Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health - Essay Example

A framework showing how childhood obesity can be managed through behavior change (adapted from WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, 2004)

The framework consists of three major sections: the processes, outputs, and outcomes. According to the model, the management is expected to provide leadership and facilitate collaboration in the implementation of policies and programs that promote supportive environments for health.  Consequently, these actions are expected to facilitate positive behavior change with regards to diet and physical activity. The framework also indicates that constant monitoring, evaluation, and surveillance activities be carried out to assess the impact of immediate, short, and long-term outcomes. Outcomes will be measured from heath, social, economic, and environmental perspectives (WHO, 2004).

Processes

Processes include all activities that the management of the schools will take to ensure that the objectives of the project are met. The management of a school can utilize its authority to implement most of the project’s activities to achieve the set objectives. Furthermore, research has shown that collaboration with management is mandatory for the project to become successful (Centers for Disease Control, 2013). For instance, the management is tasked with formulating policies, creating infrastructure, and implementing programs in the school. As a result, any activities that will be taken by the project will have to be confirmed by the management. In addition, the management can influence the diet of the children significantly, thus contribute to the success of the project.

Outputs

The outputs of the project include structural modifications that will facilitate behavior change among the young generation. These include changes in the infrastructure to encourage walking, making it mandatory to participate in physical education, and implementation of afterschool activities such as games. Children and adolescents require a minimum of one hour of physical activity each day (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The management should ensure that physical activity is incorporated into the curriculum as much as possible. Other possible interventions include diet modification to increase the nutritive value of the children’s food, nutrition education in class, and measures to encourage involvement in sports activities.

Outcomes

These are the expected results of the project. The project aims to achieve positive outcomes in four major areas as a result of positive behavior change. These include the health, social, economic, and environmental sectors. The outcomes will be measured at the immediate, short, and long term levels, with constant monitoring and evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the program. Some of the expected immediate outcomes include increased academic performance due to an increase in the physical activity level of the students (Verburgh et al., 2013). Long term outcomes include a reduction in the prevalence and incidence of childhood obesity and more national revenue savings from the minimal treatment and prevention of childhood obesity.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The outcomes of the project will be constantly monitored and evaluated against the goals of the project. Monitoring and evaluation will involve a comparison of baseline data with data obtained from the indicators at specific intervals of project implementation. The indicators of interest include the average body mass index and fat percentage of children in the participating schools. Self-reported diet histories and physical activity questionnaires will also provide information on the effectiveness of behavior change among the participants.