Lets Move Public Healthcare Campaign in America - Essay Example

? Health Campaign Part II Debra Nelson HCS 535 June 18, Regina Pointer Health Campaign Part II The significant increase in childhood obesity within America has captured the attention of various organizations, research agencies, and government departments (Estabrooks, Fisher & Hayman, 2008). The risk factors associated with obesity such diabetes, bone ailments, and lowered self-esteem demonstrates the need for an effective plan for the management of the problem both within states and across the nation. The “Let’s Move” initiative startedby Michele Obama is visionary in providing children and their parents with suitable and relevant information on obesity related health lifestyle changes, such as healthy eating and exercising. The need to terminate obesity within the American society is the justification for the Task Force on Childhood Obesity that was createdby President Barack Obama. The task force is aimed at reducing the rate of childhood obesity to 5%. The state of Virginia has demonstrated active initiatives for the prevention of obesity through health promotions rather than short time fixes that may fail over time (Mehta & Chang, 2011). Among the activities of the task force is to promote healthy eating among young people and counseling them. The overweight and obesity rates tripled between 1990 and 2004 with more than 30% of adolescents in the state fated for obesity (Thompson, 2010). This is the major motivation for the need of the state to improve the health of children and adolescents. Nonetheless, the initiatives for the prevention of obesity would be predictably expensive. This part of the paper gives a critical analysis and discussion of the target population of the obesity prevention initiative, response, leadership roles, economic factors, and the role of social marketing in ensuring that the initiative is successful in meeting its objectives and goals. At the national level, the Let’s Move Campaign against obesity targets parents, children, mayors, governors, educators, food manufacturers, and school nutritional leaders. These groups make up the population that the national campaign of childhood obesity targets. Nonetheless, the target population is likely to differ within the state of Virginia as compared to the national population that the campaign targets (Mehta & Chang, 2011). The definition of the role of each of the groups who play a role in the prevention of obesity varies from state to state and nationally. The role by the target population varies in definition because of the differences in the levels of obesity between various states (Ambinder, 2010). The main goal of the Let’s Move campaign is to end childhood obesity, whichis describedas a national epidemic. However, the initiatives implementedin each of the states would vary, depending on the seriousness of the problem, its prevalence, and mortality rates. Additionally, the initiatives that each state uses to combat obesity depend on the level of the problem within the state and the views of the leaders of that state. Even though there are many interpretations within each state, most have moved from short term approaches of solving the problem of obesity to long- term programs to end obesity. The objective of the Let’s Move Campaign could be defined differently within the state of Virginia. This is because the state has unique bills introduced by the House and Senate that define the approaches used to prevent the incidence of obesity among young people. Additionally, the Let’s Move campaign would be aided by the various school and community programs, which are designedto solve the problem of obesity (Estabrooks, Fisher & Hayman, 2008). The approaches of these programs would be different even if they are drivena common goal. It is in this regard that it would be said that the role of the various stakeholders in childhood obesity prevention would be defined differently between the national level and within the state of Virginia. Furthermore, the food manufacturers within the state of Virginia and those of the national level employ different standards, which would create a variation in the fight against the defined issue (Ambinder, 2010). The level of control that the local policies have on the manufacture of food is likely to have a greater impact for Virginia as compared to the national regulation. The incidence of obesity within the state of Virginia is significantly higher as compared to the national statistics. For example, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey demonstrated an increase of obesity by 5% to 13.9%. On the other hand Virginia has demonstrated a significant increase in the incidence of obesity by 154% between 1990 and 2004 (Freedman, 2011). It is in this sense that it is evident that the state requires effective initiatives and campaigns to prevent the increase in incidence obesity and the related mortality rates. Generally, the prevalence of obesity within Virginia is higher than the national average by over 10%. However, the state was ranked state number 25 in the prevalence of obesity in 2007 as a result of the implementation of programs for a long-term solution to the problem (Gollust, Eboh & Barry, 2012). The differences in prevalence, incidence, and mortality of obesity between national and state figures occurs because there are differences in awareness of the American population on the implementation of effective measures for the prevention of obesity and its proper management. Additionally, the food standards, policies, and regulations of the states vary as compared to the federal legislation. This is because states have different priorities and needs in safeguarding the health of its people. Community- based response to the problem of obesity within Virginia has been endorsedby the national initiatives, such as the Let’s Move Campaign. The seriousness of childhood obesity in Virginia has led to a significant increase in the involvement of the community for the prevention of incidents of the condition among the young people (Thompson, 2010). Community- based planning for programs and campaigns such as school education programs and parent awareness seminars have been achieved within Virginia. Institutions of education as a community of young children have also played a significant role in the planning for the preventative measures against obesity (Ambinder, 2010). Children have been educated on healthy eating habits and the need for exercise through planned education programs for the prevention of obesity. School administrators and educators as members of the school community for the young people have also planned sports programs that are aimed at promoting the health of the young people. In addition, the food served at schools has also seen a change. Soda machines used to be prevalent in high schools. Today, mostly fruit drinks and water are available in school vending machines. Planning various programs for the prevention of obesity is motivatedby the assessment of the needs of the children who are at a risk of developing obesity. More significantly, educators have assessed young people and identified their needs for counseling. Through this assessment, the counseling programs are initiatedand implemented (Freedman, 2011). Parents are also involved in the counseling programs. This is because the assessment of parents within the state of Virginia demonstrates that most of them purchase food for their children and do not take a step in regulating their consumption. This leads to obesity among the young people. Often this relates to working parents. They are not around when the food is consumed. Therefore, the needs of the Virginia community include an understanding of healthy eating and how important it is in the prevention of childhood obesity (Gollust, Eboh & Barry, 2012). The needs of the community also include knowledge of health diet among the various food products readily available in supermarkets and food retails (Ambinder, 2010). The community also needs to understand the role that they are mandatedto play to prevent the problem of childhood obesity within the state and nationally. The objectives of the local community must be selected from the needs that must be satisfied to combat the problems. In this regard the objectives of anti-childhood obesity programs and initiatives must be designedto meet the needs of the community in the role of prevention of obesity in children and young adults. The leadership roles within the Virginia community include the obligations that parents, educators, teachers, food manufacturers, food retailers, school administrators, counselors, and the children themselves must play in the prevention of the problem. The political leaders within the community are also mandated to play leading roles in campaigns against childhood obesity. The political and legislative roles include setting legal binding standards for food manufacturers that will mandate them to produce healthy meals for the young people (Arterburn, 2010). School administrators and educators also present leadership roles in the design and implementation of education programs for the informing of parents and children on the issues of obesity and the associated preventive measures. Counselors also play significant role in the prevention of the prevalence of obesity. This is because many children who are affected by this condition have low esteem issues. Many children require counseling. However, the role of the counselors in prevention of obesity includes promoting healthy habits among young people through advocating moderation and healthy living. The issue of obesity and its prevention requires economic incentives for the funding of the preventive programs and initiatives, such as the Let’sMove campaign. The funding for these programs would originate from the federal government or from the state governance. The Task Force on Childhood Obesity as initiated by President Obama, for example, plays a role of planning for the suppression of the problem, including financial plans (Freedman, 2011). It was estimated that by 2003, more than $ 1.6 billion would be required to treat obesity and the related conditions within Virginia. This demonstrates the extent of the financial burden that stems from obesity. The cost associated with the prevention of the problem also includes funding for the special education programs for the community, parents, and children on matters of obesity and its prevention (Arterburn, 2010). Nongovernmental funding initiatives will also contribute into the objective of combating the problem of obesity within the state of Virginia and nationally. In the light of these opinions, it is recommendedfor federal and state governments to set aside adequate funds for the prevention of obesity. This will avoid the costs associated with the ultimate treatment and management of obesity over time. Treating the diseases associated with obesity can be costly. Technology has played an important part in the education programs of modern society. Technology and social media can be used as a public marketing and promotion tool for the prevention of obesity. Social marketing via the Internet, for example, would include information on proper diet, good eating habits, and exercise (Arterburn, 2010). These informational messages are likely to reach many parents and children. Therefore, they would receive vital information crucial in the prevention of obesity. Public health education is more effective through social marketing because social groups within institutions and online communities will be enabledto access information on the risks associated with obesity as a way of promoting good eating habits. Additionally, social marketing, and promotion will inform children and parents of the various programs designed for the prevention of obesity so that they would take part and gain from them. References Ambinder, M. (2010). Beating Obesity. (Cover story). Atlantic Monthly (10727825), 305(4), 72-83 Arterburn, D. E., et al. (2010). Body Mass Index Measurement and Obesity Prevalence in Ten U.S. Health Plans. Clinical Medicine & Research, 8(3/4), 126-130. Estabrooks, P. A., Fisher, E. B., & Hayman, L. L. (2008). What is Needed to Reverse the Trends in Childhood Obesity? A Call to Action. Annals Of Behavioral Medicine, 36(3), 209-216 Freedman, D. H. (2011). How to fix the obesity crisis. (Cover story). Scientific American, 304(2), 40-47. Gollust, S. E., Eboh, I., & Barry, C. L. (2012). Picturing obesity: Analyzing the social epidemiology of obesity conveyed through US news media images. Social Science & Medicine, 74(10), 1544-1551 Mehta, N. K., & Chang, V. W. (2011). Secular Declines in the Association Between Obesity and Mortality in the United States. Population & Development Review, 37(3), 435-451 Thompson, M. E. (2010). Parental Feeding and Childhood Obesity in Preschool-Age Children: Recent Findings from the Literature. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 33(4), 205-267 Read More