How making changes to lifestyle can decrease obesity and all the health concerns that come with living an unhealthy lifestyle

How making changes to lifestyle can decrease obesity and all the health concerns that come with living an unhealthy lifestyle

RESPOND TO THIS DISCUSSION POST BY MACARENA As the nurse in an elementary school assessing problems such as inactivity, obesity and lack of knowledge of healthy food choices, it is essential to raise awareness of poor eating habits and related conditions associated with obesity. In order to help improve the health of its student, the nurse must first develop an action plan to raise awareness to the concern. First, it is not only necessary to inform the students of this health concern, but also to include parents and remind them of the importance of healthy eating habits. By developing an interactive presentation at school with both parents and student, the nurse can encourage families to stay active, watch their weight, and learn about healthy food choices. It is important the nurse discusses both quantitative and qualitative data during the presentation. For instance, she can begin discussing quantitative data by showing parents proper BMI tools. Parents can learn how to collect data such as weight, height, and age to assess a BMI and understand the meaning of what it is and what the normal should be. She can then discuss quantitative data, by asking a series of questions such as: how often do you do physical activity? How often do you eat junk food? What kind of foods do you eat regularly? Do you feel tired often? “The assessment helps the nurse in community health to understand individual, family, and group problems and to know what community strengths and resources are available to help the nurse solve the client’s problem” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2018). During this health education presentation, the nurse collects and evaluates the data shared and teaches parents easy ways to increase activity weekly; by encouraging parents and kids to follow simple interventions such as: joining sports, go for walks, bike rides, going to parks, swimming, and play outdoor games to increase physical activity. The nurse emphasizes the need to stay active to live healthier lifestyles, and discourages activities such as using the iPad, watching television, or playing video games every day. The nurse also advises parents to make conscious choices when preparing meals and encourages fruits and vegetables as well as opting for water over sodas or fruit juices. The nurse emphasizes that making small changes can make a big difference. Lastly, the nurse discusses how making changes to lifestyle can decrease obesity and all the health concerns that come with living an unhealthy lifestyle (ex: diabetes). The nurse provides everyone with written information and advises parents to always keep up to date with their children’s well child physical appointment to evaluate progress with their pediatrician. The nurse also plans to follow up and evaluate how kids implemented the suggested innervations on the weeks to come and how they feel. References Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2018). Foundations for population health community /public health nursing (5th ed.) Missouri: Elsevier.