Childhood Obesity as a Public Health Issue in Australia: Government Strategies and Role of Nurses

Running head: ASSESSMENT TASK 3
Assessment task 3
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1ASSESSMENT TASK 3
Obesity is one of the biggest public health issues that are concerning communities and
families across the country. In about 70% of the countries, obesity has become an epidemic and
rated as one of the priority health issues worldwide (Flegal and Ogden 2011). In the last decade,
national obesity rate has increased especially among the age group 4-17 year olds referred as
childhood obesity as compared to adult population (Smith and Smith 2016). In Australia,
childhood obesity rates have increased with an estimated rate of 18.5% among children although
rates vary among different age groups and rising along with age (Swinburn and Wood 2013).
Obesity rates have tripled among children as compared to adults and countries are developing
strategies to counter this public health issue. Children are consuming high calorie foods and
beverages more than body consumption along with less physical activity that is resulting is extra
weight gain over time. Eating, physical activity behaviours, metabolism, short sleep and
community design contribute to childhood obesity. Obese children are at high risk of chronic
diseases like heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea eating disorders, cardiomyopathy that greatly
influence their physical and psychological health (Lloyd, Langley-Evans and McMullen 2012).
Obesity prevention is important, as childhood obesity is associated with poor academic
performance and increasing risk for depression. There is need for healthy lifestyle and plenty of
active play so that children grow and learn to their full potential. Therefore, the following essay
focuses on childhood obesity as a public issue and established government strategies addressing
it along with role of nurse in implementing this strategy for childhood prevention while working
with modern families and communities in Australia.
There is increasing rates of childhood obesity witnessed in Australia where every one in
four children is obese or overweight. For Australians children between the ages 4 to 17 years,
obesity is a serious and concerning conditions, that is affecting their physical and psychological

2ASSESSMENT TASK 3
well-being due to poor self-esteem and stigmatization. According to the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Australians ranked 10 out of 40 countries
where children are obese accounting for 24% of obese children (Millar et al. 2011). Childhood
obesity is associated with long-term effects that hinder longevity of individuals and predispose to
serious diseases during adulthood. The causes of childhood obesity are a combination of socio-
environmental as well as individual choices along with genetic factors. According to the
Australian Health Survey, genetics play a vital role in the determination of genetics as 90% of
Australians were at risk of obesity as their mothers had epigenetic modifications at the time of
pregnancy (Sanders et al. 2015).
The reason for childhood obesity being a serious public issue faced by modern families is
that it is greatly influenced by diet and parents. Parents and teachers play an important role in
influencing children to develop liking for food and unhealthy diet can have negative effect on
their growth and development during the early years (Mitchell et al. 2013). However, the
scenario is different; as parents do not motivate their children to develop an intrinsic for healthy
foods rather they prefer to eat high carbohydrate content foods. As a result, they are predisposed
to sedentary lifestyle and increased risk of overweight or obesity. In Australia, more than 1.2
million children between the ages 3 to 17 years were obese especially prevalent among low
socioeconomic groups with 34.7% obese children as compared to 22.3% in high socioeconomic
groups (Schultz 2012). Furthermore, obesity rates are high among the indigenous children in
Australia contributing to 10% as compared to 6% non-indigenous children. This statistics
illustrates that overweight and obesity is prevalent among children belonging to socioeconomic
disadvantaged areas observed by the remoteness of the area (ncci.canceraustralia.gov.au 2017).

3ASSESSMENT TASK 3
Therefore, there is need for strategy to address this issue that is faced by modern families in
Australia.
Groups like Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (TSI) tend to have higher number of
overweight children as compared to non-indigenous people accounting to 20% to 25% of the
total population (O’Dea and Dibley 2014). This statistics highlight the fact that disadvantaged
area in Australia need to be targeted as prevailing overweight condition among indigenous
children can increase the chances of developing medical conditions like diabetes, breathlessness,
tiredness, exertion, flat feet and heat tolerance. As a result, children are vulnerable to decreased
self-confidence and self-esteem having a negative impact on their proper growth and
development. The Australian government need to understand the consequences of increasing
rates of childhood obesity faced by modern families and reset their understanding regarding
normal weight as there is a disconnect in the society of what normal weight means. It is difficult
to raise healthy weight within the modern Australian families, as they are unable to understand
the negative impact of overweight or obese condition on the physical, emotional and
psychological wellbeing of their children (Rawlins et al. 2013).
Another reason for selecting this topic is that obesity treatment is not equitable in
Australia. There is an insidious problem that is associated with obesity crisis is the uneven
distribution of prevention and treatment of obesity especially among children belonging to
disadvantaged groups. This fact illustrates that Australia is facing the most significant health
issue as obese children predispose to become obese adults and it is greatly required to normalize
weight and inculcate healthy eating among them (Pulgarón 2013). Healthy practices that would
be established during the early years of their life like physical exercise and balanced diet
continued through adolescence and adulthood can help in preventing and reducing the risk of