Identify a current public health concern in Saudi Arabia
Question
Identify a current public health concern in Saudi Arabia (do not use COVID-19). Explain the corresponding Saudi Vision 2030 goal and national policy governing this concern. Address the following: • • • • Identify the major issues associated with this global public health concern. Describe the Saudi Vision 2030 goal pertinent to the identified public health concern. Explain how the policy contributes to positive change. Finally, if you were able to influence policy changes, what changes would you make regarding this policy? in your initial response along with at least TWO scholarly, peer-reviewed journal article. These post replies need to be substantial and constructive in nature. They should add to the content of the post and evaluate/analyze that post answer. including one scholarly peer-reviewed reference. Minimum 100 words. Saudi Arabia struggles with non-communicable diseases which can be prevented. As a result of unhealthy living and lack of access to appropriate healthcare, it has resulted to kidney disease, heart disease, and diabetes are some of the most common non-communicable diseases in the country (Blandau, 2017). Arguably, estimated three-quarters of Saudis have reported not undergoing a routine check-up despite the provided national universal healthcare (Blandau, 2017). This is an indication of the need for the Saudi health ministry to further encourage its citizens to seek routine check-ups for early detection as well as adopt a healthier lifestyle to prevent these common illnesses. Saudi Arabia is at an early stage of its demographic transition to having an older population and in its Saudi Arabia vision 2030, it has taken into consideration the need to prepare early rise of the non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic (The World Bank, 2022). Thus, to achieve its Vision 2030 of increasing life expectancy from 75 years to about 80 years in 2030; the strategy has taken into consideration the need to develop effective interventions for prevention measures, explore any key gaps in prevention measures and address the noted issues and explore the health and economic burden of NCDs. This policy of advocacy on preventive measures being the primary measures of addressing the NCDs as a national master plan in Saudi Arabia contributes to positive change by focusing on improving the implementation of cost-effective interventions and attaining results. If allowed to influence policy changes, I would amend the policy by mandating on the citizens get at least one health check-up a year for them to continue enjoying their national universal healthcare coverage. Having regular data on the number of individuals who are at risk will provide the government with needed statistics to act as a guideline while developing various healthcare policy plans. References Blandau, R. (2017, December 4). Minimizing the Threat of Common Diseases in Saudi Arabia. BORGEN. https://www.borgenmagazine.com/common-diseases-in-saudi-arabia/ The World Bank. (2022). Noncommunicable Diseases in Saudi Arabia: Toward Effective Interventions for Prevention (International Development in Focus). The World Bank. These post replies need to be substantial and constructive in nature. They should add to the content of the post and evaluate/analyze that post answer. including one scholarly peer-reviewed reference. Minimum 100 words. Introduction In Saudi Arabia and worldwide, childhood obesity is a severe health issue. In recent years, we’ve seen a surge in the number of cases of childhood obesity. Inadequate energy expenditure after consuming an excessive caloric intake is the root cause of obesity. Many different things, including genetics, behavior, and the environment, can contribute to childhood obesity. Young overweight children have health risks that compromise their physical, social, and mental health. Therefore, management or intervention of pediatric obesity calls for effective measures in prevention and control(Emerson et al., 2016). Childhood obesity is a medical disease that primarily strikes adolescent males and females. When kids or teens eat an abnormally high number of fatty foods, it can have a negative impact on their health and eventually lead to obesity. Children and teenagers also tend to gain weight at a rate disproportionate to their stature. Specifically, the kids will have a high body mass index (BMI). Without screening and care, childhood obesity will likely continue into adolescence and adulthood. Noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, are often fatal in adults and can be exacerbated by obesity(Kain et al., 2014). Obesity is described as a chronic metabolic disease in which the body’s functioning is abnormal, and the balance between energy intake and expenditure is disrupted. The fatty tissues are in charge of storing excess energy that is deposited. Obesity can thus be defined as a weight that is larger than the typical for a certain weight and height of an individual, thereby labeling them as overweight(Emerson et al., 2016). The Saudi Vision 2030 goal pertinent to the identified public health concern. The Ministry of Health’s goal is to reduce obesity rates in Saudi Arabia as part of its larger mission to realize the Saudi 2030 Vision and create a society free from preventable diseases including obesity-related diseases. The first step in reducing childhood obesity is conducting a thorough epidemiological study so that effective intervention programs can be designed. Across all of Saudi Arabia, the Eastern Province has the most significant monthly income, as reported by the country’s official statistics agency, the General Authority for Statistics. It is interesting to study the current rate of childhood obesity in the province because numerous investigations have shown that obesity is often connected with wealth growth. For that purpose, the current study sought to offer a recent estimate of childhood body weight and identify the increase in childhood obesity in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province(Althumiri et al., 2021). How would the policy contribute to positive change? Saudi Arabian Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (SASMBS) has formed a guideline adoption group (GAG) to adopt an obesity prevention and management guideline. The guideline adoption process has five stages: searching for practice guidelines, assessing their quality with a validated instrument, identifying the best guidelines, adapting suggestions, and editing draft recommendations based on external reviewers’ feedback. The GAG adopted the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network’s (SIGN) guideline for its first iteration . National obesity control program scientists reviewed the guidelines. The review team searched relevant scientific literature, including Australian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Adolescents, and Children, Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Management and Prevention of Obesity in Adults and Children, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines(Benkeser et al., 2012). The objective of the recommendation is to give medical professionals the resources they need to successfully prevent and treat overweight and obesity in children and adults. The following sections make up the guideline: The first section of the guideline deals with the primary prevention of obesity in children, adolescents, and adults. Next, it offers advice on changing one’s lifestyle to prevent overweight and obesity, focusing on suggestions for a healthy diet, regular exercise, and periodic medical exams. The guidelines proposed two algorithms to be followed for assessing and managing obesity and overweight. The second and third parts of the guideline deal with weight management in children and adults. Body mass index (BMI) for age percentiles and waist circumference for adults are used in the assessment, along with several laboratory tests to look for underlying causes, risk factors, and comorbidities. The fourth section briefly described a list of drugs used for pharmacological treatment, which covered the pharmacological management of obesity. Each medication’s mechanism of action, indications, side effects, maintenance dosage, and method of administration were briefly described. The penultimate section discusses bariatric surgery, a surgical option for managing obesity. It briefly outlined the justifications for choosing this option. It briefly described the most popular types of bariatric surgery, emphasizing both potential acute and long-term consequences(Althumiri et al., 2021). Changes that I would make to help managing this issue: Creating a partnership between schools and homes to encourage early weight management in children and adolescents is one of the most effective ways to improve children’s health status. This will help to prevent adult overweight or obesity, lower the risk of comorbidities, and promote healthy lifestyle choices. Additionally, a family approach that addresses everyone in the family’s healthy living behavior should be used to target the weight management of the kid or adolescent. I advise youngsters to get regular medical checkups and to take their preferences, skills, and strength into account when selecting lifestyle choices. The activities ought to be enjoyable, leisurely, and catered to the child’s and family’s respective strengths. Changes to good eating habits, exercise, and lifestyle should also be prioritized. Last but not least, to prevent risk factors linked with childhood obesity, parents and kids should be taught about evidence-based healthcare practices that reduce weight gain and encourage weight loss(Kamath et al., 2008). Conclusion Preventing and treating childhood obesity has become a top priority in Saudi Arabia and worldwide. The epidemic of childhood obesity can be mitigated by educating both children and their parents on the importance of a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Preventing and controlling childhood obesity is a significant issue, and the government is actively working on solutions. The sustainability of these interventions is crucial to ensuring that children and adolescents everywhere have the opportunity to adopt healthy behaviors as permanent lifestyle choices that pave the way to a brighter future for children everywhere in the country. The rising rates of childhood obesity are a clear indicator that modern eating habits and lifestyle choices are harmful to most youngsters. The rising prevalence of childhood obesity in high-income countries indicates a shift toward increased fast-food consumption and decreased physical activity among youngsters. Since being overweight or obese can have negative consequences for kids and teens, it’s essential to implement measures and methods to promote healthy eating and physical activity among young people(Hoelscher et al., 2013). References Althumiri, N. A., Basyouni, M. H., Almousa, N., Aljuwaysim, M. F., Almubark, R. A., Bindhim, N. F., Alkhamaali, Z., & Alqahtani, S. A. (2021). Obesity in Saudi Arabia in 2020: Prevalence, distribution, and its current association with various health conditions. Healthcare (Switzerland), 9(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9030311 Benkeser, R. M., Biritwum, R., & Hill, A. G. (2012). Prevalence of overweight and obesity and perception of healthy and desirable body size in urban, Ghanaian women. Ghana Medical Journal, 46(2), 66–75. https://doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v46i2 Emerson, E., Robertson, J., Baines, S., & Hatton, C. (2016). Obesity in British children with and without intellectual disability: Cohort study. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3309-1 Hoelscher, D. M., Kirk, S., Ritchie, L., & Cunningham-Sabo, L. (2013). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Interventions for the Prevention and Treatment of Pediatric Overweight and Obesity. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 113(10), 1375–1394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2013.08.004 Kain, J., Hernández Cordero, S., Pineda, D., de Moraes, A. F., Antiporta, D., Collese, T., Costa de Oliveira Forkert, E., González, L., Miranda, J. J., & Rivera, J. (2014). Obesity Prevention in Latin America. Current Obesity Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-014-0097-8 Kamath, C. C., Vickers, K. S., Ehrlich, A., McGovern, L., Johnson, J., Singhal, V., Paulo, R., Hettinger, A., Erwin, P. J., & Montori, V. M. (2008). Behavioral interventions to prevent childhood obesity: A systematic review and metaanalyses of randomized trials. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 93(12), 4606–4615. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-2411