might have regarding any product available in the market. Individual factors are in general highly dependent on the influences of the product designs that are presented by different companies in front of the customers. Thus if such designs can have effective influences on the minds of the customers, they can be used intentionally by different product companies for this purpose (Lockton, Harrison and Stanton, 2010). Hence in the case of encouraging schoolchildren towards reducing weights and eating healthy, persuasive designs may be applicable that may try to persuade the young children towards understanding the negative effects of overweight. Such designs may include the use of the interactive media like the television and the internet where advertisements and other programs that can directly communicate the necessary messages to the young children attracting their attention towards the ill effects of overweight. The school children need to be taught and made educated to realize the implications of overeating at their age and how overweight may create severe diseases in them, leading to several health problems as they grow up. A new model of understanding the behavior of human was also given by BJ Fogg in his studies. According to his study, the behavior model consists of three major factors that include motivation, ability and triggers. This model believes that in order for a particular behavior to take place, an individual need to have adequate inspiration or motivation, enough ability, and an effectual trigger. These three factors need to be present instantaneously together for a particular behavior to occur. The model suggests that the factors of motivation and ability are tradeoffs of their kinds. If a person is low in his motivation, he might perform a particular behavior if ability of the behavior is sufficiently high. For instance, a person does not possess enough motivation to buy a car. However, if someone offers him a car for say $1, he might purchase it then. Thus if the ability if high, low motivation can also lead to the occurrence of a behavior (Fogg, n.d.). Considering the third factor which is the trigger, it has been suggested by the model that without this factor, a behavior would not occur at all. Even if motivation and ability are both high, yet if the trigger is not sufficient, then a particular behavior would not occur. Triggers can be of different kinds, including the alarm of a clock, any particular message, the announcement of any particular sale of any product, and so on. Thus according to this model of human behavior, all these three factors have to come together in order for a particular behavior to take place. However, the elements of motivation might vary depending on different individuals. Individuals might be motivated through pleasures, through pains, through social acceptances or rejections, or through any other feelings and thus vary from one individual to other. This model hence allows human behavior to be thought of more clearly. The persuasive designs of all humans can be studied using this model (Fogg, n.d.). Conclusion: From the above study, it could be obtained that the issue of small children from secondary schools being overweight at their age has become a matter of serious concern across the globe. This is particularly focused considering the health diseases that are caused as a result of obesity. It has been obtained that young children who possess obesity generally tend to grow up as obese adults (Langley-Evans, 2009). Severe diseases like heart problems, diabetes and other health issues are associated with overweight and hence this issue cannot be ignored. Moreover, in the present times, with the availability of all sorts of unhealthy foods in the market, and jobs too becoming sedentary in nature, young people tend to eat more and have lesser physical activities that lead to overweight. Even school children are now more attached towards internet and television and have lesser physical activities, accompanies by improper diet intake depending on different cultural factors. It can be concluded from the study that interactive media like the television and the internet need to be made use of in the form of persuasive design towards communicating the message to young children such that they realize the growing problem of overweight across the globe and the harmful effects on the health that obesity can cause to (Fogg, n.d.). Direct communication and persuasion through the use of interactive media, if used effectively, can be expected to grab the attention of the children such that changes in their behavior and lifestyle may occur effectively. However the positive news is that in the present day, consumers are gradually learning about the different effects of both healthy and unhealthy food products, the products that are natural or processed and demands are more for the healthy foods. This has been supported by the efforts of food companies as well as the governments of different countries who have considered this issue of overweight among consumers sincerely. Also the behavior model given by Fogg clearly suggests that the three factors- motivation, ability and trigger- can be used to influence the behavior of the school children towards altering their food habits. Thus it may concluded that with such realization, and with the use of the interactive media like television programs, entertainment shows involving facts and effects of healthy eating, the role of the governments and food companies, as well as the knowledge sharing of the parents at home, along with lessons from schools, healthy eating habits may be achieved among school children allowing them to become healthier instead of suffering from severe diseases. References Ahmad, Q.I., Ahmad, C.B. and S.M. Ahmad (2010) Childhood Obesity. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 14(1), p.19-25. Are You Overweight? (n.d.). Dietriot. Retrieved on 8 March 2013 from: http://www.dietriot.com/stories/overweight.htm Boyle, M.A. and S. Long (2008). Personal Nutrition. Connecticut: Cengage Learning. Brown, J.E. (2011). Nutrition Through the Life Cycle. Connecticut: Cengage Learning. Brown, S.P., Miller, W.C. and J.M. Eason (2006). 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