WK 1 Obesity in Houston Texas
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Dec 6, 2023
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Obesity in Houston, Texas
Mario Mendoza
University of Arizona Global Campus
MPH603 Applied Behavioral Science (MPE2347A)
Instructor Brittany Chatman
October 27, 2023
Obesity in Houston, Texas
Introduction
Houston is the fourth largest city in Houston, with a population of over 2.2 million (WPR, 2023). As one of the largest cities in the nation, the diversity of the citizens creates public health problems on a grand scale. Texas ranks 38th in the country, and Houston came in at 5
th
place for overweight adults (Hernandez & Pressler, 2020). When adults are overweight, their overall health and lifestyles are impacted, as well as the community. Being overweight places them at risk for developing chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Affected Population
From data collected by the city of Houston, the populations most affected by obesity in Houston are the adults between 45 & 65 (HC, 2021). As of 2021, Houstonians who were overweight were 62.6% and predominantly male (HC, 2021). Problems
One of the problems in Houston is the restaurant scene, which is as diverse as its population with no shortage of good restaurants. The availability of unhealthy food options and easy access to them in Houston are everywhere (Correa et al., 2010). Even if you eat at a healthy restaurant, the portions are usually bigger than one person can eat. The average meal contains three times the daily recommended portions (Britton et al., 2023).
Our human nature is to eat what is in front of us, and dining regularly at restaurants can skew our perception of appropriate portions. Another issue contributing to the obesity problem in Houston is the urban design and infrastructure that discourages walking anywhere. It can take at least 1 hour to travel 10 miles in Houston. The city's transportation systems have limited routes and only serve certain portions of the city. Additionally, some neighborhoods have bike lanes, but most of Houston is only accessible through automobiles. The roads are not bike-friendly, and many streets do not have sidewalks for pedestrians. Social Theories
The obesity problem manifests in different ways across the country, and addressing the issue in Houston will require a multifaceted approach. First, the Social Ecological Model can promote healthy eating behaviors in schools, universities, and the community (
DiClemente, 2019)
. The Health Belief Model states that people are more likely to engage in healthy behavior if they believe they are susceptible to severe consequences and have few barriers to being healthy (
DiClemente, 2019)
. Lastly, the Social Cognitive Theory
could be used with the help of local celebrities promoting healthy eating (
DiClemente, 2019)
.
Reflection
In reflecting on the feedback from my peers and instructor, I narrowed my focus on obesity toward creating tangible interventions. These
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interventions can be tailored to the individual community. Positive changes in
public health will require attacking the problem from different facets. Conclusion
Obesity is a complex problem that is created by an excess of fat due to
overeating, lack of exercise, or just poor nutrition. Regardless, Houston's citizens are considered among the most overweight cities in Texas. Data collected in 2021 showed that the percentage of Houston adults who were overweight was 62.6%. Having positive interventions through social theories can help improve the outcome and reduce the impact of chronic diseases brought on by obesity.
References
Britton, M., Rogova, A., Chen, T., Leal, I., Kyburz, B., Williams, T., Patel, M., & Reitzel, L. (2023). Texas tobacco quitline knowledge, attitudes, and practices within healthcare agencies serving individuals with behavioral health needs: A multimethod study. Preventive Medicine Reports
, 1-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102256. Correa, N., Murray, N. Mei, C., & Baun, W. (2010). Can do Houston: A community-
based approach to preventing childhood obesity. Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice and Policy
, 7(4), 1-11.
DiClemente, R., Salazar, L., & Crosby, R. (2019). Health behavior theory for public health: Principles, foundations, and applications (2nd. ed.). Jones & Bartlett.
Hernandez, D. & Pressler, E. (2020). Accumulation of childhood poverty on young adult overweight or obese status: Race/ ethnicity and gender disparities. Journal of Epidemiology Community Health
, 68(4), 478-484. Harris County (HC). (2021). Adults who are overweight. Houston State of Health.
https://www.houstonstateofhealth.com/indicators/index/view?
indicatorId=56&localeId=2675
World Population Review (WPR). (2023).
Houston, Texas Population. worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/houston-tx-population. Accessed November 26 2023.
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