My professional interactions have validated my childhood weight worries. Many children have issues related to childhood obesity that I’ve seen. Although it is preventable, the illness can be devastating for American children and their future. The United States faces a serious public health problem in childhood obesity. The Center for Disease Control’s 2013 data indicates that approximately 36% of America’s population are overweight. The World Health Organization (2008) estimates that slightly more than one third of those people are aged between two and 21 years. The figure includes approximately 23 million teenagers and young people. Health People 2010, which advocated a decline in obese and overweight adolescents and children from 13% – 5%, has failed to meet this target (Hales, Fryar and Fryar 2020). The prevalence of obesity in children between the ages of two and eight has nearly quadrupled (from 5.2% up to 14.8%), while it’s more than tripled for teenagers 14-20 (from 5% down to 17.8%). (Sanyaolu et al, 2019). U.S. youth are now more obese than ever, and many children who have been affected by obesity end up dying from it.
My goal is to create a short community program that educates my peers about the importance of healthy eating. This program aims to raise awareness about poor eating habits early in life and encourage healthy eating. It is important to encourage healthy living and good nutrition at all levels of the family. My program would benefit from raising awareness in the beginning stages. Young people would benefit from seeing and hearing the dramatic depiction of unhealthy eating to help them understand the risks of unhealthy living.
My role will be to direct local health promotion programs that focus on encouraging healthy eating habits and increased physical activity. This is important in avoiding the risk of developing obesity which can lead to diabetes. It is essential to partner with the local government to ensure recreational parks are accessible and attractive to all children.