Master of Public Health - Child Obesity and Healthcare Report Analysis

This report delves into the critical issue of child obesity, focusing on the Australian context. It defines obesity, presents statistical data from 2017-2018 highlighting the prevalence of overweight and obese children, and explores various causes, including lack of physical activity, unhealthy diets, and genetic factors. The report outlines the significant effects of childhood obesity, such as body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and various medical consequences. It examines the factors contributing to the spread of obesity and proposes a strategic plan to address the issue, emphasizing a multi-sectoral approach and the transformation of obesogenic environments. The report includes references to relevant studies and concludes by emphasizing the need for effective strategies to prevent child obesity and improve the health of future generations. The assignment also includes a program theory and logic diagram for a program based on prioritized need, a clear program plan using goals, objectives, strategies and indicators in preparation for implementation and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement, communication strategies, and budget and time management strategies.

CHILD OBESITY
AND ITS
MEASURES
HEALTHCARE

What is Obesity
• Obesity and overweight can be defined ass the
accumulation of excessive fat that presents the risk
towards health. One of the crude population measures of
the obesity is the BMI , the weight of any person in terms
of kilograms that is divided by the square of is height.

Status of Obesity in Australia
• As per the data and the statistics of 2017-
2018 given by the Australian Bureau of
Statistics, more than 67 percent of the
Australians including children were obese
and overweight . This has been a rise from
the last updated statistics of 2014-2015.
• The Bureau of Statistics claimed that an
estimated amount or parentage of 28
percent of the children and the individuals
under the age group of adolescents in the
country of Australia has been reported to be
obese and overweight.

Causes of Obesity in Children
• Children in the current era tend to be overweigh
and obese for a wide variety of reason. Some of
the most common factors leading to obesity and
overweight among the children are as follows.
• Lack of proper physical activity
• Hormonal issues caused due to stress, depression
and anxiousness
• Unhealthy diet and overeating among children
• Results of the genetics
• Insulin peak

Effects of Obesity in Children
• The issues of overweight and childhood obesity is linked
with some of the high rate of the chances related to the
premature death and the disability among the
adulthood. Some of the major effects of the childhood
obesity can be illustrated as below.
• Dissatisfaction towards body and low rate of self esteem
• Symptoms related to eating disorders
• Medical consequences like the asthma, glucose
intolerance, insulin resistance, menstrual abnormalities
and orthopedic issues.

How Obesity is spreading among
children
• Body stores some of the unused energies to fat.
Some of the main factors contributing to the
spread of obesity among the children includes
the following.
• The choices of the food ; specially the junk and
the sugary foods
• Spending time for sedentary pursuits
• Genetically issues
• Lack of proper physical activities and overuse of
electronic gadgets

The Next Step

Planning for Strategy
• The overall goal of the plan for the strategy is to the halt the
rapid increase f the epidemic of the increasing rate of obesity
among the adolescents and children in Australia.
• The strategy includes multi- sectoral approach towards life on
the basis of a social and ecological model.
• The focus of the strategy is towards the transformation of the
current obesogenic environment towards the opportunities
regarding the increased intake of the nutritious food and
improved rate of the physical activity.

The process
Objectives Strategies Process
Indicators
Data
Collection
Methods
Impact/
Outcome
Indicators
Data
Collection
Methods
To the halt the
rapid increase of
the epidemic of
the increasing
rate of obesity
among the
adolescents and
children in
Australia.
To decrease the
unhealthy eating
habit of the
children in
Australia to deal
with obesity
Physical activities and
dietary goals
regrading the
prevention of obesity
School based programs
and policies. Strategies
for behavioral change.
Consulting physical
therapy specialist
Checking the weight of
the students ad the
children in school and
other sectors
Primary Healthy living
Bann of junk and
under processed food
Less eating of the
sugary drinks
Secondary and
primary
Project Title:
Goal:

Implementation of the process

Expected Outcomes

Nearby Future

Recommended Steps

Conclusion
• Child obesity is a critical issue. Australia has been one of
the top countries with high rate of obesity and overweight
among children. These are contributing to the high rate of
the health issues and the risk towards the burden of the
disease through out the country. The next step is to
prevent the issue for the health of the children and the
near future. Implementation of effective strategies is thus
essential for the prevention plan.

References
• Allender, S., Millar, L., Hovmand, P., Bell, C., Moodie, M., Carter, R., ... & Orellana, L. (2016).
Whole of systems trial of prevention strategies for childhood obesity: WHO STOPS childhood
obesity. International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(11), 1143.
• Hayes, A., Chevalier, A., D'Souza, M., Baur, L., Wen, L. M., & Simpson, J. (2016). Early
childhood obesity: Association with healthcare expenditure in Australia. Obesity, 24(8),
1752-1758.
• Sun, Y., Mensah, F. K., Azzopardi, P., Patton, G. C., & Wake, M. (2017). Childhood social
disadvantage and pubertal timing: a national birth cohort from Australia. Pediatrics, 139(6),
e20164099.
• van Jaarsveld, C. H., & Gulliford, M. C. (2015). Childhood obesity trends from primary care
electronic health records in England between 1994 and 2013: population-based cohort
study. Archives of disease in childhood, 100(3), 214-219.

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