Question

1. What responsibility do you think schools have in addressing the childhood obesity epidemic and why?
2. The predisposition for childhood obesity can be genetic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and/or cultural and can result in multiple co-morbidities. What are two health promotion strategies/interventions aimed at changing lifestyle behaviors you can use in addressing this epidemic?

Answer 1

ANSWER:-

* Childhood obesity is an increasing and common health problem all over the world .It leads to health diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyper lipidemia.

* Schools have a responsibility to educate,and promote healthy eating habits in children.

* The main causes of childhood obesity are consuming too many calories and having very little physical activities.

* Schools should educate students and parents at their early stages of development regarding importance of healthy eating habits and physical activities, and dangers of eating high - calorie diet and sedentary activities.

* Schools can develop policies supporting the availability of healthy food and limiting the use of unhealthy food. Some schools have already started to insist children and their parents to bring only healthy food, some schools have arranged provision to provide healthy food during school hours to their students.

* Arrange more physical activities in schools .

* Involve parents through meetings and provide informative messages to encourage healthy food habits.

** The main two health promotion strategies / interventions aimed at changing lifestyle behaviours are

a) modifying eating habits of junk food,high calorie drinks etc and developing healthy eating habits by eating more vegetables,fruits,nuts etc.

b) Increasing physical activities like exercises, walking,outdoor games,jogging etc in daily life.