Proposal

Policy brief on Obesity

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Research Proposal about Obesity

Executive summary

Obesity is a major health issue in the USA and around the world. In Tinley Park, IL, the population is also facing the challenge of obesity. This region has one of the healthiest populations in the state of Illinois. This research proposal looks at the current rate of obesity in Tinley Park and proposes a method of reducing the numbers.

Introduction

Obesity has been a major health issue for a long time. This condition is characterized by having excess weight which is considered to be unhealthy (Uzogara, 2016). Obesity can be as a result of poor eating habits or it can be inherited through genetics (Uzogara, 2016). Poor eating habits such as eating fatty foods and foods with excess sugar are the major causes of obesity. Obesity has also been prevalent in Tinley Park, IL in recent years. The people of Tinley Park, IL have been gaining more weight. In Illinois, the adults rank 24th in the USA in obesity rates while the children in Illinois rank 35th in the nation, 16.2% of the children between 10-17 years are obese.

Research problem

The research problem for this proposal is how to combat obesity in Tinley Park,IL. The rates of obesity in Tinley Park,IL have been on the rise at an alarming rate. This village which has had the healthiest population in Illinois is now facing the Obesity problem. If this problem is not addressed soon, it will be difficult to control the obesity epidemic later on.

Methodology

The methods that will be used to accomplish the objectives of the research are reviewing research done to determine the rate of obesity in Tinley Park, IL, and policies that have worked in other regions affected by obesity that can be applied in Tinley Park.

Research

According to the CDC, the state of the state of Illinois experienced a 4 % increase in the rate of obesity in 2017 (CDC, 2017). In 2017, about a third of the population in Illinois was obese, 31.8% of the population was obese (CDC, 2017). This was a significant increase from 28% in 2012 (CDC, 2017). Tinley Park among the slimmest people in Illinois making it one of the healthiest places around the State. However, despite the low rate of obesity in Tinley Park in comparison to the entire state of Illinois, the rate of obesity in the village has also increased. The CDC estimates that obesity kills about 300,000 people annually in the USA (CDC, 2017).

Results

Reports from the CDC suggest that obesity can be controlled with the right measures in place. Colorado and Hawaii can serve as good examples for implementing policies to deal with obesity in Tinley Park. Colorado has the lowest rates of obesity in the USA, the current rate of obesity is currently 22.6% according to the CDC (CDC, 2017). With a population of over 5 million people, the state of Colorado is doing well in dealing with obesity. The latest data from the United States Census Bureau show that the current population of Tinley Park is 56, 204 (U.S. Census Bureau. 2018). The population of Tinley Park is a lot lesser than that of Colorado, this means that implementing the strategies used in Colorado to contain obesity can be effective in Tinley Park.

Conclusion

Tinley Park has a relatively healthier population than the rest of the state of Illinois. However, when compared to other parts of the nation, Tinley Park is not safe from obesity. The rate of obesity in the village has been on the rise just like in the rest of the state of Illinois. The rates are not yet uncontrollable but if nothing is done soon the number of obese people will keep on increasing.

Recommendation

Tinley Park should emulate the state of Colorado which has a much larger population but the lowest number of obese people. The low number of people in Tinley Park means that they can do better than Colorado. The large population of Colorado takes up a lot of space and very little space is left for children to play. Tinley Park has enough space for the children to play and encouraging physical activities in the region will help in reducing the rate of obesity in the region. Adopting healthy habits will also help in keeping the rate of obesity in Tinley Park at a minimum.

References

Uzogara, S. (2016). Assessment of Obesity, Presumed and Proven Causes and Prevention Strategies: A Review. Advances In Obesity, Weight Management & Control, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.15406/aowmc.2016.05.00121

Demirag, S. (2018). The Effects of Eating Habits and Physical Activity on Obesity. Medical Journal Of Clinical Trials & Case Studies, 2(11). https://doi.org/10.23880/mjccs-16000192

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Tinley Park village, Illinois. Census Bureau QuickFacts. (2020). Retrieved 20 June 2020, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/tinleyparkvillageillinois.

New Adult Obesity Maps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Retrieved 20 June 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html..