In the recent past, childhood obesity has increasing become a public health issue that has increasingly major concerns in the health sector to the extent that it has drawn the interest of legislators and policy-makers into trying to find a long-lasting solution to it. Childhood obesity may be described as is a serious medical condition that has a higher tendency of affecting adolescents and children. One of the troubling facts about the public health issue of childhood obesity is that it is linked to other serious medical conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Childhood obesity could also be associated with cases of depression and low self-esteem among the victims (Sameera & Amar, 2014).
Description of the Public Health Issue and Importance to the Nursing Profession
The formulation and implementation of public health policies towards the management of childhood obesity could strategically reduce its prevalence by focusing on improvement of eating habits as well as emphasizing on physical exercise. The issue of public health policy on childhood obesity is of major interest to the profession of nursing since the health practitioners, and medical caregivers in the nursing industry play a considerable role in influencing healthy living in the lives of the victims of childhood obesity. Moreover, nurses have a crucial role to play in determining the kind of policy-making model that would be effective in addressing the issue of childhood obesity as a public health concern. Furthermore, nurses in the nursing profession may utilize various models in policy formulation and implementation namely the policy stream model, the rational approach model, the stage sequential model and incrementalism model. The appropriate policy frameworks in addressing the challenges brought about by the high prevalence of childhood obesity across the world and particularly in the United States calls for the adoption of effective strategies such as the active involvement of nurses and other health care givers in the policy implementation programs (Cheung et al ., 2016).
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The Specific Problem and Background
The problem of childhood obesity has, in the last couple of years, been regarded as a national epidemic in most nations around the world including the United States. Furthermore, Arkansas is among the states that have recently recorded the highest prevalence rate of childhood obesity in the United States. According to some of the recently released findings, the rate of adult obesity in the state of Arkansas stood at 35.7 percent in August the year 2017 which was an increase from 17.0 percent in the year 1995. In this case, the collected data indicated an existing link between childhood obesity and adult obesity in the sense that majority of those who were suffering from adult obesity has once suffered from childhood obesity in their early life. The creation of appropriate public health policy framework to deal with the issue of childhood obesity could assist in addressing the adverse impacts of childhood obesity such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical morbidity during adulthood, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes (Consiglieri, Leon-Chi & Newfield, 2017).
Need for Changes to the Existing Laws and Regulations
The growing trend about cases of childhood obesity in the state of Arkansas despite having existing laws, policies, and regulations is a clear indication that some changes need to be introduced and implemented. In this regard, the realization of the necessary changes could be facilitated through the involvement of legislators and policy-makers in the creation of an enabling policy framework and implementation environment. Efficient prevention and management of childhood obesity across the state of Arkansas could be made possible by making major or slight adjustments to the laws, policies and, regulations on childhood obesity as a public health concern. While there may be a need for new laws, the existing ones ought to be amended. For example, federal Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 would need to be enhanced in a manner that focuses on the inclusion of the eating habits and physical activities of children while they are away from school. The design of the policy framework represented by this law involved the inclusion of wellness programs in schools to target children suffering childhood obesity (Kristensen et al ., 2014).
Recommendations on New Health Policy
The recommended health policy on childhood obesity for the state of Arkansas would be founded on coming up with a clear definition, explanation, and understanding of physical activity programs in Early Care and Education (ECE) environments. This recommended policy will seek to improve adjust the one created by the federal Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 in the sense that teachers, parents, and pupils will be provided with detailed and clear frameworks and guidelines for physical activity programs in schools and at home. Also, the changes introduced through the new health policy on childhood obesity will focus on the actualization of the school wellness programs through simple and gradual steps rather than large complex ones. The model of the policy framework that would be appropriate for adoption by this new public health policy incrementalism model owing to its stepwise and gradual approach towards implementation and actualization of the physical activity and healthy diet programs (Cheung et al ., 2016).
Review of thoughts regarding the chosen policy issue
The context of the public health policy chosen in this case is described by the extent to which the effects of childhood obesity have been felt and experienced within the state of Arkansas in the United States. Moreover, the shortage and effectiveness regarding policies, laws, and regulations to prevent or manage the problem of childhood obesity have necessitated the taking the place of the debate and discussion around the idea of introducing new policies and, regulation through the involvement of state legislatures. Over the last couple of years, the state of Arkansas has continued to grapple with the challenges of failing to set clear guidelines for physical activity programs in Early Care and Education (ECE) and other institutions of learning attended by the adolescents. The goal of introducing the new health policy in this context is to ensure that the high prevalence of childhood obesity that has been experienced over the last couple of years in the state of Arkansas. This goal could be achieved through selection from a wide range of options presented by policy formulation models namely the policy stream model, the rational approach model, the sequential stage model and incrementalism model. Upon evaluation and consideration of the available options, it is clear that the most appropriate model for addressing this policy issue would be the incrementalism model (Frieden, Dietz & Collins, 2010).
Recommended solutions
The policy solution that would be appropriate for consideration by the legislator would entail setting structures and frameworks for well-laid down and elaborate programs associated with physical activities and healthy eating patterns in institutions of Early Care and Education (ECE). In this regard, the legislator could engage insights from other policymakers as well as all the relevant stakeholders in refining and improving this particular idea towards policy solution. The main objective of the solution obtained through the deliberations by the legislator, policymakers, and the relevant stakeholders would be to ensure that the prevalence of childhood obesity is significantly reduced in the state of Arkansas (Sameera & Amar, 2014).
Finding Information about the Current Status of Childhood Obesity Health Policy
Information, statistics, and data concerning the present status of the issue of health policy formulation about childhood obesity and its prevalence can be found on websites owned by the federal and state health department. Professional organizations and local, national and international levels such the American Nurses Association. Regular and timely alerts or status updates regarding this issue may also be found from the regular updates released by the World Health Organization through its websites or published reports (Kristensen et al ., 2014).
Levels of government involved
The issue of policy improvement and policy change with the objective of reducing cases of childhood obesity involves different levels of government including local, state, and federal. However, the immediate target and the main focus of the health policy, in this case, include the local and the state government. This is because the legislator and policymakers expected to be actively involved in pushing for the formulation and implementation of this public health policy are representatives of people within a district, county, and state (Consiglieri, Leon-Chi & Newfield, 2017).
The Legislator to be Contacted
The legislator to be contacted for this healthcare policy is Stephen Magie of District 72 in Faulkner County, Arkansas. He is serving his third term in the House of Representatives. Dr. Magie attended high school in Morrilton, Arkansas, college at the University of Central Arkansas and medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He currently practices in Conway, Arkansas.
Conclusion
In summing up, it is worth acknowledging that the nursing profession has a crucial role to play in the management, control, and prevention of childhood obesity through involvement as one of the relevant stakeholders. This role comes out clearly in the process of formulating and implementing new public health policies, laws and regulations. The need for coming up with policy changes is motivated by the serious health and emotional challenges associated with high prevalence of childhood obesity.
References
Cheung, P. C., Cunningham, S. A., Naryan, K. M. V., & Kramer, M. R. (2016). Childhood Obesity Incidence in the United States: A Systematic Review. Childhood Obesity , 12 (1), 1–11. http://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2015.0055
Consiglieri, G., Leon-Chi, L., & Newfield, R. (2017). Policy Challenges in the Fight against Childhood Obesity: Low Adherence in San Diego Area Schools in California Education Code Regulating Physical Education . Journal of Obesity . 483017, 1-5. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2013/483017/
Frieden, T., Dietz, W., & Collins, J. (2010). Reducing Childhood Obesity Through Policy Change: Acting Now To Prevent Obesity. Health Affairs , 29 (3), 357-363. http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0039
Kristensen, A. H., Flottemesch, T. J., Maciosek, M. V., Jenson, J., Brownson, R. C. (2014). Reducing Childhood Obesity through U.S. Federal Policy: A Microsimulation Analysis. American Journal of Preventive Medicine , 47 (5), 604–612. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2014.07.011
Sameera Karnik and Amar Kanekar. (2014) A narrative review of public health policies for Childhood obesity prevention in the United States. Journal of Local and Global Health Science , 1, 4. https://doi.org/10.5339/jlghs.2014.4
