Abstract
Data collected by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the proportion of American adults classified as obese continues to rise at a very alarming rate. The high prevalence of obesity has left it to become a national health concern that is very significant. This is because obesity causes lead to preventable death and the high costs associated with domestic health. As such, obesity is recognized as a chronic disease representing a pro-inflammatory and dysmetabolic state mostly associated with internal and external psychological and physiological stressors. In the 21st century, it has become difficult for the American health care system to avoid dealing with the complex challenges brought about by obesity. In this paper, we look at what nurses can do with regard to obesity. Predominantly, nurses have been positioned to work at both an individual level and interpersonal level with families. Therefore, nurses are an integral part when it comes to dealing with obesity because they offer consultation services. Moreover, they are the crux when it comes to making eminent changes in the lives of individuals. Nurses have powerful influence factors that will minimize the risk of obesity at systemic and individual levels.
Introduction
In America, obesity is known to be the leading cause of premature mortality and morbidity. In addition, it is the primary cause of major chronic diseases such as colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and increased risk of type II diabetes (Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal, 2012). In the healthcare system, nurses are known to make changes that influence the entire population. As such, when it comes to handling obesity, nurses will need to take action to the community, interpersonal and policy level. The nurses working in clinical care fight obesity by taking one patient at a time. The situation is normally worse for those in bariatric care because some patients have reached the end of their fight regarding obesity issues. For such patients, they are morbidly obese which means that exercise and diet have failed and this has resulted in them facing multiple health issues. since nurses are accorded respect and nurses by their patients, they are the best channel towards reducing obesity.
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Innovative Solutions
Firstly, nurses are powerful tools in terms of helping parents raise awareness among their children about obesity. By so doing, the parents will be teaching their children about the importance of healthy eating habits at an early age. Therefore, they will save their children from falling victims of obesity in their adolescent stage of development. Parents of low-income families are the ones who are mostly affected because of their little understanding of the existing link between diet and disease (Phillips, Wood & Kinnersley, 2013). However, studies conducted have shown that through teaching these parents the basic nutrition, what low-fat diet constitutes, and how to label foods can be used; they become successful in losing weight campaigns. Therefore, they help their children in losing weight as compared to those parents who are less knowledgeable of the prevailing issues surrounding obesity. The fight that nurses encounter concerning obesity is at different levels. Nurses are in a position to do presentations that help them to assess the patients in different care levels. Moreover, through training of other staff members in the hospital nurses gain knowledge on scripting which comes in handy when discussing with patients’ issues related to their weight.
Nurses can also take healthy food demonstrations to different parts of the nation and community. Through running healthy promotion platform in local WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) programs, nurses are looking at encouraging parents to participate in the fight against obesity. The mission of WIC is to look at providing the population with healthy food and nutrition education especially to disadvantaged families. Parents who have computers are also steered into using their Internet access to better use like searching for weight management programs that will suit their children’s needs (Phillips, Wood & Kinnersley, 2013).
Nurses are also in a better position when it comes to providing alternative dietary solutions. For example, nurses can propose the use of low-calorie or fat diets that may help an individual in promoting better compliance strategies. An example stipulated by nurses is the reduction of glycemic load. Such diets encompass those foods that are ranked as having low, moderate or even high glycemic indexes (Paoletti, 2007). This refers to those foods that have the ability to deliver glucose into an individual’s bloodstream. As such, having a higher index means that more glucose will be delivered. Hence, it is advisable that patients restrict the foods that have high glycemic indexes such as pasta, potatoes and sugary treats among others. Instead, they need to opt for foods that can burn fat quickly and thus raise their postprandial satiety. Such are the things that nurses can give advice on to their patients.
Nurses are also in a better position to stress to their patients the importance of exercise promotion of health. Parents also play a role in this because through their help, they will help the patients to understand the importance of staying healthy. As such, both parents and patients are to view this journey as a lifelong pursuit that entails their sacrifice and time (Paoletti, 2007). When it comes to doing exercising, it will all depend on the individual. If it is a child, then the exercises performed need to incorporate fun, diversity and exciting strategies in order to keep the attention of the child at bay. The exercises for the adults will be constructed to suit their individual needs considering their health and age.
The other approach that nurses can employ is the introduction of community-level programs that will help in transcending nutritional and exercise goals. The part of the nurses is the support the communities’ infrastructure to help in achieving weight loss goals for an individual and community at large. The interventions that may be introduced at community-level programs that give support to their infrastructure includes running and bicycle paths, recreation centers, open green spaces and giving access to farmers’ markets. Such are the resources that have served nursing practitioners through giving them excellent adjuvant support. Through these resources, patients are assisted on their journey to losing weight. Other options available for people include smartphone apps and online directories that give people directions of the nearest playgrounds, parks and open spaces available to their vicinity. Nonetheless, all this is possible if the nurses have motivated patients in line who ready to work with local officials representing the government and other leaders of the community (Phillips, Wood & Kinnersley, 2013).
Lastly, nurses can help in emphasizing the importance of improving one’s sedentary lifestyles. As such, parents and children will be taught and cautioned on the correct amount of time to spend watching TV and even playing video games. Nurses bring out the information by clearly stating that the amount of time one needs to take in a day staying idle should amount to only two hours maximum. Idle sitting for long cause’s obesity and thus, it is imperative for individuals to be up and running or walking as they perform their daily activities (Paoletti, 2007).
Overall, chances of nurses being embraced by members of the community are low because the practitioners are looking at changing the people’s lifestyle. The resistance by the community may be due to the words used during the whole process (Gray et al., 2011). As such, such resistance should not discourage nurses, but rather it should motivate them further because the end goal will be beneficial to all parties involved including the health institution and government. When it comes to changing or breaking old habits, resistance is bound to be there and that is why nurses are encouraged to use motivational interviews. Such are the approaches that are going to be helpful for the nurses in breaking down the walls. The whole idea of the approach is to involve families by giving them a chance to express their reasons for changing or not changing their behavior. Hence, nurses are going to customize the approach they are going to use in reducing weight loss by gaining the approval of family members.
Conclusion
Weight issues and obesity is a sensitive area requiring proper handling because nurses can lose their patient’s trust. In most instances, judging people about their weight may lead to adding extra pounds and that is why nurses are seen as positive influencers in the fight against obesity. The caring approach used in scripting has seen many patients invited and their families are involved in sharing their concerns about obesity and healthy living. Like any other change to be effected, it needs to come from the people because it is their desire that will move the change. For most patients, nurses are their role models and therefore, they should eat healthily, do exercises and invest in healthy diets. Through the creativity and everyday choices of nurses, they are seen as powerful groups able to fight obesity.
References
Gray, C. M., et al. (2011). Words matter: a qualitative investigation of which weight status terms are acceptable and motivate weight loss when used by health professionals. BMC Public Health , 11, 513
Paoletti, J. R. N. C. (2007). Tipping the scales: What nurses need to know about the childhood obesity epidemic. RN. 2007 Nov;70(11):35-40; quiz 41.
Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2012). Prevalence of obesity in the United States, 2009–2010. NCHS data brief, 82 . Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
Phillips, K., Wood, F., & Kinnersley, P. (2013). Tackling obesity: the challenge of obesity management for practice nurses in primary care. Family practice , cmt054.
