The paper is written with an objective of reviewing the present epidemiological information about obesity in the community and coming up with recommendations for developing health programs and policies for improving the management and prevention of condition which is emerging as a leading health problem. The major objective of the paper is: to identify the obesity-related issues that demand further research, to develop a recommendation that allow schools to advance strategies and policies for the management and prevention of obesity. The paper also aims at examining the economic and health consequences of obesity and their effects on development. The essay will also review the present trends of obesity among children. The paper recognizes that obesity and overweight represent a rapidly growing threat to the health of children. Indeed obesity and overweight are now so common that they are replacing the past health concerns such as infectious diseases and undernutrition as some of the contributors to ill health. Some of the factors that have been cited in the paper as being major contributors to obesity include behavioral aspects and dietary energy density.
The paper is split into three sectors: part I presents the thesis statement and also present the classification and definition of obesity. The section also presents an argument about why obesity is a serious problem that requires quick intervention. Part II will involve argument analysis, this includes the purpose of the essay, the target audience, and the setting. Part III will describe the use of the various form of appeals such as pathos, logos, and ethos to make the argument more appealing to the audience. The paper will lay a foundation for a comprehensive strategy of managing and preventing obesity through the public healthcare policy and healthcare services.
Part I
Obesity in Children
The world is facing a rapid nutritional and epidemiological transition characterized by persistent nutritional deficiencies as evidenced by the prevalence of zinc and iron deficiencies and anemia. Concurrently, there is a continuous increase in the prevalence of and the chronic related conditions (Chaput, Saunders " Carson, 2017). Obesity has reached an epidemic level in most developed nations. The males are less likely to be obese when compared to the female, owing to the inherent hormonal differences (Bennett " Blissett, 2016).
Obesity is one of the major prevalent nutrition disorder affecting both adolescents and children. It is estimated that about 21 to 24 percent of the America adolescents and children are overweight and another 16 to 18 percent are obese. The children have fewer weight-related medical and health problems when compared to the adults however the number of overweight children has been increasing. Obesity places children at the risk of developing various chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases later in life. Obese children are also prone to low self-esteem, sadness, and stress (Bennett " Blissett, 2016). The rises in the number of obese children is a disturbing trend because it can result in social problems and health complications. The overweight kids are more likely to be teased with their peers or develop body image problems. The obesity and overweight in kids are among the vital risk factor to short and long-term health.
Thesis Statement
Thesis Statement 1
Obesity among children is harmful to the economy and the wellbeing of the respective children and thus demands quick intervention.
Thesis Statement 2
Obesity in a fast-rising problem that is affecting many children in the world, there are numerous causes of obesity in children which include eating an imbalanced diet, stress, and lack of adequate exercise. The paper will research better ways of reducing the level of obesity among children.
Part 2
The Purpose
Maintaining a healthy weight is a vital aspect of any child. Being obese or overweight contributes to various health conditions that limit the length and quality of life including osteoarthritis, depression, stroke, coronary diseases, and hypertension. There is no single solution to the obesity crisis. The problem is indeed complicated and has to be addressed using numerous approaches. The paper will enable the community to understand the role they have to play in improving the health of residents by expanding opportunities and increasing access to physical activities and healthy eating. The sensitization initiative should take place in the neighborhoods, the healthcare, workplaces, and child care.
The children obesity constitute a serious health problem both in the developing and developing nations. Obesity also has a psychological problem as it leads to a delay in the social functioning and academic as well as depression and poor self-esteem (van Leeuwen, Koes, Paulis " van Middelkoop, 2017). The paper mainly aims at offering an intervention for controlling and preventing obesity by limiting and controlling the consumption of high calories snacks and sugars. Most kids should be encouraged to take fruit based and vegetable diets. Increasing the level of outdoor activities and reducing screen time among children are some of the methods that can be used to reduce obesity. The multifaceted techniques that involve the private and public health sectors along with the community are required in order to change the trend.
The Audience
Parents
When it comes to child obesity, there have been many possible culprits: fewer opportunities for physical activities, nutrient-poor foods, and the availability of high fats. The parents have a major role to play in reducing childhood obesity. The parents who engage in healthier practices are more likely to have their children mimic similar behavior as they grow into adults. The parents can also shape the children eating behavior and food preferences. For instance, they can have fresh fruits in their cabinets and eliminate chips and other fast foods. By regulating the home environment, parents can create a health-inducing space and shape their children behavior. The parents who are involved in the child’s development and growth and engage in a healthy lifestyle are more likely to help their children lose weight or preventing them from becoming overweight. Masking changes in the home environment can go a long way in having a positive effect on the children future weight status.
The Community
The community leaders and health professionals should be involved in the initiatives to promote healthful lifestyles and prevent diseases. The communities consist of persons working or living in particular residential districts or local areas; individuals with common religious, cultural or ethnic beliefs. The entire community should aim at increasing access to the linguistically and culturally appropriate physical activity and nutritional information. The society should also be ready to support the community-based programs that resolve the inequalities in obesity rates in the population (Chaput, Saunders " Carson, 2017). In addition, the local communities-with assistance of the federal and state governments, private sectors, and nonprofit can help spread the message of a healthy lifestyle.
The Government
The government has to offer leadership by making policies that make obesity to be an urgent public health priority. Other essential elements of an adequate government response to the obesity problem are strong information gathering systems and enhanced organizational capacity. Stronger policies play a major role in increasing physical activity and access to healthy food. The paper will enable the state to understand some of the policies that can be implemented to curb the rising cases of obesity. Some of the programs and policies include social marketing effort, nutritional packaging of all packaged food and the formulation of clinical guidelines.
Schools
The learning institutions such as schools play a vital role in eradicating obesity. The school offers a lifelong good health lesson to children. The schools have a rich opportunity to tackle obesity and improve youth health at an ideal point in time before the problem takes hold. The physical exercise and nutritional lessons can be woven into programs that teach learners the skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The paper will enable schools to promote programs that can enable students to achieve healthier weights, to be more active and to eat better. To enhance nutrition among the students, learning institutions can abolish the promotion of unhealthy foodstuffs and include healthier food offering in the canteen (Pont, Puhl, Cook " Slusser, 2017). Schools can also develop biking routes and safer walking to schools and can promote active recess time. The schools should also store data on student's obesity cases to help policymakers to come up with effective policies that can eradicate the problem.
Setting
The paper will address the State of Mississippi. The state by state on obesity level varied significantly with Mississippi posting a higher percentage of persons with obesity at 35.4 percent. The community sustained and tailored prevention control and treatment programs that include physical activity and diet are needed to address the obesity epidemic in the region. Factors such as biological, the activity environment, individual activity, individual psychology, societal influences, food consumption, and production have been found to contribute to obesity among children in the area. Educating the community in Mississippi on the obesity-related issues will play a vital role in reducing the obesity cases in the region.
Part III
Pathos
I will be utilizing pathos in my argument by using Energia to show my target population clear picture and description of the obese children, the effect of obesity, and the effect overweight have on the community. The description will also cover how type 2 diabetes that result from unhealthy lifestyles. I will also include some statistics such as the rising rate of obesity since the 1980s and the fact the 1 out of 4 children in Mississippi are obese. The societal, gender and race factors play a role in ethnicity. 20 percent of the non-Hispanics, 24 percent of the Mexican, 24 percent of the African American and 13 percent of the white are the risk of being overweight in Mississippi. Pathos will be used to support the claim that children are five times more likely to avoid engaging in various sporting activities because of self-consciousness and embarrassment
Ethos
Ethos will play a vital role in proving to the audience that I have authority or expertise in this particular field. I have conducted more research on childhood obesity and how it has health effects on the patient. I will also rely on the study that has been conducted by various scholars in the field. I understand the effect of obesity in society today and I want to advocate for change. The modern parents provide their children with fast food and the time for the physical activity is limited. This has been one of the factors that contribute to high obesity figures. Time and financial pressure forced many families to reduce the meal preparation time and minimize the food cost resulting in the increased intake of prepackaged foods. The rate of obesity in the children has reached an epidemic level and it this demands possible suggestions on resolving the trend. The obese adolescents and children eat substantially more servings of grains, meat and meat substitutes, potato chips and sugary drinks.
The Logos
The logos will play a vital role in my argument basically to prove to the audience that the rate of obesity in the community indeed rising at an alarming rate and quicker interventions are essential. I will prove to the community that indeed the country has to be proactive in handling the obesity issues. The children should be encouraged to engage in various sporting activities and also live healthily. I will use facts to prove to the audience that certain forms of diseases (such as diabetes 2) and obesity are directly correlated. The logos will also be used to get a point across that food that is distributed in schools contributes to obesity. I will advocate for the inclusion of a certain amount of vegetables and fruits in the diet of students in various institutions. Some of the fallacies that will be avoided include, ‘visiting various clinics can enable individuals to lose weight.’
References
Bennett, C., " Blissett, J. (2016). Parental monitoring may protect impulsive children from overeating. Pediatric Obesity, 12(5), 414-421. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12159
Chaput, J., Saunders, T., " Carson, V. (2017). Interactions between sleep, movement and other non-movement behaviors in the pathogenesis of childhood obesity. Obesity Reviews, 18, 7-14. doi: 10.1111/obr.12508
Pont, S., Puhl, R., Cook, S., " Slusser, W. (2017). Stigma Experienced by Children and Adolescents With Obesity. Pediatrics, 140(6), e20173034. doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-3034
van Leeuwen, J., Koes, B., Paulis, W., " van Middelkoop, M. (2017). Differences in bone mineral density between normal-weight children and children with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 18(5), 526-546. doi: 10.1111/obr.12515
