Introduction
The obesity issue is becoming more serious every year as many people ignore it. The number of people having excess weight is increasing; in turn, obesity and related complications are traced both in adults and children. The widespread reason for obesity in children is articulated by the surplus intake of calories from food.
Obesity in children develops if a genetic predisposition is blended with specific perinatal, environmental, psychosocial, and dietary factors. Consequently, parents and relatives complement the main meals of the child with bread, sweets, and cookies, only making the situation worse. Thus, it is essential to find a way to improve the situation by increasing awareness about the problem.
Problem Statement
The point mentioned above articulates the problem statement, namely the lack of public awareness of childhood obesity. The reasons may be a lack of physical activity, heredity, and metabolic disorders (Mayer et al., 2022). Moreover, there are two types of childhood obesity: primary and secondary. Primary obesity can be associated with heredity or overnutrition (Day et al., 2019). In turn, secondary obesity occurs against the background of congenital or acquired diseases.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to find a way to raise awareness of the problem of childhood obesity in both children and adults. The severe consequences of obesity formulate the significance of the study. Nutritional obesity is formulated by reduced physical activity, consumption of high-calorie foods, and foods high in fats, sugar, and refined carbohydrates. The condition is followed by a decrease in the possibility of performing physical activity, an increase in blood pressure, and shortness of breath, even with minor activity (Sjunnestrand et al., 2019). Therefore, severe implications articulate the importance of finding an answer to the research question, namely how to encourage children and adults to deal with the problem.
Research Question
Does receiving an informational campaign on obesity lead to changing a family’s lifestyle?
Hypothesis: Research and Null
The leading cause of obesity in children is the consumption of a greater amount of calories than energy expended. The hypothesis developed is that motivational aspects and information about the severity of the problem will raise the family’s awareness and make it have a healthier lifestyle. This is because there is a correlation between the number of motivational interviews with obese children and positive outcomes (Eno et al., 2022). It is worth noting that the signs of secondary obesity in each child manifest themselves depending on the cause that provoked the problem. The null hypothesis is that receiving information about the severity of the obesity problem does not affect a family’s lifestyle.
Study Variables
Without treatment, the load on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems increases, and the musculoskeletal system suffers. Besides, regular inappropriate food intake provokes pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and the development of digestive problems. In this study, the independent variable is the number of families with obese children who received information campaigns to raise awareness of the problem and risks. In turn, the dependent variable is the number of families that actively began to solve the problem and radically changed their lifestyle due to the campaign.
Operational Definitions
Operational definitions include “child obesity” and “healthy lifestyle.” The indicator for child obesity will be a body mass index over 30. “Healthy lifestyle” will be measured with the help of such parameters as “the amount of time family spends on doing sports” and “the number of calories consumed per person” (with a consideration of medical recommendations for both adults and children).
Conclusion
To conclude, it is worth mentioning that increasing awareness about the problem is crucial to improve the situation. There is an increased risk of breathing problems during sleep, such as sleep apnea. One should not forget about the severe psychological consequences that children may face due to obesity. Being unable to play with peers and make social connections, the person may have significant complexes in the future; moreover, one may be bullied while studying at school.
References
Day, R. E., Sahota, P., & Christian, M. S. (2019). Effective implementation of primary school-based healthy lifestyle programs: A qualitative study of views of school staff. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1-16. Web.
Enö Persson, J., Leo Swenne, C., von Essen, L., Bohman, B., Rasmussen, F., & Ghaderi, A. (2022). Experiences of nurses and coordinators in a childhood obesity prevention trial based on motivational interviewing within Swedish child health services. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being, 17(1), 1–17. Web.
Mayer, J. M., Peev, P., & Mayer, A. (2022). Framing and Word Choice in Childhood Obesity Reduction-Focused Advertising. Journal of Managerial Issues, 34(3), 264–284. Web.
Sjunnestrand, M., Nordin, K., Eli, K., Nowicka, P., and Ek, A. (2019). Planting a seed-child health care nurses’ perceptions of speaking to parents about overweight and obesity: A qualitative study within the STOP project. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1-11. Web.