PROJECT DISSERTATION REPORT On “HEALTH AWARENESS AND OBESITY"

Abstract

Obesity is a very real and worldwide concern, affecting millions today. It is a chronic condition in which individuals accumulate and carry fat exceeding 20% of their recommended weight. To combat the rising prevalence rates in a primary practice clinic, an evidence-based practice project was created that used a combinational approach to improve not only the rate of obesity but also the knowledge and self-awareness levels of those afflicted with obesity. A total of twenty participants, the majority female and Caucasian between the ages of eighteen and sixty years old, completed the project. The intervention used education, in group and individual sessions, a low calorie diet, exercise sessions with thirty-minute gradual increases, and pharmacotherapy as needed. The outcomes were measured pre-and post-intervention, using knowledge and self awareness questionnaires, as well as through physical measurements of weight and BMI. The overall average self-awareness and knowledge scores increased following the intervention, 35.40% (pre) to 84.75% (post) and 43.65% (pre) to 87.25% (post), respectively. In addition, there was an overall mean weight loss of 10.225 pounds from pre- to post-intervention. The project met and exceeded the set benchmarks for an increase in obesity knowledge and self- awareness with a corresponding reduction in weight. The results demonstrated improvement in weight short term, and with maintenance could impact the comorbidities related to obesity. The project will be sustained on a longer-term basis, and the intervention strategies will be added to the clinic’s policies to create a more pronounced impact on obesity. Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States and in other developed and developing countries. The prevalence of obesity is increasing not only in adults but especially among children and adolescents. In the United States in 2003 to 2004, 17.1% of children and adolescents were overweight, and 32.2% of adults were obese. Obesity is a significant risk factor for and contributor to increased morbidity and mortality, most importantly from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes, but also from cancer and chronic diseases, including osteoarthritis, liver and kidney disease, sleep apnea, and depression. The prevalence of obesity has increased steadily over the past 5 decades, and obesity may have a significant impact on quality-adjusted life years. Obesity is also strongly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality as well as cardiovascular and cancer mortality. Despite the substantial effects of obesity, weight loss can result in a significant reduction in risk for the majority of these comorbid conditions. Those comorbidities most closely linked to obesity must be identified to increase awareness of potential adverse outcomes. This will allow healthcare professionals to identify and implement appropriate interventions to reduce patient risk and mortality.