WEEK 2 RESPONSE Respond to the following discussion post in 150 words with 1 reference.
WEEK 2 RESPONSES
Michele Dobnikar
May 14 9:13am
Manage Discussion by Michele Dobnikar
Reply from Michele Dobnikar
Class,
Nationally, the CDC reports that 24.2% of African American children, ages 2-19 are obese, compared to 19.7% of all U.S. children (CDC & NHANES, 2024). This national data underscores the racial disparity in childhood obesity prevalence. When comparing this data to the population in Jackson, Mississippi, this issue is more pronounced. The Mississippi State Department of Health, 2025, reports that childhood obesity rates, in Hinds County, exceed 35%, which is well above the national average.
The epidemiologic measures used to assess this issue are prevalence, incidence, and mortality/morbidity. The percentage of African American children in Jackson currently classified as obese is measured by prevalence. Incidence is measured by the number of new cases of childhood obesity diagnosed each year in this demographic. Obesity itself is not a direct cause of death, but it increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, which are highly prevalent in Mississippi.
When using descriptive epidemiology to address this practice problem, we are looking at who, where, and when. The “who” is African American children, ages 2-19. The “where” is nationally and locally in Jackson, Mississippi. “When” is the current prevalence data, and the trends over time. As far as data points for this, the prevalence in Jackson, Mississippi, is 35%, which exceeds the national average of 24.2% (CDC & NHANES, 2024).
Analytic epidemiology examines the causes and risk factors associated with this problem. Key risk factors identified in African American children in Jackson are limited access to healthy foods, low levels of physical activity, high poverty rates, and limited access to healthcare. The CDC (2021) reports that national trends show that African American children develop obesity earlier and at faster rates than their white peers. While children are not likely to die from childhood obesity, it is setting them up for chronic diseases that carry long-term health risks, and those can be fatal.
To influence the determinants of health and improve the health outcomes in these children, school-based BMI screening programs, local health department records, and the Mississippi Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) can be used to track trends and guide interventions to improve the outcomes (Palit et al., 2024). Surveillance can help us to identify schools or specific neighborhoods with the highest obesity rates, monitor the effectiveness of the local school nutrition being offered, in addition to the physical activity programs kids are getting. It will also allow us to assess the community's food environments. With the data collected, health professionals can implement interventions such as expanding SNAP access, promoting farmers markets, improving the meals the schools are providing, creating community gardens in the underserved areas, and providing community engagement activity programs and education on nutrition and obesity (Johnson et al., 2021).
Ethical concerns need to be considered when working with vulnerable populations, such as children. Privacy and confidentiality must always be protected. Avoiding stigma is essential (Lin, 2019). When children are labeled “obese,” this can have a harmful effect if not approached sensitively. Healthcare professionals must gain the trust of the community for interventions to be successful. To gain this trust, it is vital to engage families, schools, and community leaders in decisions, data-sharing, and never place blame on individuals; focus the interventions on community solutions.
Thank you,
Michele
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Childhood obesity facts.
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood-obesity-facts/childhood-obesity-facts.html
Johnson, V.R., Acholonu, N.O., Dolan, A.C., Krishnan, A., Hsu-Chi Wang, E., Stanford, F.C.
(2021). Racial disparities in obesity treatment among children and adolescents.
Springer Nature, 10(3), 342-350. Doi: 10.1007/s13679-021-00442
Lin, C.Y. (2019). Ethical issues of monitoring children’s weight status in school settings.
Asian Journal of Social Health and Behavior, 2(1), 1-6. Doi:10.4103/SHB_45_18
Mississippi State Department of Health. (2025). Health Disparities.
https://msdh.ms.gov/page/44,0,236.htmlLinks to an external site.
National Center for Health Statistics. (2024). Vital and Health Statistics, 1(66).
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood-obesity-facts/childhood-obesity-facts.html
Palit, S., Sufyani, T., Inungu, J.N., Cheng, C.I., Nartey, E. (2024). Behavioral determinants of
Childhood obesity in the United States: An exploratory study. Journal of Obesity,
2024, 9224425. Doi: 10.1155/2024/9224425
