Healthy Weight Analysis - Report Example

Healthy Weight Healthy Weight 2008: A Dream vs. Reality of Healthy Weight 2 Healthy Weight 2008: A Dream vs. Reality Introduction: In the last two decades, obesity and issues of overweight children and adults have risen as a popular topic within the media in many countries. However, while the words obesity and overweight have become buzz words that are used to promote media coverage on the topics in a way that approaches sensationalism, the facts do reveal that the issue has developed into a crisis. Public health services have responded with plans and policies with the intent of combating the condition. Implementing the ideas that have been brought forward is a difficult process for the administrating parties to encourage and the effort to push the public toward a healthier lifestyle of eating habits is in constant tension with the way in which food is available within the commercial sector. It is unfortunate, but many of these policies are not meeting the demands of the issue. The United States has seen a steady increase in obesity rates since 1980. In the fifth annual report of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), an article entitled “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2008” states that obesity rates have risen in almost 24 states over the course of the year since the last report was issued in 2007. To add to this lack of improvement, no reduction of the issue was observed in any of the fifty states. The issue of obesity has become a rising health issue with no end in sight. The way in which individuals are encouraged to approach the issue is in contrast to the way in which food is most readily available through fast food, oversized portions, and convenience meals which all contribute adversely to the growing problem. In this critique of Australia’s National Action Agenda Healthy Weight 2008, a Healthy Weight 3 discussion of the course of action that is presented will lead to further investigations of the ideas that are put forth. An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses will create a foundation for a critical assessment of the potential for success that the report provides. As the information is gathered from the report, a discussion of the format that is described for producing results for those who live with obesity will form an analysis of the promoted model in health care. Background: The World Health Organization (WHO 2006) has determined that the appropriate Body Mass Index (BMI) for an acceptable weight ratio is 18.5 to 24.00. When the BMI is elevated over 25 a person is then considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese. According to these standards, the population of Australia is 50% overweight or obese. The poor health practices and lack of physical activity that is prevalent in some of the population groups in regional and remote areas have provided for an unhealthy weight for a great number of people which ranks Australia second only to the United States for obesity rates. The number of diseases that are affected by a poor BMI ratio include risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative joint disease, some forms of cancer, osteoarthritis, kidney disease and gall bladder disease (UT Southwestern 2008; The National 2003). As a consequence of the high percentage of overweight and obese citizens within Australia, the Australian Health Ministers established a taskforce in 2003 that was committed to setting up a nationwide Healthy Weight 4 framework that would address the issues of the overweight and obese population. In November of that same year, the National Action Agenda was released to the public and provided details of the proposed plan (The National 2003). Discussion: The way in which the agenda is designed is for a short-term of four years from which to establish a long term approach. The main objective of the agenda is address the habits of children in order to create a preventative approach to adult obesity. This initial goal will focus on creating a supportive environment that will promote healthy habits for children and to create a system of support for their families in order to produce a lifestyle of good food choices. As well, the introduction of physical activity back into the habits of daily life will also work toward creating happy and healthy adults. In concentrating on solutions that will increase the probability of prevention the agenda hopes to change behavior during childhood that will eventually lead to changes that are life long achievements in good health practices. The new public health policy works to achieve a balance in the health status (Mackenzie 2001). In working to develop this balance, the Guiding Principles of the Agenda are a framework with which to provide the whole community with a means to become involved and to reduce the inequities that are apparent in the population groups in regard to ethnicity, socio-economic and geographic status. The Agenda recognizes an inequitable balance with disadvantaged and lower socio economic groups experiencing a deeper vulnerability to excess weight. Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait populations experience this imbalance of vulnerability. The Agenda proposes that to overcome this Healthy Weight 5 inequity a demonstration center should be placed in each state and territory in order to create a stronger involvement by the communities. The hope is that this will create a more equal state of participation from all of the population groups which would of course mean that the indigenous populations would be reached. Through the use of creative intervention the Agenda promotes the concept that these ’whole community’ demonstration areas will provide an education within the populations of what constitutes good health practices. The framework provides a response effort to ensure that access to healthy foods will also be available in areas that otherwise have diminished access to those foods to promote healthy eating habits along with active life styles. The way in which the health care community can participate in implementing the framework that the Agenda provides is to participate in a collaborative effort with the national committee. However, the leadership and initiative to implement the action is left to the health sector to put into place. The Agenda states that the multiple sectors will have a vital role to play in the promotion of these changes, but that the success of the framework will depend on a successful collaborative effort in order to increase a sustainable change. In Mackenzie’s review of Baum’s book (2008) it is explained that the redistribution of power will be compressive in order to guide participation and collaborative efforts. In examining this intended effort, one can see the flaw. If a concerted effort is not made by the implementing parties, then the participation will not promote any real change. As Mackenzie (2001) indicates from the review of Baum, it could be argued that the bureaucratic process of the Australian government should be responsible for Healthy Weight 6 guiding the communities into participation in order to diminish the complexity of the consultation process. Although it should be noted that, most often actions taken by the collaborating sectors have stronger impact and yield superior outcomes on health promotion than if they were done by the health sector itself (WHO 1998). Oakley from 1989 is cited in the book review of Baum by Mackenzie (2008) as having stated that there are two approaches that may be made in participation. The first approach is “participation as a means”. This type of participation is limited to the immediate task that is involved. This is done over a short term and does not require further attention. The second approach is “participation as an end” which involves a “dynamic, unquantifiable and essentially unpredictable process“ (Mackenzie 2008). Using this form of an approach, the long term participation can help to promote long term results which takes the project to a successful end. With an issue such as obesity, this long term approach will have better results than a short term interest. Analysis/Assessment: Following a deep assessment of the framework and strategies that have been put forth by the National Action Agenda on “Healthy Weight 2008” (2008), a clarity has been attained about the way in which the agenda might see some success. The framework is compatible with the socio-environmental model that is Labonte’s (1993) third model of health promotion. This third model approach seeks out life-threatening and high risk conditions in order to correct these issues by motivating individuals to change (Labonte 1993). By creating a motivational framework that targets children, it is the hope that this will lead to changes within the entire family while ensuring that future adults have an Healthy Weight 7 opportunity to avoid being overweight. In creating an analysis of the strength and weaknesses of the Agenda, one can clearly see that the work emphasizes maintaining a healthy environment where proper food and physical activity are promoted. As well, the attempt of the Agenda is to reach out to all of the communities within the borders of Australia in order to create a more equitable national approach on a deadly topic of concern. Specific actions are recommended on page seven in the Agenda that can be implemented by local health care providers to help to promote the common goals. Specifically, physical activity guidelines and dietary guidelines are recommended to be made available to all of the population. The Agenda provides a plan for monitoring the activities of the collaborative staffs in order to promote the healthy lifestyle it seeks for its targeted population (The National 2003, 19). As well, a media plan is promoted as a way to reach as much of the population as possible to make awareness part of the education effort (The National 2003, 15). However, some of the weaknesses that are seen is that while the Agenda provides a focus on junk foods and high fat foods, it does not provide for regulations in the food industries in order to make healthy foods available. The Agenda also lacks a clarity in the way it will reach all of the areas that it proposes to provide services. As well, the area of funding has not been clearly defined and with the economy having changed, the allocation of funds that the Agenda requires may or may not be available . Summary: The way in which the National Taskforce has provided a framework for a health Healthy Weight 8 care commitment to promoting healthier eating habits and a more active lifestyle has a good beginning for creating community effort. However, the process that is described will only work if all areas have committed health care workers to provide leadership for the programs. As well, the food available must be addressed, as stated in the Agenda, in order for the lifestyle to be feasible for the variety of populations that it hopes to service. Should the agenda be utilized in the way it has been presented, an effect should be seen in the rates of obesity. However, the framework will require support from all collaborative parties in order to ensure a satisfactory result. Because this issue must be sustained over the course of a lifetime, it will be a difficult task to see the program create lasting change until the population has been studied over a course of the lifetimes of the children it hopes to initially reach. However, by targeting the lifestyles of children, good habits may be created that can last into adulthood. Healthy Weight 9 References Bio-Medicine, 20 July 2006, “Australian Medical Association Not Satisfied Obesity Initiatives”, viewed 08 April 2009, Labonte, R 1993, Health Promotion and Empowerment: Practice Framework, Issues in Health Promotion Series #3, Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto Mackenzie A 2001, ‘Book Review:, The New Public Health: an Australian Perspective’, Oxford Journal, viewed 09 April 2009, The National Obesity Task Force 2003, “Healthy Weight 2009: Australia’s Future, The National Action Agenda for Children and Young People and Their Families” viewed 08 April 2009 Trust for American Health 2008, “Reports, F as in Fat 2008“, viewed 08 April 2009, UT Southwestern Medical Center 2008, Patient Care/for patients & public, viewed 08 April 2009, World Health Organization 1998, Health promotion reports, World Health Organization 2006, “Media Centre/Fact Sheets“, Obesity and overweight, viewed 08 April 2009, World Health Organization 2007 “Health Situation and Trend; Communicable and Non- Communicable Diseases, Health Risk Factors, and Transition, viewed 08 April 2009, . 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