Introduction
Due to the immense magnitude of the problem of obesity among children in the US, which was identified in the First Draft, it is essential to propose a solution for the issue (Skinner, Ravanbakht, Skelton, Perrin, & Armstrong, 2018; Xu & Xue, 2016). Therefore, a comprehensive action plan should be developed (Sahoo et al., 2015). The solution is called “Meals for Health,” and it represents a series of family-based interventions, which are supported by the use of a mobile app. One of the primary premises on which the development of this solution is made is the following: familial dietary patterns have a significant impact on how healthy the child’s nutrition is (Flattum et al., 2015). Therefore, interventions which involve the whole family in the process of changing their nutrition habits as well as promoting physical activity and exercises would be highly successful.
To distinguish this solution from others, it is possible to observe that few attempts were made in order to employ new technologies such as apps and social media as the tool for family-based health interventions. To operationalize the solution, four major steps could be suggested: an interdisciplinary team should be recruited, responsibilities should be distributed, interventions are to be implemented, and the information about the impact of the “Meals for Health” implementation should be gathered. The deliverables include the decrease of BMI among overweight or obese children and the improvement of their dietary patterns and lifestyle as a whole.
Main body
It is apparent that in order to be successful, the project’s benefits should outweigh its costs. Benefits of the proposed solution are evident since the deliverables include the decrease in excessive weight among obese children, the improvement of dietary patterns, physical activity habits, and familial relationships (Janicke et al., 2014). Since the proposed intervention is community-based, it is possible to cover the significant part of expenditures by public funding. As the solution is partially based on the study by Flattum et al. (2015), it is possible to cite researchers’ estimations of the program cost: “one-time cost of $20 for personnel training,” “one-time cost of $49 for program materials for participants at the beginning of the program,” and “$44 per session for intervention delivery” (p. 58). Once again, since the proposed solution is community-based, the majority of materials and resources (primarily, food products as well as room rental) would not be difficult to obtain.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is essential to restate the immense importance of the problem of childhood obesity in the contemporary society of the United States. The most fundamental premise of the solution, which is proposed in this draft, is the idea that the family has the most impact on the development of children’s dietary patterns. Therefore, it is of high significance to employ family and community-based interventions so that the effect was evidently positive. Based partially on findings from the academic literature, it is possible to state with certainty that such an approach to obesity treatment is efficient.
Regarding the identification of next steps, it is appropriate to notice that the development of a mobile app that would support the implementation of the proposed intervention is highly anticipated. This app will allow families to estimate their calorie intake efficiently. In order to contact us, support or join the program, you can write a message on the following email: [email protected].
References
Flattum, C., Draxten, M., Horning, M., Fulkerson, J. A., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Garwick, A.,… Story, M. (2015). HOME Plus: Program design and implementation of a family-focused, community-based intervention to promote the frequency and healthfulness of family meals, reduce children’s sedentary behavior, and prevent obesity. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12(1), 53-62.
Janicke, D. M., Steele, R. G., Gayes, L. A., Lim, C. S., Clifford, L. M., Schneider, E. M.,… Westen, S. (2014). Systematic review and meta-analysis of comprehensive behavioral family lifestyle interventions addressing pediatric obesity. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 39(8), 809-825. Web.
Sahoo, K., Sahoo, B., Choudhury, A. K., Sofi, N. Y., Kumar, R., & Bhadoria, A. S. (2015). Childhood obesity: Causes and consequences. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 4(2), 187-192.
Skinner, A. C., Ravanbakht, S. N., Skelton, J. A., Perrin, E. M., & Armstrong, S. C. (2018). Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity in US children, 1999-2016. Pediatrics, 141(3), 1-11.
Xu, S., & Xue, Y. (2016). Pediatric obesity: Causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 11(1), 15-20.