P&L

8

Obesity Counselling Program

Name: Haya Alaeddin

NUFD_01SP18

Obesity Counselling Program

Introduction

The rate of obesity in the U.S. has been on a steady from the mid-1960s all the way to the late 1980s when the rates suddenly began rising drastically. Many parents as well as adolescent teenagers do not understand the term obesity and presume as being fat or overweight. To be frank, obesity is a condition that has caused the majority of heart-related as well as kidney related diseases among others (Wang, McPherson, Marsh, Gortmaker, & Brown, 2011). This condition is not only limited to first world countries but is also fast developing such as Saudi Arabia.

Mission Statement

Nonetheless, the purpose of the of the new childhood obesity counseling program is to impart parents with the information that they will need to act on the growing problem among the young generation. Considering the sensitivity of the matter the main aim would be to begin largely and have maximum impact as fast as possible. However, due to limitations in resources, the counseling program will mainly operate from the local hospital. It will work for hand in hand with the resident nutritionists to give parents whose children suffer from this condition the necessary information that they will need.

The local hospital is currently the busiest in the region as it offers basic as well as specialized services. Therefore, the program will be able to impact a large population making them aware of the condition that is obesity as well as other related conditions. A major consideration that will be put in the creation of an ambient environment for the clients. This will allow the patients as well as those seeking advice the needed confidence in their actions. The programs are intended to concentrate on three major phases; pre-inclusion screening stage, weight- loss program and finally maintenance (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012).

Goals

The goals that will be set for the counseling programs will be difficult to achieve yet simple to list down. For the clients willing to work with the programs they will be placed on a strict regimen that will not only monitor their progress but also offer long-term plans for the maintenance of optimum health. All clients will operate on five main goals as listed,

1. Maintenance of physical activity,

2. Calorific intake monitoring,

3. The setting of achievable goals,

4. Stimulus control,

5. Relapse prevention, and

6. Nonfood rewards for completion of targets.

Obesity works similarly with most chronic diseases, in that they can be managed effectively with cooperation with the client as well as motivation. Considering the program will team with professionals from both the local hospital and outside sources they can provide the needed professional advice as well as supervision that will be needed to help the clients. The program will work with the guidelines provided by the Endocrine Society that was released in 2015 to control obesity. It states that the main means of battling obesity starts with a change of diet as well as modification of behaviors such as embracement of exercise. They regard obesity as BMI’s that exceed 25Kg per square meter. Though there other tools such as surgery and pharmacotherapy, they will require professional consultation before being considered. The other means are the use of medication to control bodily changes related to drastic weight loss, promotion of long-term weight maintenance and finally medical monitoring for conditions that may have been dormant such as heart diseases. However, this program is expected to face some challenges.

Challenges

The main challenges that will be expected from this counseling program are the clients relapsing, an abundance of processed food, and lack of support. Family support is one of the main means by which clients can lose weight and maintain their targets. However, with limited support as well as an abundance of processed food, this creates the conditions that will result in relapse. Other problems include management of the local hospital, the counseling program may lack space within the facility or limited opportunities to grow thus forcing to look for external accommodation. This action will result in limited professional resources because they will be preoccupied with the hospital. Moreover, if the program is to grow to other health institutions, it will need to adapt to the varying management techniques and requirements that it will be presented with. However, most of these challenges have possible solutions such as the implementation of flexible management. Meaning, all the programs in the varying health institutions will operate under one management but comply with the different policies in place.

Conclusion

Obesity is a condition that can be managed and has the prospects being eliminated only with the cooperation of the clients’ involved in the program. With support from the local hospital where the program will be based, it will be effective in ensuring community health. Moreover, with the availability of professional help from the clinician's other conditions that are associated with obesity can be detected early and be included in the management program. As nutritionists, it is their duty to practice and ensure that a healthy diet is sustained to ensure optimum physical health.

References

Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2012). Prevalence of obesity in the United States, 2009-2010 (pp. 1-8). Hyattsville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.

Wang, Y. C., McPherson, K., Marsh, T., Gortmaker, S. L., & Brown, M. (2011). Health and economic burden of the projected obesity trends in the USA and the UK. The Lancet, 378(9793), 815-825.