Creating Policy and Environmental Approaches MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Creating Policy and Environmental Approaches. Answer: Introduction Obesity can be defined as the presence of too much fat in the body. It is a global public health concern with occurrence having doubled since 1980, according to WHO, in 2014 there were 1.9 billion adults over the age of 18 years being overweight. Majority of the world population live in countries where obesity affects majority of the population than underweight. It is for this reason that several studies have been conducted to tray and establish the epidemiological pattern of the disease. Determinants of obesity outcomes are sought from the descriptive epidemiology associated in order for generation of hypothesis and then the application of analysis of data from sample of the populations and then comparing them to the groups to determine whether health outcomes differ in exposure. If there is greater outcome due to a given exposure then an association has occurred. Outcome measurements are assessed through self reporting on the type of food taken away by consumers using tools such questionnaires and cut offs like body mass index. The outcome relate to the population of adults aged between 29-62, in Cambridge, UK, who were participating in the study. The study findings on the outcome measure found that exposure was associated with increase in body mass and increase in odds for obesity; also consumption of take away foods across the study population in general was great, (Khoury, Gwinn Loannidis, 2010). The results obtain correlate with other studies on the population in there is a positive association between exposure to take away foods, exposure to takeaway foods was more prevalent in the work environment, where existence of dose response relationship was present, (Khoury, Gwinn Loannidis, 2010). Researchers conducted have concluded that there is a relationship between fast foods outlets especially in work place and at schools and obesity prevalence worldwide, (Arroyo, Cassandra Krista, 2016). In conducting these studies, clinical studies have employed the use of exposure group. Internal validity has been to measure the how the study is done in order to minimise confounding factors, the fewer occurrence of confounding factors, the higher and the internal validity of the study. In the study the causal effect was felt increase in body mass index and the food take away outlets, the relationship was established with significant difference of 0.92 p0.05 relative to those exposed. The groups associated with the most exposure was averagely having a body mass index of 1.21 (95% confidence) greater than those whom were least exposed, (Khoury, Gwinn Loannidis, 2010). According to this study, the proposed intervention to tackle take away harmful effects on food is the alteration of the geography of food availability in a move to promote healthier foods. This intervention has been adopted by other organisations and partners such as Takeaway Tool kit, document published by Greater London Authority. It fosters the uptake of the intervention at a higher levels of public health. The toolkit suggests that the policy initiative should be aimed at creating an understanding of the environment and individuals in charge. Study conducted by Aztsop Joy (2013), regarding the intervention of changing the food environments to access nutritious food to the general public, it outlines the principles of common good in application to understanding laws and public practices, social policies and market values that shape the factors of healthy food availability in public health care. In the study by Cohel, Kristen and Stanford, (2000), on the study population was 1,205 adults aged between 18-69 years, it used a randomised controlled trial; whereby there was self help education program in promoting lower fat and higher fruit consumption conducted in 1 year, targeting reduction in consumption of fat and increase in fruit intake and vegetables. The control variables of the study were gender, age, sex, ethnicity, BMI status among others, the outcome lead to decrease in BMI. In Djurie et al., (2002) study, on Nutrition and breast health, the population targeted included 97 women, family history of breast cancer aged between 21-50 years old. In Detroit Michigan, it adopted randomised controlled with individual counselling to reduce the risk of breast cancer, the target activities were reduction in fat, increased in fruit and vegetable, decrease in fat and increase in fruit with vegetables. It was conducted for one year. The target was decrease in intake of fat, increase in fruit and vegetable, intake of soda, deserts and breads and change in total calories. The reported changes from the study include decrease in fat and calories, increase in fruit and vegetable. The change direction to relative controls include, decrease in weight and body fat, and a decrease in group two and 0 weight in groups three and four. Using Muller, 2001 study, on Kiel Obesity prevention , Kile Germany, it targeted 297 children, aged 5-7 years , the designed utilised non-randomisation, combined school and family based programs aimed at preventing weight gain and reducing body weight, 3 month and 1 year trial measure. The results observed include increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, decrease intake of high fat foods and increase in physical activity. On the measure against the controls, there was significant weight change. Neff Roni et al., (2017), which talks on the healthy systems role in exacerbating health disparities in food. Study conducted by Hawkes, Jewel Allen, (2013), studies on the application of the intervention on food policies to promote healthy diets and domains of action of policy direction provided. On creating healthy food and eating environments targeting the policy environment and environment approaches in health aims at promoting the intervention use to tackle obesity issue in public health care, (Story, et al 2008). On access to food on socio economic individualism and public ethics on the intervention is aimed at improvement the environments on which these foods are produced, in addition to these The intervention effects have been found to be effective in targeting both diet and involving. use of behaviour change, mobilisation of social support and clear plan of maintaining behaviour change have been found to support the interventions. It further shows that programmes to effectively promote dietary change needs to involve practitioners and organizations in ensuring effectiveness. According to study by Rychetnik, Frommer, Hawe Shiell, (2002), on public health interventions, it suggest that important parameters should be utilised when observed while implementing g obesity based interventions in public health practice. These parameters include design, development of change strategies and characteristics of the population interventions applicable to the study. These factors have been found out to be determining on how the intervention strategies are going to be implemented. In initiating policy change, the application of the intervention has been used to understand the major factors in initiating shift in the application of the intervention. In this study it proposes sustainable diets as a form of altering the geographic composition of food. It builds it study on a web of factors which influence obesity and a factor among the policy makers. This includes on health, agriculture, socio cultural and environmental factors. It seeks to influence on policy makers to change focus and concentrate on the benefits and policy shift on to healthy behaviours and establishment of sustainable diets in the population, (Johnston, Jessica, Fanzo Bruce, 2014). Major shift has occurred in creating healthy environment through policy and environment approaches. Sahota et al., (2008), suggests that implementation of the intervention, it has set out places where healthy eating patterns need to be implemented, and they include places like homes, schools, and work sites among o ther places. It concludes that environmental intervention are beneficial are essential in health care reforms for healthy living. The role of international agencies in promoting healthy behaviour especially use of take away foods, has led to join of hands from the intergovernmental and civil society groups that brings together policy framework into action. It has taken the initiative to form a comprehensive package for promotion of public health. In UK for example the policy paper entitled ; 2010 to 2015 government obesity and healthy eating, in response to targeting the food environments, it proposed the reduction of various ingredients used in food , public health promotion on food, correcting labelling of food as pertaining to caloric foods and assisting people to eat fewer foods. It calls on different players to call for help in tackling obesity, (GovUK, 2015). In this study by the author, Netto et l., (2010), there barriers which hinder the progress of behaviour change towards obesity. This include culture and program, cultural and program accessibility barriers, low levels of food and health literacy, junk food advertisements and lack of regular weight measures. Obesity base interventions need to take into account the barriers like colour, race and business. (Bagwell, 2015). Other studies have described the barriers affecting obesity into four distinct levels (Fitzgerall and Spaccrotella, 2009). References Bagwell, S., 2015. Designing healthier catering interventions for takeaways in deprived areas. Journal of Environmental Health Research, 15(1), pp.38-56. Cohen, J.H., Kristal, A.R. and Stanford, J.L., 2000. Fruit and vegetable intakes and prostate cancer risk. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 92(1), pp.61-68. Cyril, S., Nicholson, J.M., Agho, K., Polonsky, M. and Renzaho, A.M., 2017. Barriers and facilitators to childhood obesity prevention among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Victoria, Australia. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health. Djuric, Z., Poore, K.M., Depper, J.B., Uhley, V.E., Lababidi, S., Covington, C., Klurfeld, D.M., Simon, M.S., Kucuk, O. and Heilbrun, L.K., 2002. Methods to increase fruit and vegetable intake with and without a decrease in fat intake: compliance and effects on body weight in the nutrition and breast health study. Nutrition and cancer, 43(2), pp.141-151. Fitzgerald, N. and Spaccarotella, K., 2009. Barriers to a healthy lifestyle: from individuals to public policyan ecological perspective. Journal of Extension, 47(1), pp.1-8. Hawkes, C., Jewell, J. and Allen, K. , 2013, A food policy package for healthy diets and the prevention of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases: the NOURISHING framework. Obes Rev, 14: 159168. doi:10.1111/obr.12098 Johnston, J.L., Fanzo, J.C. and Cogill, B., 2014. Understanding sustainable diets: a descriptive analysis of the determinants and processes that influence diets and their impact on health, food security, and environmental sustainability. Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal, 5(4), pp.418-429. Mller, M.J., Asbeck, I., Mast, M., Langnse, K. and Grund, A., 2001. Prevention of obesity--more than an intention. Concept and first results of the Kiel Obesity Prevention Study (KOPS). International Journal of Obesity, 25(S1), p.S66. Neff, R. A., Palmer, A. M., Mckenzie, S. E., Lawrence, R. S., 2009. Food Systems and Public Health Disparities. Journal of Hunger Environmental Nutrition, 4(3-4), 282314. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320240903337041 Netto, G., Bhopal, R., Lederle, N., Khatoon, J. and Jackson, A., 2010. How can health promotion interventions be adapted for minority ethnic communities? Five principles for guiding the development of behavioural interventions. Health Promotion International, 25(2), pp.248-257. Policy paper, 2010 to 2015 government policy: obesity and healthy eating. Online Accesses on 20/05/2017. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-obesity-and-healthy-eating/2010-to-2015-government-policy-obesity-and-healthy-eating Rychetnik, L., Frommer, M., Hawe, P. and Shiell, A., 2002. Criteria for evaluating evidence on public health interventions. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 56(2), pp.119-127. Sahota, P., Rudolf, M.C., Dixey, R., Hill, A.J., Barth, J.H. and Cade, J., 2001. Evaluation of implementation and effect of primary school based intervention to reduce risk factors for obesity. Bmj, 323(7320), p.1027. Story, M., Kaphingst, K.M., Robinson-O'Brien, R. and Glanz, K., 2008. Creating healthy food and eating environments: policy and environmental approaches. Annu. Rev. Public Health, 29, pp.253-272. Story, M., Kaphingst, K.M., Robinson-O'Brien, R. and Glanz, K., 2008. Creating healthy food and eating environments: policy and environmental approaches. Annu. Rev. Public Health, 29, pp.253-272.