Obesity is an increasing health problem in Maryland, with the adults’ percentages of obesity doubling-up over the past 20 years (Maryland, Maryland, & Maryland 2012). Approximately 177, 000 Maryland children in the age bracket of 10-17 years considered obese (Maryland, & Jordan, 2009). This is about 28.8% of youth. Comparing children within Maryland to their counterparts countrywide, show that Maryland children are less probably to become active for 4 or more days in a week. They are less probably to attend physical education classes on a daily basis (Li et al., 2011, p. 21).
Identification of Priority Community Nursing Diagnosis
Community-level practice alters community norms, community awareness, community attitudes, community behaviors, and community practices. It is aimed at the whole population in the community or sometimes towards population of interest or population at risk (Maryland, & Jordan, 2009). An illustration of community-level practice may be a social advertisement campaign to enhance a community norm which increases screen time within public service venues as undesirable. This is a society-level primary prevention technique.
Systems-level practice alters organizations, laws, policies and power structure in communities. The attention should be on systems of childhood obesity, not directly on communities and individuals (Maryland, Maryland, & Maryland 2012). Carrying out compliance checks to make sure that schools increase physical activity in physical education is an illustration of a system-level prevention practice.
Individual-level practice alters knowledge, beliefs, practices, behaviors, and attitudes of individuals. This practice is directed towards individuals, as part of class, family, group or alone. Even though groups, families, and classes are constituted by more than an individual, the attention is on individual change (Maryland, Maryland, & Maryland 2012). Teaching helpful refusal skills on eating of sugary beverages is an illustration of individual prevention strategy.
Identification of Relevant and Appropriate Interventions, and Recommendation of the Selected Interventions for the Target Community
Integrate and Mandate PE and Activity within School Curriculum
Children who are physically active are less probably to become obese (Coombs et al., 2009, p. 2). Children spend most of their time within schools. As places or venues of learning, which may exert influence on behavior, it is appropriate and significant that schools integrate and mandate PE to enhance fitness among school children as part of the general curriculum. Besides, Maryland should take steps with programs like Get Fit Kids, which challenge students to walk about 13, 00 steps in a day.
Ensuring that Schools offer Healthy Foods to Students
In order to ensure healthy eating habits, foods and beverages offered in schools should meet standards of healthy nutrition. Therefore, Maryland should set nutritional standards to be used for school breakfasts, lunches and snacks. Besides, schools should device innovative programs where schools avail to children samples of entrée, vegetable and fruit items. Students who attempt the samples should be rewarded.
Ensuring healthy foods are available and affordable within all communities
Access to grocery stores, supermarkets and particularly markets are significant because consumers may be able to buy fresh vegetables and fruits, which are proven to have health benefits (Li et al., 2011, p. 25). Studies have established relationship between adolescent BMI and accessibility of food stores. The studies show that within communities where supermarkets are available in chain, adolescent body mass index and obesity status are lower, whereas within communities with one convenience grocery store, adolescent BMI and obesity status are higher (Coombs et al., 2009, p. 5). Therefore, it is appropriate to establish policies, bills, and laws which give property tax credit to food stores situated within low-income neighborhoods.
Reducing Hours Spent with Computers and Television by Children
Children who spend more time with computers or television are less probably to be physically active (Maryland, & Jordan, 2009). Studies indicate that 39.1% of Maryland children are probably to watch TV thrice or more in a day compared with 32.8% of United States children as a whole. Parents must make concerted efforts to reduce time spent by their children on watching TV or using computer. An option to achieve this is to remove TV sets from bedrooms of children.
Making Play Grounds Safe and Accessible for children
The number of accessible and safe play grounds and parks should be increased, particularly within low income neighborhoods. Play grounds and parks should be attractive and safe for playing. Moreover, be close to residential areas. There should be street legislation, which ensures that bicyclists, pedestrians, commuters, and motorists have safe entry to community streets (Maryland, Maryland, & Maryland 2012).
Evaluation Plan for the Recommended Interventions
The main aim of an evaluation is to ensure that program-based results, which are appropriate to the implemented interventions under childhood obesity, are monitored. Moreover, that information is incorporated into the ongoing intervention activities. To ensure activities stay focused on goals and objectives of the interventions, process evaluation will best appraise systems of present and future data gathering and stimulate continual improvement (Coombs et al., 2009, p.). Given the aspects of intervention activities, not all may be evaluated or measured; however, efforts may be made to assess the impact of activities when feasible. Moreover, pilot interventions are to be extensively examined so that positive impacts may be recorded and new, larger interventions initiated.
References
Coombs, V. J., Reed, T., Neel, M., Lutz, H. G., Giangrandi, L., Farmer, B., & Quartner, J. (2009). Steps To Success Pilot Program for Childhood Obesity: 895. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 5(1), 2-5. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000273254.52761.99
Li, N., Strobino, D., Ahmed, S., & Minkovitz, C. S. (2011). Is There a Healthy Foreign Born Effect for Childhood Obesity in the United States? Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2(4), 21-25. doi:10.1007/s10995-010-0588-5
Maryland, & Jordan, S. A. (2009). Legislative report of the Committee on Childhood Obesity. Baltimore, Md.: Maryland Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Maryland, Maryland, & Maryland (2012). Preventing childhood overweight in Maryland: Recommendations and report of a work group session. Baltimore, Md.: Maryland Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene, Family Health Administration, Office of Chronic Disease Prevention.
