Obesity – An American Epidemic

Week 5 Discussion 1: Obesity – An American Epidemic
Value: 100 points

Due: Initial post by Day 3, Response by Day 7

Grading Category: Discussions

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
For your initial post, present a visual picture that reflects the state of obesity in our country. Consider: If a photo is worth a thousand words, then a photo on obesity must be worth a thousand pounds. So ask yourself, how do we drive home the need for change? How do we show the price our children are paying?

The written part of your discussion post should include:

A brief explanation, three to four sentences, of your visual submission.
Using statistical data, your home state’s data related to obesity and how your state fairs compared to national statistics. MY STATE is CONNECTICUT
The type of health disparities you see in your own community related to obesity.
Remember to provide at least three scholarly references to support your statements and provide validity to your work.