Epidemiology study involves evaluation of an often diseases that is prevalent within a group of people and providing strategies of intervention and management of patients. This paper covers the epidemiology of obesity among people living in West Virginia communities. The paper covers five major sections in which it provides the description of obesity problem among West Virginia community, analysis of obesity suing Milo’s Framework of Prevention, comparison of the obesity problem in West Virginia community to Healthy People 2020 national goals, and probable long term goals and short-term goals and intervention of obesity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalent obesity in Mid-Ohio Valley, West Virginia and providing intervention measures for obesity.
Mid-Ohio Valley in West Virginia is facing an obesity problem throughout the community. The population of residents in Mid-Ohio Valley is estimated at 133,280, spread across Calhoun County, Pleasants County, Roane County, Ritchie County, Wood County, and Wirt County. The obesity rates for the six Mid-Ohio Valley’s counties range from 31% to 34%. West Virginia obesity rates are a concern since the state is considered to have the highest obesity rate in the United States with 68%. Obesity prevalent in West Virginia is reflected by statics that indicates obesity among West Virginia children between ages 11-18 is higher than the national average at 35%. Research indicates that obesity incidence among families with low-income is disproportionately higher than incidence rates among families with higher-income (CDC, 2013). The state also is ranked fourth in the U.S. in terms of poverty level with that are the Federal poverty level. Several research materials indicate that more than 18% of West Virginia residents and approximate 25% of children aged 18 years and below are living below the Federal poverty level. Also, West Virginia residents diagnosed with chronic diseases record the highest percentage in the country. Therefore, the higher rate of obesity in Mid-Ohio Valley is associated with factors such as a high level of poverty among its residents which results in different causes of obesity.
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Analysis of Mid-Ohio Valley Obesity Problem Using Milo’s Framework of Prevention
Milo’s Framework of intervention is a community-based and population-focused care concept that describes roles that community health nursing should play in examining the determinants of the community’s health and use public policy to influence those determinants. According to the prepositions of Milo, the high rate of obesity in the Mid-Ohio Valley population is a result of the deprivation of critical health resources. For instance, individuals and families that live in a high level of poverty status tend to have a high obesity incidence rate compared with middle or upper-class individuals and families (Milio, 1976). Another analysis, according to Milo proposition, is that a population behaviors that influence their health to arise from actual or perceived choices available, believe, and expectations that result from socialization, education, and experience. To reduce obesity among the Mid-Ohio Valley community, individuals have to have the ability to make positive lifestyle choices such as regular exercise and proper diet or nutrition. However, the Mid-Ohio Valley community tends to lack the ability due to low socioeconomic status and educational level that can influence their lifestyle choices.
Another analysis based on Milo’s framework of prevention that health promotion options are important in the alteration of patterns of behavior resulting from the shift in the choice-making of the populations. The health-promoting options in Mid-Ohio Valley that support the reduction of obesity among the community should be readily provided, be less costly, and offer different gains if selected (Milio, 1976). Lastly, Milo preposition indicates that without concurrent availability of alternative health-promoting options for persona resources investment, it is likely that health education will not be effective in changing behavior patterns of the population. For instance, in the Mid-Ohio Valley community, addressing obesity and overweight is hindered since most people have enough health education about the causes of obesity, but tend to reluctant when making lifestyle decisions that can prevent obesity. New information such as changes in diet or new medication can help in attracting attention and influencing positive behavior changes within the community.
Healthy People 2020 National Goals Related to Obesity
Healthy People 2020 contain several goals and objectives that are related to Obesity. The goals relating to obesity include improving health conditions, levels of fitness, and life quality through physical activity. Healthy People 2020 provides that physical activity can be increased by the availability of environmental factors such as trails, bike lanes, sidewalks, and parks. It provides legislative policies that would enhance people’s access to facilities that promote physical activities such as social halls. It also highlights measures and policies of incorporating physical activities in the school curriculum (HealthyPeople.gov, 2019). Another goal provided in the Healthy People 2020 that is associated to obesity is increasing the quality, effectiveness, and availability of community-based educational programs that aim in preventing disease and injury, improving health, and enhancing life quality. Healthy eating, which is provided in the community-based programs will see people learn easting behaviors that will help them make good food choices decisions for improving their diet and health.
Healthy People 2020 aim at improving adolescents' and young adults’ health, safety, development, and well-being through programs that will initiate healthy attitudes and behaviors. To reduce financial burdens caused by preventable health problems such as obesity, targeting adolescents and young adults will see the nation avoid that burden in the future as the percentage of preventable diagnoses will be lower (HealthyPeople.gov, 2019). Another goal of Healthy People 2020 that relates to obesity is that of reducing the consumption of calories from SoFAS in two and above years of age population. High SoFAS diets are associated with excessive gain of weight, obesity, increased risk of heart disease, promoting tooth decay, creation of unhealthy levels of cholesterol, and promoting Type2 diabetes. Ensuring that children are healthy will lead to a nation with a healthy adult population lowering the cost of healthcare and increasing longevity.
Long-Term and Short Term Goal
To prevent obesity in the Mid-Ohio Valley community, stakeholders prioritized one long-term goal and three short-term goals. The long-term goal is that Mid-Ohio Valley community will secure the guarantee of four Walmart and six Foodland stores for implantation of a healthy diet and physical activities. The goal is to ensure retailers can make stores more conducive to healthy choices by not displaying sugary snacks, beverages, and toys. Mid-Ohio Valley's objective of the goal aims at committing retainers to create a healthy check-out aisle that will comprise foods with high nutritional value and toys that encourage physical activities (CDC, 2013). The food stores will be displaying snacks that are healthy, bottled waters, fruits, and cereals. The long-term goal is expected to be implemented within 10 months with Foodland stores that serve more than 100,000 citizens and Walmart stores that serve more than 90,000 customers weekly.
The short-term goals of Mid-Ohio Valley obesity prevention include increasing students’ average number per school who engage in physical activity daily by an approximate of 30%. The goal is to be achieved within five months of introduction 20 teachers of physical education and two physical education coordinators in high schools and middle schools in the Mid-Ohio Valley region (CTWV, n.d). The second short-term goal is the expansion of healthy foods by developing a new farmers market in four counties within three months. The markets will be located in Wirt, Roane, and Calhoun Counties each benefiting more than 30,000 residents. The last short-term goal is to increase healthy foods access at school by recruiting 35 elementary schools to take part in the French fruit and Vegetable snack program. The program will benefit more than 15,000 students, with a higher number of participants being students that live in low-income neighborhoods.
In conclusion, obesity in the Mid-Ohio Valley community can be prevented and managed by the creation of policies that promote a healthy diet and physical activities. The corporation between the six-county governments and non-governmental organizations including the business sector has a significant role in ensuring both long-term and short-term goals are attained to help the community to change patterns in their diet and physical activities.
References
CDC. (2013, October 25). Community Profile: Mid-Ohio Valley, West Virginia . Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/communitiesputtingpreventiontowork/communities/profiles/obesity-wv_midohiovalley.htm
CTWV. (n.d). Mid-Ohio Valley Communities Putting Prevention to Work Summary . Retrieved from http://ctfwvresources.com/docs/MOV%20CPPW%20Summary.pdf
HealthyPeople.gov. (2019, October 10). Nutrition and Weight Status . Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/nutrition-and-weight-status/objectives
Milio, N. (1976). A Framework for Prevention: Changing Health-Damaging To Health-Generating Life Patterns. AJPH . Vol. 66, No. 5. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdfplus/10.2105/AJPH.66.5.435
