Reasons for Inequity in Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians in Relation to Child Obesity

Health and Society
Assessment 3
Extended ResponseTemplate
Using you health issue from assessment item 2:
Answer all of the three questions below based upon this one health issue.
Each extended response should be approximately 500 words in length each.
The reference list for all three extended response should be provided under the
references heading of this template.

Question 1
Discuss two different reasons for inequity between Indigenous Australians
and non-Indigenous Australians in relation to your identified health issue.
Obesity is termed as an increase in body fats of children. It is a common
problem in all aged people like men, women, and children. Child obesity in
Indigenous and non-indigenous Austrians is a common problem. However,
the number of child obesity in indigenous Australians (18%) is higher than
the Non-Indigenous Australian (14%). It was very high in children and
adolescents (less than 18 years of old) in Indigenous people (40%) while it
is less in non-indigenous Australian children (27%). The major causes
behind child obesity are inequity in living standards and the economic
situation of these two Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people. The child
obesity on children is a serious problem in both indigenous and non-
indigenous people. However, the indigenous people are suffering from
stream social disadvantage in Australia, while the non-indigenous people
in Australia have some social and economic advantages (Valery, et. al.,
2012).
The obesity rate in children is higher in indigenous people because this
problem starts in early childhood. The indigenous people in Australia are
facing huge poverty problem and they are even fighting for their foods.
The number of unemployed people in indigenous people is also high
compared to non-indigenous people. The social support for the indigenous
people is very less or absent in some rural areas. The excessive burden of
life child obesity on indigenous people reduces the life expectancy rate
because almost one-third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
are suffering from obesity. The Indigenous people are facing strong
poverty and they have even nothing to do for arranging their food and
developing their life standard. Although non-indigenous people have some
support from the government and they are accessing some government
scheme for reducing poverty and child obesity (Gwynn, et.al. 2014). A

large population of indigenous people in Australia lives in rural areas
where they are facing serious problems related to primary healthcare
facilities and employment opportunities. However, contrary to this a large
population of non-indigenous people is living in urban areas, where they
can access the basic necessities. This inequity arises the difference
between these two communities. Although the number of child obesity in
both communities is high, indigenous people are facing great social and
financial problem compare to non-indigenous people. The quality of food
consumption is also a major difference that causes child obesity in both
communities differently. The indigenous Australian children have limited
availability of fresh food, vegetables, fruits, and they are suffering from a
high degree of obesity health problems. While in non-indigenous people
children are facing problems related to high consumption of sugar and
other products like Cold drinks, Fast food, etc. Therefore, we can say that
the diet consumption pattern in both communities is also different that
causes obesity in their children (Anderson, et. al., 2016).
In the end, it can be said that both indigenous and non-indigenous
community are facing a high rate of obesity health problem in children,
but the causes in both the communities are different. While the
indigenous people are lacking in accessing government facilities and
programs for obesity, facing poverty, and children cannot access healthy
food, the non-indigenous people are accessing better healthcare facilities,
but they cannot control the diet of children to reduce child obesity. The
difference between qualities of diet is also a cause behind the high level of
obesity in children.