Obesity Interventions among Low Income Adolescents in Washington DC

Task: Write a coursework on the indicated topic
Essay Topic: Weight Loss Camp for Low Income Washington, D.C Adolescents
Essay Type: Coursework
Length: 3 pages
Formatting: APA
Requirements: Provide a detailed description of the activities by Weight Loss Camp. Use up to 4 sources.
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Introduction

The rising cases of obesity have been well documented in Washington DC. The problem is particularly severe among children aged 14-18. The main triggers of the problem are nutritional excesses and physical inactivity among members of the age set. Interventions are needed urgently to stem the rising cases of obesity along with is associated complications.

Main interventions

As indicated, the main triggers of epidemic are a poor diet and lack of physical activity. Interventions will be targeted at these main causes to address the epidemic from its source. The interventions are planned as a program running for six months after which a new group will be admitted. The older group will serve as mentors to the young. The following are the main interventions points in the program:

i) Psychosocial support/counselling

Obese youths suffer from low self-esteem and do not have chance to express themselves on their state. Most of them live in denial oblivious of the harm that excessive body weight does to their young lives. The youths need to be counselled and made to accept their state and understand what they need to do to change. Counselling sessions will be held once every week and each participant will be encouraged to narrate the milestones achieved in the process of losing weight as the intervention program runs.

ii) Nutrition

Access to the right foods has been a problem for the residents. Households residing in low income housing schemes have limited access to grocery stores. For this reason, the intervention program will ensure ample deliveries to the neighborhoods twice or thrice per week.

iii) Education

The adolescents know little about the consequences of obesity including developing lifestyle diseases. Their parents are mostly working class age reoccupied with providing for their kids and paying the bills. Educating the youths will make them in charge of their dietary and fitness requirements thus removing the burden from their parents.

iv) Group activity

Low-income neighborhoods mostly have no streetlights and have stray dogs that endanger the lives of the residents. Besides, the areas have high levels of crime that endanger the resident’s lives. This makes them prefer to stay indoors watching television in most of the times. To address this, the youths will be encouraged to form teams that will be exercising together. This will make it less boring and more engaging to exercise as a group as opposed to working out alone.

Rationale for the intervention points

The above intervention strategies are based on Becker’s (1974) improvement of the Health Belief Model. The model posits that individual perceptions influence the choice of healthy behavior. The model also posits that individual’s attention and behavior towards the diagnosed illness can enhance preventive behavior. Becker model is based on four perceptual points including perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers and benefits.
Glanz et al, (2008) explained that individuals perceived risk of illness and disease can result in action. To this end, the counselling and educational sessions will explain the susceptibility of the adolescents to the risk of lifestyle diseases for them to take the program seriously. The main barriers to cutting weight in the area are poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. The program will address the barriers through offering deliveries for groceries thrice per week to the residents for the entire period to encourage them to see the results of healthy diet. In addition, the program will constitute fitness groups that will make it a lively competition to eat healthy and engage in physical activity. According to Dolan (2012), exercising as groups brings better and faster results compared to long fitness. Besides, Dolan explains that group fitness makes it easy to follow up after the end of the program.
The adolescents do not understand the severity of the problem that they face. To this end, the program will enlighten them on their Body Mass Indexes (BMI) and the dangers that they face in the process. The program will highlight group members who have already had lifestyle complications associated with excessive weight. The education sessions will also enlighten the participants of the benefits of the program on all aspects of their living including health and self-esteem.
Discussion
The silent obesity epidemic happens because of the slow nature of its occurrence as well as its delayed effects on the victims. There lacks a comprehensive approach especially among the low income neighborhoods to address the challenge of obesity. This program will focus on a four-point plan aimed at changing the youngster’s lifestyle and instilling in them a deep sense of responsibility. According to Katz, et al. (2005) the starting point of success for the program is when the youths take charge of the program and become their own instructors Only then will the program achieve results in the near term and prevent relapse afterwards.

References :

Becker, M. (1974). The Health Belief Model and Personal Health Behavior. Health Education Monographs. Vol. 2(4):1
Dolan, S. (2012). Benefits of Group Exercise. Indianapolis, IN: American College of Sports Medicine. Retrieved 13 July 2014 from the link http://www.acsm.org/access-public-information/articles/2012/01/20/benefits-of-group-exercise
Glanz, K., Rimer, B., Lewis, F. (2002). Health Behavior and Health Education. Theory, Research and Practice. San Francisco: Wiley & Sons
Katz, D. et al. (2005). A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Atlanta, GA.: Center for Disease Control. Retrieved 13 July 2014 from the link http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5410a1.htm

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I understood the topic the author was trying to write a paper about, but the paper itself is difficult to comprehend. The author treats grammar, punctuation, spelling, and syntax in a frivolous manner, and it makes the paper even more confusing.
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