An American Epidemic
Discussion 1: Obesity – An American Epidemic
Introduction
Obesity in the United States occurs at a greater prevalence than in other developed nations. Why is this? As part of Healthy People Initiatives, obesity has been highlighted in hundreds of articles and webinars. Many preventive guidelines address obesity and nutritional status, and the USPSTF (United States Preventive Services Task Force) guidelines specifically recommend a multidisciplinary approach and a plea to save our children.
Additional resources to enhance your knowledge about obesity in the United States are available in this week’s Learning Materials section but pay close attention to Jamie Oliver’s TED Talk: Teach Every Child about Food.
In 2018, the United States Federal government spent nearly $1.1 trillion dollars on healthcare, and 10% of this money ($110 billion) was utilized to combat obesity driven concerns. Children cannot recognize vegetables or fruits but are quick to tell you what’s in a Happy Meal and can pick the different french fries from various fast food restaurants….. American parents since the Great Depression, and before, have wanted to provide for their children – giving them more than what they had and now we have given our children a shorter life span – 10 years less.
As APRNs, we must be aware of what is happening in society and how this affects our health as a country. For this week’s discussion, develop a powerful message that can be given to your community. NO sounds, NO words; just a strong visual message that addresses our need to combat obesity.
Initial Post
