Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example

Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example

Childhood overweight and obesity are significant population health issues in the USA.  Approximately 9 million children and adolescents (16.1%) aged 6-19 are overweight in the USA (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021a). In addition, about 9.3% of those aged 2–19 years are obese (CDC, 2021a). Being overweight increases the risks of becoming obese, while obesity increases the risks of significant health problems and medical conditions. For example, studies have shown that obesity is linked to the development of asthma, diabetes, gallstones, high blood pressure, troubled sleep, liver, cholesterol, triglyceride, and menstrual problems.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Overweight and obesity have varied causes, including biochemical, socioeconomic, cultural, genetic, and environmental factors. Significant for this case is that children with obese parents have an 80% chance of becoming obese. Equally, being overweight as a child increases the chances of being overweight as an adult. This assignment aims to select and evaluate a child health study and assess the relevant health issues and risks. Relevant additional information to understand the case is determined, considering the sensitivity of overweight and obesity.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

The Case

The selected case involves an overweight 5-year-old black boy with overweight parents who work full-time, and the boy spends his time after school with his grandmother.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Health Issues and Risks

Being overweight predisposes an individual to significant health issues since it is a significant predictor of obesity. Although being overweight and obese harm children in various ways, the common immediate health problems and risks include high blood pressure, asthma, impaired glucose tolerance, sleep apnea, joint and musculoskeletal discomfort, and increased body cholesterol (CDC, 2021b). Moreover, a child can develop fatty liver disease, cardiovascular diseases, gastro-esophageal reflux, insulin resistance, diabetes, and gallstones. Problems such as bullying, anxiety, negative self-image, depression, low self-esteem, poor quality of life, and social stigma are also associated with overweight and obesity. Overweight and obese children have an increased risk of being obese adults, leading to more adverse health outcomes.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Additional Information

Managing overweight children is complex considering the interconnection of causative factors. In this case, the additional information needed includes body measurements crucial to calculating the child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) and information related to risk factors. BMI calculations will require information on the child’s race, age, sex, weight, and height measurements. This will be vital in ascertaining the child’s actual overweight status.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

To guide intervention strategies, there is a need to identify the risk factors contributing to the child’s overweight status. Typically, childhood overweight and obesity risk factors are related to unhealthy lifestyle habits and living environment. There is a need to determine whether the child is physically active, determine his eating pattern, sleep duration, and emotional status.  According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (n.d.), lack of physical activity increases the risk of overweight and obesity caused by excessive TV, computer, video games, and other screen usage time. Equally, certain eating behaviors, such as eating too much trans and saturated fat and sugary foods that consume more calories, contribute to unhealthy weight gain. Lack of sleep affects energy uptake from nutrients in the body, affecting hormonal control of hunger urges. Although less common, acute stress among children can stimulate the cortisol hormone imbalance that controls energy balances and hunger urges.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Unhealthy environments include the social, built environment, and exposure factors that contribute to overweight and obesity. For example, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (n.d.), socioeconomic status can contribute consumption of unhealthy food such as fast foods associated with high-fat content. Equally, easy access and immediate availability of unhealthy foods, limited access to recreational facilities, and few easy ways to jog contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle. Lastly, exposure to certain chemicals such as obesogens can cause weight gain. Information on genetic risks can also be determined through laboratory tests.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Potential Sensitivities and Specific Questions to Ask

Besides the adverse health conditions and physical difficulties, overweight and obesity can lead to social stigma for the affected individuals. Studies have shown that inaccurate and negative assumptions, such as viewing overweight people as lazy, living an undisciplined lifestyle, or making a negative personal choice, contribute to stigmatization (Tomiyama et al., 2018). In this sense, there is a need to find effective and ethical strategies to help individuals manage weight gain, encourage weight loss, and support a healthy metabolism.  Ideally, the social stigma associated with weight is pivotal to tackling the obesity epidemic.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Healthcare providers should avoid preconceptions and support affected individuals with utmost dignity and respect. In this scenario, the questions to ask about the child include (1) personal information, such as age, sex, and ethnicity, (2) Lifestyle, including time spent on TV, or exercising, eating and sleeping patterns, (3) History of being overweight, anxiety, and depression.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Strategies to Encourage Proactive Involvement in Childs Health and Weight

Due to the sensitivity of the child’s health issues, any form of negativity expressed unintentionally through insensitive language can limit the efficacy of health interventions. As such, healthcare providers should avoid falling into the stigmatization trap. For these reasons, the first strategy is to educate the parents and the caregiver about the impact of obesity on their health and rate their understanding of the health issues. Secondly, inform the parents and the caregiver on how to help the child manage his weight since weight loss is not ideal for children considering their active growth and development. Furthermore, a restrictive diet is not ideal for increased nutrients and energy needed to support the child’s growth and development. Therefore, educate the caregiver and parents to focus on maintaining the current weight. For instance, educate the caregiver and the parents not to focus on a particular weight goal but good health and sensible food portions.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Lastly, educate the caregiver and the parents on promoting a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle involves educating individuals on routine physical activity, nutrition, and nutritious meals and snacks. Health meals provide the desired nutrients and model healthy eating behavior. Equally, nutrition education allows children to develop a good sense of healthy eating habits. Finally, refer the caregiver and parents to sources of information on managing overweight and preventing obesity, including television programs, webinars, YouTube channels, and websites such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provide recommendations on healthy diet and lifestyle for Americans crucial to health promotion and reduction of health risks.  (Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Conclusion

Overweight predisposes children to significant health problems and risks, including high blood pressure, asthma, impaired glucose tolerance, sleep apnea, joint and musculoskeletal discomfort, and increased body cholesterol, joint and musculoskeletal discomfort. Moreover, a child can develop fatty liver disease, cardiovascular diseases, gastro-esophageal reflux, insulin resistance, diabetes, and gallstones. Social problems such as bullying, anxiety, negative self-image, depression, low self-esteem, poor quality of life, and social stigma are also associated with overweight and obesity.(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

In addition, the topic of overweight and obesity is associated with stigmatization due to preconceptions on affected individuals, limiting efforts targeting its management. For these reasons, effective and ethical approaches are necessary to help affected children and their families establish healthy lifestyles. In this case, the caregiver and the parents should be educated on overweight and obesity and the associated health problems and risks. Equally, the parents should be educated on the need to focus on healthy dies instead of weight loss for their child, considering energy and nutrient uptake to support growth and development. Lastly, signposting the caregiver to sources of information on managing overweight and obesity is pivotal in establishing and sustaining healthy lifestyles and choices.  (Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

References

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Overweight and Obesity. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/overweight-and-obesity (Accessed 17 December 2021)(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Tomiyama, A. J., Carr, D., Granberg, E. M., Major, B., Robinson, E., Sutin, A. R., & Brewis, A. (2018). How and why weight stigma drives the obesity ‘epidemic and harms health. BMC medicine, 16(1), 1-6(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1116-5 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (February 2021a). Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Severe Obesity Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2–19 Years: the United States, 1963–1965 through 2017–2018. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-child-17-18/obesity-child.htm (Accessed 17 December 2021).(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (March 2021b). Childhood Obesity Causes & Consequences. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/causes.html (Accessed 16 December 2021)(Childhood Overweight and Obesity Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)