University: Laureate International Universities
Code: PUBH6003
Learning Outcomes:
Apply systems thinking and an intersectoral approach to public health issues.
Introduction
Several complicated health issues are emerging day by day with the growth of obscure lifestyle and unhealthy food habits of the people. Obesity is one such issue that has become one of the major concerns of the public health experts. According to recent studies the prevalence of obesity has doubled in adults and children in the last few decades. The obesity rate among the adolescents has tripled in the last few years (Hoyt, Burnette & Auster-Gussman, 2014). In this essay the problems of obesity as a health issue has been discussed along with the roles of the stakeholders both in the health sector and outside have been analyzed. Probable solutions to this emerging problem and the role of the government in order to prevent obesity have also been suggested in the essay.
Overview of the health issue
Obesity:
Obesity indicates a condition that is characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in body. Obesity affects the general metabolism of the body and it hinders the important internals organs from proper functioning (Bombak, 2014). Health experts have linked obesity to a number of chronic diseases including heart disease.
Types of obesity
According to the health researchers there are three types of obesities based on a study on 4,000 obese adults.
2. There are two types of obesity depending on the association with other diseases:
3. Another classification of obesity can be done based on the number and size of the fat cells.
Complications of the obesity:
The major complexities which are associated with obesity are:
Roles of the stakeholders
It is important for both the internal and the external stakeholders to treat the people with obesity with individual attention and care. For the health service providers it is important to treat obesity with compassion (Davies et al, 2014). In case of obesity the major problem lies in the psychological aspect of the patients. Obese people often do not consider obesity to be a disease and do not prefer to seek expertise. Therefore, the primary role of the health service providers is to make the obese people understand the gravity of obesity and the possible future complications that can emerge due to obesity. The stakeholders that can be instrumental in fighting the problem of obesity are:
Obstacles
The existing policies of several obesity prevention programs encounter certain obstacles. According to the reports of the Head Start which provides early childhood education through federal grants, the program faces several barriers in implementing the policies of obesity prevention program (Davies et al, 2014). One of the major problems that such programs face is the lack of capital. The recent studies have also shown that such programs fail to spread awareness among the youth effectively. The youth of the country suffering from obesity do not understand the gravity of the situation and the future problems that they might succumb to.
The key barriers with lack of time, money and knowledge also include certain cultural stigmas of the parents. Many share the belief that obesity is not curable and in case of child obesity problems the parents often are of the opinion that heavier children are healthier. Such beliefs often act as barriers in preventing obesity (Davies et al, 2014).
Recommendation
The detailed study associated with obesity has indicated that the prevention of this problem is possible and the stakeholders have a major role to play in the prevention of this chronic disease. Role of the local and central government is instrumental in spreading the awareness. Some of the recommended measures to fight obesity are:
Conclusion
In the light of the above study it can be concluded that in spite of obesity being a chronic problem, it is possible to demolish obesity. Awareness among the citizens is mostly important in order to prevent obesity and build a healthier society.