University Name Report: Obesity Prevention in Healthcare, Module 3 & 4

This report addresses obesity prevention in healthcare, focusing on two key areas: strategies to prevent obesity and the genetic determinants of obesity. The first part reviews a Cochrane library review on the effectiveness of diet and physical activity in preventing childhood obesity. The review indicates that while these strategies are often implemented, there is a lack of substantial evidence supporting their effectiveness, highlighting the need for further research. The second part of the report delves into the role of genes in the development of overweight and obesity. It discusses the inherited nature of obesity, noting that genetic factors can account for a significant variation in body mass within a population. The report emphasizes that even with similar lifestyles, genes can influence obesity, and that environmental factors like exercise and diet can also play a role in gene expression. The report concludes by referencing several studies that support these findings.

Running head: OBESITY PREVENTION
Obesity Prevention in Healthcare
Student Name
University Name
Author Note

1
PREVENTION
Module 3
Evidence for Obesity Prevention
Essential task 3.2 – Finding reviews relevant to obesity prevention
The title of the review chosen is “Do diet and physical activity strategies help prevent obesity
in children (aged 0 to 18 years)?” The review that has been chosen from the Cochrane library.
Obesity has been a prevalent issue worldwide and mostly among children. Physical and
mental health is seen to gradually deteriorate in children experiencing obesity. In the
following review, it is well understood that incorporating physical activity in our daily
lifestyle or improving out dietary intake, or both can influence the risk of obesity in an
individual (1). These strategies are to be implemented by the governments or parents who are
worried about their children being overweight.
Diet included with physical activity incorporated in the lifestyle of the children can decrease
their risk of obesity. However, there is no substantial evidence present to support the
positives of implementing either diet or physical activity in the lifestyle of the child. Research
must be conducted to understand the individual effects of the strategy. Usage of randomized
control trials for this study is beneficial as well as detrimental (2). Children from different
racial backgrounds were used to help in the study but they came up with no strong evidence
supporting the hypothesis.

2
PREVENTION
Module 4
Determinants of Obesity at the Individual Level
Essential task 4.3 - The role of genes in the development of overweight and obesity
Obesity is a prevalent disease in the world and it has been often observed that it is passed
down through the generations. Relatives who have been obese tend to have obesity running in
their genes which are being passed on to future generations. It is observed in the review that
thirty to seventy percent range of variation in body mass within a population is caused by
inherited or genetic factors.
According to the overview, it is said that even if the eating habits and exercise pattern of the
relatives have been same, genes relating to obesity still become active. Genes responsible for
obesity are passed on through the generations (3). There has not been much evidence on this
fact which is stated in the review. Although, general surrounding of ours do tell us that it is,
indeed, right.
The genes play a huge role in expressing obesity in an individual. The dominance is majorly
seen but recessive characters of genes are also sometimes observed (4). In the overview, it is
mentioned that larger population have seen inherited factors influence the expression of genes
concerned with obesity. These can be observed due to environmental factors of exercise and
diet.

3
PREVENTION
References
1. Dias KA, Coombes JS, Green DJ, Gomersall SR, Keating SE, Tjonna AE, Hollekim-
Strand SM, Hosseini MS, Ro TB, Haram M, Huuse EM. Effects of exercise intensity and
nutrition advice on myocardial function in obese children and adolescents: a multicentre
randomised controlled trial study protocol. BMJ open. 2016 Apr 1;6(4):e010929.
2. Pi-Sunyer X, Astrup A, Fujioka K, Greenway F, Halpern A, Krempf M, Lau DC, le Roux
CW, Violante Ortiz R, Jensen CB, Wilding JP. A randomized, controlled trial of 3.0 mg
of liraglutide in weight management. New England Journal of Medicine. 2015 Jul
2;373(1):11-22.
3. Van Dijk SJ, Molloy PL, Varinli H, Morrison JL, Muhlhausler BS, Buckley M, Clark SJ,
McMillen IC, Noakes M, Samaras K, Tellam RL. Epigenetics and human obesity.
International journal of obesity. 2015 Jan;39(1):85.
4. Campbell LV. Genetics of obesity. Australian family physician. 2017 Jul;46(7):456.