Adolescent health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Adolescent health - Essay Example In the OECD countries, 1 in 2 adult is overweight and 1 in 6 is obese. In some countries, the rate of overweight people is estimated to increase by a further 1% per year for the next 10 years (Robb, 2010). According to various surveys and statistics, 101,310 deaths were reported in UK due to Coronary Heart Disease, the leading cause of death for both sexes, in 2005. Cerebrovascular disease which is the second leading cause of mortality in U K killed 21,966 men and 35,902 women in 2005. Lung cancer was the third leading cause of death in U K which caused 7.15 % death rate in males and 4.65 in women in 2005 (Hawe, 2008) According to the Health Survey of England (2009) childhood and adult obesity have increased drastically over the past 30 years. In England, about 31.4% of boys and 28.2% of the girls are either overweight or obese in 2009. The well-established Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)  conducted a study on the effects of childhood obesity on proven card iovascular risk factors. The study showed that, in most cases childhood obesity is tracked into adulthood and onward; therefore, risk factors would already be present in youth will continue and finally increase risks for both cardiovascular events and diabetes in adulthood. (Logue and  Sattar, 2011) Figures from the report Statistics on Smoking: England 2010 showed that in 2009, smoking contributed to over 81,400 deaths per year in UK. The latest guidelines from the British Hypertension Society emphasize the importance of changing lifestyle choices in order to reduce the occurrence of serious cardio vascular events.( NHS, 2009) This paper emphasises the need of further action in childhood obesity control both at a population level by changing eating and exercise behaviours and at an individual level by reducing weight in a safe, successful way and thereby; reducing the risk of developing diabetes and cardio vascular diseases in adulthood. It also describes the campaigns and progra mmes arranged by public health institutions and other institutions for providing awareness about the hazards of tobacco, alcohol etc and also the necessity to follow a healthy diet from childhood in order to avoid the high risk of some diseases. Role of Public Health Services in Promoting Healthcare from early adolescents The National Health Service (NHS) Stop Smoking Services provides support to help people quit smoking. This includes intensive support through group therapy or one-to-one support provided by trained personnel, such as specialist smoking cessation advisors and trained nurses and pharmacists. During the period April 2008 to March 2009, 337,054 people successfully quit smoking with NHS Stop Smoking Services. The statistics proved that the success rate of quitting smoking increased with age, from 39% for those below 18, to 53% of those above 60. About 37% of those below 18 were failed in their quit attempt. (NHS, 2009) The Government is concerned about the increased rat e of obesity in U K. In 2007, the Government-commissioned Foresight report forecasted that 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children would be obese by 2050, if no action was taken. By considering the impact of obesity on people’s health, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and heart and liver disease, it has become a priority for the government to take action to reduce obesity. The government works in partnership with local government, charities and business institutions with the aim to reduce obesity by providing clear, consistent messages to people on why they should change their lifestyle, how to do so, and come up with strategies and approaches make this easier.