Health Promotion and Policy on Healthy Eating - MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theHealth Promotion and Policy on Healthy Eating. Answer: Health Promotion and Policy on Healthy Eating and Reduction of Obesity Health promotion is the practice of enabling people to improve and gain control over their health. The Ottawa charter conceptualizes activities for health promotion as developing ones personal skills, developing healthy public policies, reorienting healthcare services to go beyond providing curative and clinical services, creating environments that are supportive and in the future central elements of public promotion could be ecology, caring and holism (Povlsen and Borup 2011). These actions have to be made possible in schools, work places, homes and the community in general. These should be the case as health is build and lived in peoples everyday life settings; where they play, learn, love and work. In these settings, personal, environmental and organizational factors interrelate to affect peoples well being and health (Labstein et al., 2015). This settings are more than the physical locations and can be summarized as the product and medium of peoples social interactions, It puts e mphasize on the structural social and individual dimensions of health. Since 1980 obesity has doubled worldwide. The following is a health promotion on health eating and obesity reduction. Doing away with unhealthy soft drinks particularly in sports centers showed that it may lead to increase in healthier drinks sales. Often, food within recreation, sports and aquatic centres is poor in nutrition and sugar sweetened drinks are highly consumed. YMCA Victoria, the largest recreation and aquatic provider, set out a health promotion starting with their own settings to remove from its centres all full sugar soft drinks. They set out a policy to reduce consumption of unhealthy drinks without affecting the total returns from soft drinks sells. Health promotion impact can make real differences to communities and individual lives as well as the natural environment. It can also lead to health equity. Determinants of Health In this 21st century there are challenges which have impacts on health, they include: increasing urbanization, increasing disparities between the poor and the rich, digital communication, climate change and globalization. These challenges directly and indirectly affect health promotion. Factors such as genetics, our relationship with family and friends, state of our environment, where we live and our level of education impact on peoples health. However, access to health care services which are considered more often dont have a big impact on health (Jia and Lubetkin 2010). When a person is considered healthy, this complex mix of determinants are not seen, the healthy condition is what is seen. It is therefore just an iceberg tip. In health promotion the health iceberg is employed, its framework firstly identifies lifestyle and behavioral factors which impact on health and then the social factors which present the greatest impact. They also influence exposures, behaviors and opportunit ies that impact on health. Therefore to gain the desired health outcome this factors are the core, should be understood and changed to impact the outcome we desire. The problem is identified like in our case obesity reduction and healthy dietary eating then the contributing factors are identified. The lifestyle and behavioral factors that contribute to our problem, here consumption of sugar sweetened poor nutritional drinks during sports and recreation were the cause (Mechanick et al., 2013). Then the determinants are identified; environmental, social and economic that encouraged consumption of the poor dietary sugar sweetened soft drinks. Maybe it was just because they were available in the counters, thus eliminating them could be a start. In a wider scope, education, physical activity, food security, social exclusion connection, working conditions, unemployment employment are also considered. The YMCA organization has been able remove soft drinks from display and in return increased the availability of green and amber drinks all over their centers. According to the department of health and human services 2015, they have a clear vision of 10% or less of the fridge space to be filled with soft drinks, this was a success due to the multisectoral engagements in reducing the consumption of soft drinks. The YMCA Victorias Healthy Food and Beverage policy and its campaign (soft drinks free summer) created a milestone in realizing a healthy food environment for Children and adults. However this achievement gives a guideline on how we could ensure dietary eating and reduce obesity in the population. The success of these however was enabled by their management and executive teams dedication, support from health promotional staff and the engagement of suppliers to ensure they supported the policy and they could supply alternative drinks (Department of Health and Human services 2014) . The promotion is built heavily on building public policy, strengthening of community action, re orientation of services and creating supportive environments borrowed from Ottowa charter of health promotion. Health promotion against social determinants and Congruence with Kickbuschs determinants of health for 21st century Obesity and overweight and the resulting non communicable diseases can be prevented. Communities and support environments play an important role in the influencing peoples choices. Regular physical activities, and eating healthy foods are the choices that the environment and community should present as the easiest choice (these choices should be most affordable, accessible and available) thus preventing obesity and overweight. People at their individual levels can limit the amount of energy they consume from total sugars and fats, increase intake of vegetables and fruit as well as whole grains, legumes and nuts (Potvin and Jones 2011). They should also involve themselves in habitual physical activities for an average of 150 minutes in a week (spread out). Individual activities and responsibility to eat healthy and avoid obesity can yield maximum benefits if people access/adopt a healthy lifestyle. Its the societys responsibility to support individuals to achieve these goals. This can be done by implementation of population based and evidence based policies that avail, easily accessible, affordable healthy and sustained dietary choices and physical activities. This can also be achieved through increasing tax on sweetened beverages (Tong, Beaglehole and Byrne 2005). The food industry can play an important role in ensuring healthy diets through: reducing salt, fat and sugar content in the foods they process; availing nutritious and healthy choices at affordable prices to consumers; restricting marketing of sugary and fatty foods often aimed at teenagers and supporting habitual physical activity even in work places. According to professor Ilona Kickbusch, health promotion determinants include political; health has risen up in the rankings of political agenda in different countries, in global agreements policy developments and political legitimacy and ideology and aligning itself to the expectations of the countries citizens (Vitak et al., 2011). Health is of high emblematic nature and it is associated with individuals, markets, role of the state and overall common good, Social, commercial, environmental, behavioral and genetic factors. He further outlines that societies are radically changing due to globalization, urbanization, individualization, virtual connectedness, commercialization and demography (Keune et al., 2013). Therefore this gives rise to changes in inequality that results to change in health topics. In the 20th century health was just a political, social and national focus, today health focus is global, more political and more social due to the technological developments. The susta inability and development of economies and their growth requires a healthy population. Many economies are making huge investments in medical care and in health. These has made health/ medical care sector a major employer and a major business sector therefore its being affected by the economic crisis just like any other business (Kickbusch and Gleicher 2012). There is a requirement to position health within the society and government and define how different sectors affect health. Politically heath is determined through distribution of resources, money and power. Since health is the core of ideologies, market force and values, parliamentarians have to make decisions bearing in mind their consequences while NGOs act as watchdogs to ensure they value health. They need to build a link between sustainable agenda for development and health promotion since the best health choices double up to be the best choices for the universe and generally best environmental and ethical choices are good for health, foster equity and eliminate obesogenic environments. Health being a multidimensional thing, its quality is dependent on peoples participation in political processes, factors shaping their economic and personal security, social environments that they live in, activities of their everyday life and their health education. If this factors are handled correctly we will be able to reduce obesity, encourage health dietary promote health and general well being (Hasting, 2012). Environmental determinants, both macro and micro have over time become less conducive for people to do physical activities. Transportation trends have not encouraged physical activity to counter obesity; therefore there is a lot to be done so as to reverse attitudes riding bicycles and walking to work which is perceived as a low social status. On urban level settings, residential environments and neighborhoods have to be developed to accommodate cycling and walking friendly environments for residents. Housing policies ought to promote physical activity/exercise through improvement of residential areas conditions i.e. promote existence of green spaces in every residential area to encourage walking and cycling. In school settings and educational system as a whole, a variety of factors; long time spent by learners in their learning institutions and attachment of less importance to physical education drastically reduces physical activity leading to obesity (Durlak and Dupre 2008). Tradit ional sports that encouraged physical activity have reduced in the recent years paving way too many new sports and commercial options but all the groups of people may not have equal access to them. Moreover, sports compete with different leisure activities which have less physical activity. Most of these leisure activities are screen based. Technological changes have atomized many operations leading to less physical activity as people work in addition to the increased sedentary jobs. Employers determine their employees physical movements through the social cultural environment and policy. They can provide opportunities for physical activities in the job /work setting e.g. through fringe benefits and parking policies. Systems Approach Therefore, policies makers are presented with the opportunity formulate policies that make their work environment free of overweight and obesity triggers. The social cultural environment and policies they provide are significant determinants of employees physical activity as they spend most of their time working. Longtime investments and strategies are however needed to tap the full potential of the influence from supportive environments as a requirement in active living. This can lead to tangible gains to society and individuals with building of an excellent partnership between different concerned and related sectors in the building and putting in place policies. There is also need to develop more effective arguments and ways in order to be supported by these other sectors (Edelen, Mandle and Kudzma 2013). They need to be made aware of their role in promoting and facilitating physical activity to help curb overweight and obesity in the long run. For instance, tools can be formed to measure how the other sectors (other than the health sector) invest/contribute to physical activities. Opportunities can be provided through identification of goals shared by these sectors that can be adopted easily e.g. the transport sector can put in place policies to encourage cycling to work by provision of cycling paths along the way to encourage physical activity. On the part of health dietary eating, food marketing promotions have a big influence on the consumption of energy dense products (Street, Gold and Manning 2013). With voluntary control in advertising of such foods, there is need to regulate their marketing. Food marketing influences foods availability (placing them at the checkout0, prices (special offers), personal state (use of flavors and coloring), information (food advertisings) and cultural values (use of celebrities to advertise these foods). This kind of marketings increase sells of the entire category of foods especially to children that in the long run lead to obesity. Therefore multisectoral approaches have to be put in place to deal with food advertising (Chaudoir, Dugan and Barr 2013). For instance, advertising of food products should not mislead about possible gains of eating a particular product, advertisements should not look down upon parents roles to provide dietary guidance, its should not directly appeal to children as they will persuade parents to buy the products for them, advertisements targeting children should not cause a sense of urgency to consume certain products, and children products should not be advertised adjacent to their programs. Providing information only is ineffective, there is need for actions and that encourages and facilitates chance. Needs of the poorest population sections should be addressed and broader health determinants tackled including demographic and environmental factors social cohesion and exclusion. According to WHO, everyone is a role player in improving physical activities and improving dietary ranging from food manufacturers, retailers, the mass media, farmers, caterers, schools, employers to healthcare professionals. WHO categories these people into target groups; adolescents, children, minority groups, pregnant women and low income people; settings such as health sector, commercial sector workplaces and schools (Mhurchu, Aston and Jebb 2010). The target groups can be referenced using the life course: starting at prenatal and maternal health cutting through pregnancy results, nutrition for infants, pre-school, adolescents, young adults and elderly people. Inside this sequence there is gender, race, social economic groupings, ethnicity and income levels that influence the type of approaches used and the different settings. The use of life course analysis to identify target groups is limited by the reasoning that the outlined interventions should operate directly on target groups with health questions. This choice of target groups can be too narrow to target obesity and health eat ing s it does not consider how to deal with individual behavior; the cultural, environmental and economic influences that need to be transformed in order for the healthy behavior to be adopted easily (Eldredge et al., 2016). On these breath, target groups definition need to be changed to and broadened so as to include providers of health determinants i.e. schools, mass media, commercial food service providers and health services. Decision makers who outline access to health living through distribution, pricing, and marketing should not be left out too. These will also include public leaders e.g. politicians, celebrities company share holders and professional groups. There are three classical health promotion settings; health care services which include clinics, family service professionals, community outreach and specialist clinics; social care facilities and schools for both practical interventions and education; workplace for practical and education interventions (Cancelliere et al., 2011). Community settings fall under this category too; they include those that shape health behavior through businesses like restaurants and buildings, parks and road planners and designers. Health professionals can influence the community and particularly their patients (Egger, Spark and Dovan 2013). Mother baby clinics, community outreach programs, workplace and school nurses have the opportunity to monitor family and individual practices to provide information and advice. Health workers can provide the community with surveillance and demonstrations of good health practices through monitoring school, workplace activities and club cookery programs. Social care f acilities and schools e.g. centers for elderly persons, kindergartens and nurseries present a valuable chance to influence dietary habits of people in one collective setting respectively. Obesity prevention trials invented in preschool nursery and schools play a big role in shaping childs development in early ages and in turn this children influence their families to have good dietary habits (Han, Lawlor and Kimm 2010). Workplaces are the best places to influence adult population to improve to health habits because most of their time is spend here. In addition it also helps breastfeeding women to go back to work if they want to. Community settings present a range of opportunities at local level to influence and improve peoples health; i.e. in residents, women, supermarkets and religious groups. Radios and television may help to broaden community interventions. Commercial sector interventions have not been well spelled out but the sector can influence product choices. Manufacturers and large companies could support interventions of health promotions through changes in their products marketing, production, pricing and labeling of the foods (lobstein et al., 2015). The catering services also play an important role as peoples tendency to eat outside their homes increase. Environmental building to facilitate sports/leisure facilities, walkways and bicycle routes has not been put into much practice focusing on the fact that this could reduce obesity and the resulting cardiovascular disease in populations in their local settings. Therefore in the broadest sense, setting of health promotion are simply any places where there is possibility to influence practices and policies towards health improvement (Thornton, Pearce and Karanagh 2011). Therefore; parliamentary hearings, transport authority stakeholders meeting and corporate meeting of shareholde rs are all examples of health promotion settings. Health, Equity and Action on Sustainability The World Health Organization outlines opportunities that can bring about sustainability and health equity (Durand et al., 2011). The recommendations focus on measuring and understanding the problem of health equity and assessment of the resulting impact action; improve the everyday peoples lives, where they work, grow and age; tackle money, resources and power distribution inequities. Ill health is brought about by a range of causes brought about widely by the environment and economic factors. It all starts with social satisfaction that defines many contemporary societies. There need to be interventions to address the decreasing social satisfaction e.g. through wealth redistribution, decreasing vulnerability to health threatening factors e.g. reducing climate events that are adverse, reducing peoples exposure to conditions that damage their health and strengthening the community to improve resilience e.g. encouraging people to live environmentally sustainable lives, providing effect ive, accessible and equitable healthcare e.g. through basing public health coverage on the model of primary healthcare (Jacobson and Gaze 2011). Environmental sustainability and human health are of great importance, it is however interrelated to climate change. Climate changes are as a result of global warming which affect health directly in a variety of ways (Sallis et al., 2012). There s increased exposure to extreme weather conditions and heat waves to local populations. Greater impacts on water and food supplies which related to environmental degradation have however been forecasted. These include vector borne diseases all of which have an impact on living conditions in coastal areas and cities. Its concern to equity is that the people that suffer the most as a result of these changes are the ones that least contributes to their causes. Therefore these adverse effects will fall disproportionately on middle and low income countries. Therefore efforts that have been placed to miti gate climate change will help in mitigating public health though indirectly. There have been huge rural urban migrations, poor sanitation and housing, pollution unemployment which can be linked to this climate changes and they all result to poor health in the long run (Lu, 2010). An example is the slum conditions in urban areas that result to deteriorated health standards. The substandard housing in slums and poor communities increase their exposure to heat waves, floods, landslides and other extreme weather events. Population growth pause an impact on sustainability and health equity. Economic development has an equally big impact on the same, economic recess and fall of economies lead to increase in poor people and therefore limited access to better facilities and clean environments to live in (Singh, siahpush and Kogan 2010). Conclusion The choice of physical activities and food every single day affect health either positively or negatively. Physical activity and health eating may reduce risk of noncommunicable diseases and lead to a healthy happy life. However the choice of physical activity and type of food is also dependent on many other factors. These factors are economic, social, environmental, technological and individual practices. 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