Developing a Health Advocacy Campaign
James Kallickal
Walden University
NURS-6050-10
Week 7
, Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health
10/14/2016
, Developing a Health Advocacy Campaign
A major epidemic that our nation is facing is childhood obesity in the United
States. The morbidity and mortality rates cased due to obesity have been a concerning
factor in this country for many years and it is not improving. Awareness and education
about the risks of obesity in children is necessary to equip the people with the necessary
knowledge on how to prevent for treat this growing problem. It is a prime responsibility
as healthcare professionals that we take initiative to raise awareness about obesity and
provide resource and education about the harmful effects of the problem and how to
tackle the problem. Education must also be given about how to change your lifestyle to
battle childhood obesity if the person is already suffering from obesity.
This paper will provide an outline of an advocacy campaign that will provide
some strategies and possible solutions to help with the growing epidemic of childhood
obesity. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children an quadrupled in
adolescents over the last 30 years(Ogden,2014). This is a problem that needs to be
addressed now to help save many lives because a population sample collected of 5 to 17
year old obese children seventy percent were found with at least 1 risk factor for
cardiovascular disease(Freedman,2007).Another statistic I would like to present is the
percentage of children aged 6-12 who were obese increased from seven percent in 1980
to eighteen percent in 2012(Ogden,2014). An advocacy plan needs to be formulated to
tackle this growing issue. This will require the cooperation of families, and healthcare
professionals alike.
James Kallickal
Walden University
NURS-6050-10
Week 7
, Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health
10/14/2016
, Developing a Health Advocacy Campaign
A major epidemic that our nation is facing is childhood obesity in the United
States. The morbidity and mortality rates cased due to obesity have been a concerning
factor in this country for many years and it is not improving. Awareness and education
about the risks of obesity in children is necessary to equip the people with the necessary
knowledge on how to prevent for treat this growing problem. It is a prime responsibility
as healthcare professionals that we take initiative to raise awareness about obesity and
provide resource and education about the harmful effects of the problem and how to
tackle the problem. Education must also be given about how to change your lifestyle to
battle childhood obesity if the person is already suffering from obesity.
This paper will provide an outline of an advocacy campaign that will provide
some strategies and possible solutions to help with the growing epidemic of childhood
obesity. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children an quadrupled in
adolescents over the last 30 years(Ogden,2014). This is a problem that needs to be
addressed now to help save many lives because a population sample collected of 5 to 17
year old obese children seventy percent were found with at least 1 risk factor for
cardiovascular disease(Freedman,2007).Another statistic I would like to present is the
percentage of children aged 6-12 who were obese increased from seven percent in 1980
to eighteen percent in 2012(Ogden,2014). An advocacy plan needs to be formulated to
tackle this growing issue. This will require the cooperation of families, and healthcare
professionals alike.
