One of the objectives for healthcare professionals is to provide patients and family members with information on healthcare strategies to prevent health disparities and negative outcomes. The Nursing profession plays a major role in educating the people within a community. Nurses practice in a variety of healthcare settings such as acute care, rehab, hospice, doctor offices, mental health, and community healthcare settings. The nurse is able to promote wellness and healthy lifestyles by providing the necessary education people within the community.
Obesity is one of the leading health indicators for Healthy People 2010; it is a condition that is characterized by excessive bodily fat (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2009). Children whose BMI is equal to or above the 95th percentile are considered to be overweight, and children with a BMI that falls between the 85th and 95th percentiles are considered to be at risk of becoming overweight (Arizona Department of Health Services, 2006).
English: Entrance to the headquarters of the Cente...
English: The Centers for Disease Control and Preve...
English: A view of the Centers for Disease Control...According to the Office of the Surgeon General (2009) the percentage of overweight children and teens has more than tripled over the past three decades. Over 17% of children and teens in the United States today are overweight that equals to be approximately 12.5 million people under the age of 18 who are considered to be overweight (Office of Surgeon General, 2009). Health officials are concerned regarding childhood obesity due to the psychosocial and physical health effects it can have on children. Obese children and adolescents are often targets for social discrimination; the psychological stress can cause low self-esteem which, can have negative effects on academic and social functioning, and persist into adulthood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). The physical health effects found among obese children include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, asthma, sleep apnea and type-2 diabetes (Centers for...