Prevention of Childhood Obesity - Essay Example

Childhood Obesity due: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Objectives of the Project 3 Intervention Plan 3 Significance of the Project 4 Sources of Information for the Project 4 Childhood obesity: Theoretical Framework 5 Processes 6 Outputs 6 Outcomes 7 Monitoring and Evaluation 7 Summary of the Intervention Plan 7 Formative Evaluation 8 Summative Evaluation 9 Details of the Evaluation Plan 9 Evaluation of the Project’s Outcomes 10 Social Outcomes 10 Environmental Outcomes 11 Health Outcomes 12 Economic Outcomes 13 References 14 Objectives of the Project The drive of this project is to implement nutrition education among the students to improve their health outcomes, and also prevent childhood obesity. Nutrition education is important in preventing most non-communicable diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). Also, proper nutrition is instrumental in speeding up the recovery process in case of injury or infection. The target population will be students in lower level education institutions such as high schools and primary schools. In addition, the parents can also benefit from the project since the children will be educated on how to include the whole family while planning the healthy meals. Intervention Plan The project will utilize the education strategies that are easily understandable by the target population. The scholars will be taught how to make healthy food choices, based on the available food items in their localities. Concepts of balanced diets and portion sizes will be explained to them in simple ways that are easy to understand. The educators will use models of the Plate Method and Food Pyramid to explain portion sizes and different colors to represent the various food groups. For instance, the educators will use white to represent starches and carbohydrates, green for vegetables and golden brown for proteins. The educators will also include activities that help in the attainment of the project goals. For instance, the students will be taught how to make diet plans that include the correct portions sizes for each food group. They will also be shown the food options that are healthy, for example, whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates, unsaturated fats instead of trans-fats, etc. Exercises will be held after the teaching sessions to test their level of understanding and also to reinforce the knowledge acquired in the oral teaching sessions. Apart from designing meals, the students will be educated on the physiological consequences of taking certain foods. They will be taught on the roles of the different food groups in the body such as provision of energy, digestion and glycemic index. They will also be informed about the storage of excess energy and development of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and obesity. However, the educators will ensure that they are keen to avoid using technical terms to facilitate easier understanding of the concepts. Significance of the Project The project is important to the target population in several ways. First, it provides basic knowledge about proper nutrition principles, thus facilitating general health outcomes among the children. Childhood obesity is becoming an issue at an alarming rate in the United States. Obesity causes spending of a lot of the national resources in terms of treatment and management of its complications (Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal, 2014). Successful implementation of the project will aid to reduce national budgetary spending on childhood obesity and its subsequent complications. In addition, the prevalence of childhood obesity will be reduced significantly if the project can reach a larger population. The project may also act as a motivation for the children to pursue a career in the health industry including nutrition and dietetics. Sources of Information for the Project The project will use both primary as well as secondary sources of information. Primary sources include direct interviews with the participants on how nutrition education can be implemented successfully. Also, questionnaires on both offline and online platforms will be made available for the participants and other key informants of the project. Searches will be conducted on psychology, physiology and nutrition and dietetics databases to get the latest information that will help in the project implementation. Childhood obesity: Theoretical Framework The theoretical framework below was developed by the World Health Organization in 2004 with an aim of preventing and managing childhood obesity. The project will modify and adapt this framework as a guide in searching for information, planning and implementing the project. 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 health, 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 the 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 know 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 constantly be monitored and evaluated against the goals of the project. Monitoring and evaluation will involve 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. Summary of the Intervention Plan Since the project’s main objective is nutrition education, the intervention plan will include various teaching methods suitable for the target population. The educators will use items of different shapes to represent the Plate Model and USDA Food Pyramid. These models will be used to explain to the target population how to estimate portion sizes of the different food groups that are supposed to compose their meals. For example, a round plate will be divided into the various portion sizes according to the Plate Model to illustrate the recommended portion sizes of carbohydrates, proteins and fruits and vegetables. The approaches employed in the intervention will consist of teaching methods that reinforce knowledge as well as facilitate understanding. The scholars will be encouraged to engage themselves as much as possible since participation in group activities has been shown to increase an individual’s understanding of the topic being studied (Malekoff, 2014). The students will perform some learning activities and tests in groups and some individually. The expected outcomes of the project include a better understanding of basic nutrition principles and the connection with childhood obesity. Formative Evaluation Formative evaluation is performed with the aim of identifying and correcting any shortcomings of a project. Normally, a formative evaluation is conducted during the developmental phase of the project (Cowan & George, 2013; Flagg, 2013). In this case, a formative evaluation will encompass a pilot study, after which the results will be analyzed to offer a clear picture of the project’s impact. The pilot study will be conducted three weeks prior to the implementation of the project so that any shortcomings may be noted and corrected in time. Depending on the results of the first evaluation, several others may be required to create the most appropriate intervention plan. The pilot study will explore the various methods employed in teaching the target population, such as the use of models and other materials. Furthermore, the evaluation will be carried out continually while the project is still running so that any unforeseen challenges may be handled effectively as soon as they appear. Monitoring is important to ensure that the knowledge gained from the project is sustainable and easy to understand and apply. Summative Evaluation Summative evaluation involves assessing the outcomes of a project after the completion. Summative evaluation is used to determine the effectiveness of the materials and methods of the project in attaining the desired outcomes of the project (Oermann & Gaberson, 2009; Royse, Thyer & Padgett, 2010). In our case, the evaluation will be conducted after the project to assess the degree to which the project has affected the scholars. Specifically, the summative evaluation will be aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the teaching methods in attaining the goals of the project, including promoting behavior change and knowledge acquisition. The scholars will be required to undergo several tests to determine their level of understanding of the topics discussed in their groups and the lectures offered by the educators. The tests will consist of multiple choice questions, questions requiring short explanations of concepts, and questions that will prompt the scholars to identify and correct discrepancies in statements about nutrition and childhood obesity. The tests will be structured in such a way that they can assess behavior change and knowledge acquired for easy data analysis. Details of the Evaluation Plan The evaluation plan will utilize several tools including questionnaires (both offline and online). Also, written and oral tests will be issued to the participants of the project to determine their level of understanding, and the effectiveness of the project based on the outcomes. Other processes employed in the evaluation include interviews with the participants. Data analysis methods such as measures of central tendency and regression will be used to identify trends and correlations in the data. These results may be used to formulate better projects in the future. Evaluation of the Project’s Outcomes The expected outcomes of the project, as specified in the theoretical framework, can be classified into four categories: social, environmental, economic and health outcomes. Obesity can have an impact on all four aspects of an individual’s life. Thus, the project will be aimed at reducing the negative effects of obesity on these four areas. The evaluation plan will also explore the various limitations that may be encountered while implementing the project, and how they can be overcome. Various tools will be employed in the collection of baseline data prior to implementation, and again after implementation of the project. These results will then be compared, and any further actions that may be found necessary will be taken. Social Outcomes Research has proved that most obese children are discriminated against due to their excess body weight (Strauss & Pollack, 2003; Puhl & King, 2013). Society today classifies excess weight as undesirable. Consequently, obese children and adolescents find it difficult to interact with their peers. However, attaining a complete attitude change in society is relatively difficult, and may require a lot of time that is beyond the time limit of the project. Although the project may not achieve a change of attitude in the entire society, it is expected that the children participating in the project will have an attitude change towards obese individuals. As a result, attitude change will be the main outcome indicator. To measure the level of attitude change among the participants, they will be assessed twice; once before implementation of the project and again after completion of the project. The first assessment will be used to obtain baseline data, to know the exact position of the children as far as their perception of obesity is concerned. They will be required to fill a self-assessment questionnaire that will feature a five-point Likert scale, indicating different levels of tolerance of obese individuals. The questions will cover various aspects of social life such as friendships and education outcomes. Prior to the implementation of the project, a survey involving obese participants will be carried out to assess their experience concerning discrimination based on their weight. Based on existing literature (Strauss & Pollack, 2003), it is expected that obese children and adolescents experience discrimination as a result of their excess body weight. A follow-up survey will then be conducted after implementation of the project to assess its effectiveness in reducing the discrimination of obese individuals, at least among the study population. The participants will be required to provide information on their experiences if at all they will still be obese or overweight. Environmental Outcomes Several environmental factors predispose children to obesity, which may progress to adulthood. The physical environment in which a child lives is a major factor that determines the possibility of a child becoming obese. The influence of the environment on the child’s weight is reinforced by the fact that certain neighborhoods do not have facilities that encourage physical activity among the children. Little or no physical exercise creates a positive energy balance where the child consumes more energy than they expend, leading to excess weight gain. Also, the availability of fast food stores contributes significantly to childhood obesity (Casey et al., 2014). Apart from educating the children on good eating habits, the project will also give the administration directions on how to structure the institution’s surroundings more suitable for encouraging physical activity. Some of these measures include encouraging the use of stairs instead of lifts, participation in physical education lessons and making frequent use of the school field for physical activity. Also, other infrastructure such as footpaths and sidewalks should be built to encourage students to walk more, as compared to using vehicles. The infrastructure should also be able to support other human-powered means of transport such as bicycles, roller skates, and skateboards. To analyse the effect of the project on the environmental outcomes, an assessment procedure involving the administration will be conducted. The procedure will seek to establish if they have made any changes to the school infrastructure, or if there are plans underway to effect this change. Data will be obtained through observation and direct interviews with the relevant authorities. The information will subsequently be compared to the baseline data to gauge the level of impact of the project. Health Outcomes The expected health outcomes of the project include, among others, a lower body mass index average and fewer instances of obesity-related complications such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia among the participants of the study. Assessment of health outcomes will be done twice, to assess both the short and long-term impact of the project. As a short-term impact, the students are expected to adopt a behavior change by increasing their physical activity levels and taking more nutritious meals, both in terms of quality and quantity. The long-term impacts include a significant reduction in the number of obese children in the school and few or no obesity related complications. Given the short period that the project is expected to take, most of the major health benefits such as achievement of a normal body mass index may not be realized within that time span. The short-term impacts will be assessed first by conducting interviews among the participants of the project, and giving them self-assessment questionnaires to assess their understanding of basic nutrition principles. For the long-term impacts, a follow-up study will be planned to take place after at least six months to assess whether the project initiated a permanent behavior change among the participants. The follow-up study will involve a nutrition screening exercise where the participant’s nutrition status will be assessed. The specific indicators to be measured will be the body mass index, waist circumference, and total body fat percentage. Subsequently, the results will be compared to those obtained from the first study. Economic Outcomes Obesity has got various economic consequences. For instance, management through medication and other health services consumes a lot of resources which would have been used for other purposes. Also, it has been established that most obese individuals find it difficult to get employment, thus remain in the low socioeconomic class even though they may have the potential to achieve better living standards. Consequently, preventing obesity leads to economic benefits, some of which are expected to be realized from implementation of the project. A baseline assessment will be carried out before the project is implemented to establish whether the school has incurred any economic losses due to obese children. The economic outcomes of the project will be also be measured during the follow-up study to get a clear indication of the efficacy of the project in mitigating the economic consequences of childhood obesity. To avoid complicated research methods and analysis, only the expenses directly incurred as a result of the excess weight of the children will be assessed. For instance, the assessment will investigate whether the school may have had to restructure the classroom furniture or other equipment to accommodate obese children. Also, hospital costs may have been incurred for the specific children, or in the management of complications resulting from obesity. Other economic losses may also be incurred through absenteeism of obese children. References Casey, R., Oppert, J. M., Weber, C., Charreire, H., Salze, P., Badariotti, D., ... & Simon, C. (2014). Determinants of childhood obesity: What can we learn from built environment studies?. Food Quality and Preference, 31, 164-172. Centers for Disease Control. (2013). Make a Difference at Your School. Chronic Disease, 31 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(2015). Physical Activity. Retrieved April 22nd, 2015 from http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html Cowan, J., & George, J. (2013). 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(2003). Social marginalization of overweight children. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 157(8), 746-752. Verburgh, L., Königs, M., Scherder, E. J., &Oosterlaan, J. (2013). Physical exercise and executive functions in preadolescent children, adolescents and young adults: a meta -analysis. British journal of sports medicine, bjsports-2012. World Health Organization.(2004).Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. Retrieved April 22nd, 2015 from http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/strategy/eb11344/strategy_english_web.pdf? ua=1 Read More