Childhood Obesity In Canada

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Health Promotion Concept Paper
The word “health” means something different to everyone. To some health means eating well and exercising, to others it means mental wellness and cures for diseases like cancer.
Health is the condition of the body and the extent to which it is free from illness, and its state of being well (O 'Donnell, M. 1986). When people see commercials on TV and ads in the newspaper, it motivates them to realize that there are always new ways to improve their health. Not only in Canada, but world wide there are many ideas of how people can better their health and well being. Municipalities are assisting in improving people’s health and inspiring health concepts by introducing bike lanes on the roads, paths and trails …show more content…

Nurses that are employed in the education system work to teach students how to live a healthy lifestyle starting at a young age so it will continue to benefit them for the future. One disturbing health concern that is increasing amongst our younger generation that I believe should be addressed as a high health priority is childhood obesity. Childhood obesity in Canada is a major problem in children and teens. It is defined as the accumulation of irregular or excessive fat that can effect health (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2015). It was reported by Statistics Canada (2013) that over 13% of children in Canada are obese, this shows how important it is to work with youth to be proactive in trying to avoid potential health problems before they occur. Children are at risk of being overweight when they lack exercise and eat too much food that is high in sugar, or unhealthy. Other factors include watching a lot of TV and playing videos games, coming from a family of people who are overweight with priorities not being eating healthy or participating in physical activity, as well as a lack of material about bettering their nutrition and a deficiency of access, availability and affordability to healthy foods (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2015). Nurses need to lead a social shift toward active lifestyles and healthy eating to aid in decreasing childhood obesity and the ensuing emotional and physical effects (Banfield, M., McGorm, K. & Sargent, G, 2015). There are not only immediate but also long-term effects from childhood obesity with outcomes that can result in severe medical problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, respiratory problems, sleep disorders and eating disorders (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2015). Not only does being overweight

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