Determinants of Health

“Health status is determined by a confluence of factors called the determinants of health which are classified as individual behaviors, genetic makeup, medical practice and environment” (Shi & Singh, 2008). Everyone’s health status is influenced in some way by one or all four Health Determinants. Obesity is a huge problem in America and it is getting worse. The U.S. Department of Health defines obesity as “excess body fat” and Doctors and scientists are concerned about the rise of obesity in children and teens which could lead to serious health problems such as: Heart disease; Type 2 diabetes; Asthma; Sleep apnea and Social discrimination (http://www.hhs.gov).

      In a peer-reviewed article done Colleen Barry, Sarah Gollust and Jeff Niederdeppe, it was reported that “18% of Americans identify external factors such as exposure to junk food, lack of safe places for children to play, and limited availability of healthy foods in some neighborhoods as the biggest causes of childhood obesity, whereas 64% identify personal factors such as overeating, lack of exercise, and watching too much television as the biggest causes” (Barry, Gollust & Nieserdeppe, 2012).   According to the U.S. Department of Health, obesity can be associated with heart disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, breathing problems, and psychological disorders, such as depression and studies have shown that obese children and teens are more likely to become obese as adults (http://www.hhs.gov).

      There are effective measures and steps that can be taken to control and prevent obesity such as: Ensuring that food options are low in fat and calories; ensuring that groceries items consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and non-fat dairy products; Make community facilities available for physical activity for all people, including on the weekends; Create more opportunities for physical activity at work sites; Reduce the time spent watching television; Educate...