Obesity Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Obesity - Dissertation pillowcaseObesity is defined in the Ameri trick Heritage Dictionary as a condition of change magnitude body weight that is caused by an excessive accumulation of fat. Obesity has also been termed the new plaguey in both(prenominal) adults and children. In 1998 the World Health Organization (WHO) designated obesity as a global epidemic (Anrig, 2003). Healthc ar professionals can measure the percent of body fat in children by using automobile trunk Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated from a persons height and weight and go outs a healthy indicator of body fatness and weight categories that may lead to health problems. Establishing healthy habits in youth can help prevent many health problems later on in life which bequeath drastically reduce the costs of healthcare. For this reason many popular health professionals are interested in working with train systems to reach children in school settings. If we look back over the past 50 years we can see dramat ic changes in the way children play, eat meals, and socialize. Today lifestyles are busier except less active. (See table 1 in appendix A). Since 1950, the amount of nutritional information available to the public has roughly doubled every seven years. In the years between 1950 and 2000, obesity rose by 214% until today, where 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as being overweight or obese (Weiss, n.d.). notwithstanding though technology has taken away the need for most physical activity, there must be steps taken to provide cost effective solutions and provide a healthier lifestyle for children that ordain lead to healthy adults. The good news is that schools nationwide are becoming aware of this epidemic and are working with health professionals by taking steps to provide a healthy lifestyle for children. Schools can play an important role in improving the health of children and the adults they will become. Children generally attend school 5 day s a week throughout the calendar year. During childhood and adolescent years habits vex that determine physical activity and eating habits. These health habits will determine the development of such diseases as cardiovascular, cancer and diabetes which are now major causes of premature death and disabilities in the United States and the Western World. customary Health professionals are very interested in funding school based programs that can provide a foundation for lifelong healthy behaviors and greatly reduce the burden of these preventable health conditions for both individuals and society as a whole. There is largely an unmet need for effective school-based programs that promote healthy behaviors. It has not been an easy task engaging these partnerships for many reasons, one being funding. With the embracing of these school based programs by public health professionals, it is imperative that these programs be rigorously evaluated to show effectiveness. To be considered effect ive these programs must bear up under systematic measurement and analysis using solid research methods and study designs. The Center for Disease run across