Public Health Promotion Plan: Obesity and Aboriginal Australians

This report presents a public health promotion plan focused on addressing the growing concern of obesity, with a specific emphasis on the Aboriginal population in Australia. The plan begins with an intervention summary highlighting the global and national implications of overweight and obesity, including the associated risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic health issues. A community analysis is conducted, focusing on the Aboriginal community, considering factors such as socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and prevalence rates. The report analyzes the problem of obesity, citing statistics and data from Australian governmental sources, emphasizing the increased health burden and risk factors. A stakeholder analysis identifies key players and their roles in addressing obesity. The plan details health interventions and promotion strategies, including the importance of physical activity, cultural sensitivity, and community-based approaches. Determinants analysis and evaluation plans are discussed, highlighting social determinants of health and the need for evidence-based approaches. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing obesity through a holistic approach, considering cultural and linguistic barriers, and focusing on the well-being of the Aboriginal community. The plan highlights the need for educational initiatives and the promotion of healthy lifestyle choices to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of obesity-related diseases. The plan also discusses the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the importance of addressing low nutritious food choices to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of obesity-related diseases.

Running head: PUBLIC HEALTH PROMOTION PLAN
PUBLIC HEALTH PROMOTION PLAN
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Authors note:

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Intervention summary statement
Overweight and Obesity is now a growing concern for the global health and food
security. The imbalance in the intake of food can lead to several consequences that may
possess threat to the sustainable food habits out comes (Grunert, Hieke & Wills, 2014).
Hence, there needs to be a sound analysis of the health and the things we intake for our daily
lifestyle. Obesity is a medical condition in which there is an excessive accumulation of body
fat, and has been associated with some serious health problems. Therefore, obesity is not only
a national concern but it is a global concern. Obesity has been related with major diseases
like Cardiovascular disease, Chronic kidney disorders, diabetes mellitus and other chronic
health diseases (Bastien et al., 2014). With proper understanding and educating people about
its risks and benefits could enable the people to make better decision for themselves and for
others. The lifestyle factors and obesity are intricately related with obesity. There are several
risk factors associated with obesity however, there are some protective factors as well which
would be discussed broadly in the paragraphs. In the following paragraphs there will be
discussion about the obesity with the target population being the Aboriginals, considering
the rural as well as in the urban health in the scenario.
Community analysis
With the increase of health problems related to obesity and being overweight among
the Australians, the focus has been put on the Aboriginals as the target group. There is not
only the food choice which matters, but also there are certain social and economic
considerations has to be looked upon when it comes to the health promotion among this
community in Australia. The focus has been given towards the people who are at younger age
from childhood to the age of 25 years of age, therefore, the health promotion plan is aimed at
young population among the Aboriginals. There are certain factors which are associated with

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the obesity and overweight which include the health behaviour factors socio-economic
factors which has to be noted and considered for promotion of better Body Mass Index
among the Aboriginal Australians. Moreover, when it was compared between the Australians
and Aboriginal Australians the prevalence of obesity was observed as 39% among the
Aboriginal Australians, however the obesity prevalence was observed in non-Indigenous
people it was found at around 22% (Thurber et al., 2018). There are key factors like
remoteness of the people living, physical activity, education, are level disadvantages among
the Aboriginals. The reason of escalating obesity and obesity related other health problems
among the Aboriginals is that there is an excess intake of energy in take than the normal or
the average level of intake of energy. However, the situation becomes complex with other
factors like essential causes and other determinants that lead to this health condition among
the Aboriginal Australians. It is important that the considerations should be intricately
understood with the details of social as well as political and social economic factors.
Understand these factors will enable the health promotion plan to associate the driving causes
and factors associated with the obesity and overweight among the Australian Aboriginals.
Problem analysis
According to Australian Government-Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
(2019), in Australia there are 2 in 3 Australian adults who are overweight or obese putting
themselves at the risk of chronic conditions. There is an increase of the people being
overweight around 19% from the year 1995 among Australian adults. The overall burden of
the disease which was reported in Australian Burden of Disease Study 2011, 7.0% of the total
health burden. Most importantly the report suggests that people who are under the age of 25
are at greater risk of adding to the overall health burden. There is a risk of developing chronic
diseases as there is an increase of weight in the body, not only that there are other
complications of being overweight and managing other chronic conditions and diseases.

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There is a possibility increase of the health burden in the near future due to the elevation and
rise of being overweight and obesity. There is an association of diabetes burden which
accounts for 53% of the overall health burden which is also due to the excessive weight gain
and obesity in the people of Australia (Australian Government-Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare, 2019). The recent reports of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ National Health
Survey for the year 2017-2018, there are two thirds of the Australians are overweight and
obese (Australian Government-Department, 2019). This data represents that 12.5 million
people are obese and overweight. According to Thurber et al. (2018) there is an observable
high body mass index among the Aboriginal Australians and there is substantial evident
proportion of excess prevalence of obesity among the Aboriginals than the non-Aboriginal
people. However, there are certain social as well as economic factors associated with the
prevalence of obesity and being overweight among the Aboriginals. Health behaviour factor
is also an important point to consider among this population.
Stakeholder analysis
According to the Heart Foundation (2019), there are 29% of Indigenous Australians who are
over the age of 18 years of age are overweight, and there around 39% of the aboriginals
Australians who are 39% obese over the age of 18. The mortality risk of Aboriginals and
Torres Strait Islander peoples is around 12 % of the total deaths due to heart related diseases
(Hear Foundation, 2019). The primary focus has to be made on the sedentary health
behaviour on the people living in the non-remote areas as well as remote areas that are adding
up to the health burden in Australia. Health promotion plan has to be included in accordance
with physical activity because of which they would be able to eliminate the risks of obesity
and obesity related disorders among the Indigenous Australians. To understand the
achievable and better health outcomes for the Aboriginal Australians it is important to
evaluate the factors which are influencing the specific diseases including obesity. Apart from

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that it is also important to understand the cultural diversity and sensitivity when it comes to
health promotion plan. It would enable the people understand the severity of the disease and
how it is influenced and consequences of the obesity and being overweight. It might be the
individual factors, or the cultural influences or the environmental factors that shape up of the
person’s choice when it comes to the factor of health choices they make (Maneze et al.,
2015). There is around direct financial cost or investment on this community which was
estimated to be 21.0 billion dollars per year in the year 2005, however, the government
subsidies and welfare were estimated to be around 56.6 billion dollars in a year (Stevens et
al., 2018). Health interventions and health promotion are important for providing a platform
for addressing better lifestyle and creating the design for the health promotion activities
among the people. According to O’Donoghue et al. (2014), Indigenous primary health care
services provides a comprehensive view about the gathering information, understanding the
communities, recording the plan, understanding local and primary health care settings in
health care and promotion plans. The goal attainment plans have to be therefore, realistic and
culturally acceptable at the same time. There are Shared Medical Appointments or SMA
which is effective as well as efficient where are the individual and unique medical needs are
assessed and evaluated by the health workers and general physicians (Maneze et al., 2015).
Hence important to manage the health in case of obesisty and also establish an educational
and learning platform for people. There has to be adequate information and awareness
propagated about the essential intake of the vegetable consumption as well fruit consumption
that would also reduce the chances of the obesity and other heart related problems in
Australia.
Determinants Analysis & Evaluation Plan
Obesity is also related with increase of elevated waist circumference, and is also
related with the cardiovascular disease among the Abdominal Australians (Adegbija, Hoy &

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Wang,2015). Education, employment options as well as the environment are major factors
when it comes to the social determinants of health considering the aboriginals. By nature, the
determinants analysis is very complex, critical as well sensitive (Baker et al., 2017). There
are certain health gaps associated with population of Australia between the Indigenous and
non-Indigenous population, which can lead towards the health inequalities among the
Australians. The Australian Government has been persistent in closing the gap by giving
them certain facilities and healthy options (Mitrou et al., 2014). There are various social
determinants of health associated with the obesity and the prevalence of obesity among the
Australians as well as Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. The
majority of people in Australia who are over 18 years of age do not make the necessary
requirement to meet the goal of recommended or advisable intake of nutritious diet
supplements like fruits and vegetables which is around 97% of the population. Indigenous
females are greater risk of developing obesity than the males which is approximately 43 %
whereas in males it is 36% (Heart Foundation, 2019). Addressing the issue of obesity and
being overweight has to be community based or community wide approach which also has to
be multi-faceted. Currently there are broad ranges of the evaluation plans and programs
associated with the obesity, some of them are driven by the non-governmental while many of
the campaigns are held by the governmental organisations. This will enable the participants to
have an informed decisions and better health outcomes when it comes to health promotion in
case of obesity and being overweight. There has to be Evidence based approach to better
understand the requirements and needs of the people living in remote and so that there is over
all health and wellbeing. The importance of exercise and educating people at younger age
could make them choose better for themselves in the available health solutions. Therefore,
there should be educational meetings in a way that they could understand the importance of
maintaining healthier lifestyle patters irrespective to their origin and community. There are

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Australian Dietary guidelines which could be evaluated and used for health promotion (Eat
for Health, 2019). The main objective of the health promotion plan is to make people aware
about the problems associated with obesity and benefits associated with the adaptation of
healthier lifestyle, that would lead them to live better and more fulfilling life. Health
promotion in this case is not merely based upon improving the health condition but to uplift
the life of the Indigenous people in a holistic, which would make physically as well as
mentally free of all the negative impacts caused by the effect of the obesity. The objective of
the health promotion plan has to be above the cultural and linguistic barriers so that the main
idea of promoting the health promotion in Obesity which would be propagated among the
target group as well as could be addressed to diverse range of people about Australia
(Marwick et al., 2014). Special consideration has to be given to young females who are at
greater risk of developing obesity related cardiovascular disorder CVD not only in Australia
but globally (Mitchell & Shaw, 2015). One of the important factor is low nutritious food
choices that has to overcome, and could also relax the food insecurity globally (Bhawra et al.,
2015).
Conclusion
From the above discussion it could be understood that it could be concluded that many
Australians are in the recent instances are creating and developing prevalence of obesity.
However, from the above discussion it could be further analysed that Aboriginal Australians
are at greater risk of developing obesity. Obesity is a disease which is not related to one
disease but the development constant obesity can cause complex attributions to chronic
disorders such as cardiovascular disorder, diabetes and other chronic conditions. The target
group in the health promotion plan here has been selected is young Aboriginal Australians,
especially females who are at greater risk and has to be assessed approached along with
community compliance.

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References
Adegbija, O., Hoy, W., & Wang, Z. (2015). Prediction of cardiovascular disease risk using
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Australian Government-Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019). Impact of
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Australian Government-Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019). Overweight &
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