Obesity has become a national problem
Obesity has become a national problem. Therefore, policymakers and other stakeholders have designed national strategies to address the practice issue. However, it is vital to devolve the process to the local level. The rationale for this view is that despite obesity being a global concern, its underlying causes reflect the unique elements of each community. For instance, according to Hilpert et al. (2017), obesity outcomes are linked to cultural factors. Therefore, it is crucial to have stakeholders that understand the local culture, if proposed interventions are to be effective. Accordingly, an assessment of the local stakeholders alongside the distinctive measures taken to address the problem at the domestic setting will occur.
Obesity has an impact on the ability of local nurses and providers to offer medical care effectively. Many of them have not received additional training on the handling of patients with obesity. Yet, as Camden (2009), such training is necessary because of the unique challenges that handling patients with obesity bring.
Moreover, it has forced local healthcare practitioners and nurses to be more robust when providing care to affected patients. The need for expanded care arises because the disease tends to be comorbid with other illnesses. Consequently, when a patient presents with obesity, the practitioners not only have to assess the weight-related and adiposity issues but also the presence of other ailments. This situation has placed a significant strain on the local healthcare facilities. As an illustration of this outcome, the number of referrals to other major hospitals has increased exponentially. While this occurrence is influenced by many factors, the rise in the prevalence of obesity and its related diseases is also a major cause.
Multiple stakeholders exist at the local level. They include healthcare practitioners, social workers, as well as food retailers and wholesalers. Additionally, schools are central to any proposed interventions. Teachers play a huge role in educating students on the need to adopt healthier eating habits. Further, the local schools provide a conducive environment for undertaking physical exercises — a crucial intervention. The local government health representatives and persons living with obesity also form part of the stakeholder community.
At my local setting, creating awareness is the primary approach applied to address the problem. The awareness program encourages people to engage in healthy eating and to conduct physical exercises on a regular. Further, it also urges individuals to monitor themselves regularly through measures like the Basal Metabolic Index (BMI). It also seeks to encourage those with the disease to seek formal medical assistance, especially considering the tendency for obesity to co-occur with other conditions.
Nonetheless, while the intervention is laudable, it is not adequate. According to Specchia et al. (2018), isolated attempts toward addressing the problem will not be sufficient. This assertion is justified because obesity is primarily linked to communal factors like culture and social behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt an integrated approach that involves as many local stakeholders as possible. Such a measure would create a sense of communal obligation; hence, increasing the efficacy of the interventional strategies.
Accordingly, a more vigorous intervention strategy is necessary. Such an intervention strategy would entail scaling up the awareness measures to include schools, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders. This approach would ensure that all individuals are engaged proactively in addressing the disease. Additionally, this step would also lead to a reduction in the burden that the local health practitioners face in educating patients on obesity prevention and management. Such an outcome is commendable, given the growing workload that the providers face.
References
Camden, S. (2009). Obesity: An Emerging Concern for Patients and Nurses. Ojin, 4. https://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol142009/No1Jan09/Obesity-An-Emerging-Concern.aspx
Hilpert, M., Brockmeier, K., Dordel, S., Koch, B., Weiß, V., Ferrari, N., Tokarski, W., & Graf, C. (2017). Sociocultural Influence on Obesity and Lifestyle in Children: A Study of Daily Activities, Leisure Time Behavior, Motor Skills, and Weight Status. Obesity Facts, 10(3), 168–178. https://doi.org/10.1159/000464105
Specchia. A., Barbara. A., Campanella, P., Parente, P., Mogini, V., Ricciardi, W., & Damiani, G. (2018). Highly-integrated Programs for the Prevention of Obesity and Overweight in Children and Adolescents: Results From a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Annali Dell’Istituto Superiore Di Sanita, 54(4), 332-339. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30575570/