Running head: PICOT STATEMENT 1 PICOT STATEMENT 3 PICOT Statement: Childhood Obesity Introduction Childhood obesity is one of the emerging health problems that affect the American population. This disorder places children at a higher risk of suffering from preventable non-communicable chronic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and asthma (McGrath, 2017). Other challenges that affect children as a result of this disease include depression and sleep apnea. Obese children are often predisposed to become obese adults who suffer from many chronic diseases related to increased mortality rate of 40 percent. Obese children and adolescents tend to have more adverse health challenges compared to the counterparts with normal BMI. The task of addressing the chronic conditions related to childhood obesity is normally costly, with approximately $14 billion price tag and increasing (McGrath, 2017). Survey reports released by government agencies such as the National Conference of State Legislature, the total cost of obesity-associated nears $150 billion yearly, with taxpayers covering approximately sixty billion dollars. There is need to identify patterns that related to childhood obesity for professionals to seek better ways to address them. This PICOT statement evaluates childhood obesity in the United States. PICOT Statement Population Childhood obesity is a major health concern in the United States and other parts of the world since the disease is increasing. In the US, obesity prevalence is highest among children aged from 6 to 11 years (Cheung et al. 2016). The disease has tripled among this age group from 4.2 percent to 15.3 percent from 1963 to 2012. In 2013, 16 percent of children in the country were categorized as obese. The prevalence was highest at ages of 12 to 19 years and lowest at ages of 2 to 5 years. In the last three decades, increased cases of obesity prevalence have been noted among children of all ages, although the differences in obesity prevalence have been recorded in terms of age, race, ethnicity, and gender (Cheung et al. 2016). In this respect, children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families and some racial and ethnic minorities experience the higher median score on obesity than the dominant white population. Higher obesity rates are often recorded among blacks and Hispanics compared to whites. For instance, a survey on girls in the Southwest revealed that the yearly cases of obesity stood at 4.5 percent among Blacks, 2 percent among Hispanics, and 0.7 percent among white girls aged from 13 to 17 years (Cheung et al. 2016). For low-income earners, American Indians rank highest at 6.3 percent, followed closely by Hispanics at 5.5 percent. Intervention Evidence-based interventions that seek to reduce childhood obesity incidences in the country should target two major areas: prevention and treatment. High-quality RCT has been proven as one of the most effective preventative intervention, especially ...

1. Running head: PICOT STATEMENT 1
PICOT STATEMENT 3
PICOT Statement: Childhood Obesity
Introduction
Childhood obesity is one of the emerging health problems
that affect the American population. This disorder places
children at a higher risk of suffering from preventable non-
communicable chronic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes,
hypertension, and asthma (McGrath, 2017). Other challenges
that affect children as a result of this disease include depression
and sleep apnea. Obese children are often predisposed to
become obese adults who suffer from many chronic diseases
related to increased mortality rate of 40 percent. Obese children
and adolescents tend to have more adverse health challenges
compared to the counterparts with normal BMI. The task of
addressing the chronic conditions related to childhood obesity is
normally costly, with approximately $14 billion price tag and
increasing (McGrath, 2017). Survey reports released by
government agencies such as the National Conference of State
Legislature, the total cost of obesity-associated nears $150
billion yearly, with taxpayers covering approximately sixty
billion dollars. There is need to identify patterns that related to
childhood obesity for professionals to seek better ways to
address them. This PICOT statement evaluates childhood
obesity in the United States.
PICOT Statement
Population
Childhood obesity is a major health concern in the United States
and other parts of the world since the disease is increasing. In
the US, obesity prevalence is highest among children aged from
6 to 11 years (Cheung et al. 2016). The disease has tripled
among this age group from 4.2 percent to 15.3 percent from

2. 1963 to 2012. In 2013, 16 percent of children in the country
were categorized as obese. The prevalence was highest at ages
of 12 to 19 years and lowest at ages of 2 to 5 years. In the last
three decades, increased cases of obesity prevalence have been
noted among children of all ages, although the differences in
obesity prevalence have been recorded in terms of age, race,
ethnicity, and gender (Cheung et al. 2016). In this respect,
children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families and
some racial and ethnic minorities experience the higher median
score on obesity than the dominant white population. Higher
obesity rates are often recorded among blacks and Hispanics
compared to whites. For instance, a survey on girls in the
Southwest revealed that the yearly cases of obesity stood at 4.5
percent among Blacks, 2 percent among Hispanics, and 0.7
percent among white girls aged from 13 to 17 years (Cheung et
al. 2016). For low-income earners, American Indians rank
highest at 6.3 percent, followed closely by Hispanics at 5.5
percent.
Intervention
Evidence-based interventions that seek to reduce childhood
obesity incidences in the country should target two major areas:
prevention and treatment. High-quality RCT has been proven as
one of the most effective preventative intervention, especially
in schools (Reilly, 2006). Such interventions involve making
changes on the school curriculum by introducing and improving
physical education, changing school meal provisions, and
reducing the television viewing hours. Schools should also
engage in promotional campaigns that encourage walking form
home to school (Ickes, McMullen, Haider & Sharma, 2014).
This intervention has been successful in most cases involving
girls in the sense that the risks of becoming obese are
significantly lowered. Treatment interventions should be limited
to motivated families and communities, in which the child and
parents perceive obesity as a problem. From a theoretical
perspective, treatments should be continued for longer periods
such as months to years. Diets should be modified, especially

3. with the use of regimen such as traffic light diet. Television
viewing habits should also be reduced (Ickes et al. 2014).
Furthermore, treatment should be aimed at encouraging families
to self-monitor their lifestyle. Finally, more time should be
offered for consulting with family members.
Comparison
Being a member of a multidisciplinary team, the nurse
practitioner performs the task of offering standardized care and
advocacy support for healthy community environments. In
addition, the nurse helps to ensures that there is proper
coverage, access to, and incentives for regular obesity
prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment (Vine et al.
2013). There is also need to promote active living and healthy
eating at work. Finally, focus should be on promoting healthy
living during weight gain. There is also need to expand the role
of health care providers, in childhood obesity prevention.
Outcome
When a nurse is involved as one of the primary members in the
multidisciplinary team approach, the child should be guaranteed
of better continuity of care. The outcomes of interventions
should include reduced obesity risks and curriculum
adjustments for sustainable change to make it cost-effective
(Ross et al. 2010). The curriculum modifications should be
generalizable. One of the leading causes of failure of previous
interventions is that they targeted modifications at the micro
levels. This means that targeting individual children, families,
or schools make it harder to have positive outcomes or impacts
on the many other influences on weight status that affect the
environment at the macro levels. Obesity control efforts that
are successful should require a more macro-environmental
strategy in addition to the micro level behavioral adjustments.
Time
Obesity treatment and management should be a process that
takes months to years. This is because the focus should not just
be on the individual level, but also on the general behavioral
patterns of a person’s family, friends, and society at large (Ross

4. et al. 2010). Therefore, interventions should be
multidisciplinary and aim at changing the behavior of the
patient by promoting long term positive outcomes. Precautions
to monitor blood pressure can be done every two weeks or on a
monthly basis. Medications such as sibutramine can be utilized
for periods of up to one year. However, its use should be
discontinued in patients whose weight loss stabilizes at less
than five percent of their initial body weight.
References
Cheung, P. C., Cunningham, S. A., Narayan, K. V., & Kramer,
M. R. (2016). Childhood obesity
incidence in the United States: a systematic review. Childhood
Obesity, 12(1), 1-11.
Ickes, M. J., McMullen, J., Haider, T., & Sharma, M. (2014).
Global school-based childhood
obesity interventions: a review. International journal of
environmental research and
public health, 11(9), 8940-8961.
McGrath, S. M. (2017). Childhood Obesity Comorbitities
Awareness Hospital-based Education
(Doctoral Dissertation), Walden University, Minneapolis,
Washington.
Reilly, J. J. (2006). Obesity in childhood and adolescence:
evidence based clinical and public
health perspectives. Postgraduate medical journal, 82(969), 429-
437.
Ross, M. M., Kolbash, S., Cohen, G. M., & Skelton, J. A.
(2010). Multidisciplinary treatment of
pediatric obesity: nutrition evaluation and
management. Nutrition in Clinical
Practice, 25(4), 327-334.
Vine, M., Hargreaves, M. B., Briefel, R. R., & Orfield, C.
(2013). Expanding the role of primary
care in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity: a
review of clinic-and

5. community-based recommendations and interventions. Journal
of obesity, 2013.
Government Intervention Grading Guide ECO/561 Version 12
4
Government Intervention Grading Guide
ECO/561 Version 12
Economics
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Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix® editorial
standards and practices.
Individual Assignment: Government InterventionPurpose of
Assignment
The theory of market economies emphasizes freedom of choice
and limited government intervention. The classic argument for
government intervention is market failure – the inability of the
market economy to correct itself from a dysfunctional state
(such as the Great Depression). Students will examine articles
from the University library to analyze real-world examples of
U.S. government intervention programs and apply current week

6. readings to make intelligent conclusions about the economic
policies.
Resources Required
Tutorial help on Excel® and Word functions can be found on
the Microsoft® Office website. There are also additional
tutorials via the web offering support for Office
products.Grading Guide
Content
Met
Partially Met
Not Met
Comments:
Described the intervention and detailed its history.
Analyzed the arguments for government intervention as opposed
to arguments for market-based solutions.
Examined who may be helped and who may be hurt by the
selected government intervention.
Examined externalities and/or unintended consequences of such
intervention.

7. Determined the cost trend of the intervention program since its
implementation including whether costs increased, decreased, or
varied with the state of the economy.
Evaluated the success or failure of the intervention in achieving
its objectives and developed conclusions.
Recommended whether the program should be continued as is,
discontinued, or modified and defended your recommendation.
Cited a minimum of three scholarly, peer-reviewed references.
The presentation is a minimum 10 slides and is appropriate for
the audience. Included detailed speaker notes or voiceover.
The presentation includes relevant media and visual aids that
are consistent with the content.

8. Total Available
Total Earned
4
#/4
Presentation Guidelines
Met
Partially Met
Not Met
Comments:
The presentation is laid out with effective use of headings, font
styles, font sizes, and white space.
Intellectual property is recognized with in-text citations and a
reference slide.
The presentation includes an introduction and conclusion that
preview and review major points.
Major points are stated clearly; are supported by specific
details, examples, or analysis; and are organized logically.

9. Rules of grammar and usage are followed including spelling and
punctuation.
Total Available
Total Earned
1
#/1
Assignment Total
#
5
#/5
Additional comments: