Planning the Health Education Program

Planning the health education program
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In 2007, Oklahoma declared that almost 30 percent of children between ten and seventeen years were overweight and obese. In the US, Oklahoma ranked eighteenth in childhood obesity prevalence and the rate had been on the increase from 2003 (Child Health Data , 2007). In 2007, 16.4 percent of the children were obese which increased to 17.4 percent by 2011. (National Conerence of State Legislatures, 2011) Twelve percent of children in the state between age 6-17 and spent four or more screen time hours per weekday as compared to the national 10.8 percent for the same age group (Child Health Data , 2007).
It is noteworthy that Oklahoma lacks a health education requirement in its public schools. This implies that children in the state are at a disadvantage in receiving health education that would reduce childhood obesity rates. It is therefore important to have a public health education program as an alternative in filling the gap that the education policy fails to cover (Child Health Data, 2009). A public health education program is necessary to inform the public about healthy eating while at childcare centers. This is because childcare center licensing regulations in Oklahoma provide no policies outlawing foods with low nutritional value. It also does not have a policy that obliges them to consume meals that follow American dietary guidelines and one that requires the childcare centers to have a policy on vending machines (Child Health Data, 2009).
Oklahoma was ranked the top sixth state in obesity among adults (Trust for America's Health and Robert Wood Jonson Foundation, 2013). This is the reason why a public health education program is important because it also will empower adults and parents on healthy habits. Obese parents are more likely to predispose their children to unhealthy lifestyles and reinforce healthy habits as well. This implies that a public health program is best suited in addressing childhood obesity because it will not only influence children but adults and parents to reinforce healthy lifestyles.

References
Child Health Data . (2007). 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health. Retrieved February 24, 2014, from Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, Data Resource Center: /
Child Health Data. (2009). Oklahoma State Fact Sheet. Retrieved February 24, 2014, from Childhealthdata.org: ...