OBESITY

WHY NURSES SHOULD STUDY OBESITY

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Obesity is increasingly becoming a matter of great medical concern in modern health facilities. Tackling obesity should be prioritized in many health care facilities since it’s on the raise as the many researches carried out have shown. The specific impact of obesity is difficult to assess but its effect to general morbidity and premature death are known.

Body mass index (BMI) method is what is used to measure and determine if a person is obese as described by World Health Organization. This formulae is used in both male and female and gives the most vital indicator of overweight (BMI of 25 or above) and obesity. The BMI is only used as a guide as it does not put into account for muscle mass or for fat distribution which differ between individuals. In the United States the Obesity rates continues to rise at epic proportions. In order to tackle the menace, nurses and other medical professional should be in a position to handle and understand obesity.

The nurses need to know all aspects of obesity which include screening, predispositions, pathophysiology and management of the disease in order to help patients. The knowledge the nurses get will be important in lowering the number of cases of obesity in the country and in long run stop this growing epidemic. The number of obesity cases in children is raising rapidly and hence nurses who have knowledge on its management will be in a better position to help. By educating the nurses about obesity, the risk factors and co-morbidities that manifest due to obesity, will be handled in a professional manner and lead the Country to live in healthier ways.

Nurses will be taught on various causes of obesity in children which include lack of doing enough physical activities and prolonged immobility. Other causes factors leading to obesity include overeating in excess and combined with limited physical activities which will be well inculcated in their learning process. The learning about obesity will help nurses understand the pathophysiology of this life style disease, which is simply taking more calories than required. Nurses will be introduced to the theory about child metabolism and hormone irregularities, which contributes to dysfunction of hormones and energy storage for a long period of time

References

Mulherin, K., Miller, Y. D., Barlow, F. K., Diedrichs, P. C., & Thompson, R. (2013). Weight stigma in maternity care: women’s experiences and care providers’ attitudes. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 13(1), 19.

Swift, J. A., Hanlon, S., El‐Redy, L., Puhl, R. M., & Glazebrook, C. (2013). Weight bias among UK trainee dietitians, doctors, nurses and nutritionists. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics, 26(4), 395-402.