A picture of overweight and obesity in Australia. A longitudinal study of home and family environment related to development of obesity

Childhood Obesity
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2017), over-weight and obesity is the major public health issue among the Australian population. The main victims of obesity are the children.
During 2014, one out of five (20%) children in Australia are over-weight or obese and 11% are over-weight but are not obese and 9% are obese. For girls and boys between the age group of 2 to 4 years and 5 to 17 years
are victims of obesity. The trends in obesity among the Australian children increased from 21% to 25% from 1995 to 2007. After 2007 there rate remained stable until a further increase post 2014. Over-weight and
obesity are responsible for nearly 7% of the health burden among the Australian population and of this 63% is regarded as fatal health burden. Dietary risk factors are the main contributors behind childhood obesity
other factors include physical inactivity and obesogenic environment.
• References
•
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2017). A picture of overweight and obesity in Australia 2017. Access date: 19th April 2020. Retrieved from:
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/172fba28-785e-4a08-ab37-2da3bbae40b8/aihw-phe-216.pdf.aspx?inline=true
• East, P., Delker, E., Blanco, E., Burrows, R., Lozoff, B., & Gahagan, S. (2019). Home and family environment related to development of obesity: A 21-year longitudinal study. Childhood Obesity, 15(3), 156-166.
https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2018.0222
• Feng, L., Wei, D. M., Lin, S. T., Maddison, R., Mhurchu, C. N., Jiang, Y., ... & Wang, H. J. (2017). Systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based obesity interventions in mainland China. PLoS One, 12(9). doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0184704
• Gittelsohn, J., Novotny, R., Trude, A. C. B., Butel, J., & Mikkelsen, B. E. (2019). Challenges and Lessons Learned from Multi-Level Multi-Component Interventions to Prevent and Reduce Childhood Obesity. International journal of
environmental research and public health, 16(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16010030
• Jalali, M. S., Sharafi‐Avarzaman, Z., Rahmandad, H., & Ammerman, A. S. (2016). Social influence in childhood obesity interventions: a systematic review. obesity reviews, 17(9), 820-832. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12420
• Lucas, J. A., Moonie, S., Hogan, M. B., & Evans, W. N. (2018). Efficacy of an exercise intervention among children with comorbid asthma and obesity. Public health, 159, 123-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2018.02.014
• Marks, J., Barnett, L. M., & Allender, S. (2019). Is school community perception of student weight status a barrier for addressing childhood obesity?. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 30(1), 28-36. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.172
• NSW Government. (2019). Childhood Overweight and Obesity. Access date: 19th April 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/heal/Publications/child-obesity-snapshot.pdf
• NSW Government. (2019). NSW Childhood Overweight And Obesity. Access date: 19th April 2020. Retrieved from: http://www.healthstats.nsw.gov.au/Resources/child-obesity-data-report.pdf
• Thompson, S. R., Watson, M. C., & Tilford, S. (2018). The Ottawa Charter 30 years on: still an important standard for health promotion. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 56(2), 73-84.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2017.1415765
• Xu, S., & Xue, Y. (2016). Pediatric obesity: Causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 11(1), 15-20. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2015.2853Childhood Obesity among NSW Children
Childhood Obesity among NSW ChildrenInsert names
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NSW Children and Obesity
The burden of obesity is higher among the indigenous population of Australia (Aboriginals and Torres
Strait Islander or ATSI population). During 2012 to 2013 30% of the Indigenous children and
adolescents who are aged between 2 to 14 years are over-weight in comparison to the 25% of the non-
indigenous population. Poor socio-economic determinants of health (SDH) are principal risk factors
behind childhood obesity among ATSI population.
NSW Government (2019) states that one out of 5 NSW children are obese or over-weight in urban areas.
Over-weight and obesity among the NSW children increase social distancing and this is community-
based impact. The obesity rates are similar among the boys and girls. The childhood obesity increases
the rate of developing obese adults and thus increasing weight-related mortality along with the
development of depression and poor self-esteem and this can be regarded as the population impact of
childhood obesity.
v
Figure: Childhood Obesity Percentage in Australian
Children in 2014 to 2015
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
(AIHW) (2017)
.
Interventions for Obesity Prevention
Gittelsohn et al. (2019) stated that multi-level multi component (MLMC) strategies are recommended in order to
prevent and to reduce the rate of childhood obesity. MLMC include increase in the level of community-level
participation, proper conducting proper monitoring process along with promoting proper reinforcement of the multi-
level interventions.
Key areas where change can be initiated include
(I) Promotion of the healthy food habits
Xu and Xue (2016) stated that childhood obesity is a nutritional disorder and proper control of eating behaviours
and by promoting the intake of the green vegetables along with the fibre rich food help in reducing obesity among
the children. Low calorie consumption under proper diet planning by trained dietician can help to prevent childhood
obesity
(II)Encouraging the children to take part in physical activity
Lack of proper conduction of physical activity is one of the driving force behind the development of obesity among
the children. Conduction of the physical exercise in the form of games or sports can help to reduce the unwanted
weight. Children are required to conduct at least 60 minutes of physical activity in order to prevent unwanted weight
loss. Practice of Yoga can further help to promote weight loss along with helping to improve the level of immunity
(Lucas et al., 2018)
(III) Provide supportive environment to the children for promoting weight loss
Jalal et al. (2016) stated that moderate influence of the parents on the children helps in reducing the un-wanted
weight or prevent the unnecessary weight gain. The parents are the main caregivers for the children. The health
awareness of the parents and their constant guidance to their children will help them to lead a healthy lifestyle and
thus helping to prevent childhood obesity. (East et al., 2019). further stated that home and family influence play a
major role in promoting supportive environment and thereby helping to prevent childhood obesity.
Part C: Action Plan
Marks, Barnett and Allender (2019) stated that schools are the main target for the obesity prevention strategies
among the children. However, the intervention effectiveness might be hindered by the perceptions of the school
community (students and staff) and the readiness to address the problem. Designing of the childhood obesity
program under school settings must be guided by the OTTAWA charter for the health promotion by WHO. This
will promote increase the creation of the supportive environmental while children can conduct physical activities in
order to promote weight loss. This is the key area of change as majority of the children leads a sedentary life and
excess academic pressure in school prevent them from taking apart in physical activity (Thompson, Watson &
Tilford, 2018).
Figure: Interventions for preventing Childhood
Obesity
Source: NSW Government, 2019
Action Plan
Plan: Developing interesting game class in the school premises under the supervision of the physical exercise trainer
Action: To encourage students to take part in the game class: group based sports for a duration of 30 minutes per day
Goal: Promotion of weight loss among the children and to increase the physical fitness of the students
Measurement of outcome: Decrease in the body mass index (BMI) after one month of the conduction of the sports class and
the weight post one month of sports or gamming class will be compared with the weight of the children before the initiation
of the class
(Feng et al., 2017)
In order to increase the provision for the supportive environment, the parents of the children in the NSW population will be
educated about the importance of the diet in the weight loss prevention and other healthy lifestyle activities that will be
restrict weight gain (Thompson, Watson & Tilford, 2018).