Program Development And Evaluation: A Study On Obesity In Greater Dandenong

Discuss about the Program Development and Evaluation.

Obesity is the accumulation of excess fat in the body (Marini & Stebnick, 2012). An overweight person is obese. Obesity is usually determined through Body Mass Index. One’s height should match their weight. In Greater Dandenong, statistics shows that obesity is a major concern. Cases of the disease have been increasing gradually over the recent years. It is a problem not only health wise but also to Dandenong's population. Statistics show that 23% of children in Australia are obese, one in every four people are obese (Marini & Stebnick, 2012).

The above chart indicates that about 28% of residents in Dandenong suffer from obesity. 28% represents about 30000. Realistically, having almost 30% of the population suffering from one disease is a significant problem. The above statistics were taken in 2011 (Davies & Fitzgerald, 2008). By 2016, the figure has risen to 43%. Obesity causes some health implications. They include; Gall bladder disease, hypertension, Diabetes mellitus, stroke, gout, breast and uterine cancer. Obesity is a lifestyle disease. I believe that it can be mitigated by consuming foods that have less fat concentration. 

It is sad that most people affected by the illness are the youth. Many people find consuming ready foods such as sausages, burgers more delicious and easier to fix compared to vegetables and fruits. People should choose what they consume carefully.

The above chart shows the number of adults who suffer from obesity.  It is clear that females in their younger age (18-24) have the disorder in a larger number compared to men. It is because girls in this age have a high appetite compared to any other levels in their life.

Obesity is a common disorder (Bouchard, 2000). There are many sources of information about obesity. I have acquired information from different websites, books and power point presentation provided. The most crucial information collected was on the preventive measures of obesity. I believe it is the most important because it offers solutions to those suffering from this disorder and it also prevents many people from having this disease. It shows that it is a curable disease and if we improved our lifestyles, we would save the world (Bouchard, 2000). All information in this article is quite useful it indicates that obesity is a matter we should look into seriously and how to take care of our loved ones suffering from the syndrome. I believe it plays a significant role in giving procedures on how to deal with such an instance. It is also an important article because it reveals and gives numbers on how many people are suffering from this disease. It shows that it is a matter that needs urgent attention.  I believe that I have exhausted all information necessary for this research project. On the other hand, I also feel that I have not given all information on the possible solution to this problem. There are many solutions to obesity, preventive measures and causes of the diseases that are not tackled in this paper. The reason behind this is due to limited time to research and limited words.

Causes of obesity

Improper diet is the primary cause of obesity. Most of the foods we consume are one of the leading causes of obesity. Sometimes, people choose to eat outside rather than making food in the house. Snaking makes people eat food in large quantities than required. It also makes one consume foods with a lot of caloric content (Campos, 2004). It is important to watch what we eat. If possible, we should snack rarely and make meals at home.

Some prescriptions are one of the leading causes of obesity. Medicines can make one add weight gradually; for instance, anti-depressants, ARV drugs, and multi-vitamin drugs (Campos, 2004). Such medications make the body retain a lot of water hence leading to the disorder in question. Medical issues such as stress may contribute to obesity. Research shows that most people are likely to consume contents high on fats when they are stressed up. They are also likely to add weight uncontrollably even if they skip meals.

Social factors; Obesity is a disease that is common in all clusters of life. Poverty may be one of the leading causes of obesity. Taking an instance of French fries, they are cheap and readily available. For this reason, poverty may lead to opting for more inexpensive meals that are locally available; such foods have a high caloric content and are unhealthy (Campos, 2004). A ‘classy’ lifestyle of consuming readily available foods such as sausages and burgers for breakfast, soft drinks and a pie for lunch and sandwiches and a beer for supper would lead to obesity as fast as possible. No matter the social class we belong to, we should try consuming healthy foods. One can minimize the risk of this disorder by engaging in physical activities.

In other cases, obesity is genetic. Some people acquire it because someone in the family has the obesity gene. Scientifically, everyone’s one body stores fat differently (Campos, 2004). Some bodies emulsify fats quickly than others, those that do not emulsify significant result to obesity in the life of the individual.

Obesity has been rising gradually over the tears mainly due to lifestyle (Campos, 2004). It is clear that today lifestyle diseases are more compared to natural occurring ones.  In every four people has a way of life condition. Use of chemicals is growing most foods. Those chemicals later utter the proper functioning of our bodies that then result to a disorder. Most people are also busy building careers, making as much money as they can, lazing around and traveling around that they even lack time to fix a good meal for themselves. It is sad that many people opt to snack rather than have a balanced diet meal (Pearce & Witten , 2010). For this reason, obesity is a great generation to this generation.

Impact of obesity

The impact of obesity on society is immeasurable (Pearce & Witten , 2010). It affects almost all aspects of life. It has a high impact on health, education, social and economic consequences. Health wise; in adults, it is one of the leading causes of other diseases that are deadly and very painful. These conditions include; Stroke, diabetes, hypertension, uterine and gallbladder cancer, gout and much more (Pearce & Witten , 2010). I believe all these are controllable if we watch what we eat. Obesity is considered to reduce life expectancy by eight to ten years. It reduces life expectancy because it reduces body metabolic rates. The body organs fail to function normally leading the body to retain additional water and waste (Pearce & Witten , 2010). In children; it leads to the prematurity and high mortality rate. In most cases, it leads to psychological and mental disorders as it makes these kids get discriminated and pushed away by their peers.

Most people who suffer from obesity are known to perform poorly in school. It is evident that these children perform poorly because they experience bullying, teasing and discrimination (Pearce & Witten , 2010). Severe obesity condition may result to patients needing a specialized health care and services. These services are daycare services, home care services, and financial support (Pearce & Witten , 2010).

Obesity mainly affects a particular target group. It is more common in Females and young people(Heinberg & Thompson, 2007). It mainly affects children and young people because they tend to consume more snacks and high-calorie foods. Children prefer consuming meals compared to home cooked foods. For this reason, they are a great risk to suffer from obesity. Those who are aged between 70-75, women in most cases suffer from the disorder. At this age, people are less active because of their old age (Heinberg & Thompson, 2007). They consume a lot of food but engage in a less physical activity. Obesity is common to those people who eat and fail to perform physical activity. We should exercise regularly to ensure that metabolic processes take place in the right way.

The Australian Government has come up with local and state programs that create awareness on people's BMI (Heinberg & Thompson, 2007). Most of these programs are free hence all citizens get a chance to know how to improve their BMI. People should also watch what they eat. It is paramount to eat food that has fewer calories contents. Balance diet is the solution to not suffering from obesity. People who have a balanced diet are unlikely to suffer from lifestyle diseases. When we watch we eat, we will leave a healthy life. Another way of reducing diabetes cases is by making sure we exercise regularly. Practice makes sure that metabolic activities run in the body regularly and in the right way. Free walks are usually organized in different countries to ensure that people exercise.

Ways to reduce obesity.

It is important to reduce stress and improve sleeping habits. Our body should have enough time to rest to make sure that all body processes have time to take place without interference. Instead of taking stress relievers, it is important to look for natural methods to reduce stress (Blass, 2008).  It is sad that people are aware of these procedures of fighting obesity, but they are unwilling to follow them. Obesity cases have been rising over years because of ignorance. I believe that prevention is better than cure (Blass, 2008).

I believe that all problems have solutions. In obesity, there are many solutions. First of all, it is paramount to provide necessary information about the disease (Fung, 2016). It mainly focuses on info about consuming a balanced diet. Some people are not aware on how to balance their foods. Providing necessary information on food science and nutrition is, therefore, paramount. Ignorance is bliss: we may ignore the fact that everyone is aware of taking a balanced diet which is not the case. According to research, it is much affordable to have a balanced food on the table rather than junk. It is evident that people who watch what they eat have a lengthy life span and a healthier one. Physical activity is quite crucial in everybody’s life. Food fails to digest properly due to lack of exercise (Fung, 2016). It is evident that people who take a long walk, jog or do any form of exercise have healthier bodies and they are unlikely to suffer from lifestyle diseases, unlike those that do none of the above (Fung, 2016).  Some of these diseases come about because fat is not emulsified in our bodies. We fail to give our bodies time and condition for the necessary metabolic reactions to take place.

In conclusion, obesity is a disorder that can happen to anyone. We can watch what we eat, do exercises daily and try to live right but still get the disease. For this reason, we should not discriminate anyone with this disorder. On the other hand, prevention is better than cure. It is, therefore, important if we tried to live right, exercise regularly and do what is necessary to maintain our bodies. For those suffering from the disease, there are solutions to the problem. Obesity is not a permanent disorder.

References

Marini, I., & Stebnicki, M. (2012). The Psychological and Social Impact of Illness and Disability. New York, Springer Pub. Co. https://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=888781.

Davies, H. D., & Fitzgerald, H. E. (2008). Obesity in childhood and adolescence. Westport, Conn, Praeger.

BOUCHARD, C. (2000). Physical activity and obesity. Champaign, Ill, Human Kinetics.

Wolin, K. Y., & Petrelli, J. M. (2009). Obesity. Santa Barbara, Calif, Greenwood Press.

CAMPOS, P. F. (2004). The obesity myth: why America's obsession with weight is hazardous to your health. New York, Gotham Books.

Consultation On Obesity, & Who Consultation On Obesity. (2000).Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic : report of a WHO consultation ; [Consultation on Obesity, 1997 Geneva, Switzerland]. Geneva, World Health Organization.

Blackburn, G. L., & Kanders, B. S. (1994). Obesity: pathophysiology, psychology, and treatment. New York, NY, Chapman & Hall.

FUNG, J. (2016). The obesity code: unlocking the secrets of weight loss. https://lib.myilibrary.com?id=902555.

PEARCE, J., & WITTEN, K. (2010). Geographies of obesity: environmental understandings of the obesity epidemic. Farnham, Surrey, Ashgate. https://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=483649.

HEINBERG, L. J., & THOMPSON, J. K. (2009). Obesity in youth: causes, consequences, and cures. Washington, DC, American Psychological Association

BLASS, E. M. (2008). Obesity: causes, mechanisms, prevention, and treatment. Sunderland, MA, Sinauer Associates.