Introduction of population and health risk
Nowadays, such a topic as child obesity is frequently discussed by several researchers, doctors, social workers, etc. More than 170 million children who are not even 18-years-old are classified as obese or overweight (Swinburn et al., 2011). The USA is one of the countries with really high rates of child obesity. Anti, Laurent, and Tompkins (2016) admit that the effects of child obesity are impressive indeed and touch upon numerous physical, psychological, social, and economic factors. In Miami, many initiatives are organized to help people understand their obesity challenges and choose the activities that could improve their health (Communities putting prevention to work, n.d.). Still, people need more hints and explanations of how they could help their children deal with obesity problems.
Prevention strategy one
The key issue of all prevention strategies to improve the population of Miami at risk of child obesity is that there is no one certain strategy that should be followed. It is important to combine methods and try to touch upon different aspects of human life. For example, it is necessary to communicate with families and explain to parents the worth of healthy eating and physical exercises. It is not enough to make people aware of the problems. It is important to educate and train them. Families have the greatest impact on children and their choices. In case families can find help and support from society and promote the worth of a healthy style of life, there is a hope that children could suffer less from obesity.
Prevention strategy two
Still, it is not enough to involve families in the strategic management of obesity. Children should follow the standards defined by the society they live in. Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of healthy food stores and restaurants where people could find food and drinks at an affordable price. Healthy food should not cost too much so that everyone could get access to it anytime they want.
Cultural sensitivity and meaning of strategies
To ensure the strategies are culturally improved, it is necessary to underline that the race or nationality of a child should not matter in cases of obesity. It is possible to demonstrate free movies at drive-in theaters or in parks and show that obesity is the problem of all people regardless of their race or culture. It is possible to combine documentaries such as Fed Up or Super Size Me and romantic comedies such as Shallow Hall, Only the Lonely, or The Nutty Professor.
Evaluation plan
One of the possible ways to evaluate the results of the work done and the effectiveness of the strategies offered is to observe how many people are interested in the possibilities to learn more about obesity. The following points should be taken into consideration: “how many families are ready to admit that child obesity is the problem of their families”, “how many children know about obesity and its outcomes when they are asked outside”, and “what kind of information children and their families know and want to know about obesity”. The answers to these questions should help to clarify what people know about childhood obesity and what they are ready to do to solve the identified problem.
Conclusion
In general, the problem of child obesity bothers several people. It is important to help people understand the urgency of this problem and to find solutions that do not cost a lot. Children are the most vulnerable group of society that requires help, support, and explanations.
References
Anti, E., Laurent, J.S., & Tompkins, C. (2016). The health care provider’s experience with fathers of overweight and obese children. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 30(2), 99-107.
Communities putting prevention to work: Miami-Dade county, Florida: Obesity prevention. (n.d.). Web.
Swinburn, B. A., Sacks, G., Hall, K. D., McPherson, K., Finegood, D. T., Moodie, M. L., & Gortmaker, S. L. (2011). The global obesity pandemic: Shaped by global drivers and local environments. The Lancet, 378(9793), 804-814.