Poverty and Obesity - Essay Example

Response to Poverty and Childhood Obesity The prevalence of childhood obesity is on the increase and closely relates to poverty (Ogden et al, . Nevertheless, there have been various quality health initiatives seeking to arrest this health situation. Such initiatives promote health promotion as the Pender’s Health Promotion Model, the Healthy People 2020, and others significantly promote childhood obesity prevention by fostering health education. However, individual traits considerably contribute to childhood obesity.

Indeed, children’s choices of unbalanced diets out of poverty, hormonal imbalances, lack of physical activities, and engaging in continuous inactive leisure activities propagate childhood obesity (Ogden et al, 2010). Additionally, individual view on obesity contributes to the prevalence. Obese children are at risk of developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, behavior, and learning disorder, psychosocial health problems such as low self-esteem, and depression (Ogden et al, 2010).

Indeed, there are various healthcare teams involved in health care education that include practicing nurses, parental and healthcare professionals, community and government health workers. These healthcare teams help in identifying children at-risk, provision of medical referrals, educating parents on the resultant health risks, encouraging consumption of nutritional balanced diets, promoting increased physical activities, and offering counseling for physical and emotional support. Indeed, through the healthcare teams we can clearly assess childhood obesity and promote obesity prevention.

ReferenceOgden, C., Molly, M., Lamb, M., Carroll, M., & Flegal, K. (2010). Obesity and Socioeconomic Status in Children and Adolescents: United States, 2005-2008. NCHS Data Brief No. 51 Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.