Report on Child Obesity in Harrow, SH4001 Module, 2024

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of child obesity in the Harrow area, addressing the demographic profile, prevalence of the health issue, and affected populations, specifically focusing on health inequalities. It delves into the social determinants contributing to childhood obesity and examines relevant national and local policies, including the 2016 childhood obesity strategy. The report also details the public health provisions implemented in Harrow to combat child obesity, such as the Harrow obesity plan and the baby buddy app. The report utilizes academic sources and follows the Harvard referencing style to present a well-researched overview of the issue, its contributing factors, and the implemented strategies to mitigate its impact. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and recommendations for future interventions.

Report about
Child Obesity in
Harrow area
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Abstract
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Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Demographic Profile of XXX (200 words)..............................................................................................2
Health Issue in xxx (100 words).............................................................................................................2
Who is affected? Health Inequalities (criteria 1) (300 words)...............................................................3
Social Determinants of health (200 words)..........................................................................................3
Policy issues relating to xxxx (500 words)..............................................................................................3
National or Local Policy.....................................................................................................................3
Describe the policies..........................................................................................................................3
Public Health Provisions in your borough (500 words )........................................................................3
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................4
Reference List........................................................................................................................................5

Introduction
Child obesity is one of the most serious medical illness that has affected the lives of children
and adolescents. Children who are obese have more weight for their age and height. This type of
problem can lead to several type of other disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart
related problem. It can reduce the health outcome of children. There are various social determinants
linked to childhood obesity such as changing in lifestyle activities and physical activities. Present
report will lay emphasis on childhood obesity faced by children of Harrow. It will provide details
about demographic profile of Harrow.
Demographic Profile of HARROW (200 words)
It has been analysed from the research that about in five children are obese in Harrow. This
disease has increased economic costs for the borough. Children in Harrow are slightly less active
than other children in London and England. Harrow has a lower proportion of children doing physical
activity both inside school and outside school compared to London and England. It has also been
analysed that there are various social determinants which are been linked to the childhood obesity
like most of the children who are obese lives in poverty. They do not have access to better health
services which has made them obese. It has also been analysed that the children of Harrow are
physically inactive (Nishtar, Gluckman and Armstrong, 2016). They only have 5 portions of fruits and
vegetables in a day and has no dietary control which has made them obese. It has been analysed
that this health related problem can lead to further problems such as heart disease, diabetes and
can affect the health and lives of the children suffering from it severely. It can also be said that obese
children have low life expectancy in comparison to children who are been living in London. 61.5% of
the children in Harrow were partially breastfed and 38.5% were total. 17.7% of the population was
not been fed which has made them obese.
Health Issue in HARROW(100 words) (CHILD OBESITY)
The health issue which has been severely faced by the Harrow is child hood obesity. It has
been analysed that around 1 in 5 children is been suffering from the childhood obesity. This health
issue has reduced the health aspects of adolescents and children. This disease increases the
prevalence and is been associated with mortality. It further leads so many other health related
issues such as diabetes, cardio vascular problem. It has also been analysed that expectancy of life is
also lower. It has 6.1% lower, faced by the men and 5.6% less in the women (Rankin and et.al.,
2016).

Who is affected? Health Inequalities (criteria 1) (300
words)
According to Marmot Review based on health inequalities and published in England on Feb,
2010. It lays emphasis on the social determinants linked with the health aspects of the particular
area. It considers of the age, income, housing, poverty status of individuals suffering from health
related problems and where the inequalities in health exists. It basically comprises of the conditions
in which an individual lives and can lead to the health inequalities. These differences in the aspects
of health cannot be avoided. According to it the people of particular area are been deprived of basic
health services which has reduced their health outcome.
It has been analysed that obesity is basically being faced by those children more who are living in the
deprived area and do not have the access to basic health services and facilities. 79% of the children
who are living in deprived areas are facing the problem of obesity (World Health Organization,
2016). It has reduced their health outcome and also they are facing more serious health issues such
as diabetes, blood pressure. Even so many children have died because of the obesity faced by them.
In the deprived area the children with more weight was been found. They do not have an idea about
where to get health services to enhance their health outcome. It has also been analysed that around
20% of the children living in deprived areas have excess of the weight.
There are various social determinants which are been linked with the inequalities of health. Like for
example the children living in Harrow are been less engaged in physical activity which has reduced
their health outcome. They also do not have proper diet which is one of the main reason that
children have been suffering from the problem of obesity. It has affected their health adversely.
Social Determinants of health (200 words)
Define social determinants of health
The social determinants of health can be defined as that condition in which people lives,
grow and even work. It basically comprises of the conditions which are fully dependent on their
basic lives. The determinants can also affect the health outcome severely. It has also been analysed
that there are basically 5 type of determinants which can affect the health level of the people. It has
also been evaluated that there can be inequalities in health which can be faced by individuals and
can also affect their health outcome and growth.
Identify social determinant that relates to your health issue
There are various social determinants which are been linked to problem of obesity faced by
the children who are living in Harrow. It has been evaluated and said from the research that the
children who are been suffering from this health issue lives in poor and deprived areas of Harrow. It
is one of the main determinant which has affected the health outcome of children. It has also been
analysed that these children are also physically inactive and also they do not follow the healthy life
style choices. The children in Harrow were been engaged in having more fast food.
This section needs to be backed up with evidence- use literature – NO OPINIONS!

Policy issues relating to CHILD OBESITY (500 words)
Introduce the section
This section will provide the details about the policies which has been implemented by the
government in Harrow so that there are no increase number of cases related to child obesity is there
and also the implementation of policy will enhance the health outcome of children who have been
suffering from the problem of being overweight.
Introduce policy in general
It has been analysed that obesity has been one of the serious health issue which has been faced by
the children living in Harrow (Kumar and Kelly, 2017). For this the government has implemented
various policies. They have implemented the childhood obesity strategy in 2016 which has covered
the actions like the government is been engaged in motivating the children to be involved in taking
less amount of sugar.
National or Local Policy
Identify local or national policies that relate to your health or social care issue.
The obesity strategy 2016 has been implemented by the government of United Kingdom at local
level. In this policy they have been engaged in targeting mostly the deprived areas. It is because the
most of the children who are living in areas like Harrow are facing this health issues. These children
are being facing serious health issues later in life that’s why the government has taken the initiative
to implement these strategies and policies (Ward and et.al., 2017). These policies have included
various actions so that the health outcome of individuals suffering from obesity improves. They are
engaged in motivating the children to consume less amount of sugar like they are motivating them
to avoid the soft drinks which has high amount of refined sugar in it. This will enhance the health
outcome of children suffering from obesity.
What do they intend to do?
These policies have been implemented by the government and they intend to enhance the
health outcome of children who are been suffering from the problem of obesity. The policy is making
sure that the adolescents and children who are been going through obesity improves their life style
patterns and bring changes into it. They are motivating the children to be involved in the physical
activity as they are less engaged in it. This will help the children in enhancing their health outcome
and also in future they will not face the serious and chronic illness.
Describe the policies
The obesity strategy 2016 has taken various approaches so that the health outcome of children
suffering from obesity enhances (Simmonds and et.al., 2016). It has been analysed that these
policies have recommended to intake highly nutrient food so that the health outcome of children
can be enhanced and they are not been facing the serious illness in near future. If they do not follow
the guidelines given by these policies, the children can face problem like diabetes, cardio vascular
problem, blood pressure. These diseases can reduce the health outcome of children and can
severely affect their life. It has also been analysed that these policies have considered the social
determinants. They are emphasising on improvising the physical health of children by motivating
them to participate in doing exercise. These policies is also laying focus that children take less
amount of sugar so that they do not remain obese. These policies do not consist only behavioural
choices.

Public Health Provisions in HARROW(500 words )
Introduce the section
This section will consist of the public health provisions which are been implemented by Harrow in
order to enhance the health outcome of children who have been suffering from the childhood
obesity. The Harrow council has implemented the Harrow obesity plan for the public. The
government is being engaged in monitoring these plans.
Define and presents a brief background on public health – what does public health aim to do?
The public health provisions are basically being implemented so that the health outcome of public
suffering from various health issues can be solved out. The obesity plan of Harrow council has the
main objective that they clearly communicate the pathway and treatment procedures to patient so
that excess weight can be removed.
Identify the provisions
Harrow obesity plan is being engaged in making the children living in deprived areas accessing
services so that they can lose the extra weight which has been gained by them. These provisions also
have the aim that obese children are been involved in changing their life style pattern. The plan has
stated that the Harrow council will be involved in promoting the physical activity at local level. They
will also make sure that better health care services are been provided to all obese and excess weight
children and too without facing any type of health inequities. This will assist them in enhancing the
health outcome of children suffering from obesity (Singer and Lumeng, 2017). This will also save the
children from facing the serious illness in future such as heart disease, blood pressure or any other.
The obesity plan has also laid the focus on making children have healthy eating habits and make it as
their part of healthy life style activity. This will be given by early support services and it specially
includes the children centre. It has also been analysed that the obesity provisions launched by
Harrow has also implemented baby buddy app. In this app videos are being made available. These
videos are being based on how to adopt healthy eating habits by children so that they can be able to
lose weight. This app will assist and support children in enhancing their health outcome. It has been
analysed that because of the obesity faced in early child hood, children can become depressed and
also they can become anxious. This can affect their health outcome and also it can make their lives
more adverse. These provisions will also lay emphasis on the determinants of health. They make
sure that no inequalities related to health care services exists in Harrow. Guidance related to
maintaining healthy life balance will also be provided to family members of children who are obese
or have excess of weight. These policies have included various actions so that the health outcome of
individuals suffering from obesity improves. The provisions which has been implemented by Harrow
has also the objective to reduce the health inequities.
Conclusion
From the above study it has been summarised that children who have been living in
deprived areas has been suffering more from the obesity. It has also been analysed that these
children have not been following the proper diet and also they have no access to proper health care
services. This factor has affected their health outcome severely. It has also been analysed that
children who have been suffering from the obesity are living in deprived areas and also they do not
have proper income. The mortality rate has also been increasing because of the childhood obesity.

Reference List
Singer, K. and Lumeng, C.N., 2017. The initiation of metabolic inflammation in childhood obesity. The
Journal of clinical investigation, 127(1), pp.65-73.
Simmonds, M. and et.al., 2016. Predicting adult obesity from childhood obesity: a systematic review
and meta analysis.‐ Obesity reviews, 17(2), pp.95-107.
Ward, Z.J. and et.al., 2017. Simulation of growth trajectories of childhood obesity into adulthood. N
Engl J Med, 377, pp.2145-2153.
Kumar, S. and Kelly, A.S., 2017, February. Review of childhood obesity: from epidemiology, etiology,
and comorbidities to clinical assessment and treatment. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 92, No. 2,
pp. 251-265). Elsevier.
Rankin, J. and et.al., 2016. Psychological consequences of childhood obesity: psychiatric comorbidity
and prevention. Adolescent health, medicine and therapeutics, 7, p.125.
Nishtar, S., Gluckman, P. and Armstrong, T., 2016. Ending childhood obesity: a time for action. The
Lancet, 387(10021), pp.825-827.
World Health Organization, 2016. Report of the commission on ending childhood obesity. World
Health Organization.