Policy Analysis on Obesity in Australia

Running head: POLICY ANALYSIS
POLICY ANALYSIS
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POLICY ANALYSIS
Introduction:
Obesity is considered one of the most concerning health concerns that are acting as
one of the most important health burden on the nation in the present. Studies opine that it has
become the main risk factors contributing to various chronic disorders like that of diabetes,
cardiovascular disorders, some form of cancers as well as some musculoskeletal conditions
like that of osteoarthritis (Laws et al., 2015). Data taken in year 2011 had stated that 5% of
the total disease burden in the nation of Australia was attributable to that of overweight and
obesity. In the year 2014-2015, about 28% of the Australian adults were found to be obese.
Even, it is found that one in every four children aged 2 to 17 were overweight or obese in the
year 2014-2015. Therefore, it becomes an important responsibility of the nursing
professionals to develop a good amount of knowledge of the issues of obesity, which is
gradually taking the shape of an epidemic in the nation. They need to implement preventive
strategies by which they can help people prevent the disorder in comparison to that of
curative services (Grant et al., 2017). People need to be made careful before the
complications of obesity affect them, as this would cause preventable and avoidable pressure
on healthcare resources of the nation (Wakefield et al., 2017). Therefore, the policy named
“A picture of overweight and obesity in Australia” by the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare (AIHW) in the year 2017. This policy would be extremely helpful for the nursing
professionals not only in developing an idea about present concerning situation, but would
also included guidelines and intervention strategies that nurses can use or advocate to solve
the present issues in the nation. This would also help in reducing the prevalence of obesity in
the nation making the nation a better place to live.

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POLICY ANALYSIS
Developing a detailed idea about the concept of diabetes among nurses:
The first part of the policy had been dedicated about a detailed definition and scenario
of the condition of obesity in Australia. After description of the contributing factors that
result in development of obesity in brief, the policy makers had focused on the ways by
which obesity can be diagnosed and measures in different citizens. Nurses attending the
primary healthcare centres need to be well aware of the various methods that they can adopt
in order to ensure that the patient is having a health concern of obesity (Renzaho et al., 2018).
Hence, correct methods of identifying, assessing and diagnosing the problem are extremely
important for proceeding with the treatment and intervention strategies (McHugh et al.,
2016). The policy is found to be extremely helpful regarding this section, as they have
developed a very beautiful poster like presentation with cartoons and diagrams that can easily
help nursing professionals to develop a detailed idea about the measurement and screening
methods of diabetes among vulnerable people. Studies opine that posters, presentation as well
as diagrammatic representation has better learning impact helping in developing a quick but
detailed overview about issues represented in posters (Moors et al., 2018). Hence, the policy
makers had commendable job by incorporating such ideas in the policy published on obesity
issues in the nation.
Development of knowledge of the nurses regarding the contributing factors:
Overweight and obesity can be found to be influenced by a complex interplay of
different types of factors like that of individual, societal as well as environmental.
Development of knowledge about these would help in providing an opportunity to the
nursing professionals to target their interventions at multiple levels. The policy makers have
very well described the various types of food that contribute to weight gain and cause obesity.

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POLICY ANALYSIS
In addition, they had also developed a box representation where they have advised the correct
amount and the type of food intake that had been explained by the The Australian Dietary
Guidelines (NHMRC 2013a). From such effort, it can be found that policy makers not only
showed nursing professionals about the foods that are risky for developing obesity but they
have also shown the correct guideline that needs to be followed. Nursing professionals
should need to learn about the inappropriate food that should be advised to be avoided and
then the correct good guidelines that should be educated to patients (Avsar et al., 2017).
Similar strategies had been also followed regarding the explanation of the importance of
physical activity followed by a box that contains guidelines of undertaking correct physical
activities with proper duration. Another very interesting concept that nurses need to be very
careful and be aware is the “obesogenic environment”. Studies have used the term
“obesogenic environment” as the environment that causes promotion of obesity among the
different individuals as well as the population that include physical, economic, political, and
socio-cultural factors (Phelan et al., 2015). Policy had well described how schools,
workplace, media influence, home, environment, convenience foods, and portion sizes have
been acting in ways that are resulting in obesogenic environment resulting in improper and
unhealthy behaviours making people vulnerable to obesity. Nurses should be well aware of
the the ways by which each of the aspects of the obesogenic environment is contributing to
increased prevalence of obesity and should develop health promotion strategies that control
such factors (Poitras et al., 2016). In such way, this policy would be extremely beneficial for
nursing professionals to develop a detailed scenario of the nation and work from very scratch.
Knowledge of the nurses on the prevalence of obesity among different cohorts:
The policy had provided a detailed explanation about the prevalence of obesity and
overweight among different cohorts of people like children and adolescents that include even
children and adolescence beside adults. The policy makers and healthcare researchers have