Public Health Problem Solving, Essay Example

Introduction

Throughout today’s society, obesity is a serious health issue and has emerged as a widespread public health concern. It is necessary to consider the impact and challenges of obesity on the general population, regardless of cultural or racial differences, age, or income status. This problem impacts many different population groups and therefore, is a major public health concern. It is important to recognize the serious nature of this public health issue and to establish a successful strategic approach that will identify the definitive causes of obesity and the potential solutions to reduce this problem across the general population. The statistics speak for themselves and demonstrate that obesity continues to wreak havoc on the health and wellbeing of many people and their ability to lead productive lives; therefore, this massive public health epidemic must be significantly reduced.

Analysis

Recent statistics demonstrate that approximately 36 percent of adults in the United States are obese and are at risk for a host of chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease (CDC, 2012). Many cultural groups possess greater tendencies for obesity than others, such as Blacks and Hispanics, which are often based upon customs and food traditions (CDC, 2012).In addition, many people across different cultural groups do not participate in regular physical activity, which places a greater burden on their ability to maintain a healthy weight (CDC, 2012). This is an important contributor to obesity because a lack of regular physical activity combined with a poor diet leads to excess weight (CDC, 2012). Therefore, in order to address this public health issue in a comprehensive manner, a prevention program must incorporate proper nutrition with regular exercise to achieve the desired outcomes. This is an important tool in supporting new programmatic efforts to reduce obesity across many different groups of people.

The strategic approaches to managing obesity include making the issue more relevant to the general public through promotion and intervention, in addition to government programs and influence that will direct attention and funding towards prevention and weight management (Lake Snell Perry & Associates). It is also known that “three quarters of the public (74%) believe healthcare providers should play a major role in fighting the obesity epidemic, placing them at the top of the list of institutions and groups the public feels should be major players” (Lake Snell Perry & Associates, p. 3). This statistic demonstrates that healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and other clinical staff members, play a role in improving the lives of their patients through expanded influence and other factors to support the development of a comprehensive strategy to reduce obesity and to improve health outcomes for all population groups, including children and adults (Lake Snell Perry & Associates).

Within the current scope of public health, it is evident that obesity continues to increase in significance as a worldwide health concern across all population groups. Therefore, it is important to consider the methods by which obesity might be addressed from a regulatory point of view to improve such areas as food labeling, genetic engineering, and processed foods, as well as the regulation of public information regarding calories and ingredients (Mello et.al, 2006). These circumstances are relevant because they support the continued demand for increased attention and awareness regarding obesity and its impact on the general public (Mello et.al, 2006). These challenges are significant and require expanded attention and focus because the continued growth in popularity and sale of processed foods and other food products have promoted weight gain across different populations (Mello et.al, 2006). In this context, obesity has become a serious epidemic with no end in sight unless changes at the regulatory level are made to accommodate improvements in health and wellbeing through healthier choices and opportunities to consume healthier foods (Mello et.al, 2006).

Finally, it is necessary to offer improved educational opportunities to both children and adults across many different population groups in order to promote a greater awareness of obesity and its negative impact on all persons. These efforts will encourage the development of new methods of educating different age groups regarding general health, exercise, and nutritional needs to promote healthier outcomes. It is expected that these efforts will also demonstrate the importance of supporting new directives in obesity research and programmatic efforts in the public health sector to prevent and/or reduce the spread of obesity in local communities. These efforts must be detailed and comprehensive and provide recommendations that will positively influence outcomes for these groups.

Since obesity is a significant public health problem in the 21^st Century, it is expected that without additional attention to this issue and the methods of reducing its prevalence, there will be little if any reduction in obesity, thereby increasing the prevalence of chronic illnesses such as hypertension, heart disease and type2 diabetes. Each of these conditions must be addressed as part of a larger programmatic effort that is designed to promote outreach and communication to larger groups of people who face higher rates of obesity, such as those from different cultures with customs that largely involve the consumption of rich, fatty foods. Therefore, these efforts must produce a greater understanding of the short and long term risks associated with obesity for these groups and for other populations that are affected by this widespread and ever-increasing public health concern in different ways that impact their overall health and wellbeing in a negative manner.

References

Centers for Disease Control (2012). Adult obesity facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

Lake Snell Perry & Associates. Obesity as a public health issue: a look at solutions. Retrieved from http://www.phsi.harvard.edu/health_reform/poll_results.pdf

Mello, M.M., Studdert, D.M., and Troyen, A.B. (2006). Obesity – the new frontier of public health law. The New England Journal of Medicine, 354, 2601-2610.