Addressing Obesity in Vulnerable Children: A Comprehensive Report

This report investigates the critical issue of childhood obesity within vulnerable populations, emphasizing the significant challenges these children face due to factors such as genetics, socio-cultural influences, and environmental elements. The report highlights the importance of health literacy and proposes a comprehensive teaching plan to improve it. It details the interventions necessary to address the rising rates of obesity, including awareness programs for parents, regular monitoring of body weight, and the promotion of healthy eating habits and increased physical activity. The report also examines the issues surrounding childhood obesity, such as the influence of fast food, lack of exercise, and unbalanced diets. The ultimate goal of the report is to offer actionable strategies for preventing and mitigating the negative impacts of obesity, aiming to enhance the health and well-being of vulnerable children by fostering healthier lifestyles and providing the necessary tools for parents and caregivers to support their children's health.

Vulnerable Population

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................1
VULNERABLE POPULATION.....................................................................................................2
IMPROVING OBESITY ISSUE IN CHILDREN .........................................................................2
Intervention.............................................................................................................................2
Teaching plan.........................................................................................................................4
Evidence Supporting Intervention..........................................................................................5
Issues Surrounding.................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................7

ABSTRACT
Vulnerability is outlined as inability to meet basic needs properly within specific period
of time such as clothing, health care facility, food and most important shelter. To reduce these
issues, government of US required to take a initiative in order to describe pattern of health care
utilization among vulnerable population groups. These issues are majorly identified on low-
income as well as homeless children who are suffering from chronic health conditions. This
report focuses on a specific issue such as Obesity that has major impact on vulnerable children or
have been observed among all ages of individual. Major objectives of this project is to identify
key goals that requires to analyze and attain the solution of obesity issue during the study as well
as find most possible solution that will help in reducing its negative impacts easily.
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VULNERABLE POPULATION
Vulnerable determine a proper framework that affect access of health care quality as well
as status (Najavits & Hien, 2013). The project studies determination of various issues that
influence negatively on Vulnerable Population. Major topic which are going to cover in this
project are Obesity problem that has direct impact on Vulnerable population. To identify solution
of this disease, it is required to create major objective that assist to analyze appropriate area to
getting desired results. The purpose of paper is to improve health literacy of the population by
implementing authenticate sources and designing teaching plan for vulnerable group of people,
hence, identified objectives of analyzed project is to spread awareness towards Obesity and its
impacts on children.
IMPROVING OBESITY ISSUE IN CHILDREN
Health literacy is a critical term i.e. used to define capability of an individual to have
access on information related to health in order to maintain and promote them positively The
(Response of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Obesity Epidemic. 2018).
The US department of health and human services has determined that health literacy is a degree
to measure individual's capability to acquire and understand health related information in order
to make healthy decision easily.
As per the views of Adam Gordon, (2011) In US, major issue within health care sector is
identified such as Vulnerability which is defined as failure to meet basic needs properly or at a
time when these are requisite such as health care treatment, shelter and food. As in the basic
research of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (America's largest health care philanthropic
organization), this has defined that it is a major question mark on the health of children that how
might they prevented and mitigated from the problem of obesity. So for this, it is require that
government take an initiative to spread proper awareness about obesity and its impacts.
Objective of Intervention plan:
 Increase the population of children who are of healthy weight (Ferguson & Olson, 2014)
 Reduce the proportion of children who are obese.
Intervention
Obesity problem that has direct impact on children
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According to American Journal of Nursing, obesity is a product of number of
components such as; genetic, sociology-cultural, socioeconomic and environmental elements. In
fact, this has considered as most complex problem which is encountered by weaker section of
children due to number of reasons. For example; vulnerable kids are not having proper facilities
as well as not aware about the need of fitness in their life. However, number of articles,
newspapers, authors and specialist have introduced number of ideas for controlling obesity issue.
For instance; sometime health care sector have conducted numerous of awareness programs or
events for advising unaware people. Their main motive is to minimize the problem of obesity
within the country by creating healthy environment.
On contrary to this, as per the view of Christine Goldie who is a practice nurse
suggested numerous of ideas and thoughts on obesity problem. Along with this, her partners like;
Banff and Garmie Medical practice, NHS Grampian and other researcher took major
initiatives for advising on the obesity problem to those people whosoever are don't know about
its intervention, side effects, health issues and so on.
Initially primary care setting need to be design for a children in which some of the
activities must be accomplished which is expressed as follows-
Primary care- It means nurse needs to make positive relations with family members as
well as requisite to get aware about obesity for treating them in authentic way. Along with this,
they need to assess children who suffering from obesity on daily basis as it supports in
understanding reason of the problem.
Apart from this, vulnerable children who suffering from obesity needs more attention as
compared with well reputed family because weaker sections are unaware from necessary
information which aids in controlling the problem. Thus, some of the major intervention for
obese children's are described below-
 First or foremost thing is that awareness programs needs to conduct at social place for
teaching parents so that they can assist their kids.
 Show some real examples to them.
 Measure body weight on regular basis.
 Suggest them to live in hygienic place by cleaning their surrounding.
 Prepare a diet plan for them so that they can control the probabilities of mistake.
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Teaching plan
The process of this teaching plan is used to enhance health literacy among the target
population in order to reduce issues of obesity in children. Major requirement of this teaching
schedule is identify areas that assist to tackle such issues in kids because these are hard to
prevent in primary care (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. 2018).
Major Issue Causes Severe Effects and
reasons/effects
Prevention
Obesity
Heredity Medical issues -
 Type 2 Diabetes
 High blood pressure
 High Cholesterol
 Cancer
Low self-esteem -
 Some children
experience bullying,
teasing and mocking
Depression
 Inability to take part in
the physical and
routine activities will
lead to depression for
a Vulnerable child
 Child require to get
enough sleep.
(Duration 8-10 hrs.)
 Children should get
proper physical
activity.
(Duration 1-3 hrs.)
 Parents require to
improve eating
habits of their
children.
(Required diet – Fruits,
Vegetable, Whole grains,
fat free and low fat milk and
so on)
No physical activity
Unbalanced diet
Hydro-cortisone
excess
As per the above teaching plan it has been concluded that obesity is a major issue which
is affecting the life of children in various manner such as; some time they avoid to involve in
social activities. As a result they failed in acquiring basic knowledge for their successful life.
Hence, above plan is highly effective and indispensable for the development of children as it
helps to make them disciplinary toward diet and regular activities. Therefore, Nurses requires to
showcase such teaching plan in front of parents regularly in order to maximize awareness for its
cure.
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Evidence Supporting Intervention
Major focus area of this intervention plan is Vulnerable child obesity that tend to
suffering of several health issues and physical inactivity (Biddle & et. al., 2013). Emergence of
Fast Food Culture in US attracts large number of children's to consume items having high
amount of fat and sugars. Reduction in sedentary time is to remove the issue of obesity from
children's required to encourage them to bring themselves busy in different playing activities
rather than watching television and playing video games (Barbier, 2014). As per, American
Academy of Pediatrics, it was recommended that watching television for more than 2 hours in a
day is dangerous. So, it is important to involve themselves in different fun activities which aid is
reduction of their extra calories (Media use in children: American Academy of Pediatrics
recommendations. 2016).
Issues Surrounding
Children's are most vulnerable in nature having higher possibility of being attacked either
physically and emotionally. The major issues surrounded near children in US are obesity, lack of
child care, lack of early childhood education and homelessness which impact their health in
negative way. The main purpose of this paper is to highlight the some specific area as obesity
issues in children such as; enable to take part in social activities, sometime avoid to get mingle
with the kids of same age group, health problems like; high blood pressure and so on. The main
cause of arising situation of obesity in children's is eating too much and having less physical
exercise. The average amount of calories required to intake by children's in a day was 1800
(Estimated calories requirements, 2018). Due to presence of less physical activities, extra
calories are not burned and surplus energy will be stored in body as fat. The main two objectives
upon which government of US will provide focus is about increase in the number of children
who are having healthy weight and reduction in the amount of children's who are obese. Number
of ways which help to improve health literacy of children's and attain the targets which is
mentioned in teaching plan are defined below:
Encourage healthy eating habit: To remove obesity and promote accurate intake of
calories according to per day need in children's, required to develop healthy eating habits
(McInnes & et. al., 2013). In this regard, needed to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-
grain products, consumption of low fat and non fat milk and dairy products. Also, drinking lots
of water and avoid sugar-sweetened beverages (Centers of disease control and prevention, 2018).
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Increase physical activities: It was noticed that comfort and leisure is actively
increasing in US among children which negatively impact their health and results in obesity. To
burn extra calories, it is required to do physical exercise on regular basis (Maughan, 2012). On
daily basis, 60 minutes required to provide physical activities such as Brisk walking, jumping
rope, playing soccer etc. The different benefits grabbed by children's at early stage from such
activities includes decreasing blood pressure, strengthening bones and reduction in amount of
stress and anxiety (Runkle & et. al., 2012).
The overall research is going to attain objective of 2020 plan. However, main objective of
this plans is to reduce the proportion of obese adults by encouraging each or every children
towards healthy diet. As a result, trying to maximize the magnitude of healthy adolescents
(Nutrition and weight Status 2018).
CONCLUSION
From the above assignment it has been concluded that Obesity is the major concern
among children now-a-days because of many reasons such as unhealthy diet, no physical work,
over eating and several other. Obesity is giving their wide impact on vulnerable children's as well
in this situation there is requirement to consult with doctor or any fitness institution. So that,
children will not suffer from any other diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high
cholesterol, cancer and so on. Moreover, most important thing to overcome from obesity is to do
physical exercise which is identified in the above discussion.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Najavits, L. M., & Hien, D. (2013). Helping vulnerable populations: A comprehensive review of
the treatment outcome literature on substance use disorder and PTSD. Journal of
clinical psychology. 69(5). 433-479.
Ferguson, C. J., & Olson, C. K. (2014). Video game violence use among “vulnerable”
populations: The impact of violent games on delinquency and bullying among children
with clinically elevated depression or attention deficit symptoms. Journal of youth and
adolescence. 43(1). 127-136.
Biddle, L., & et. al., (2013). Qualitative interviewing with vulnerable populations: individuals’
experiences of participating in suicide and self-harm based research. Journal of affective
disorders. 145(3). 356-362.
Barbier, E. B. (2014). A global strategy for protecting vulnerable coastal populations. Science.
345(6202). 1250-1251.
Maughan, R. J. (2012). Hydration, morbidity, and mortality in vulnerable populations. Nutrition
reviews. 70(suppl_2). S152-S155.
Runkle, J. D., & et. al., (2012). Secondary surge capacity: a framework for understanding long-
term access to primary care for medically vulnerable populations in disaster recovery.
American journal of public health. 102(12). e24-e32.
McInnes, D. K., & et. al., (2013). Opportunities for engaging low-income, vulnerable
populations in health care: a systematic review of homeless persons’ access to and use
of information technologies. American journal of public health. 103(S2). e11-e24.
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Future of America's Vulnerable Populations: Have Your Say. 2011. [Online]. Available
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Nutrition and weight Status 2018. [Online]. Available
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The Obesity Epidemic, Part 2: Nursing Assessment and Intervention 2015.[Online]. Available
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