Introduction
Healthy People 2020 health indicators can guide different agencies to identify high-priority concerns and implement adequate initiatives to deal with them. The ultimate goal of such indicators is to guide stakeholders to assess people’s health conditions and design adequate action plans. One of the leading health indicators (LHI) is nutrition, physical activity, and obesity. This paper examines the major prevention initiatives implemented in Florida to achieve this LHI.
Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
The purpose of this health indicator is to make sure all American citizens engage in regular exercise, eat healthful diets, and manage their body mass indexes (BMIs). The initiative can guide people to lead quality lives and address the challenge of diseases such as stroke and cancer (“Nutrition, physical activity, and obesity,” n. d.). This LHI has informed several programs in different American states to achieve positive health outcomes.
Several programs have been implemented in Florida to achieve the above indicator. One of the programs that support the needs of all people across the state is the FLHealth CHARTS. The purpose of this initiative is to enhance awareness and encourage more people to manage weight (“The state of obesity in Florida,” n. d.). The program is supported and monitored by the Florida Department of Health in an attempt to achieve positive results. The program provides evidence-based data for weight management and health improvement initiatives. The approach encourages individuals to engage in physical activities and improve their nutritional statuses. Each of the 67 counties in this state has benefited significantly from the program.
Vital Statistics
Two years after the implementation of this program, statistics have indicated that the number of citizens engaged in unhealthy practices and behaviors has reduced significantly. For example, around 38 percent of adults in the state consume less than one fruit every day. This percentage has declined from 41 percent since 2010 (“Resources,” n. d.). The same situation is for daily individual consumption of different vegetables.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of the adult population in Florida engages in over 150 minutes of physical activity or exercise every week (“Resources,” n. d.). The number of infants who are breastfed has increased to 81.6 percent within the same period (“Resources,” n. d.). Additionally, more mothers breastfeed their babies for at least six months after birth.
The number of obese adolescents in the state has reduced significantly to around 11.6 percent (“Resources,” n. d.). The percentage of those who are overweight stands at 14.7 percent (McCoy et al., 2017). This means that the above program has delivered positive results. The combination of the campaign with other resources has also led to positive outcomes. According to McCoy et al. (2017), many people in Florida have been keen to improve the quality of their diets, engage in a wide range of physical activities, and avoid sugary foods. The campaign has been introduced in learning institutions to minimize childhood obesity.
A 2017 report released by The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America revealed that the state had the fourteenth low rate of adulthood obesity in the country (“The state of obesity in Florida,” n. d.). This is a clear indication that most of the efforts implemented by the Healthy People 2020 LHI were fruitful. Although the average prevalence rate has increased from 18.4 (2000) to 27.4 percent (2017) due to changing lifestyles, many analysts believe that the FLHealth CHARTS program has been successful.
Evaluation and Determination
The Florida Department of Health provides adequate tools, funds, and resources to support local programs and align its objectives with the Healthy People 2020 goals. The FLHealth CHARTS has been supported to meet the health needs of more people in every county. The above analysis reveals that the state has recorded positive outcomes such as a reduced number of obese people (“Resources,” n. d.). The number of individuals engaging in exercises and other physical activities has increased significantly. This means that the program has been a success.
The state has gone further to identify various resources and programs that can be combined to deliver positive results. For instance, Florida sponsors different initiatives such as the Florida Breastfeeding Coalition and the Baby-Friendly USA. These programs encourage mothers to meet their babies’ needs and breastfeed them for over six months after birth. The practice is aligned with the above LHI. Working together with the Let’s Move! Child Care initiative, the state has encouraged different stakeholders to provide quality education to young individuals and encourage them to engage in exercises (“Resources,” n. d.). Consequently, the approach has led to reduced levels of childhood obesity.
Conclusion
The above analysis has revealed that Florida has implemented state-level programs to achieve most of the Healthy People 2020 goals. The above statistics show that most of the efforts and programs have led to the attainment of nutrition, physical activity, and obesity indicator. The FLHealth CHARTS has encouraged more people to engage in healthy behaviors, monitor their BMIs, and design balanced diets. The program has also benefited from the role played by other initiatives sponsored by the state’s health department.
References
McCoy, P., Leggett, S., Bhuiyan, A., Brown, D., Frye, P., & Williams, B. (2017). Text messaging: An intervention to increase physical activity among African American participants in a faith-based, competitive weight loss program. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(4), 326-334. Web.
Nutrition, physical activity, and obesity. (n. d.).
Resources. (n. d.).
The state of obesity in Florida. (n. d.). Web.