Inequity in Childhood Obesity: Indigenous vs Non-Indigenous Australians

This article discusses the reasons for inequity in childhood obesity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, focusing on low nutrition and socioeconomic status. It also explores a primary health care intervention aimed at addressing childhood obesity and reducing inequity. The impact of cultural knowledge and sensitivity in accessing primary health care services is also discussed.

Running head: HEALTHCARE
Topic: HEALTHCARE
Name of the Student:
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Two different reasons for inequity between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous
Australians in relation to childhood obesity –
Two major problems which has been considered to be important for the emergence of
inequity between the indigenous as well as non-indigenous people with the persisting
problem of childhood obesity are low nutrition of the aboriginal people and lower
socioeconomic status (Renzaho et al. 2016).
Over the years there has been an increased limitation of the nutritional value of foods
received by the aboriginal states than the original states. The nutritional status inclusive of the
Aboriginal as well as Torres islander people has been influenced by various factors like the
disadvantage pertaining to socioeconomic factors, environmental, geographical as well as
other social factors (Anderson et al. 2016). Poor nutrition is usually inclusive of the concept
of malnutrition as well as under nutrition and has been considered as an important factor
which would contribute to diseases like obesity and overweight, cardiovascular diseases,
type two diabetes as well as tooth decay. The current limited nutritional quality has been a
marker contrast to the life prior to the European settlement in Australia. At that time it has
been found that Aboriginal as well as Torres islander people have been healthy as well as
enjoyed varied traditional diets which have been usually low in energy density and
simultaneously rich in nutrients (Stoneham et al. 2014).
In Australia the main reason for the increased symptoms of childhood obesity
especially in the indigenous people has been due to the socioeconomic advantage compared
to the aboriginal people (Sephard et al. 2016). In Australia, the traditional lifestyles have been
disrupted by colonization along with cultures among the islander and Torres people and this
has created negative repercussions on the total wellbeing of the people including the
socioeconomic disadvantage of the people. One of the important factors affecting the health

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of children include lack of parental concern regarding the disorder among the general
Australian population and the increased frequency of parental concern regarding the weight
as well as eating habits (Kaspar 2014). Low socioeconomic status has been found to be
associated with poor health and high rates of substance use. Thus the non-indigenous people
would generally suffer from obesity. There are various health risk factors where there is
coexistence as well as combination of the risk factors which have a serious impact of health
in various different ways. Information from the National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander
Social Survey (NATSISS), unemployed aboriginal people have been found to be more
influenced by substance use (Thomas et al. 2015). Thus there would be another strong
relationship between the various exposures to the health factor sand various risk factors. Over
the years, there has been increasing rates of excess weight as well as obesity which is almost
22.4% in the aboriginal children as compared to the lower percentage of aboriginal children
(Nicholson et al. 2015). Moreover, the waist- height ratio have indicated greater lifetime risk
of the chronic diseases. Thus the percentage of children being affected by obesity have been
more than 30 % among aboriginal children (Denision et al. 2016).
Provision of one example of a Primary Health Care intervention that is addressing
childhood obesity for Indigenous Australians with the intention of closing the gap.
Explanation of the impact of intervention on reducing inequity-
The main primary health care intervention would be introduction of the strategies for
including physical activities among children of the aboriginal communities. In Australia,
almost 70% of the health inequities are caused by childhood obesity related cases (Panaretto
et al. 2014). The main aim of primary health care intervention and provision of partnerships
is the removal of barriers and the built up of evidence which has been gathered around for the
improvement of health as well as overall wellbeing of the aboriginal and Torres islander

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people (Mitrou et al 2014). The Australian government have sought to partner with the
various state and territory governments along with the aboriginal and Torres islander people
for the implementation of the priorities. Through the incorporation of primary health care
services, all the services delivering at the regional, local, state level would require
optimization of the involvement and engagement for the improvement of health outcomes.
Implementation of the interventions among young children is mainly important as the
younger age profile would require a focus on the Torres islander population along with the
implementation of antenatal and early childhood programs for supporting the young adults
for adaptation of healthy lives (Laws et al. 2014). The main focus would be delivery of a
person centered care along with culturally appropriate healthcare for the people which would
ultimately maximize the function as well as the independence though access to flexible
ranges of specialist as well as general health services. From the direct statistical reports
regarding the various health disparities among the indigenous and non-indigenous
populations of Australia, it has been found that obesity ranks the second among the various
inequities. It has been mainly found to be caused from the combination of physical activity as
well as poor nutrition (Dudgeon and Kelly 2014). The government also targets the disparities
among the indigenous and non-indigenous people affecting the quality of life.
There would be a distinct impact on the introduction of physical activities among the
children of both the communities. Moreover through this intervention the government aims at
removing disparities due to closing the gap program. Physical activities and related
interventions have been effective in enhancement of the activity levels among the general
populations. However the physical activities interventions should comply with their cultural
background. It has been found that only a very small percentage of indigenous community
believe in the implementation of physical activities (Rowan et al. 2014). Regarding the high
prevalence of physical inactivity among the population of Australia these interventions play

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an important role in the management as well as prevention of these diseases. The government
suggests the sedentary behavior along with activity which include combination of moderate
as well as vigorous physical activity. Through they would focus on the improvement of
health and reduction of obesity children. The guidelines by the government would include
moderate intensity activities along with vigorous activities or the prevention of the diseases
(Dalton et al. 2015). Thus from the above paragraphs it can be seen that introduction of
various intervention involving health activities would be effective in addressing the health
equities related to obesity in childhood and lead to their treatment in the future.
Effect of cultural knowledge and sensitivity in health affecting access to Primary Health
Care services –
The concept of cultural knowledge as sensitivity has been considered as one of the six
models for cultural training which has been organized into a conceptual scheme. According
to research it has been found that the positive impact of cultural identity would help an
individual in providing with a sense of social support belonging and self-worth. The
potential health benefits of the sustenance of a strong cultural identity along with the
participation in various cultural activities have been found to be instrumental in the
promotion of resilience, enhancement of self-esteem as well as engender various prosocial
styles which serves as protective mechanism for the various disorders like obesity and
children. It has been considered as a key component of the social and Emotional Wellbeing
which is considered to be an important concept according to the Australian framework of
health. The protective qualities of cultural knowledge and sensitivity especially among
health care centers have a distinct impact on the health indicators and socio economic impacts
which have been progressively theorized as well as explained. According to the statistical
studies of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey. Thus the relationship
between the cultural engagement, cultural identity. According to various research studies

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cultural identities have been found to be associated with higher levels f cultural engagement.
There has been the combination of strong indigenous communities with connection to culture
and influences. According to the NATSSIS survey almost 50% of the people in the non-
remote areas which could not identify with the tribal or clan grouping. Thus consideration of
the cultural background and ethical values of the aboriginal people is important for the
implementation of the primary health care services regarding the introduction of physical
activities among the aboriginal and Torres islander people. Since there is a vast difference
among the indigenous and nonindigenous people in Australia among the children, they might
vary regarding their identification widely. Thus children might be left behind the other in
terms of understanding the language, social isolation due to traditional language, and through
respective connection to the lands as well as adherence to the customary law. Thus although
the government aims at closing the gap between the groups, the possible barriers like
underfunding, understanding, irregularity and variegation in in situational decision making is
important.

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