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I'm a single mom and college student, currently studying for my RN. My goal is to help to circulate knowlege on subjects that I'm passionate about.
Showing posts with label Childhood Obesity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Childhood Obesity. Show all posts

America's Waistline

9:41 PM | Labels: , , , ,

Let’s start with some fun facts: In 1999-2000, 64.5% of Americans were found to be overweight, and 30.5% were obese. Extreme obesity was found in 4.7% These result represent a significant increase from the previous couple years.
So why are we getting fatter? Because everything is getting easier! Modern technology is constantly finding ways for the human race to exert less energy for common tasks. Also, we are in an age that has providing our kids with countless ways to entertain themselves without leaving the couch. There is a new video game hitting the shelf almost every week. Along with computer games and TV in general, kids and adults are spending more and more time entertaining themselves without physically doing more than lifting a controller or remote.
There are many other reasons to blame for the increasing weight of America. Our society is becoming more and more fast-paced; as a result, we seek fast food options to fill the hole. With our busy lives we tend not to stop and think about what we are doing to our bodies when we consume these highly processed, deeply fried, overly preserved meal options.
In order to curb childhood obesity we, as parents, must find alternatives to our children’s favorite unhealthy foods. There’s almost always a healthier choice. The alternatives may not always work for them, but many probably will and it’s worth a shot. For example, I get my son natural chicken nuggets from the local natural food store in my area and he loves them. They are a much healthier choice than McDonald’s chicken nuggets which, pretty much, every kid loves. I’ve swapped out my son’s white sandwich bread for whole wheat bread and he didn’t even notice. These, of course, are just some examples that worked for me.
We, as parents, also need to know when to take away the controller and drag our kids outside (figuratively speaking). Kids love to be outside, but they tend to forget that when they get caught up in a video game. Kids usually don’t know when to quit. It’s our job to enforce a healthy amount of physical activity in their daily lives and to not let the video and computer gaming get out of hand.

Works Cited

Dr. Rich. (2002, Oct. 14). Heart Disease. Retrieved Oct. 20, 2010, from About.com: http://heartdisease.about.com/library/weekly/aa101402a.htm
Food. (2009, June 25). Retrieved Oct. 20, 2010, from Kids Health: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=284&id=1443
Mary L. Gavin, M. (2009, Feb.). Kids and Exercise. Retrieved Oct. 20, 2010, from Kids Health: http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/exercise.html
Vincent Iannelli, M. (2008, Dec. 4). Childhood Obesity. Retrieved Oct. 20, 2010, from About.com: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/obesity/a/408_obesity_hub.htm

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Obesity

6:42 PM | Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

My weight has fluctuated a lot over the past few years. As a result I understand the difficulties associated with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. I'm happy to report now that I'm very close to MY ideal weight (not to be confused with my "IBW" which is what "they" say I'm supposed to weigh. But anyway, here's a paper I'm working on for my nutrition class. It's a fairly organized compilation of the results of my research. Sources are cited. I hope you like it and learn something from it :) If you, yourself, are not struggling with obesity, chances are you know someone who is. Circulate the knowledge.
(I'm working on my transitions and conclusion still :)


Overview

Obesity is a condition of excess fat deposits accumulated around the body. Obesity reduces one’s overall quality of life and poses many health risks. Everyone is at risk for obesity, but some are more so than others. Obesity is a common concern in the United States and cases of childhood obesity are rising rapidly. Treatment of obesity requires more than taking a pill or eating some vegetables. It requires construction and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle. Nursing for the obese patient requires special considerations and a thorough understanding of what it is and how it’s affecting the patient’s life. The first step in understanding a patient’s weight problem is figuring out how many pounds overweight they are.
  
                               
Calculating Ideal Body Weight            
Obesity is diagnosed in people who weight 30 or more pounds over their ideal body weight (IBW). People who weigh 40 or more pounds over their IBW are considered morbidly obese. Ideal body weight is calculated in men by starting with a base weight of 110 pounds and adding 5.06 pounds for every inch the man is over five feet in height. In women, IBW is calculated by using 100.1 pounds as a base weight and adding 5.06 pounds for every inch in height the woman is over 5 ft. For example, a woman who is five feet and three inches tall has an IBW of 115.28 pounds. If this woman weighs 168 pounds she is 52.72 pounds overweight and is considered morbidly obese. (ManuelsWeb.com, 2006). What causes this to happen?
Complications
Calories are converted into energy by the human body. If the intake of calories is higher than the body needs for the person’s activity level, the calories will be converted into and stored as fat. The more fat that is stored the greater the risk for complications. Complications that may be caused by obesity include, but are not limited to, low energy level, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, pancreatitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gallstones, cataracts, certain cancers, worsening arthritis, gout, joint problems, back pain, infertility, sleep apnea, urinary incontinence, depression caused by a poor self image, and death. (Carson-DeWitt, 2010).  Many people are facing these risks and ailments due to obesity.
Statistics

There are over 1 billion overweight adults in the world. At least 300 million of them are obese. In 2006 the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimated that 32.7 percent of U.S. adults 20 years and older where overweight; 34.3 percent are obese and 5.9 percent where morbidly obese. By 2008 that number rose to 33.8 percent; 32.2 percent of men and 35.5 percent of women. In 2008 18 percent of adolescences; 20 percent of children ages 6 to 11; and 10 percent of children ages 2 to 5 were obese in the United States. (Obesity in America, 2010). Obesity rates in America have slowed in recent years compared to the dramatic increase in obesity in previous decades. This may be because so many American’s are already overweight. Obesity rates among children are still increasing at an alarming rate.

Childhood Obesity

Obesity in children has more than tripled in the past 30 years. A child who is obese has a greater chance of being obese as an adult and has a shorter life expectancy. Obesity in children and adolescence increases the risk for stigmatization, low self-esteem and depression. These kids also have greater risk for bone and joint problems, cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea. Parents greatly influence the dietary intake of their children which is directly linked to their body weight. It is important for parents to provide their children with a variety of different meals and healthy snacks to help ensure the development of good lifestyle choices. A child daily diet should include fruit, vegetables, grains, meat and dairy. A child should not be expected to completely avoid junk foods that cause obesity, but he/she needs to learn moderation and how to compensate with healthy food. For example, a child should not be instructed to not eat a piece of cake at a birthday party, this may cause the child to feel singled out or humiliated. Instead, the parent should provide fruit for dessert that night. (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2010). There are many more things that can be done to fight obesity.

The Fight

To begin the fight against obesity one must make changes in their lifestyle. These changes should not be viewed as temporary and need to be maintained after the weight is lost. A slow, steady decrease in calorie consumption while maintaining or even increasing nutrient intake will help to decrease body weight. Physical activity needs to be implemented into the weight loss and lifestyle plan as well. The chances of acquiring an obesity related complication will decrease by doing these things. An obese patient should eat approximately two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables a day. The fruits and vegetables chosen each day should vary. At least 3 ounces of whole grains should be eaten daily and about 3 cups of fat-free milk. Only lean meats should be eaten during the weight loss process such as turkey and chicken breast. After the desired weight is achieved other meats, such as beef, should be consumed in moderation. The obese patient should eat about 2000 calories a day and less than 10 percent of those calories should be from saturated fats. Daily cholesterol intake should be less than 300 mg. Trans fats should always be avoided. Alcohol consumption should be avoided all together during the weight loss process. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005).

How much physical activity do you need?
Calorie Calculations: The body burns approximately 4.5 calories per pound for every hour of running; about 3.6 calories per pound every hour of playing basketball; and about 2.7 calories per pound for every hour of weight lifting.
To Lose Weight: About 300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week (along with decreased calorie intake)
To Maintain Weight: About 150 minutes of moderate activity and 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week (along with a healthy diet that eats fats and sugars in moderation). Keep in mind that it varies from person to person.

Dietary Recommendations Children 
Dietary recommendations are different for children and adolescents. Obese children should gradually reduce their calorie intake as well with a goal of approximately 1500 to 2000 calories a day. But for kids, 30 to 35 percent of these calories should be from fat. The focus of fat intake for an obese child is making sure the fats are mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These types of fats can be obtained from fish, nuts and vegetable oils. Children who are trying to lose weight should avoid sodas, potato chips, cookies, pizza, sugary cereals and any other source of refined carbohydrates. After the desired weight is achieved, these foods should be eaten in moderation in addition to adequate physical activity. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005).

Nursing Care for the Obese Patient
 Learning how to eat healthy can be difficult process at first for the obese patient. It is the nurse’s job to understand the difficulties that an obese patient is dealing with on a daily basis. Besides physical health problems, they may be suffering from psychological health problems as well. They may be angry, embarrassed and/or depressed. A nurse should look for signs of depression and try to make the patient comfortable talking about it. The patient needs to be monitored closely during the first few weeks of treatment and encouragement should be given as much as possible. It is the nurse’s job to educate the patient on proper diet and activity to achieve the desired outcome. Also, the nurse must make sure that the patient understands the actions of the medications he/she is taking, how to take them properly and the possible side effects. (Harris RN, 2008).
           
Obesity is a danger to one’s health and a common problem in America. It is a struggle that many people deal with on a daily basis. Losing weight is not an easy process, especially in someone who is 30 pounds or more over weight. Adequate lifestyle changes need to be made in order to have a fighting chance against obesity. Education on how to eat and exercise properly should be obtained from a qualified health care professional. Obesity is a condition that is never considered safe and no one should strive to be overweight for any reason.




References

1. Carson-DeWitt, M. R. (2010, Oct. 15). Overweight (Obesity; Morbid Obesity). Retrieved Nov. 10, 2010, from AuroraHealthCare.org: http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/yourhealth/healthgate/getcontent.asp?URLhealthgate="11647.html"
2. Harris RN, M. H. (2008, June). Nursing care of the morbidly obese patient. Retrieved Nov. 10, 2010, from NursingCenter.com: http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=788177
3. ManuelsWeb.com. (2006). IBW & ABW calculator. Retrieved Nov. 19, 2010, from            ManuelsWeb.com: http://www.manuelsweb.com/IBW.htm
4. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2010, June 3). Childhood Obesity. Retrieved Nov. 20, 2010, from CDC.gov: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/index.htm
5. Obesity in America. (2010). Statistics . Retrieved Oct. 28, 2010, from Obesity In America.:             http://www.obesityinamerica.org/statistics/index.cfm
6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2005). Dietary Guidelines for American's . Retrieved Nov. 21, 2010, from cnpp.usda.gov:             http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2005/2005DGPolicyDocumen t.pdf


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