Health assessment in Altamonte
PART- A
Introduction
Obesity is the act of being overweight both in children and adults as a result of poor eating lifestyles and no proper maintenance of the balance of diets. The trend in obese children has increased both in the U.S and other industrialized countries like Australia and the United Kingdom (Crane and Jeffrey, 2005).The result has led to a national data analysis by most of these countries so as to enable the healthcare organizations there to analyze and know the solutions that can be used to help the next generations.
National Data on Obesity (USA)
In the early 21st century, America has led in the statistics on obesity causing up to over 120,000 deaths annually in the country. The disaster and the children in this nation are following trend due to their poor lifestyle and negligence to exercise whether at school or just personal dedication to cut weight at the gym. The national data also explains that close to 150 billion dollars are used in the U.S annually to reverse or cure the patient of obesity. The disease is outrageous, and the healthcare researchers and hospitals have taken the flag to monitor and caution the upcoming generations on the dangers of obesity (Hu and Frank, 2008).
Firstly, obesity causes a natural overweight body that comes from the ingestion of unwanted or a concentration of diets that are not necessary for the body functions. In 2010 alone, the Center for Research Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the overall adult obesity in the United States was 35 percent and 17 percent in both adult and children respectively. Due to this alarming trend, researchers has indicated that the effect of obesity has been and still causing the economy of the U.S an average of about 150,000-350,000 deaths and a cash flow of over 150 billion dollars annually. The affected children and the adolescent are at the ages of between 2-19 years of tender ages. All these demerits are as a result of the preventive, diagnostic and the treatment measures that the government has taken to curb this vice by putting a lot of cash in the budget to help the healthcare institutions (Hu and Frank, 2008).
Chronic Diseases Associated to Obesity
Obesity has increased for all ethnic groups in the United States over time leading to a body mass index (BMI) of over 50kg per square meter in the entire states. The severe nature of this adversity has also inclined to the children and the young ages not only in the whole country but to more distinct zones and counties in the United States (Altamonte Spring-Dade County). The pediatric sections in the healthcare facilities in the U.S indicate that there is a tripling trend in obese children those that are over six years of age. The total amount in the scourge is over 6 million boys and adolescents in the United States (Hu and Frank, 2008). However, in the last decade, the researchers and observers have indicated a change of trend in the obese population in the U.S to be decreasing be it in adults and the primary children group (Hu and Frank, 2008).
Prevalence Cases from Obesity
It is a definite trend that is attributed to the fact that the healthcare institutions have formulated media channels that create empowerment and sensitizations on the subject and the biological limits to obese conditions. The young generations are nowadays hitting the gym and following some suitable diets to maintain their health conditions (Crane and Jeffrey, 2005).Almost all racial and ethnic groups suffer from obesity in the United States, and no particular group is indifferent. For example, the Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Red-Indians, Latinos and the Asian group. Statistics indicate that the Caucasians had a BMI by the year 2010 was over 25 percent in obesity for the elderly and 4% in children. Another case is on the black or African American obese group resulting by over 41% in total with the children taking over 6% in that specific ethnic group. The other groups consisting of the Red-Indians, Latinos, Hispanics and the Mexicans count from the remaining percentages in the entire states T (Hu and Frank, 2008).
Data on Children with Obesity
The results will see the data simulation of obesity to be between these percentages of 35, 11%, 28% and 34% respectively in the rates of both adults and adolescent in the particular ethnic groups. This data was represented by the CDC to the government in 2011 so that a stern action can be addressed in the healthcare plans from the allocation of budgets. However, in the last two decades, the obesity levels have diversified from the adult age groups to children and the adolescents. We have adverse conditions of new babies being delivered in big sizes. The reason for this is that overweight couples develop diabetes, and the effects are seen in children growth in the uterus of their mothers. Since the year 2000, close to one-third of the U.S populations are obese children and adolescents. The dangerous effect has seen causes of abnormal conditions in this age group that were just seen in the adult group in the past (Hu and Frank, 2008). The consequences of children and adolescent obesity result in psychological pressures that can come as social discrimination to the affected groups. The stresses from discrimination cause a stigma that creates a low self-esteem to the aggrieved in that, their performance levels at school might be affected, and if the situation is not handled via sessions of empowerment, then the condition could go adverse (Crane and Jeffrey, 2005).The date from NHANES Institute has seen a prevalence of obesity in children between the ages of 4-18 since 1990-2010 to have doubled in the increase from 5%-17% respectively. It was noted that these children are both obese and overweight and are at risks to many dysfunctions. The age group from children to adolescents is at the risk of contracting diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressures that might result in adverse long life health disparities in their future endeavors. The low self-esteem may lead to an eating disorder as a result of not trusting their health by engaging in obscure diets to lose weight (Crane and Jeffrey, 2005).
The Risk Factors
The risk factors above are majorly behavioral and less of environmental. For instance, when one engages in bad eating habits and becomes overweight, it is an individual effort, for example, the adults to do regular exercises and maintain good health habits. In the case of children, the environment might cause them to adapt to unfair health practice to satisfy their ego and be accepted in the society. This stigma is environmental and with time, it ends up becoming behavioral since one will end up forgetting their roles and engage in behaviors that are cultured by society norms (Farley and Donna, 2000).
PART B- Altamonte Data on Obesity
Obesity in Florida in comparison to the Nation
In the state of Florida alone, it is over 14 percent of the children and the obese adolescents in total. The epidemiology results indicate that the primary causes of obesity in the U.S are the diets they consume. Meat consumption has been related to fast food expenditures in that, the combination of the two, result in the increase of calories and cholesterol in the body hence a huge size (Hu and Frank, 2008).Despite the important outcomes of a healthy and active lifestyle, many adults and American children still live a sedentary kind of lifestyle that entails laxity and not always engaging in regular activities. The gyms and field tracks are always available in schools and colleges and despite these; the generation can’t stop living their sedentary lives (Crane and Jeffrey, 2005). It is vital to discuss this topic since the economic implications of the United States government will get into a critical state in generations to come if it is not countered very well. Reducing obesity will see the patients and healthcare institution save a lot in their budgets by creating sessions of activities in schools and colleges’ and turn, the health facilities providing continuous sensitization of the benefits of proper nutrition and exercises to daily living(Hu and Frank, 2008).
Health Variables in Altamonte and Seminole
The Florida Hospital in Altamonte explains that in the past two decades, obesity has been the cause of many deaths that are easily preventable in the County. The various facts on obesity in children include aspects as 17% of adolescents and children in this County are obese and that in the elderly, the more at risk contractors of obesity are the uneducated and low-income earners. The society is engrossed in numerous empowerment and sensitization through the Florida hospital to reduce this preventive health scenario. The result also indicates that the African0-American and the Hispanics in this County are prone to the disease unlike other races (Farley and Donna, 2000). This statistic does not leave the children out in that, close to 1-6 children are obese from their pre-school ages at nursery levels. Both Altamonte and Seminole counties in Florida have similar characteristics related to the advancement sand the strategies to be used in depleting obesity. It was evidenced by statistics that, obesity is more inclined to children whose family heads are uneducated and have low-income returns (Hu and Frank, 2008).
Data about Obesity in Florida (Children)
The parents concentrated on the provision of basic needs and not the dietary and activity concerns for their kids claiming that it’s a luxury, and most cannot afford. The Florida Hospital in Altamonte is involved in numerous programs that are aimed at creating an environment free of obese children and the chronic illness like heart disease, diabetes, and other predicaments. A wide range of professionals is used to bring sanity in this accord. For instance, the psychologists, nutritionists, and sports trainers are organized in schools and colleges to help in redeeming the youth and adult from this vice in Seminole and Altamonte counties (Farley and Donna, 2000).
Perceived health of under 12 years children in Seminole and Altamonte
Source: Crane and Jeffrey (2005).
The data above shows the various challenges that the children are passing through in the Florida counties. We can view that obesity is the strongest vice with a greater percentage. It is thus vital to combat the health risks and factor that lead to this continuous growth in obese population in this state. The healthcare and the government institutions should formulate measures that would see the new developments in the reduction of obesity and the chronic diseases related to it (Farley and Donna, 2000).Overall, obesity had causes of diabetes type 2 in many states in the United States and specifically in Florida. The continuous discussions and empowerment by the Obama care movement as First Lady Mitchell Obama sensitized the youths saw a decrease of obesity in children in some states by 2013 according to reports from the CDC (Crane and Jeffrey, 2005).
Health status of Altamonte and Seminole County
According to Farley and Donna (2000), the total number of obese in the children has decreased even if it is in a gradual manner. In Mississippi alone, the inactivity reduced and many schools and colleges were advised to put exercises time in their curriculum. The region had over 30% of obese teens and to now, it has reduced to almost 16%. This achievement is attributed to the government and the investment in healthcare sensitization in the whole nation and states (Florida).Presently, the entire adolescent age group is close to 13million engrossed in obesity. The number has come from 13 million to about 7 million children nationally that are still suffering from obesity. The statistic has a positive data and it can be assumed that the Florida state can have about only 40% of the youths and teens with this problem. The percentage has decreased from35% to close to 27% in the Florida state. The preventive disease is now being handled seriously as a national concern and the action plans from the CDC and the healthcare practitioners are countering this vice independently (Crane and Jeffrey, 2005).
Comparison between Florida and the Counties (Altamonte & Seminole)
Variables
The dependent variables in Healthcare at Altamonte are closely related to the concerns at Florida State. They range from low income, lack of education, empowerment, inactiveness and poor lifestyle. The children at 2-10 years in Florida are prone to obesity due to the above variables. Parents are not aware of the methods to use to help their kids avoid the disease. Many are uneducated and have no beneficial insights on the dangers of obesity. The government uses the hospitals to empower and train the youths on the chronic diseases that are related to obesity. The type of food staff people eat culminates more fats in the body hence are at risk of contracting diabetes, heart diseases and and the percentage of the affected children is at a close range with Altamonte and Seminole communities (25% are obese). The statistics shown by data in the state and these counties have however reduced gradually due to the vigorous training and sensitization done by healthcare providers in Florida hospital. The data below shows the results of the chronic diseases: (Hu and Frank, 2008).
Source: Hu and Frank (2008).
According to the health research and data above, the health status of the Altamonte and Seminole Counties improved greatly both in the State and the two Counties. Close to over 15% of obese concentration was reduced in the periods of between 2010 and 2014. The teenage rate of healthy growth also increased as healthcare put close instructions for monitoring of new born to the latter stage of maturity (adolescents). There was general improvement since the health variables depended on behavior and environmental changes in the age group (Hu and Frank, 2008).
References
Crane, Jeffrey S (2005). Assessment of the Community Healthcare Providers' Ability and Willingness to Respond To a Bioterrorist Attack in Florida. [Tampa, Fla.]: University of South Florida Print.
Farley, Donna (2000). Testing CAHPS' Health Plan Performance' Reports In The Florida Medicaid Program. Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Print
Hu, Frank B (2008). Obesity Epidemiology. Oxford: Oxford University Press Print.
