Health Needs of Obese Children - Essay Example

Health Needs of Obese Children Introduction Obesity is one of the growing issues in the world today. It is also one of the most common causes of health risks. As a result, various government and health officials have considered addressing the problem through the implementation of various solutions and remedies. One of the targeted causes for this issue is on the consumption of fast foods among children, and in order to resolve this issue, government officials have considered banning the establishment of fast foods within 400 meters of schools. This paper shall discuss the health needs of obese children and the possible resolution of this problem through the ban of fast foods within 400 meters of schools. Health needs analysis Children are vulnerable to various health risks. In the current age of fast foods and high-sodium, high-sugar foods, these children are also vulnerable to issues which relate to obesity. In a survey of children’s BMI, it was revealed that obesity rates have almost tripled from 5% to 14% among children aged two years to five years; for children ages 6 to 11, the rates have also increased from 4% to 19%; and among adolescents, the rates have gone up from 12 to 19% (Northborough, 2008). These rates are duplicated in other parts of the globe, with increasing rates being the predominant trend. Obesity is a major threat to health, especially the health of children because it makes them vulnerable to dangers of early onset of diseases including diabetes, heart diseases, and organ failure. In effect, childhood obesity brings about major risks to the child’s general health, increasing his health, social, and financial needs (Northborough, 2008). Due to their obese conditions, they have a higher risk for chronic diseases during their adult years. They would likely have higher blood pressures, higher cholesterol levels, insulin resistance, and early calcifications in their arteries. They would also be confronted with societal bias and stigmatization which can impact on their emotional health (Northborough, 2008). They would likely be teased, bullied and socially shunned due to their obesity. As a result, they would be more vulnerable to emotional issues including depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Due to these issues, the more that they would also live a less active and less social lifestyle (Northborough, 2008). This would drive them further into a sedentary lifestyle which would increase their weight even more and increase their physical and emotional risks. This often starts off children into the cycle of emotional eating where they often resort to food in order to seek comfort from their emotional issues (Public Health Informatics, 2006). As a result of these unfavourable risks and health conditions, these children also present with various health needs. These children have physical and emotional needs. Physical needs include a program for diet and exercise in order to promote their weight loss (Bupa’s Health Information Team, 2011). In terms of their diet, they would have to be taught about the benefits of a healthy diet and the fact that they need to incorporate these changes into their eating habits. Support from their family is crucial for these children. In some instances, it may also be essential for the entire family to also go on a diet in order to support their obese family member and in order to stay health as well (National Health Services, 2008). This is important for family members who are also obese. Physical activity is also an essential need for these children. They would therefore need to be involved in a sport activity or any other physical activity on a daily basis for a prescribed length of time (NHS, 2008). This would help engage these patients away from the sedentary habits, and ensure the commencement of social activities. Regular monitoring of weight and other health indicators, including blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and other essential tests are also necessary for these children (NHS, 2008). Since they have a higher risk for diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases, establishing baseline levels for their body’s system and processes would help establish the increased or decreased risk for these diseases (NHS, 2008). Health education is also a crucial need which needs to be provided for these children. Most of them are not properly made aware of their health risks and actual health conditions. They are probably told that their excess weight is just baby fat which will diminish eventually. Moreover, they are not made aware that as obese children, they would also likely grow to be obese adults, if no lifestyle changes are introduced into their lives. They are also in need of behavioural interventions which would provide emotional support and assist them in sorting out their mental and emotional issues in relation to their weight and eating habits (NHS, 2008). They need psychotherapy in order to assist and teach them how to cope with their emotional issues. They need guidance in working through their emotions, from feeling depressed to feeling the need to eat; they need ways of distracting themselves with other activities in order to prevent the cycle of depression and overeating (NHS, 2008). They also need assistance in coping with bullying and name-calling from schoolmates or other individuals. In this regard, there is a need to coordinate with parents and school officials on detecting incidents of bullying and preventing such incidents. Behavioural interventions in relation to self-monitoring, stimulus control, and problem solving are all needed for these obese children in order to arm them with the essential tools for the holistic management of their obesity (NHS, 2008). Health promotion intervention One of the health interventions which have been implemented in some parts of the UK is on the banning of fast food stores within 400 meters of schools. This policy has been implemented in various parts of the UK, including north-east London, Wales, and Ireland (Garner, 2008; The Belfast Telegraph, 2011). This policy was established in an effort to reduce the fast food intake of these children which is a major cause of obesity. Fast foods are high in cholesterol and sodium content and sugary drinks sold with these food items are often high in sugar content (Handler and Coughlan, 2007). The fact that these foods are often supersized, these children, and even their parents prefer to eat these foods. Moreover, parents who do not have time to prepare proper lunches or snacks for their children often end up giving their children money to spend on fast food (Shilstone, 2009). Although most parents are aware of the unhealthy choices that their children are making by buying these foods, their busy schedules and the convenience of fast foods often overcomes their proper sensibilities. The banning of fast food stores in and/or near schools would compel students and parents to make alternative food choices, ones that are not full of cholesterol, salt, and sugar (Garner, 2008). Parents would also be compelled to prepare healthier snacks and lunches for their children; and children would be compelled to eat healthier foods. School cafeterias have also started to slowly phase out unhealthy foods in their food choices, going more for salad-based food choices, including vegetables, whole grain foods, and less on fried and sugary treats (Boyles, 2005). The impact of these new policies has yet to be adequately reviewed. Nevertheless, they potentially provide a strong basis for reducing the rates of obesity among children, improving their diet by steering them away from convenient fast food choices. In a study by Lake (2006), the impact of the environment on health was highlighted with the author declaring that the environment has a significant health impact, from the physiological and emotional to the social and intellectual well-being of individuals. The environment also has an impact on health through physical structure of the environment, the socio-cultural impact which governs such an environment, and its socio-economic status (Lake, 2006). In effect, the attractiveness of the environment as well as the socio-cultural trends in society can impact on the actual health conditions of the people. Moreover, programs implemented by the government in different parts of the UK are encouraging in their prospects for they present opportunities to remove the children near an unhealthy environment. This ban has taken effect in various boroughs and counties in the London and in various areas in the UK. Waltham Forest in east London was the first to refuse applications for individuals setting up fast food and takeaway stalls near schools, and since then about 15 other local authorities have followed suit (Campbell, 2010). It has managed to impact on 250 fast food outlets in the borough and has reduced the access for these takeaways for about 350 families. Barking and Dagenham council has also implemented their plan limiting fast food premises near schools, imposing levies on new outlets and although these impositions have been rejected by fast food chains, the National Obesity Forum Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and Child Growth Foundation supported this proposal (Campbell, 2010). This council has coordinated their activities with the NHS. Chip shops, kebab shops, as well as pizza outlets have been prompted to work with the councils in order to come up with dishes which are low in fat, sugar, and calories in the hope of still maintaining their marketability (Campbell, 2010). This same program has been seen in Liverpool, Wandsworth, Cambridgeshire, Greater Manchester, Northern Ireland, Leicester, and West Bromwich. So far these programs have encouraged the fast food shops to consider healthier options for the service of children in school and by modifying their menus, they have potentially presented a viable means to stay in business without contributing to the negative health conditions of children. It is however still encouraging to note that lawmakers are taking a more active role in implementing measures towards improving the health of their citizenry, especially their children. It is also undeniable how these laws and regulations are effective ways of compelling fast food chains to come up with healthier menus and food choices (Crawford, et.al., 2010). The habit of supersizing their menu would also be re-assessed and the possibility of reducing the cholesterol content of their food choices would be considered. These businesses would recognize the fact that bans on their presence near schools would mean lost profits (Crawford, et.al., 2010). In order to stay competitive amidst this ban, they have to make their food choices healthier, and lobby for a reconsideration of their presence in or near schools. There are various gaps and doubts as to the efficacy of this intervention because they do not provide sustainable solutions to childhood obesity. Essentially, as was mentioned previously, removing the temptation would not resolve life-long habits in food and nutrition (Crawford, et.al., 2010). There is a need for more sustainable solutions for childhood obesity and the assistance of the different individuals and agencies concerned would help provide such solutions. The coordination of various disciplines would include school authorities, fast food outlets, parents, as well as teachers; in some instances, the assistance of health professionals like physicians and nurses would also provide more technical assistance to resolving childhood obesity (Bagchi, 2010). These concerned authorities have to meet and coordinate with each other and discuss school cafeteria menu and possible changes on such menu. Fast food joints can also coordinate with schools and parent associations to establish healthier food choices in their menu. Nurses and physicians associated with the schools can help identify obese children and those who are at risk for obesity (Bagchi, 2010). These health professionals can then recommend interventions for these children and make such recommendations to the parents and teachers of these children. Planned activities can be recommended to parents and teachers, to increase student activity and reduce their sedentary lifestyle. Diet recommendations can also be discussed with the parents, stressing on these parents that their child’s diet needs to change and needs to be healthier (Bagchi, 2010). Parents can therefore be recommended to prepare healthy lunches for their children, reducing their propensity for buying food outside; these parents would also be encouraged to reduce their habit of buying fast foods and instead to make healthier food choices in their child’s diet (Crawford, et.al., 2010). The benefits of this intervention cannot however be denied, even in the face of the unchanged habits of children and families in relation to fast food intake. About a quarter of nine-year-olds were deemed to be overweight in Ireland, and most of these were girls with some 22% of them being overweight and 8 percent being obese; this is in contrast to boys with 19% being overweight, and five percent being obese (Gartland, 2011). Reports also seem to indicate reduced rates of obesity among children studying in areas with fast foods located about a quarter of a mile away from the schools (Gartland, 2011). However, there may be some difficulty in implementing this remedy due to its limited efficacy. No studies in the UK have been undertaken in reviewing the actual impact of the food bans near schools on obesity rates. In a recent study by Richardson, et.al., (2011) in the US, the authors present interesting points which can be reviewed by other scholars in the UK seeking to reassess the efficacy of the current food bans in the UK. The study established that adolescent health in relation to the frequency of fast food consumption and neighbourhood qualities was not affected with the weekly “frequency of fast food consumption among non-urban and low or high density urban areas” (Richardson, et.al., 2011, p. 1471). The authors concluded that policies which seek to minimize accessibility of fast foods as a way to reduce its consumption may not be successful. The authors recommend that more studies in this regard be undertaken in order to establish clearer and more comprehensive results. Recommendations Based on the above discussion, the current solution of banning fast foods within school vicinities, specifically within 400 meters of school premises is not a sustainable solution. Although it can potentially bring about favourable results, there are still major gaps in its policies which need to be resolved before they can be implemented on a wider scale. The solution of banning fast foods near schools does not adequately address the personal habits of children and their families in terms of food and nutrition. Nevertheless, it helps compel the fast food outlets to make healthier food choices in their menu. These businesses are still basically profit-oriented and the ban would provide the spur towards changes in their menus. To some extent, these changes would help children incur healthier habits. However, for weight loss to actually happen, a more coordinated approach between the different concerned authorities has to be considered. The coordination of the school authorities, teachers, parents, and health professionals can help improve choices in school food, school activities, and food choices. Multidisciplinary coordination can therefore help resolve the issue at various angles, and ensure a more sustainable solution to childhood obesity. Psychological assistance also has to be made available to these children in order to help them cope with the emotional issues of their obesity. This is one of their needs and in order for a long-term solution for obesity to be effective, the emotional coping attitudes of the children has to be addressed by mental health professionals. In this way, emotional eating would be reduced and the cycle of eating and depression can be stopped. Conclusion In reviewing the obesity problem among children in the UK, it has been revealed that the consumption of fast foods among these children is one of the most common causes of this problem. In order to resolve this, various government officials in the UK have implemented bans on fast food establishments within 400 meters of schools. This solution has been aimed at reducing the attraction for children in the consumption of fast foods and in reducing the impact of the fast food culture. In some areas in the UK, favourable improvements in food consumption among children have become apparent and in the US studies on the efficacy of this solution have also been seen. More researches and studies however are being recommended in the UK area in the hope of establishing clear results. 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