PA006 Global Healthcare Issues

Student Name

University

NURS 6050 Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health

Prof. Name

Date

Reassessment Global Health Comparison Global Healthcare Issue Obesity

Description

The epidemic of obesity has become a national health crisis with global ramifications. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), in 2016, 1.9 billion individuals were overweight worldwide. Obesity, characterized by excessive fat buildup, extends its burden beyond individuals, straining healthcare systems and impacting economic productivity globally. This burden disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, emphasizing the necessity for global solutions (Caballero, 2019).

Country United States

Policy Description

In the United States, combating childhood obesity is addressed through targeted policies such as the “Let’s Move!” initiative spearheaded by Michelle Obama in 2010. This initiative promotes healthier lifestyles with a focus on increased physical activity and improved nutrition (Bradwisch et al., 2020). Additionally, the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” sets nutritional standards for school meals managed by the USDA. The CDC’s “Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (CORD)” project funds community-based interventions (Bradwisch et al., 2020).

Strengths and Weaknesses

The strengths of US policies include a holistic approach to childhood obesity, nutritional standards for school meals, and funding for community-based interventions. However, weaknesses such as voluntary nature and implementation challenges exist.

Country Canada

Policy Description

Canada employs a holistic approach across the lifespan in addressing obesity. Policies such as the “Sugary Drink Tax,” “Fast Food Restaurant Act,” and “Marketing of Unhealthy Foods to Children Act” aim to discourage unhealthy consumption and promote healthy options (Kao et al., 2020).

Strengths and Weaknesses

The strengths of Canadian policies include leveraging economic incentives to discourage unhealthy consumption and regulating the density and location of fast-food establishments. However, weaknesses such as regressive taxation and challenges in defining and monitoring effectiveness exist.

Impact of Social Determinants of Health

Social determinants of health significantly influence obesity rates in both countries. Factors such as educational attainment and income inequality contribute to increased risk of obesity, highlighting the need for targeted interventions (Golden, 2021; CDC, 2023).

Impact on Local Health Organizations and Policies

Global health issues like obesity influence resource allocation and service delivery in local health organizations. While the US prioritizes primary prevention and faces challenges with resource limitations, Canada adopts a more holistic approach with a focus on prevention and accessibility (Feng & Martin, 2020; Lytvyak et al., 2022).

Impact on Global Population

Obesity-related health policies in Canada have the potential to impact the global population positively. Successful strategies can inspire other nations, and knowledge sharing can contribute to global advancements in understanding and addressing obesity (Ríos-Reyna et al., 2022).

Impact on the Role of Nurses as Advocates

Health policies directly impact the role of nurses as advocates. While US policies empower nurses to promote healthy behaviors, Canadian policies allow for advocacy for systemic interventions and public health initiatives (Chang et al., 2021).

Conclusion

In conclusion, addressing obesity requires comprehensive strategies that consider social determinants of health and the unique contexts of each country. Collaborative efforts, knowledge sharing, and ongoing evaluation are essential for effectively tackling this global health issue.

References

Berry, E. M. (2020). The Obesity Pandemic-Whose Responsibility? No Blame, No Shame, Not More of the Same. Frontiers in nutrition, 7, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.00002

Bradwisch, S. A., Smith, E. M., Mooney, C., & Scaccia, D. (2020). Obesity in children and adolescents: An overview. Nursing, 50(11), 60–66. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000718908.20119.01

Caballero, B. (2019). Humans against Obesity: Who Will Win? Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 10(suppl_1), S4–S9. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmy055

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Policy Resources. https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/divisioninformation/policy/index.htm

Chang, W. P., Wang, C. H., & Lin, Y. K. (2021). Influence of Obesity on Heart Rate Variability in Nurses with Age and Shift Type as Moderators. BioMed research international, 2021, 8119929. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8119929

Di Cesare, M., Sorić, M., Bovet, P., Miranda, J. J., Bhutta, Z., Stevens, G. A., Laxmaiah, A., Kengne, A. P., & Bentham, J. (2019). The epidemiological burden of obesity in childhood: a worldwide epidemic requiring urgent action. BMC medicine, 17(1), 212. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-019-1449-8

Feng, W., & Martin, E. G. (2020). Fighting obesity at the local level? An analysis of predictors of local health departments’ policy involvement. Preventive medicine, 133, 106006. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106006

Golden, A. (2021). Obesity’s Impact. The Nursing clinics of North America, 56(4), xiii–xiv. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2021.08.004

Javed, Z., Valero-Elizondo, J., Maqsood, M. H., Mahajan, S., Taha, M. B., Patel, K. V., Sharma, G., Hagan, K., Blaha, M. J., Blankstein, R., Mossialos, E., Virani, S. S., CainzosAchirica, M., & Nasir, K. (2022). Social determinants of health and obesity: Findings from a national study of US adults. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 30(2), 491–502. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23336

Kao, K. E., Jones, A. C., Ohinmaa, A., & Paulden, M. (2020). The health and financial impacts of a sugary drink tax across different income groups in Canada. Economics & Human Biology, 38, 100869. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X19302746

NURS 6050 Assessment 6 PA006 Global Healthcare Issues

Lytvyak, E., Straube, S., Modi, R., & Lee, K. K. (2022). Trends in obesity across Canada from 2005 to 2018: a consecutive cross-sectional population-based study. CMAJ open, 10(2), E439–E449. https://doi.org/10.9778/cmajo.20210205

Ríos-Reyna, C., Díaz-Ramírez, G., Castillo-Ruíz, O., Pardo-Buitimea, N. Y., & Alemán-Castillo, S. E. (2022). Políticas y estrategias para combatir la obesidad en Latinoamérica [Policies and strategies to combat obesity in Latin America]. Revista medica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, 60(6), 666–674.

Safaei, M., Sundararajan, E. A., Driss, M., Boulila, W., & Shapi’i, A. (2021). A systematic literature review on obesity: Understanding the causes & consequences of obesity and reviewing various machine learning approaches used to predict obesity. Computers in biology and medicine, 136, 104754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104754

Trivette, E. T. (2019). Obesity and Army readiness (Doctoral dissertation, Fort Leavenworth, KS: US Army Command and General Staff College). https://apps.dtic.mil

/sti/citations/AD1110362

World Health Organization. (2021). Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

PA006 Global Healthcare Issues