Theory that support obesity in Children - Essay Example

THEORY THAT SUPPORTS OBESITY IN CHILDREN Overview Obesity in children continues to attract much attention among health practitioners including nursesbecause of the severe implications that obesity has been known to be associated with when it is detected at an early age in children (Harper, 2006). In another breath, the need to give obesity in children much attention is that at such early age, there remains higher chances of children recovering from this rather non-permanent medical situation but whether obesity in children becomes threatening to the child or an avenue for early intervention to be sought, much depends on the approach used, which in turn depends on the theory that is used to support the intervention (Jacobi, Agras and Hammer, 2001).

There are varying theories that support obesity, most of which have had empirical research and studies supporting their validity or otherwise. This paper is dedicated to critically analyzing one of these theories.Theory and rationale for selecting the theoryThe multidimensional theory of obesity proposed by Perryman, Nielsen and Booth (2008) is the selected theory that supports obesity that is going to be used. As the name of the theory implies, the multidimensional theory of obesity refuses to view obesity as a phenomenon with just one aspect.

Rather, it sees obesity as “multidimensional and involves physical aspects, such as genetics and metabolism, as well as psychological schemas and environmental conditions (Wilkins, Kendrick, Stitt & Hammarlund, 1998). With reference to the present study, the selection of the multidimensional theory is in the fact that at the early ages, children are exposed to as many factors as possible that account for their obesity and its solutions. It is therefore necessary and important to get a theory that matches up with the multi-variant nature of the causes, effects and solutions available for children who may be facing obesity as a health problem.

How the theory works to support proposed solutionThe proposed solution to combating obesity in children is rooted in the need for individualized interventional attention given to obese children. By individualized interventional attention, reference is being made to the need of ensuring that interventions that are suggested do not only address a restricted aspect of obesity in children such as diet but that it looks at a holistic and comprehensive approach to ensuring that the problem is really solved.

This is because with such a holistic approach, there is not going to be anyway that the researcher is going to miss the cause of the problem in case the cause is not as singular as may be thought (Golan, Weitzman, Apter and Fainaru, 1998). Meanwhile, the multidimensional theory brings to bear several aspects including genetics, psychological, environmental and diet. Therefore, the theory is going to set the pace whereby all these aspects are going to be combined in the proposed solution. Incorporating the theory into projectThe theory shall be incorporated into the project by first identifying as many aspects of obesity in sampled children that could be addressed in the proposed solution.

For example depending on the sample that is being used, the researcher may choose to ignore the metabolism aspect of the multidimensional theory. After the aspects have been identified, themes are going to be developed, which are going to guide the researcher on how each of the aspect contributes to obesity in children and how each of the aspects can be given detailed solution in overcoming the problem. Ultimately therefore, the theory is going to lead to the collection of both primary and secondary data pertaining to various aspects of obesity and based on the data collected, appropriate patient based solutions are going to be given.

REFERENCE LISTGolan, M., Weitzman, A., Apter, A., & Fainaru, M. (1998). Parents as the exclusive agents of change in the treatment of childhood obesity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67, 1130-1135. Harper, M. G. (2006). Childhood obesity: Strategies for prevention. Family Community Health, 29(4), 288-298. Jacobi, C., Agras, W. S., & Hammer, L. (2001). Predicting children’s reported eating disturbances at 8 years of age. Journal of American Academic Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(3), 364-372.

Perryman M, Nielsen S and Booth J (2008). An Examination of the Family’s Role in Childhood Obesity. Accessed February 21, 2013 from http://counselingoutfitters.com/vistas/vistas08/Nielsen.htmWilkins, S. E., Kendrick, O. W., Stitt, K. R., & Hammarlund, V. A. (1998). Family functioning is related to overweight children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 98(5), 572-574.