Screening Program For Obesity: An Evidence-Based Report

Benefits of the Screening Project

Overweight and obesity can be described as the chronic medical condition that is characterized by abnormal or excessive amount of fat accumulation. This results in impairing of the health of the individuals making them vulnerable to other disorders like diabetes, heart disorders, high blood pressures, gallstones and different other chronic symptoms. (Grossman et al., 2017) Statistical report says that a about 63.4 percent of the Australian adults were overweight or obese. This is more than half of the population of the nation. This situation results in contributing the most to the diseases burden of the nation and results in poor quality lives of the individuals suffering from it (Kling et al., 2017). Therefore, it is important for arrangement of the screening programs to identify the individuals who are at risk or who have developed the disorder so that proper interventions can be taken in time to prevent the adverse effects.

In public health domains, screening is described as the strategy that can be used in the population helping to identify possible presence of a yet-undiagnosed disorder in individuals who do not show signs and symptoms of any existing disorder. The individuals who are included in the screening procedures might be with pre-symptomatic as well as unrecognized symptomatic disease. The screening test for obesity would be considered as the best way for finding whether the individuals are vulnerable for developing obesity mainly at an early stage. Identifying the risk factors at the early stage of the disorder is helpful, as treatment remain feasible, easier and less expensive (O’connor et al., 2017). Secondly, the screening test for the obesity would also be helping in the revelation of the risk factors that are actually the health condition or behaviors that put people at the risk of developing the diseases. This screening test would be helping the individuals to identify specifically which of their behaviors of the lifestyle factors are making them more vulnerable. Third, it helps in the accumulation of the record of accomplishment for the medical information that tends to be helpful for the professionals. Basal metabolic index called BMI as well as waist circumference called WC is extremely useful for the screening of the weight and health conditions of the individuals. These two approaches give an idea whether the individuals are overweight, obesity and normal weight (Evans et al., 2017).

In order to assess the present conditions of the present, BMI and WC would be measured. However, in order to identify the risk factor, healthcare professionals need to identify the risk factors that may expose the individuals to the development of the disorder of obesity. One of the most important question would be about diet. The professionals should ask him the foods that he takes not only in the meals but also during the whole day and the specific timing when he takes the foods (Tait et al., 2016). He should be also asking about the amount of the foods that he takes in. this would be helping the professionals to know whether he is ingesting calorigenic food or not and in how much amount. The second set of questions would be about lifestyle of the individual. The professional should be also asking whether he has a sedentary lifestyle or that of active lifestyle. The patient could be asked to describe his entire day activity so that the professional can understand how much active the individual is. Not being active prevents burning of calories and influences accumulation of fats. Genes affect the amount of body fat one stores and play a role in how much body fat would be burnt or not. Researchers say that obesity runs in families and questions regarding that can also be asked. Questions regarding medications and socio-economic issues would also be asked (Quattrin & Wilfley, 2017).

Appropriate Health History Questions to Patients

The individuals should be encouraged for exercising regularly. They should be taught that 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week can help in prevention of the weight gain. The moderate intense physical activities that can be taken up are mainly seen to include walking as well as swimming, working out in gyms and others. They should be also educated about the importance of following a healthy eating plan. The individuals should be focusing on nutrient dense but low calorie food. These would mainly include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and many others (Hurt et al., 2014). They should avoid saturated fats as well as limit the taking of sweets and alcohol. Three regular meals should be taken in with limited snacking. It is also important to realize the situations that cause triggering out of control eating. Keeping a journal and writing down what one eats, in how much amount, the correct time, the feeling and how hungry one is, is also helpful. When patterns emerge, the individuals can plan accordingly helping them to control their eating behaviors. It is also important for monitoring the weight regularly. Researchers are of the opinion that people who weight themselves once a week are more successful in keeping off excess pounds. Stress also releases cortisol causing triglycerides to be released and relocating in fat cells from the storage tissues in the abdomen. Cortisol also increases appetite. Therefore, stress management plan should also be incorporated.

Important site which the individuals can access to gather information about the disorder. In the resource section, there had been huge amount of information that would be helpful for the individuals to gather specific information about the health issues. They had taken the responsibility in helping individuals develop knowledge about it, changing their attitudes, displaying the best science of the cause of occurrence of obesity and the ways communities can participate accordingly for better effective outcome on health. They also influence government funding for betterment of programs that ensure obesity prevention in individual.

Another site that provides information to the nation about not only obesity but about many other health diseases that affect human beings in the nation. The information is written in an easy language that becomes very easy for any layman without the health literacy to understand. No technical jargon are used and hence is helpful for individuals who wants to gather knowledge about the disorder.

The individuals can also visit the local primary healthcare centre where they can interact with the general practitioners, the primary healthcare nurses, or the community nurses to be educated about the risk factors of the disorder or the steps that they can take for prevention of the disorder. They can also ask for pamphlets on the disorder which contain about the different “do’s and don’ts” of the disorder. This would be helpful for the individuals.

Conclusions

From the above discussion, it is seen that screening programs for obesity is one of the most effective ways for prevention of obesity. It helps individuals to identify whether they are at the risk of developing the chronic situation. Accordingly, it warns them about their lifestyle factors and diet and helps them to modify them accordingly. Therefore, it is recommended that such screening programs should be arranged more in number to protect the nation from the grips of obesity. Better, the screening sessions, more number of people can be saved from being affected by the disorder. This would ensure safe and quality life of people all over the nation.

References:

Aveyard, P., Lewis, A., Teame, S., Hood, K., Begh, R., Daley, A., … & Jebb, S. (2016, November). Screening for obesity and brief intervention for weight loss in primary care: a randomised trial. In International Journal Of Behavioral Medicine (Vol. 23, Pp. S67-S67). 233 Spring St, New York, Ny 10013 Usa: Springer.

Evans, C. V., Burda, B. U., Walsh, E. S., Eder, M., & Lozano, P. (2017). Screening for Obesity and Intervention for Weight Management in Children and Adolescents.

Grossman, D. C., Bibbins-Domingo, K., Curry, S. J., Barry, M. J., Davidson, K. W., Doubeni, C. A., … & Landefeld, C. S. (2017). Screening for obesity in children and adolescents: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Jama, 317(23), 2417-2426.

Hurt, L., De Pinto, C., Watson, J., Grant, M., & Gielner, J. (2014). Diagnosis and screening for obesity-related conditions among children and teens receiving Medicaid—Maryland, 2005–2010. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 63(14), 305.

Kling, S. M. R., Yan, X., Savage, J. S., Welk, G., & Bailey-Davis, L. (2017). Parent Screening of Obesity Risk Factors at Well Child Visits Leads to Reductions in Body Mass Index Among Elementary-Age Children: 2-Year Outcomes. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(9), A60.

O’connor, E. A., Evans, C. V., Burda, B. U., Walsh, E. S., Eder, M., & Lozano, P. (2017). Screening for obesity and intervention for weight management in children and adolescents: evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. Jama, 317(23), 2427-2444.

Quattrin, T., & Wilfley, D. E. (2017). The Promise and Opportunities for Screening and Treating Childhood Obesity: USPSTF Recommendation Statement. JAMA pediatrics, 171(8), 733-735.

Tait, A. R., Voepel?Lewis, T., Christensen, R., & O’brien, L. M. (2016). Comment on â Utility of screening questionnaire, obesity, neck circumference, and sleep polysomnography to predict sleepâ disordered breathing in children and adolescents.