Introduction to the Problem
Obesity is a global epidemic associated with financial burdens, and poor lifestyles. It is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. The incidence of obesity is around 35 percent of the US population. This bracket includes individuals who have a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 kg/m2 (Novak & Brownell, 2012). The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that over 2.5 million people become overweight or obese globally (World Health Organization, 2017).
The prevalence rate of obesity revolves around 30 percent for adults aged between 20 and 20 years of old. The percentage is higher for citizens between 40 and 60 years at 40 percent. The disease also affected individuals above the age of 60 years and above. Women appear to be affected the most by this disease (Breda, 2012). The prevalence of obesity globally doubled from 1981 and 2010 (Breda, 2012). In terms of epidemiology, obesity appears to occur in individuals who are aged 20 years and above. This is a clear indication that a person’s age is a risk factor for the condition. The disease is also common in high-income societies.
In 2013, over 2 billion adults in the world were obese (Rudolf, 2016). The American government spent over 190 billion dollars to cater for obesity-related medical expenses in 2005 (Karnik & Kanekar, 2014). This amount has been increasing every year.
Policy Description
The targeted policy for this paper is the Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity. The policy is implemented under the Medicare program to cater for the health needs of persons with a BMI of 30 (“Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity policy,” 2016). Studies have showed that the BMI index indicator can be used to tackle the problem of obesity in children and adults. The policy goes further to support the use of high intensity counseling and behavioral therapies to support obese individuals. Effective implementation of this policy can reduce the prevalence of obesity.
Legislators Involved in the Policy Development
The above policy issue was developed and disseminated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The organization conducted a comprehensive research in order to understand the unique challenges associated with obesity. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) was also involved. These stakeholders made it easier for the policy to become a reality (Foltz et al., 2012).
The Role of the APRN
The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) has a role to play in order to support the implementation of this policy. These practitioners can become the pioneers and providers of quality care to obese patients. The APRNs will monitor BMIs and encourage patients to get the required appointments. The practitioners should counsel the patients in order to engage in healthy behaviors and exercises (Batsis, Huyck, & Bartels, 2015). The information will guide more individuals to eat healthy food materials.
The professionals can empower the patients in order to feel optimistic. They should be educated about the facts of obesity. By so doing, the patients will respond positively to the major behavioral changes and therapies intended to deal with the condition. The APRNs should ensure the right resources are available to tackle the epidemic. Individuals unable to record positive results should also be guided and empowered by APRNs. The “professionals will use the policy to promote weight loss through high intensity interventions on exercise and diet” (Novak & Brownell, 2012, p. 3).
How the Policy Influences Clinical Practice
The presented policy presents meaningful insights that can be used to influence clinical practice. For instance, the policy encourages clinicians to use behavioral therapies and diets to address the health needs of obese citizens. The policy’s guidelines can be used to promote the best healthcare practices. Nurses and clinicians should use evidence-based ideas, assess patients’ BMIs, and offer adequate support to them. Behavioral interventions have the potential to deliver positive results within the shortest time possible (Hoek et al., 2016). The policy goes further to encourage clinicians to combine counseling with behavioral interventions. These measures will eventually support the needs of many obese American citizens.
How Interprofessional Teams can Use the Policy
The policy supports the use of behavioral changes, interventions, and therapies in order to offer quality support to more obese patients. The policy can be used to design multidisciplinary teams characterized by physicians, psychiatrists, therapists, nurses, APRNs, and caregivers in order to support the targeted patient. The policy focuses on behavioral interventions and counseling in order to meet the needs of the patients. The nurses and APRNs will use their clinical experiences to promote the best behaviors (Gortmaker et al., 2015). Therapists will support the best behavioral interventions in order to deal with obesity. The policy is therefore a useful framework that can guide interprofessional teams to meet the health needs of the targeted patient.
Conclusion
The Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity policy has the potential to transform the current situation by promoting positive behaviors that can reverse the problem of obesity. The policy supports the use of interventions such as behavioral therapies and exercises to produce positive results (Novak & Brownell, 2012). Nurse practitioners, APRNs, therapists, and psychiatrists can form interprofessional teams in order to address the needs of every obese patient. This policy should therefore be embraced in order to deal with this epidemic.
References
Batsis, J., Huyck, K., & Bartels, S. (2015). Challenges with the Medicare obesity benefit: Practical concerns and proposed solutions. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 30(1), 118-122. Web.
Breda, K. (2012). What is nursing’s role in international and global health? Texto & Contexto Enfermagem, 21(3), 491-492.
Foltz, J., May, A., Belay, B., Nihiser, A., Dooyema, C., & Blanck, H. (2012). Population-level intervention strategies and examples for obesity prevention in children. Annual Review of Nutrition, 32(1), 391-415. Web.
Gortmaker, S., Long, M., Resch, S., Ward, Z., Cradock, A., Barrett, J.,…Wang, C. (2015). Cost effectiveness of childhood obesity interventions. American Journal Preventive Medicine, 49(1), 102-111. Web.
Hoek, E., Bouwman, L., Koelen, M., Lutt, M., Feskens, E., & Janse, A. (2016). Development of a Dutch intervention for obese young chidlren. Health Promotion International, 1(1), 1-12.
Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity policy. (2016). Web.
Karnik, S., & Kanekar, A. (2014). A narrative review of public health policies for childhood obesity prevention in the United States. Journal of Local and Global Health Science, 4(1), 1-7.
Novak, N., & Brownell, K. (2012). Role of policy and government in the obesity epidemic. Circulation, 126(19), 1-16.
Rudolf, M. (2016). Tackling obesity through the healthy child program: A framework for action. National Obesity Observatory, 1(1), 1-57. Web.
World Health Organization. (2017). Diabetes: Situation and trends. Web.