Prevalence and Impact of Childhood Obesity on Urban Health Profile

Question:

Describe about the Urban Health Profile?

The childhood obesity is one of the most serious morbidities leading to cardiovascular manifestations across the developing and developed regions of the world. The profound impact of childhood obesity on the urban health profile is evident from the increasing percentage of reported cases of cardiac conditions and metabolic disorders among the urban population. The preliminary factors responsible for the increasing rate of childhood obesity among the urban regions attribute to the genetic predisposition, reduced physical activity, imbalanced nutrition, lack of awareness in context to obesity management and excessive consumption of fast food among the affected population. Research studies conducted through bioelectrical impedance analysis across local regions of United Kingdom reveal the increased sensitivity of obese population to the rendered analysis, thereby confirming obesity as one of the most challenging metabolic condition affecting the health status of the predisposed population (Kiess, Marcus & Wabitsch, 2004:p.12). Osei & Nwasike (2011:p.104) describe the increasingly reported cases of childhood obesity across various regions of United Kingdom. The research analysis reveals the predisposition of 60 percent of the population across United Kingdom in context to acquisition of obesity in the upcoming years. 

Freemark (2010:pp. 129-30) illustrates the abnormal dietary patterns prevalent among children across regions of United Kingdom responsible for high calorie intake, resulting in reported cases of overweight and obesity. The principal objective in undertaking the study pertaining to childhood obesity in context to urban health concerns attributes to analysing obesity in terms of Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS) and the influence of this morbidity on the health profile among children across local regions of United Kingdom (Haslam, Sharma & Roux, 2014:p.138-39). The health statistics in terms of epidemiological analysis across Edmonton Green reveal the highest prevalent rates of cardiovascular abnormalities among the patients population. Indeed, the research studies conducted by University of Alberta reveal the genetic mutations as the major etiological factor predisposing the population across Edmonton in developing hypertension (Acton, 2012:pp. 12-13). Eckel (2003:p.273) advocates the contention in context to the etiological factors including obesity and overweight attributing to the occurrence of cardiovascular morbidities among the affected individuals. The patterns of obesity indeed destabilize the metabolic homeostasis and predispose the patients to developing abnormal genome configuration leading to the abnormalities of overweight and obesity. 

The population of Edmonton Green reported to include more than 96,000 people pertaining to various religious groups and races. The statistical analysis in context to the determinants of obesity patterns among the paediatric population across Edmonton Green include the reduced birth rate (of 25.3%) evaluated per 1000 women as compared to other provincial regions in the United Kingdom. Moreover, the utilization of emergency inpatient services for cardiovascular abnormalities corresponds to more than 60% of the inpatient cases in the Edmonton Green region. The epidemiological study reveals the average life expectancy of 82 years among the population across Edmonton. The data pertaining to the healthcare services across Edmonton describes the considerable distance of healthcare facilities from the residential locations in Edmonton Green. Approximately 37 % of the healthcare visits of obese children correspond to the ambulatory care sessions, and 63 % of the patients encounter related to the routine outpatient visits within the confinements of the local area. The zone level data of Edmonton Green indicates the proportion of paediatric population across Edmonton Green attributing to 9.8% females, 10.3% males constituting 20.1% of the total population density of the locality. However, the children affected by obesity and with elevated body max indices correspond to 13.1% females, 17.9% males contributing to 15.6% of the paediatric population across Edmonton Green region. The infant mortality rate in the Edmonton zone attributes to 6.6 -7.0 infants per 1000 births, according to the study findings. The age-standardized prevalence rates of cardiovascular, metabolic and respiratory diseases among Edmonton Green’s population correspond to reported cases of hypertension (13%-14%), diabetes (4.9%-5.1%), ischemic heart disease (3.4%-4%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1.3%-1.8%) across the paediatric population. However, the cases of high birth weights (i.e. greater than 4000 gm) in Edmonton Green attribute to 5.8% of the total reported births across the region. The fertility rates per 1000 women (between 15-49 years age) correspond to 48.6% with respect to the total female population of the locality. The study data also reveals the childhood immunization rates pertaining to 69.6% -85.3% in Edmonton Green neighbourhood. The study findings further reveal 4.4% deaths across the region from various endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders. The individuals occupying the private household units of Edmonton Green region attribute to more than 98% of the population of the locality. However, the physical facilities including healthcare facilities, shopping complexes, hotels, restaurants and food corners in the process of rapid development within the confinements of the locality. Indeed, the amenities including athletic tracks (#2), golf pitches (#128), health and fitness suite (#28), indoor bowls (#4), tennis centre (#2), sports halls (#38), squash courts (#2) and swimming pools (#13) attribute to the commercial and education related facilities across the region.      

Factors Responsible for Increasing Rates of Childhood Obesity

Indeed, the clinical literature reveals the adverse influence of obesity on the percentage of birth rates in any geographical confinement (Mahmood & Arulkumaran, 2013:p.133). The sustained childhood obesity patterns among females hamper their prospective reproductive capacity, thereby leading to reduction in birth rates and prevalence of metabolic abnormalities across the Edmonton Green neighbourhood. The prevalence of reported cases of cardiovascular abnormalities in inpatient settings across Edmonton Green attributes to the etiology in context to obesity prevailing widely across the locality. The clinical studies confirm the predisposition of the obese population to developing cardiovascular disorders. Additionally, the research studies further advocate the contention of antepartum obesity leading to the development of congenital cardiac anomalies in developing infants and children (Acton, 2011:p.17). The average life expectancy of 82% across Edmonton Green is proportional to the obesity burden among the affected population. The epidemiological research studies reveal the abnormal patterns of BMI among the target population attributing to cause specific mortality rates within the studied geographical location (Hu, 2008:p.229). The clinical literature advocates the effectiveness of healthcare education programs and public health services in controlling the patterns of childhood obesity across the globe (Institute of Medicine, 2006:p. 13). The distantly segregated healthcare facilities in Edmonton Green therefore, attribute to the lack of timely delivery of medical services and health care awareness campaigns for controlling paediatric obesity across the locality. The 37% of the reported ambulatory care visits by children across Edmonton Green related to the additional cost incurred in rendering care and therapy to the affected population. Paxon (2006:pp.4-5) describes the enhanced expenses involved in care and therapy of obese children as compared to non-obese population. Therefore, obesity attributes to the disease burden as well as the financial load in the urbanized environment of Edmonton Green. The statistical data in context to the percentage of obese children across Edmonton Green indicate the considerable disease burden within the local territory. Jelalian & Steele (2008:p.426) discuss the psychosocial imbalances evident among the reported cases of childhood obesity, as revealed by the clinical studies. The increased rate of childhood obesity therefore, adds to the disease burden across Edmonton Green and corresponds to the major health concern in the territory. The infant mortality rate of 0.66 %– 0.7 % relates with the patterns of maternal health profile across the regions of Edmonton Green. The clinical literature supports the contention of statistical relationship between patterns of maternal obesity and infant mortality rates among the target population (Gillman & Poston, 2012:p. 59). Therefore, the extent of infant mortality across Edmonton Green indicates the probable proportion of maternal obesity attributing to the health issues across the territory. The prevalence of serious morbidities including hypertension, ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease indeed, proportional to the patterns of childhood obesity across Edmonton Green. The research studies affirm the abnormalities in BMI attributing to the fluctuations in levels of serum leptin and adiponectin, thereby leading to the episodes of hypertension among the affected individuals (Kaplan, 2009:p.85). Lopez et al (:p.243) describe obesity as one of the potential risk factors for the burden of ischemic heart disease among the individuals with reportedly elevated body mass indices. Therefore, childhood obesity significantly adds to the disease burden across Edmonton Green in context to the reported cardiovascular abnormalities among the affected children. The clinical literature contends the concept revealing the reduced pulmonary capacity in context to the influence of obesity on the respiratory physiology (Dixon & Beaty, p.155-56). Therefore, the disease burden related to pulmonary abnormalities including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to an extent attributes to the reported morbidities of obesity among the paediatric population across Edmonton Green. Eckel (2003a, p. 94) advocates the contention of the relevance of high birth weight in terms of predisposition to childhood obesity. The cases of elevated birth weight therefore, increase the predisposition of the paediatric population toward developing obesity during the initial years of life. Schulkin (:p.124) discusses the influence of physical environment and activity on the patterns of obesity in any geographic confinement. Indeed, the urbanized environment containing modern amenities including private housing and other miscellaneous commercial facilities induces the level of comfort among the children availing them in the Edmonton Green region; however, contrarily reduces their physical activities leading to the increased risk of developing obesity and cardiovascular or metabolic abnormalities among the affected population. 

The health statistics of the Edmonton Green locality reveal obesity as one of the most important deterring factor in restoring the health and wellness among the paediatric population in the region. The causative factors including the irrational lifestyle patterns and lack of adequate healthcare campaigns require intense consideration, analysis and subsequent proactive measures to modify them in context to the prerequisites for restoring wellness and enhancing the health profile across the studied urban territory.  

References

Acton, A 2011, Cardiovascular Abnormalities: Advances in Research and Treatment, ScholarlyEditions, Georgia

Acton, A 2012, Hyperaldosteronism: New Insights for the Healthcare Professional, ScholarlyEditions, Georgia

Dixon, A & Beaty, E 2013, Obesity and Lung Disease: A Guide to Management, Springer, NY

Eckel, R 2003, Obesity: Mechanisms and Clinical Management, Lippincott, USA

Eckel, R 2003a, Obesity: Mechanisms and Clinical Management, Lippincott, Philadelphia

Freemark, M 2010, Pediatric Obesity: Etiology, Pathogenesis, and Treatment, Springer, London

Gillman, M & Poston, L 2012, Maternal Obesity, Cambridge, UK

Haslam, D, Sharma, A & Roux, C 2014, Controversies in Obesity, Springer, London

Hu, F 2008, Obesity Epidemiology, Oxford, NY

Institute of Medicine 2006, Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity:Focus on Communities – Brief Summary, NAP, USA

Jelalian, E & Steele, R 2008, Handbook of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity, Springer, USA

Kaplan, N 2009, Kaplan’s Clinical Hypertension (10^th Edn.), Lippincott, USA

Kiess,W, Marcus, C & Wabitsch, M 2004, Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence, Karger, Switzerland

Lopez, A, Mathers, C, Ezzati, M, Jamison, D & Murray, C 2006, Global Burden of Disease and Risk Factors, World Bank, USA

Mahmood & Arulkumaran 2013, Obesity: A Ticking Time Bomb for Reproductive Health, Elsevier, USA

Osei, P & Nwasike, J 2011, Commonwealth Health Ministers’ Update 2011, Commonwealth Secretariat, USA

Paxon, H 2006, Childhood Obesity, Princeton, USA

Schulkin, M 2009, The Evolution of Obesity, The Johns Hopkins University, USA