Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases, Essay Example

Obesity and other chronic diseases prevalent in the country today are marked as avoidable health concerns that are caused by poor diet choices and sedentary lifestyles. These illnesses contribute to a higher mortality rate of the overall population and increase the incidence of obesity related illnesses such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. Many health initiatives have been put in place to reduce the impact of the obesity epidemic, focusing on health behavior change through the implementation of educational programs. Active duty members within military treatment facilities are commonly overlooked, as they are government employees who do not receive the same level of medical care as their fellow government workers. This project is related to epidemiological health because it helps researchers gain a greater understanding of the distribution of health problems among active duty members. In addition, an improvement in lifestyle choices is an environmental concern because individuals are currently not living in a manner for which their bodies were evolutionarily adapted. This study allows for the implementation of employment-based health promotion and prevention policies. To determine how the health of the target population can be improved, a BlueH Questionnaire was administered. The cost of obesity was calculated to demonstrate the need to improve health status. The OPTAR system will be utilized to calculate military expenses and determine how healthcare can be budgeted. A score of 80% on all sections of the BlueH questionnaire indicated that healthy lifestyles are being promoted.  It was found that military personnel are receptive to an implementation of lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of obesity and obesity related disease. In the future, a similar education plan will be implemented to target the removal of tobacco in the compound. This research demonstrates that education provides people with the resources they need to achieve their health goals.