Response one 2-2 Discussion: Prevention Strategies in Epidemiology Overweight and obesity continue to be a leading health concern in the United States. It is estimated that up to 400,000 obesity-related deaths occur per year in America. Literature has shown that overweight and obesity are major causes of co-morbidity, including type II diabetes, various cancers, cardiovascular diseases and other heath problems. A person is considered overweight or obese when their weight is greater than what is generally considered healthy for their height. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement that helps to figure out if you’re at a healthy weight for your height. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703. An adult is considered overweight if their BMI is greater or equal to twenty-five. An adult is considered obese if their BMI is greater than or equal to thirty.  The average American man and woman are 190 pounds and 163 pounds respectively according to the National Center for Health Statistics (Montgomery, 2008). Epidemiological research is key to prevention of disease. Research on disease etiology is helpful in determining where in the disease’s natural history effective intervention might be implemented. Leavell and Clark, in the late 1940’s, were the first to describe the principles of disease prevention using the terms primary, secondary and tertiary prevention (Friis & Sellers, 2014). Primary prevention seeks to prevent a condition or disease at a pre-pathological state. The goal is to stop the condition or disease from ever happening. Primary prevention for overweight and obesity would be working together with policy makers, businesses, schools, childcare and healthcare professionals, state and local organizations to create an environment that supports a healthy lifestyle. Primary prevention differs from secondary and tertiary prevention in that secondary prevention focuses on early disease detection and intervention and tertiary prevention aims to control established disease and limit the amount of disability (Friis & Sellers, 2014). Secondary prevention for overweight and obesity would include defining obesity with BMI, education and explanation of the disease by the primary care physician, necessary changes in nutrition and physical activity. Tertiary prevention for overweight and obesity includes physical activity, weight loss, low carbohydrate diet, behavior therapy and nutritionists. There are many national and state-level prevention policies and legislation in place to prevent or reduce obesity. For example, the federal government, in 2006-2007, began requiring all school districts with a federally funded school meal program to develop and implement wellness policies that address nutrition and physical activity. Steps to a Healthier US program is program administered by the Centers for Disease Control in 2003 that enables communities to develop action plans to prev.

1. Response one
2-2 Discussion: Prevention Strategies in Epidemiology
Overweight and obesity continue to be a leading health concern
in the United States. It is estimated that up to 400,000 obesity-
related deaths occur per year in America. Literature has shown
that overweight and obesity are major causes of co-morbidity,
including type II diabetes, various cancers, cardiovascular
diseases and other heath problems. A person is considered
overweight or obese when their weight is greater than what is
generally considered healthy for their height. Body Mass Index
(BMI) is a measurement that helps to figure out if you’re at a
healthy weight for your height. BMI is calculated by dividing
weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiplying
by a conversion factor of 703. An adult is considered
overweight if their BMI is greater or equal to twenty-five. An
adult is considered obese if their BMI is greater than or equal to
thirty. The average American man and woman are 190 pounds
and 163 pounds respectively according to the National Center
for Health Statistics (Montgomery, 2008).
Epidemiological research is key to prevention of disease.
Research on disease etiology is helpful in determining where in
the disease’s natural history effective intervention might be
implemented. Leavell and Clark, in the late 1940’s, were the
first to describe the principles of disease prevention using the
terms primary, secondary and tertiary prevention (Friis &
Sellers, 2014). Primary prevention seeks to prevent a condition
or disease at a pre-pathological state. The goal is to stop the
condition or disease from ever happening. Primary prevention
for overweight and obesity would be working together with
policy makers, businesses, schools, childcare and healthcare
professionals, state and local organizations to create an
environment that supports a healthy lifestyle. Primary
prevention differs from secondary and tertiary prevention in
that secondary prevention focuses on early disease detection

2. and intervention and tertiary prevention aims to control
established disease and limit the amount of disability (Friis &
Sellers, 2014). Secondary prevention for overweight and obesity
would include defining obesity with BMI, education and
explanation of the disease by the primary care physician,
necessary changes in nutrition and physical activity. Tertiary
prevention for overweight and obesity includes physical
activity, weight loss, low carbohydrate diet, behavior therapy
and nutritionists.
There are many national and state-level prevention policies and
legislation in place to prevent or reduce obesity. For example,
the federal government, in 2006-2007, began requiring all
school districts with a federally funded school meal program to
develop and implement wellness policies that address nutrition
and physical activity. Steps to a Healthier US program is
program administered by the Centers for Disease Control in
2003 that enables communities to develop action plans to
prevent disease to lower the prevalence of obesity for example
(Nihiser, Merlo, & Lee, 2013). These policies play a key role in
improving access to healthy food and increasing physical
activity which are essential for promoting a healthy weight.
References
Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2014). Epidemiology for Public
Health Practice (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
Montgomery, B. (2008). The American Obesity Epidemic: Why
the U.S. Government Must Attack the Critical Problems of
Overweight & Obesity through Legislation Note. Journal of
Health & Biomedical Law, 4, 375–412. Retrieved
from https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/jhbio4&i=3
86
Nihiser, A., Merlo, C., & Lee, S. (2013). Preventing Obesity
through Schools. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 41, 27–34.
Retrieved
from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost
.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lpb&AN=93877410&site=eds-

3. live&scope=site
Response Two
According to Friis and Sellers, 2014, a key role of public health
is the primary prevention of disease. This is especially true in
the case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Today,
prevention of HIV is the optimal situation since how to prevent
HIV has been identified. However, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in the United States
the number of adults over the age of 50 living with HIV is on
the rise. The CDC notes two reasons for this increase: people
with HIV are living longer and more adults over the age of 50
are being diagnosed with HIV. In 2010, in the United States
there were 1.1 million people living with HIV and about 20
percent of them were people over the age of 55 (Davis, Teaster,
Thronton, Watkins, Alexander & Zaniani, 2016).
Primary care providers are on the frontline of this changing
statistic for HIV in people over the age of 50. These providers
are caring for the people over 50, and they represent the largest
number of health care consumers. These providers can offer
primary prevention by becoming more comfortable with
discussing sexuality with these patients and confirming,
especially with women, that they are utilizing condoms. By
screening their patients, they can offer secondary prevention for
those that need to know their HIV status (Davis et al., 2016).
Many primary care providers are providing tertiary care for
patients with HIV to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) with
preventive treatments such as prescribing lipid-modifying
medicines to minimize their patient’s risk of developing CVD
(Jones-Parker, 2012).
In July 2010, the United States released its first plan to
address HIV, The National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), the
plan was updated in 2015, none of the goals changed. The goals
are: to reduce the number of new HIV infections; improve
access to HIV treatment in order to improve the health of those
living with HIV/AIDS; decrease HIV health inequities and

4. improve the coordination of the national response to the HIV
epidemic. The CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP)
aligned its goals with the NHAS to assist states in protecting
and preventing their residents from the risk of HIV and those
already living with HIV (CDC, 2015).
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (December
2015). State HIV prevention progress report, 2010 – 2013.
Retrieved from:
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/policies/progressreports/cdc-hiv-
stateprogressreport.pdf
Davis, T., Teaster, P. B., Thornton, A., Watkins, J. F.,
Alexander, L., & Zanjani, F. (2016). Primary Care
Providers’ HIV Prevention Practices Among Older
Adults. Journal Of Applied Gerontology: The Official
Journal Of The Southern Gerontological Society, 35(12),
1325–1342. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscoh
ost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d
b=cmedm&AN=25736425&site=eds-live&scope=site
Friis, R. H., Sellers, T. A. (2014). Epidemiology for Public
Health Practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Jones-Parker, H., (March-April 2012). Primary, secondary, and
tertiary prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients
with HIV disease: A Guide for Nurse Practitioners. Journal
of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 23(2), 124-133.