The Need for Childhood Obesity to be Addressed in Public Health Interventions - Essay Example

Childhood Obesity Table of Contents Page Introduction 3 2. The Need for Childhood Obesity to be Addressed in Public Health Interventions 3 3. The Health Belief Model as a Proposed Method of Public Health Intervention 4 4. Changing the Health Behavior 4 5. Conclusion 5 6. References 6 Childhood Obesity Introduction Obesity is a chronic disease which often acts as a precursor to diseases such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (Kelishadi, 2007). Earlier recognized as a disease that afflicted the elderly, its prevalence amidst children is now increasing; adding to the future risks of developing hazardous health conditions. Since the chronic diseases that children face are often continued through adulthood, it is imperative that childhood obesity be prevented or reduced amidst the children. Childhood obesity is an important health issue which needs to be discussed in depth because this condition is the underlying cause for many pathologies and it leads to many diseases which affect the quality of life of an individual. To reduce the number of life hampering diseases and improve the quality of life, this health condition should be understood. This paper explores the health risks that the individuals of Qatar, especially children, are exposed to. It discusses the issue of childhood obesity in Qatar and highlights the fact that this condition should be tackled effectively for the improvement of the health status of the residents of Qatar. It then proposes a theory referred to as the Health Belief Model which caters to the psychological and social factors that help in the reduction of obesity including the training of mothers as well as the promotion of healthy eating behaviors to overcome obesity. The Need for Childhood Obesity to be Addressed in Public Health Interventions Obesity is a chronic disease that leads not only to increment in weight but also increases the risk of aggravation of disease and fatalities (Deckelbaum & Williams, 2001). It has been postulated that the increase in obesity results from the social interactions amidst certain cultures (Kelishadi, 2007). Children are likely to be obese in the recent years due to the lack of adipose burning activities since they spend more time on internet and social media. Lifestyle changes have thus led to a rise in obesity owing to lower activity levels. Kelishadi (2007) states that the striking increment in the number of obese children also expresses the increment in children who become prone to metabolic syndrome - a disease characterized by increased levels of glucose and triglycerides and blood pressure and the boundaries of waist. The state of Qatar has been recognized as one of the most high risk places for childhood obesity. A research conducted by Benner (2006) on over one thousand adolescent children has revealed that most of the young boys and girls of Qatar from thirteen to seventeen years of age are overweight and obese, and therefore it conclusively states that Qatar is at high risk of childhood obesity and is in need of public health intervention in order to control it (Benner, 2006). It has also been explored that the risk of obesity amidst the children of various states of UAE and other Middle Eastern countries is due to their increasing adaptation to a sedentary lifestyle which includes using internet and viewing television, as well as sleeping for less than the desired number of hours every day (Benner et al., 2011). Thus, there is an increasing need for a public intervention that teaches the children and their parents the importance of a healthy lifestyle as well as to maintain their weight under normal bounds so as to avoid fatal diseases in the future. The ‘Health Belief Model’ as a Proposed Method of Public Health Intervention Introduced in the early 1950s, the Health Belief Model was based on Kurt Lewis’ theories and determined the relationship between the perception of severity of a disease and the willingness to deploy measures to change it. The principle of this theory explores that it is the positive and the negative stimuli in a person’s life that affect the person’s perception of and willingness to seek treatment (Jones, 2004). For instance, if the person is suffering from a specific ailment, the severity of the ailment perceived by him should lead the person to take definite measures to cure it. The health belief model is thus governed by five major parameters that include: perceived susceptibility which defines the individual’s perception of how susceptible he is to a specific disease; perceived severity that denotes the impact a person believes the disease to have on his health; and perceived benefits that mediate a person to take action because of the positive outcomes that he believes will occur (Jones, 2004). Also included in the health belief model are the perceived barriers that are the unpleasant features of the disease that decrease his motivation to seek help as well as the cues to take action which include the external environmental factors that instigate him to take action (Jones 2004). Adopting this theory would prove to be beneficial at a large scale as it would target the psychological and social issues prevailing that prove to be a precursor to childhood obesity, thus its implementation is likely to prove beneficial for not only obese children but also to their families. Changing the Health Behavior The health belief model is said to have been applied to numerous researches in the context of treating childhood obesity. One of the earliest researches conducted on obese adolescents involved providing their mothers booklets regarding the fears of obesity. The research aimed to induce the mothers to develop greater perceived susceptibility and to be aware of the severity of the disease as well as realize the benefits of taking prompt action (Zeiner et al., 1985). In this manner, the model justifies the results of treatment of childhood obesity. On this basis, it is possible for healthcare individuals and for the government to provide mothers of the family with information of the possible hazardous consequences that obesity in childhood can bring about. Since a child’s life is centered around parents, friends and the scholastic, religious and often cultural environment that he is associated with, it can be stated that a child’s interaction with family and friends and with the surroundings forms an important part of his or her life, and therefore it is necessary that they intervene in order to make their child develop with good health. The purpose of the theory and intervention is to develop a healthy lifestyle in children and encourage parents to realize the severity of obesity in order to promote healthier habits in their children, such as greater physical activity as opposed to increasing amount of television time and letting children surf the internet. It is obvious that such a change would result in a positive outcome, creating a ripple effect of influencing more mothers to take action to reduce childhood obesity. Thus, it would result in a healthier lifestyle adaptation for many families and lessen the risk of childhood obesity. Conclusion In conclusion, it is imperative to mention that the risk of childhood obesity is increasing amidst the residents of Qatar as it has been mentioned in various recent researches. Therefore, it is necessary for the health officials of Qatar to take responsibility and introduce interventions such as implementation of the health belief model publicly so as to train families especially mothers, by means of social interaction to introduce a healthier lifestyle and to adapt to healthy eating habits. This would result in a positive step in controlling childhood obesity and prevent diseases such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome from resulting in future. References Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall. Bener, A. (January 01, 2006). Prevalence of obesity, overweight, and underweight in Qatari adolescents. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 27, 1, 39-45. Bener, A., Al-Mahdi, H. S., Ali, A. I., Al-Nufal, M., Vachhani, P. J., & Tewfik, I. (January 01, 2011). Obesity and low vision as a result of excessive Internet use and television viewing. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 62, 1, 60-62. Deckelbaum, R. J., & Williams, C. L. (November 01, 2001). Childhood Obesity: The Health Issue. Obesity Research, 9. Jones, R. (2004). Oxford textbook of primary medical care. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kelishadi, R. (January 01, 2007). Childhood Overweight, Obesity, and the Metabolic Syndrome in Developing Countries. Epidemiologic Reviews, 29, 1, 62-76 Zeiner, A. R., Bendell, D., & Walker, C. E. (1985). Health psychology: Treatment and research issues. New York: Plenum Press. Read More