child health and nutrition

 child health and nutrition

 Abstract Background 2.1 Introduction 3.1 Childhood obesity rates in America are among the highest globally. This is attributed to poor diet, lack of physical activity and inadequate feeding programs that fail to address these issues. Childhood obesity contributes significantly to adult-onset diabetes and increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). The United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reports that over 42% of children and adolescents are overweight (6–19 years) or obese (2–19 years). As a result, they face significant health risks. These concerns have led policymakers and policy makers to formulate strategies to improve the health of children. 2.2 Research Questions 6.1 Do we need more childhood obesity prevention efforts as there are growing disparities between populations? Are efforts needed to promote healthy eating and active lifestyles? How should we make these changes effective? 6.2 What role do community health workers play in preventing obesity? Does their involvement have a positive impact on a population ’s health? Do all communities need effective interventions for children to be healthy? 2.3 What influences community health worker behavior and how can this knowledge be used to improve the health of communities? 2.4 Does community health worker education need to move beyond current models and focus on preventative and secondary health needs? 2.5 Why does it take so long to start addressing childhood obesity problems? 2.6 What should our research and advocacy teams in the future do more about childhood obesity? Conclusion 4.2 Healthy diets and exercise are important for overall well-being, but too little is being done to help young people improve their health. It is imperative to help children create an environment where they feel able to express themselves and thrive. Many programs and policies need to begin immediately and continue throughout childhood, especially around what matters most – healthy eating and physical activity. We must ensure that all children receive this care, even those who lack resources or need support. 4.3 Is there enough data to guide public policy decisions? With new data, can we better inform existing programs? This includes funding research and development, ensuring adequate numbers of trained professionals to work in community health programs and investing in technology to enhance delivery. 5.1 Future challenges 10.1 In order to meet children ’s health needs, advocates must collaborate. They will need partners from other sectors such as healthcare, academia, industry, civil society and government to get the best outcomes. Children depend on each of us to step up to fight stigma against autism and childhood obesity. Increasing evidence from recent studies shows some progress but much more still needs to be done. For example, in 2012 alone 1.8 million preschoolers faced hunger, making them ineligible for food stamps. If adopted, this could be an enormous crisis for many communities, including mine. I am also focused on increasing the number of pediatric dental services in my community. There has been a lot of talk from various sources in my past few weeks with regards to ‘the challenge ’ of teaching children as early and as often as possible about important health topics. However, I still believe the main issue remains early screening, treatment and supportive environments. Although great strides have been made in improving the quality of life for many young children, and increasing awareness, I still think the biggest barrier to meeting their health needs and their social well-being is access. My belief is that there is little to no doubt that the root cause for high rates of obesity in America is a broken system. Policies and legislation that do not prioritize nutrition and physical activity opportunities need to change urgently. Because of these systemic failures, poor food choices and reduced physical inactivity are causing massive societal damage. Furthermore, a large percentage of American families are working very hard to ensure that their children are not malnourished and are healthy people from birth. Even though this process is extremely difficult, it is the right thing to do. To become healthier, our country must put actionable strategies into place. 4.4 Opportunities 7.1 Can we use new opportunities to reduce obesity? Our nation spends nearly $500 billion annually to tackle healthcare problems related to chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, lung disease and mental illness. These include Medicaid expansion, Medicare expansion, private sector investment, greater federal investment in behavioral health and substance abuse treatment, and enhanced infrastructure for mental health and addiction services. All these improvements will increase overall economic growth which will lead to even more Americans living longer and healthier lives. However, when we look at health-related problems like obesity and its effects on productivity and quality of life, we find many of these same opportunities have been severely neglected. Can we see new ways to reduce the burden of obesity and other chronic diseases while maximizing our overall economic opportunity? I think that we can. Here are some ideas and actions that I can see for reducing the costs and optimizing our overall health while empowering children and families. 8.1 Identify the root causes that contribute to widespread health inequities. A recent study found that over 70% of Hispanic/Latino and African American adults suffer from health conditions that are associated with a higher prevalence than the U.S. general population. These include depression and anxiety, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, and cardiac issues. Despite these common health conditions, less than one third of African Americans and Latinos receive care from primary care physicians compared to half of whites. That’s why it is crucial to invest in early screenings to reduce the burden of disease while supporting preventive and secondary health. This includes improved medical systems that work together to make sure patients have access to quality, affordable or innovative healthcare. Programs need to be created by collaborating across different sectors to support early diagnosis as well as health promotion programs. 9.2 Improve programs that provide optimal support and support to vulnerable populations. Studies show that people of color are four times likely to be incarcerated. Additionally, poor socioeconomic conditions and educational disparities often impact a child’s success as they grow up. This can lead to early substance abuse or exposure to communicable diseases. Improving comprehensive initiatives that address these challenges can improve the health status of marginalized populations and may result in lower mortality rates, greater longevity, and lesser incidence of chronic illnesses and disability. Addressing these gaps in our public health system will require broad collaboration across disciplines from law enforcement to community based organizations.