Child Obesity
Health Promotion Plan
Childhood obesity has become an epidemic that is threatening more and more families in the USA. Overweight and obesity are used to describe a person who has excess body fat which can lead to adverse effects on their health and well-being. This occurs when the energy intake from food and drinks is greater that the energy that the body spends doing physical activities. It was revealed that children who are overweight are at greater risk of having health problems when they reach the adolescent and adult stages. Some of these conditions include cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cancers. Childhood obesity has other reported mental health issues such as depression and having a low self-esteem (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2013, p. 1). The causes of childhood obesity can be related to many behavioral, social and environmental factors. As a family nurse, it is important that the goal for health promotion would involve all the members of the family in order for the intervention to be effective and could have long term effects to the patient.
Proposed Intervention
As a family nurse practitioner, it is important to have a family centered care approach in treating childhood obesity. Family members, most especially the parents can have a huge influence over the child’s physical activity, lifestyle and nutrition. With that, it is proposed to develop opportunities inside the home in order for the family to make healthier choices. The family nurse practitioner must be able to provide an understanding of the extent of the problem and choose a diet plan which is known to be effective.
The primary goal of the health promotion project is the prevention of childhood obesity from occurring to high risk families based on many environmental factors. Using an ecological standpoint, family nurse practitioners must develop a framework based on the energy balance equation which involves the energy intake of the child and also his or her energy expenditure (Institute of Medicine (U.S.), 2005). This means that a diet program and making sure that the child is getting enough physical activity must be included in the strategic plan in the prevention of childhood obesity. The practitioner must be able to identify the members of the family who are at risk of being obese and educating them on proper diet and the importance of adequate physical activity.
Relevance to Advanced Practice Role
As a family nurse practitioner, it is important not only to diagnose childhood obesity but also build a strategic plan in treating the patient as well. By completing the project, the practitioner will gain a higher level of insight and skills which can be helpful in preventive care. These skills and knowledge can be used to assist the parents in assigning appropriate diet plans and encourage physical activities to their children. It is also important for the practitioner to build a relationship with the communities in order to further educational opportunities to occur in the future.
Acquisition of Data
The target population’s statistical data will gathered from different resources such as the National Institute of Nursing Research, Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health. The information that was gathered would be used to learn about the prevalence of childhood obesity in the country and will be used as key tools in creating the health promotion project. It will also be used to outline how the practitioner can be best utilized in giving the best care to the families and the patient.
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2013). Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs: Comparative Effectiveness Review and Meta-Analysis (115). Retrieved from Department of Health and Human Services USA website: https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/330/1523/obesity-child-executive-130610.pdf
