The obesity epidemic stems from various dietary, environmental, and policy-related factors (Ella Ewart-Piece et al., 2016). Within my community, obesity is a critical issue since most people have limited access to healthy food sources, are physically inactive, and generally lack awareness of the illness. Considering these factors, I would apply the diffusion of innovation theory to study my community’s perspectives on obesity, employ the transtheoretical model to examine individual behavior on dietary changes and use the reasoned action model to assess interpersonal behaviors and beliefs that influence actions towards obesity prevention.

The transtheoretical model asserts that behavioral change is intricate and involves a series of stages (de Freitas et al., 2020). In the pre-contemplation phase, I would engage the person in discussing obesity and the importance of dietary and lifestyle changes. Once the patient recognizes the need for change, I would advise them to contemplate the steps involved to realize the changes.  Thirdly, I would help the person to select a suitable period to implement the proposed changes in the preparation stage. In the action stage, the person would adopt the changes and switch to a healthy lifestyle. In the maintenance phase,  I would ensure that the person adhere to the dietary change and fitness program, and enhance their self-efficacy and decisional balance to avoid the risk of relapsing (de Freitas et al., 2020).

 Obesity has overstretched my community’s health resources through awareness creation, establishing affordable physical fitness training facilities, and providing healthy food sources for community members. Such prevention measures negatively affect quality healthcare service delivery and the efforts to fight other illnesses. Regardless, obesity has led the establishment of various community health organizations seeking to promote health through preventing obesity in different dimesions..

According to the CDC (n.d), community health strategies are critical in preventing obesity. Such approaches involve stakeholders like schools, healthcare facilities, community health organizations, businesses, and the local administration. To address obesity, schools should train teachers, educate children on obesity, and promote healthy food and beverage consumption within learning institutions. Besides, local authorities should create healthy food environments by incentivizing businesses and farmers who produce healthy food sources (CDC, n.d). Furthermore, community healthcare facilities should employ more staff to boost obesity prevention efforts (Chen et al., 2013). Moreover, all stakeholders should combine efforts to establish public health fitness facilities. Lastly, all workplaces within the community should support obesity prevention by promoting physical activities and healthy eating (CDC,n.d).

Reference

Chen, Z. A., Roy, K., & Gotway Crawford, C. A. (2013). Obesity prevention: the impact of local health departments. Health services research, 48(2 Pt 1), 603–627.

Cdc.gov. n.d. Community Efforts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. [online] Available at: <https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/community.html> [Accessed 19 August 2021].

de Freitas, P. P., de Menezes, M. C., Dos Santos, L. C., Pimenta, A. M., Ferreira, A. V. M., & Lopes, A. C. S. (2020). The transtheoretical model is an effective weight management intervention: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1-12.

Ewart-Pierce, E., Ruiz, M. J. M., & Gittelsohn, J. (2016). “Whole-of-Community” obesity prevention: a review of challenges and opportunities in multilevel, multicomponent interventions. Current obesity reports, 5(3), 361-374.