Introduction
The purpose of education activities is to inform the audience about healthy lifestyles and address the social issues affecting their well-being and health. It is also necessary to provide useful and up-to-date information on healthcare organizations that community members can turn to if necessary. The main goals that should be addressed by the teaching plan are as follows:
- Informing the target audience about the importance of avoiding unhealthy foods and emphasizing the benefits of a balanced diet.
- Telling the students and their parents about the harmful effects of excessive sugar consumption.
- Informing the audience about the importance to adhere to the recommended daily intake of food.
The teaching process needs to be considered in terms of a holistic approach that includes the provider’s work on the physical, social, and emotional aspects of children’s health. Moreover, it is essential to consider the impact of determinants of the ecosystem in which students live. Therefore, to achieve maximum impact, the information used must be culturally and socially relevant.
Epidemiological Rationale for Topic
Obesity among junior and senior students is a pressing issue in health care around the world. Since the 1990s, obesity and overweight rates have increased in most developed countries. Moreover, the residents of states with annual below-average incomes also actively oppose the spread of this problem. It was found that every third schoolchild in America does not lead a healthy lifestyle (Langford, et al., 2015). Accordingly, a considerable number of children do not meet the recommended ratio of weight to height. The biggest threat to this issue is that childhood and adolescent obesity continues into adulthood.
Approach to Teaching
The theory of social learning is best suited for schoolchildren, as it allows for a targeted impact on the reorientation from eating unhealthy foods to a balanced diet. According to Norman and Ford (2015), meaningful change is achieved only through productive interaction with other people. As the targeted audience is exposed to the media and often has problems with self-esteem, it is necessary to involve such students in a discussion to overcome both health and social issues (Darlington, et al., 2018). Educational activities, based on a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach, will use visual images and group work to help students learn useful information. The plan’s behavioral goal is to teach students to independently identify healthy eating habits by separating them from the food pyramid. Consequently, allowing students to discuss and compare their eating habits in groups will motivate them to develop a healthy lifestyle.
Community Response to Teaching
In general, strategies to promote healthy lifestyles in schools are successful in fostering healthy habits among young people. A vital contribution to the development of educational work in this area is overcoming problems with local infrastructure and the employment of staff in school health centers. Furthermore, it is also necessary to ensure that students have access to these lectures without being distracted from the school curriculum.
Conclusion
The principles of medical literacy in the nutrition of schoolchildren are a fundamental issue in the education system. Accordingly, the educational plan to provide students with the necessary knowledge regarding healthy eating should be based on a comprehensive social approach. It becomes apparent that the provider’s proper communication and professionalism will help motivate students and encourage local communities to develop such educational plans in the future.
References
Darlington, E. J., Violon, & Jourdan, D. (2018). Implementation of health promotion programmes in schools: an approach to understand the influence of contextual factors on the process? BMC Public Health, 18(1).
Langford, R., Bonell, C., Jones, H., & Campbell, R. (2015). Obesity prevention and the Health promoting Schools framework: essential components and barriers to success. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12(1).
Norman, L.B., & Ford, J. A. (2015). Adolescent Ecstasy Use: A Test of Social Bonds and Social Learning Theory. Deviant Behavior, 36(7), 527–538.