Part 1
In most communities, people tend to suffer from certain diseases which may not be clear to them in terms of the extent to which they have affected people. Solutions to such communal challenges should be formulated as fast as possible to ensure that such diseases do not become widespread. Obesity is one problem which affects people due to unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle (Grima & Dixon, 2013). If people are not educated about healthy eating habits and exercising, they may not be in a position to change the situation. Obesity is not a one-day thing but a condition which is acquired over time (Grima & Dixon, 2013). It is important to come up with a well-organized plan to eradicate such problems in affected communities.
The first step that should be taken in a community with a large population of obese individuals is creating public awareness. Awareness should be created to let people understand the current situation of the community regarding the problems they are facing. In most cases, some unnoticed issues may arise leading to adverse effects. Firstly, it is important for people living in Lucas County and Cuyahoga County to understand the health problems facing them. Awareness should be created through conducting public meetings, workshops, and holding events to sensitize people. It will be important to get statistics to prove to them how much the society has been affected by obesity and drug abuse (Barbour, 2011). Information about different aspects of the health problems should be given to residents. For instance, it is important for them to understand which age group is mainly affected, the total number of people facing such health challenges, and the consequences of being obese (Bagchi & Preuss, 2013).
After introducing people to the obesity and drug abuse, they will start visualizing the problem and become concerned since they will have also learnt about the consequences of unhealthy living. The next step is to educate people about different lifestyles that lead to obesity. When people learn about such problems they should list down their unhealthy living habits (Bagchi & Preuss, 2013). Before asking people to make a list of unhealthy living habits, it is important to explain to them different habits that are considered unhealthy. Such habits should involve both physical activities and eating. It is important to educate them the types of unhealthy foods/diet contributing to obesity. In this stage, education should be done through the aid of study materials such as visual presentations and handouts (Bagchi & Preuss, 2013). Pictures and videos play a significant role in helping individuals to learn about what to do and the extent of the problem.
The next step is to educate people on different healthy ways of living. In this stage, people will be educated on healthy foods and proper diet. People should be encouraged to choose whole foods. For instance, the food to be eaten should be minimally processed. Such foods include whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, and steel cut oats), vegetables, plant oils (vegetable oil and olive oil), whole fruits, beans, nuts seeds, and proteins such as poultry and fish (Bagchi & Preuss, 2013). It is also important for people to drink calorie free drinks (Grima & Dixon, 2013). People should also be encouraged to limit drinks and foods such as potatoes, processed meat (bacon, salami, sausage), red meat (lamb. Pork, beef), sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice (small amount daily), and refined grains (white rice, white bread, white pasta,), and sweets (Grima & Dixon, 2013). People should also be taught different ways of avoiding overeating. They include, taking breakfast, eating at home, eating mindfully, and eating slowly (Grima & Dixon, 2013).
The next step is to educate people on physical activities that can help them improve their health. Differentiating activities for both children and adults should be done to make everything clear and easy to implement. People should be encouraged to minimize the time taken while watching television or movies. For adults to maintain good health, they need at least two and a half hours a week of activities such as slow bike riding and brisk walking (Bagchi & Preuss, 2013). For vigorous activities, they only need about 1.25 hours a week to live a healthy life. To control their weight, one hour of physical activity is required daily. For children, it is recommended for them to engage themselves in at least one hour of physical activities (Grima & Dixon, 2013). Bone-strengthening and muscle-strengthening activities should be conducted at least thrice a week.
The next step is to actualize the healthy ways of living in terms of food consumed and physical activities. People should be required to prepare a well-balanced diet for each meal, each day of the week (Bagchi & Preuss, 2013). The written down diet should be well balanced in terms of nutrients, calories, and amount. People should also make a list of the calorie free beverages they will consume and the amount to be taken daily. The other thing is to list down the physical activities that will be conducted each day as well as the amount of time spent on each activity (Bagchi & Preuss, 2013).
After people have made a list of the types of food to be consumed daily and the types of exercise to be done the lists will be counterchecked to ensure that they are healthy measures of living. Recommendations will be made on individual lists to ensure that only the best practices and foods are left. The amount of time allocated for physical activities will also be checked to ensure that it will lead to desirable results on people. People will then be required to implement individual diets each day by listing down the consumed foods.
Apart from ensuring that people make individual efforts to improve their health, it is important for the community to also take measures as a whole. The first thing is to come up with daily or weekly physical activities such as football, hockey, table tennis, marathon, and basketball among others. Competitions in games should be held frequently to motivate people to engage themselves in physical training. Both children and adults should be encouraged to take part in such activities.
There are several local activities that can help improve the health of people living in communities with a large population of obese individuals. They include:
- Starting clubs in schools that promote healthy living and physical training.
- Training people on nutrition and physical exercises.
- Setting aside land for physical training.
- Local authorities should fund buying of physical training activities such as gym equipment and games equipment.
- Starting a consultancy centre for diet advice and other types of consultation.
Part2 B
Creating awareness through public gathering, workshops, school clubs, and seminars is an effective way of reaching out to the community. People will first be educated on what healthy living entails. They will also be taught on how to prepare a proper diet. People will be challenged to prepare list of the food items that they will be consuming each day of the week. New games and other physical activities such as marathon will be introduced to engage the entire community. Competitions in games will be held weekly to engage people in exercising. Tournaments will also be started to encourage people to train hard. People will also be taught the benefits of healthy eating and exercise to their bodies. Facilities of measuring weight will be bought. People will be encouraged to regularly check their weight and find ways of maintaining desirable weight.
The people who will be actively involved in this exercise include; nutritionists, heads of schools, head of local authority, and head of healthcare centers. Different activities should take the least time possible to ensure that results are achieved as soon as possible. Depending on the activity, it should take between few days to a maximum of five months to achieve desirable results. For activities that require time due to the large number of authorizes involved, five months will be given. For instance, it may take time to set aside a piece of land for physical training. Activities to promote healthy living to avoid obesity will be conducted from individual to community level.
To determine whether the activities recommended are successful or not, it will be important to check the number of individuals taking the activities seriously. For instance, getting the number of people attending meetings, workshops, and seminars will show how people are taking the issue seriously. The number of clubs started and the number of individuals engaging in physical activities are good indicators of the success of the project. The space set aside for games, the amount of money allocated for funding healthy living projects, and the number of competitions/tournaments held each month will help to show how much people are active.
Reference
Barbour, S. (2011). Obesity. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.
Bagchi, D., & Preuss, H. G. (2013). Obesity: Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and prevention. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Grima, M., & Dixon, J. B. (2013). Obesity: Recommendations for management in general practice and beyond. Australian Family Physician, 42(8), 1193-1209.
