Obesity Programs: Why Education and Research Proposal

If children are eating for comfort or binge eating regularly, it would be beneficial to add counseling programs to the Activ8Kids! program.

I think that a spokesperson who is a healthy role model for kids would be great for this program. America Ferrara, the star of Ugly Betty, might be a good spokesperson, as she is beautiful and curvy. She represents a healthy weight that is achievable for most people today. As a spokesperson for the program, she could help spread awareness to schools, students, and parents about the program's offering, which would include:

Counseling for children that includes individual treatment goals and approaches

Family support throughout treatment

Regular assessment and monitoring

Health screenings

Recommendations for dietary changes and increases in physical activity, along with support and counseling to ensure success

This program is dependent on the cooperation of families, healthcare providers, healthcare insurers, government agencies, schools, food vendors, and public health counselors. Support for research on the development and testing of interventions to prevent and treat overweight in children is another important dependency.

Family involvement and counseling is key to the success of this program, which is why this program will be promoted primarily at family events and during parent-teacher conferences. By teaching families how to work with schools to develop and ensure healthy lifestyles for children, this program aims to reduce the prevalence and severity of childhood obesity.

Conclusion

Obesity is easier to prevent than to treat, which is why school programs need to focus on education and support before it is too late. When it comes to children, education and support must include proper nutrition, smart snacks, good physical activity habits, and reduced television viewing.Unfortunately, due to the prevalence of obesity in the United States, it appears that adequate education and support are not provided in school environments today.

In cases where preventive measures are unsuccessful, programs should focus on building self-esteem and addressing psychological issues. The recommended program addresses these issues and would serve as an excellent addition to New York's Activ8Kids! program.

Bibliography

American Heart Association. (2008). Obesity and Overweight. Retrieved from the Internet at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4639.

Associated Content. (April 24, 2007). Weighing the Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Surgery. Retrieved from the Internet at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/211937/weighing_the_pros_and_cons_of_weight.html.

Charlton Research Company. (September, 2006). Americans Split on Who's Responsible. Retrieved from the Internet at http://www.researchamerica.org/release_06dec13_endocrinepoll.

Daniels, MD, Stephen. Arnett, Donna, Eckel, Robert. (2005). Overweight in Children and Adolescents. American Heart Association Journal:;111:1999-2012.

New York State Department of Health. (2006) Activ8Kids. Retrieved from the Internet at http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:NKGM99aQHJ4J:healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/hsmrs/New%2520York/New%2520York%2520State%2520School%2520Nutrition%2520and%2520Physical%2520Activity%2520Best%2520Practices%2520Toolkit.pdf+activ8kids&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us.

WebMD. (2008). Treatment for Obesity. Retrieved from the Internet at http://www.webmd.com/diet/tc/obesity-treatment-overview?page=4......