Blog Assignment 11

There are many determinants regarding the widespread obesity in American children, and while many may think that this problem is limited to diet and exercise, there are unseen factors that play a large role in facilitating the prevalence of this condition.  To begin, dieting and exercise are two key determinants that have a large impact on obesity. The CDC recommends that youths get at least 60 min of exercise a day, and have found that as kids get older, their physical activity decreases. This may be attributed to a sedentary lifestyle, which is increasingly common in America. The same cultural or social determinant can be applied to dieting, as eating healthy is a learned behavior stemming from parents and schools. However, healthier foods are generally more expensive, which brings an economic aspect into the problem. Those who cannot afford to consistently purchase healthy foods must rely on cheaper alternatives, such as fast food, which have very high fat contents among other unhealthy factors.

While the consumption of unhealthy food, such as fast foods, can be seen as social or cultural determinant, the location and availability of fast food restaurants is an environmental one. A Tulane university study yielded that in New Orleans predominantly black neighborhoods have 2.4 fast-food restaurants per square mile compared to 1.5 restaurants in predominantly white neighborhoods. The study goes on to state that the link between fast food restaurants and black and low-income neighborhoods may contribute to the understanding of environmental causes of the obesity epidemic in these populations.

Furthermore, there are biological determinants for obesity, which can increase its prevalence especially through genetics. It is also believed that Genetic factors may play some part in 70 - 80% of obesity cases. The importance in this statistic works to display the advantage knowing family history to help children who may be at risk genetically and put them on healthy diet and exercise regiments at younger ages.

Blog Assignment 10

The CDC states that the percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to almost 20% in 2008 (CDC). The relevance of this age group is that it generally represents children at the elementary school age, which is also a crucial stage of development. Obesity at this age can lead to significant immediate and long-term health effects. For example, a population based sample of 5 to 17 year olds showed that 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CDC). Furthermore, children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults, so it is easy to see the impact obesity can have on a child throughout their whole life.

The magnitude of this problem is great and what is even more staggering is the rapidity with which the rates have climbed over the last 30 years or so. What is most interesting about this increases that took place over different racial and ethnic groups. While there has been an increase in obesity prevalence overall in children there was an increase in prevalence from 10.7% to 19.8% among non-Hispanic black boys, from 14.1% to 26.8% among Mexican-American boys, but just an increase from 11.6% to 16.7% among non-Hispanic white boys (CDC). This trend is similar for girls. There was an increase in prevalence from 8.9% to 14.5% among non-Hispanic white girls, from 16.3% to 29.2% among non-Hispanic black girls, from 13.4% to 17.4% among Mexican-American girls (CDC).

An indirect indicator of differences in prevalence of childhood obesity among different ethnic and racial groups can be displayed in the number of fast food restaurants in different neighborhoods. An archive study in New Orleans found that Predominantly black neighborhoods have 2.4 fast-food restaurants per square mile compared to 1.5 restaurants in predominantly white neighborhoods (Archive).

Block, Jason P and Scribner, Richard A and DeSalvo, Karen B (2004) Fast Food, Race/Ethnicity, and Income: A Geographic Analysis. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 27 (3). pp. 211-217.

Blog Assignment 9

Obesity rates in America have been dramatically increasing for the last few decades, and it is a prevalent problem today. Over 35 percent of adults in the United States are obese, along with approximately 17 percent of adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 (CDC). These percentages rank among the highest in the world, which illustrates how much room for improvement there is. While obesity in itself is a serious health issue, the health risks associated with it are, in many cases, of greater concern. Heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and many other conditions have been linked to obesity.

One reason this problem is so important is the fact that it affects so many people, and in many cases it is an entirely preventable condition. Regular exercise and healthier diets alone can contribute a very significant amount to reducing national rates of obesity. Similarly, general health education in schools can also help reduce rates in children.

Another concern related to obesity in America is the link between it and socioeconomic status. A hallmark of low-income neighborhoods across America is the significant presence of fast food restaurants. While fast food provides relatively inexpensive food and work opportunities in these areas they are notorious for producing some of the unhealthiest food available. It is unfair for someone to be predisposed to these conditions because of the implications it can have on their future. This aspect of obesity brings up how politics can play a large role in combating the issue.

As I said before, there is a lot of room for improvement regarding obesity rates in America. There is a lot that can be done and the more we can reduce obesity rates the healthier our country will become overall.

Blog Assignment 8

             This week we looked at The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and read an editorial called “Maternal mortality and human rights: landmark decision by United Nations human rights body.” A human right is a right, which is granted universally to all humans just by being alive. These rights include access to the basic necessities for self preservation, however they also express peoples rights to expression and to act against oppression or any other violation of their rights. Public Health has a large role in human rights because the two have common goals and encompass overlapping fields. This relationship is most clearly exemplified in Article 25 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, “(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.” A good standard of living is closely related to health because the general health of an environment in which someone lives directly impacts that individual’s personal health. If someone were subject to severely unsanitary living conditions their rights to adequate health would be infringed upon. This is included as a major human right because it is unjust to expose someone to inadequate living conditions as it can threaten a persons life.

            In the editorial the author talks about a court case related to human rights and the death of a pregnant woman. Alyne da Silva Pimentel v. Brazil established that states have an obligation to guarantee women of all backgrounds timely and non-discriminatory access to appropriate maternal health servies. Motherhood is specifically mentioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights because the health of mothers directly impacts the health of newborns, and therefore their rights include multiple people. Furthermore, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women must specifically address the discrimination of women because it covers these areas linked to motherhood. Mothers and mothers to be are different to men because of the responsibility, which they have in the care of children specifically being the ones who actually carry the child and bring it into the world. 

Blog Assignment 7

            This week we watched the movie Contagion, which was about an outbreak of a new, deadly virus transmitted by the touch of someone who is infected. The movie begins focusing on a few people who were the original contractors of the virus and it proceeds to follow the spread of the disease around the world. As more clusters of the virus pop up around the world the CDC begins to trace its origins and attempt to create a vaccination as well as keep the public informed and secure. However, the mass panic caused by the disease and rising death rates proves difficult to deal with and extreme sanctions are put on the population to keep those not infected safe. I have never seen this movie before but I do think it was easier to understand certain concepts in the plot of the movie as a result of taking a public health class.

            When there is a disease outbreak are generally multiple clusters in different regions due to the incubation period of the virus. When someone is initially infected they will not immediately begin to feel symptoms and will therefore continue with their lives, possibly infecting others. This allows the virus to spread without being detected. As a result of this public health professionals with launch an outbreak investigation in an attempt to trace the disease to its origin so they can learn as much as possible about it and help create a vaccine. Contagion features a particularly deadly disease and in the movie those believed to be infected are isolated from the general population to prevent further transmission of the virus. Similarly, areas where higher percentages of the population are infected become quarantined in order to provide a secondary defense to stop the spread of the disease.

            While the movie was accurate in many aspects of covering there were some Hollywood liberties taken in certain depictions of public health preparedness. If an outbreak like this occurred, there would certainly be a greater level of communication to the public about what was going on than was displayed in the movie. Similarly there were several instances where there were scarcity of emergency resources, such as lack of blankets, food rations, and facilities to aid the sick. Ideally public health agencies would be better prepared, however due to the magnitude of the outbreak in this movie it is certainly believable that many resources would be scarce and it would be difficult to mobilize such resources efficiently and effectively as a result of wide spread panic.

Blog Assignment 6

            This week we read an article titled “Climate Change: The Public Health Response” which discussed the effects of climate change on the various aspects of public health. The article looked at many of the diseases and ailments that changes in the climate can bring about through events such as natural disasters, heat waves, and draughts. There was a table featured which listed specific weather events and their associated health effects and it was interesting to see how they can play a huge role in your personal life. I am from New York and the first weather event that came to mind, which poses significant health effects is winter weather. While this past winter was fairly mild, the area where I live is accustomed to getting a fair amount of snow and ice storms throughout the winter. These conditions pose a risk to anyone outside, whether it be getting frostbite from too much exposure or slipping on a patch of ice. However, the biggest risk lies in driving in these conditions, as this causes a great deal of accidents and injuries. Another event ,which is associated with winter weather, is flooding. Melting snow and ice can cause many small rivers and creeks to flood, in many cases blocking roads and sometimes uprooting small trees in bad cases.

            A few concepts discussed in the article were those of mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation is related to actively slowing down and stabilizing the effects of climate change, which is a primary prevention attempt. Adaptation relates to the common practices of medicine and public health used for treatment.

            There are 10 essential public health services mentioned in the article that can provide a framework for climate change adaptation. One way in which public health professionals can help people adapt to climate change would be through providing plans and ways of preparing for certain weather events such as heat waves. This would fall under the service of developing policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.

            I can’t think of many things being done in my hometown specifically to deal with climate change, however in the town of Montauk, NY, where I spend the summer with my family, is a beach town and because of its close proximity to the ocean, various preparations are made to deal with climate changes. Specifically there are town evacuation routes planned in the event of a hurricane or other large storm that will cause a rise in sea level. Furthermore there has been an increased  amount of breakwaters constructed to protect beachfront properties that are threatened  by rising sea levels and storms. 

Blog Assignment 5

            This week we read an article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled “Ten Great Public Health Achievements---United Sates, 2001-2010” which, as stated in the title, discussed ten public health achievements made in the United States over the last decade, supporting them with data. The article included achievements relating to vaccine preventable diseases, prevention and control of infectious diseases tobacco control, maternal and infant health, motor vehicle safety, cardiovascular disease prevention, occupational safety, cancer prevention, childhood lead poisoning prevention, as well as public health preparedness and response. For each of these categories, a breakdown of information highlighting historical improvements was given along with an explanation of newly implemented tactics, which have helped to improve public health over all areas discussed.

            While every matter discussed in the article is of utmost importance to American society, because all of them have effectively worked to save lives, I found two to be particularly interesting. First, I found the improvements to occupational safety to be a very important focus. I had expected to see a bunch of the other cases on the list, however I was surprised to see this one because I had not associated it to fall under the guides of public health. This goes to show just how far reaching public health innovations are in our society. Likewise, the details given about improved occupational safety seemed to have a significant impact not only on the general fields they were associated with, but in the overall economy, as they work to keep workers healthier and, therefore, more able to do their jobs. The second area of the article, which resonated with me, was in regards to public health preparedness and response. What was so interesting about this was that it showed to the public health systems ability to mobilize and adapt to changing times in an effective and sufficient manner. The article attributed the changes to the terrorist attacks of 2001, which highlighted gaps in the United States public health preparedness. From there immense improvements were made, showing particular resilience in the field of public health. Furthermore, these improvements were put to the test with the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, in which case the public health response was outstanding, preventing an estimated 5-10 million cases, 30,000 hospitalizations, and 1,500 deaths.

            One public health problem I would like to see featured on the next list of Greatest Public Health Achievements would be related to the high rates of obesity in America. This is a case in which our nation as a whole can make significant progress in over the next decade, and is one in which will greatly benefit our over all national health. While obesity in itself is detrimental to the health of an individual, the other health risks, which it can lead to, such as heart disease, are even more devastating. I believe that combating obesity begins with the youth of America. We need to educate children on the risks of obesity, but even more so, we need to teach them the advantages to health diets and regular physical activity. Healthy, educated children will grow into healthy, educated adults, which will ultimately shape the face of our nations future.