Term Paper on "Program Project Design Grant Proposal"

Term Paper 15 pages (4332 words) Sources: 3

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Obesity Proposal

There is a serious problem facing the citizens of America today that could lead to a variety of problems down the road, health problems that could further strain the health care industry and ultimately affect the future economic viability of the United States. That problem is the percentage of obese individuals and the ensuing diseases and health issues that come along with it.

Many health care professionals realize the seriousness of this problem and many state and national agencies have created programs designed to address this important issue. Much of the educational instruction being espoused by this proposed project will be in conjunction with those types of programs, though smaller in scale, of course. This project will focus on the citizens residing in Brooklyn, NY and in particular the Borough Park Community. The project will concentrate on assessing and educating those citizens who are most at risk or are currently suffering from the effects of this problem.

The situation is that many of the nation's citizens are eating a less-healthy diet and a diet that is rich in fats and sugars. This type of diet can lead to obesity and the problems associated with being overweight. Diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are prevalent in high-risk individuals such as people suffering from obesity.

Assessing the problem as it pertains to Borough Park is the primary goal of this project. Once the assessment is finished, then a further objective would be to create an educational program that will allow for nutritional instruction designed for this specific community and its citizens.

The type of situation the community of Borough Park is facing is one that faces many of the communities across the nation, but there are unique factors to consider in Borough Park. "Culturally and religiously, the neighborhood is considered one of the most Orthodox in the world. Many families do not own televisions or attend movies. The children attend yeshivas instead of public schools. Adolescent girls do not leave the house without making certain that their knees and elbows are covered, and at weddings and funerals alike, women and men sit separately to avoid physical contact, as required by religious law" (Confessore, Farmer, 2006, p. B.3)

The citizens living in this type of community traditionally will eat only certain types of food, often times cooked only in particular ways. The goal, then, for this project is to educate children, young adults and parents concerning nutrition in regards to obesity and the many problems that can develop without weight control and discipline. This program will attempt to provide the citizens of Borough Park community with enough nutritional information and guidelines to slow the onslaught of obesity in their community which should lead to longer, healthier lives for all involved.

Literature Review

The Department of Health in New York shows the following statistics in its 2005 annual report on the health of its citizens.

The percentage of New York State adults who are overweight or obese increased from 42% in 1997 to 57% in 2002.

The percentage of obese adults in New York State more than doubled from 10% in 1997 to 21% in 2002.

Obesity among children and adolescents has tripled over the past three decades.

Among children in grades K-5 from New York City, 24% are obese.

Among third grade children in upstate New York, 21% are obese.

29.5% of high school students from New York City, and 24% of high school students from upstate New York are overweight or are obese. (based on self-reported height and weight).

Obesity-related illnesses cost the United States an estimated $117 billion and New York State more than $6 billion. (NY Dept of Health 2005)

According to New York's Department of Health poor diet and physical inactivity are the second leading causes of preventable death in the United States. Those two items can and should be addressed. Evidence of a 15% jump of overweight adult individuals in only a five-year period is evidence that action must be taken, especially considering that the obese category of adult individuals more than doubled in that same time frame. Finding the time and energy to exercise as an adult can be much more difficult than when an individual is a teenager or a child. However, statistics show that it is not just the adult citizen that is suffering from this situation, but it is the children, and the young adults of the community as well. Almost 30% of high school students from New York City are obese or overweight, and almost 25% of elementary students from K-5 are in the same category.

These figures are all disseminated from the New York Department of Health and what could be really disturbing about them is the fact that it is costing America and the state of New York billions of dollars per year to cope with obesity-related illnesses. New York State alone is spending over $6 billion on this problem. Much of the problem could be alleviated if the citizens were taught what foods to eat and what foods not to eat. Additionally the citizens could also be given direction in how to integrate physical activities into their daily schedules.

One of the reasons why Borough Park community was chosen for this particular project is due to the very large population of children in the community. "Borough Park has been described as being the "baby boom capital" of New York City, because of its high birth rate. The neighborhood recorded 4,523 births in 2004, the highest in the city" (Fertile, 2006. p. 7). This high birth rate translates into future community growth and provides the opportunity for a project such as the one being proposed to have the greatest effect on a community. This project will target every citizen in the Borough Park community, but will emphasize the educational aspects of teaching children good nutritional and physical activity habits. By accomplishing this objective, it is hoped that the children will retain this learning, integrating it in to their daily activities in order to live long, fruitful and prosperous lives. One recent study showed that increased risks during pregnancy are associated with obesity. "The authors concluded that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with increased weight gain" (Callaway, McIntyre, O'Callaghan, Williams, Najman, Lawlor, 2007, p. 421).

Keeping this study in mind, one immediate benefit of the project could be a decrease in the level of hypertension among those women who are pregnant. This is beneficial because if the women are not hypertensive, then they are less likely to suffer any of the affects of high blood pressure, including death.

An additional factor when consider obese women and pregnancy is the fact that some studies have shown that women who are obese during a pregnancy can have an affect on their male offspring's fertility, or lack thereof. "Obesity is a strong predictor of fecundity (the ability to have children, usually lots of them with ease) and could have a programming effect on semen quality through hormonal factors or links to fetal growth" (Ramlau-Hansen, Thulstrup, Bonde, Olsen, 2007, p. 568). Ironically enough, since the women in Borough Park obviously believe in bearing children, their children could be denied the same belief if the mother happens to be obese. This project can help to address those concerns and issues.

In a program developed by the New York Department of Health to address the increasing obesity problem the risks of obesity are stated in now uncertain terms. A report on the program states that risks associated with obesity include: Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems, asthma, sleep disturbances and depression. The report also states,

Obesity is making children old before their time. Many young people are overweight because they do not exercise enough and/or they eat unhealthy or too much food. Overweight and obesity can lead to learning problems in school as well as health problems. Children who do not eat properly or do not get enough exercise are more likely to become overweight or obese and may increase their risk of developing other diseases and conditions. These diseases are more common in adults, but are increasingly being seen in children.

Since there are so many children being born in Borough Park it is important to address this issue. The end result of the project is to affect as many of the citizens in the community as possible, for as long as possible. With a large population of children, the project can be most effective by instructing these children first and foremost, before any of these diseases stemming from obesity can enter into their lives. The educational needs of the community are quite obvious, and filling those educational needs with the correct information and knowledge could have a large impact on the community. The problem does not stem from the fact that the citizens of Borough Park wish to become overweight or obese. In fact, the opposite is more likely true. They are, however, affected by the traditions and cultures found in… READ MORE

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