Decreasing Incidence of Child Obesity in Children

Obesity incidences among children have become a global menace. Obesity is a chronic condition that leads to increased morbidity and premature mortality. The condition is triggered by the imbalance between calories intake and calories utilized. A survey by the American heart association indicates that obesity in children has tripled from 1970 to date (Weihrauch & Wiegand, 2018). Every component of the environment where the children are conceived, born, and raised can influence the probability of turning obese. Notably, the highest prevalence of childhood is in upper-middle-income nations, particularly the West. According to CDC (2018), the prevalence of obesity among children aged between 2-19 years is 19.3% affecting 14.4 individuals. Due to the constant increase in obesity prevalence and the severe public health consequences, obesity is considered the most severe public health concern in the 21^st century. Nurses have a responsibility in curbing the treating condition. Some of these practical measures for nurses include family-based interventions, physical exercises, and meal–plans.

Family-Based Interventions

 Recent studies indicate that weight programs should not target only the children but the entire family unit. Nurses have a critical role in helping children achieve the right energy balance alongside their parents. Nurses should encourage lifestyle behaviors that promote healthy family habits. Behavioral interventions such as diet modification can become a long-term lifestyle solution adopted in a family setting. After setting a weight-loss program for the family, a nurse must eliminate organic causes of obesity as the cause of obesity (Henriksson et., 2020). A nurse must assess a family’s strengths, weaknesses, and motivation for change to adapt to the program (Weihrauch & Wiegand, 2018). The nurse can interview the family about their knowledge of obesity as a health concern.

Fitness Tracking apps

Nurses can aid children and teenagers reduce obesity. Research indicates that 95% of teens can access smartphones. For younger children, parents can help monitor their progress. These downloadable fitness-tracking apps provide an interactive tool to modify behavior, document calories intake, and exercise contribute (Henriksson et ., 2020). Given the low awareness, low priority, and negative perception of these apps, nurses, can help educate the children about their significance and help design them more attractively. Nurses can encourage these children to compete against friends, which will also improve the nature of peer socialization.

Meal-plans/ Healthy Diet

In addition to fitness programs, a healthy diet is advisable. In healthcare facilities, nurses should constantly monitor children’s food intake by considering the nutritional value as an integrated patient care process. If children have been admitted due to obesity, a nurse must provide nutritious meals and a follow-up menu as prescribed by a clinical dietitian (Schroeder &  McCormick, 2018). A nurse can help discuss and formulate a meal plan in a family setting, emphasizing reducing calories intake. Obese children should be discouraged from consuming carbonated drinks, fried foods, and others with high-fat content.

Nurses’ capacity to intervene can positively affect a child’s life. Since childhood obesity is a significant health concern, all relevant stakeholders must be involved in health promotion and strategies to deal with the condition. Nurses must understand the scale of a child’s obesity and design a daily practice to help the children recover. Critical strategies include family-based behavioral changes, physical exercise through fitness exercises, and a healthy diet designed to deal with obesity. Educational interventions are insufficient to sustain a healthy lifestyle. These measures must be combined with a positive behavioral change in a child’s life for optimal results. If the rising trajectory of childhood obesity continues, future generations will face chronic conditions, premature morbidity, and mortality.

References

Weihrauch-Blüher, S., & Wiegand, S. (2018). Risk factors and implications of childhood obesity. Current obesity reports, 7(4), 254-259.

Sjunnestrand, M., Nordin, K., Eli, K., Nowicka, P., & Ek, A. (2019). Planting a seed-child health care nurses’ perceptions of speaking to parents about overweight and obesity: a qualitative study within the STOP project. BMC public health, 19(1), 1-11.

Henriksson, H., Alexandrou, C., Henriksson, P., Henström, M., Bendtsen, M., Thomas, K., … & Löf, M. (2020). MINI STOP 2.0: a smartphone app integrated into primary child health care to promote healthy diet and physical activity behaviors and prevent obesity in preschool-aged children: protocol for a hybrid design effectiveness-implementation study. BMC public health, 20(1), 1-11.

CDC. (2018). Childhood Obesity Facts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. Cdc.gov. Retrieved 16 February 2022