Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Control room Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3
Control room - Movie Review Example Al Jazeera showed the true picture of the war and not what the American government wished for its people to see; the realities of the war. In fact, if one carefully considers the information that this channel broadcast during this war, there would be a realization that the American public would not have supported such a war had they seen what it did not, only to the Arabs of Iraq, but also to the American men and women who went to fight in the war. Control Room is a revelation towards some of the events that took place in Iraq and how these events were covered by the Al Jazeera network. It reveals that, despite the statements made against it by the Bush administration, none of the statements made were true and were, in fact, an attempt to cover up the truth about the war from the American public. This documentary is an attempt to show the news about the Iraq war, not from the perspective of the media of the west, but that of the region in which the war occurred. The first scenes of this documentary seem to reinforce the belief that the network sole purpose is spreading anti-American propaganda. The people who are seen working behind the scenes are all dressed in traditional Arab headgear, and when the American president issues an ultimatum to the Iraqi president, it is seen that those observing in the room jeer at the former. While, for many, this would reinforce the stereotype that has come to plague the Al Jazeera network, the truth is that the scene was inserted in the documentary to show that this network is not as different from those in the west as many would think. The documentary reveals that the statements by President Bush and his secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, that Al Jazeera was the mouthpiece of Osama bin Laden and that it was the Centre of anti-American propaganda in the United States are completely unfounded (Turan). In fact, it is revealed that the exact opposite is the truth; that Al Jazeera is a network that is ded icated
Monday, October 7, 2019
Economic Inequalities in The United States Research Paper
Economic Inequalities in The United States - Research Paper Example The wish of most Americans is to bring the economic equality to an end. The society has been involved in the search of the possible social solutions to the increased inequality. The possible solutions include reducing taxes on the income of the low class group, increased taxes on the wealth and income of the high class group and adjusting the social security tax. Social nature of the problem Economic inequality exists in the United States due individuals having varied amount of money, power or even prestige. This problem creates different social classes among the people. Individuals in higher classes enjoy higher income and have continued to accumulate their wealth, while the lower class individuals in the society incur higher rates of taxes on their low income. As inequality in terms of resources widens, individuals with more wealth have become powerful and are be able to attain their goals. They will be able to accomplish their vested interests at the expense of the lower social cl ass individuals. They are also influential in the society and are powerfully in making different decisions. Inequality in income results from several causes, some of these causes are relatively clear, others unknown and others are still under dispute. The basic cause of household income inequality at a structural level is variations in the yearly hours worked per household. It can be broken down into the product of the total number of workers, the yearly weeks worked and the weekly hours worked. This is a very significant factor among individuals in the lower class level. However, it remains minor among individuals who belong to the higher class. Beyond the total hours individuals have worked, income inequality arises out of; the variation of the income rates per hour and the income which has not been earned, these differences is mainly due to differences in the education level. Income inequality is common in the United States due to the variation of an individual position in terms of responsibility, its importance and the complexity. Income remains to be a common form of compensation. In most cases the market value is reduced by abundant supply hence, income is increased significantly by the possession of scarce skills. The most common source of income among the lower class individuals in America is not occupation but the government welfare. Causes of the problem There are several causes of economic inequality in the United States. These include; difference in the individualââ¬â¢s wealth and income, most individuals depends on the income they get from their jobs. Others however, benefits from both their jobââ¬â¢s income and their wealth. The big problem is that those with higher sources of income get larger percentage of increase than those with little income. The wealthy are able to accumulate their wealth and income for several years unlike those with little income and no wealth. This creates a wide gap between the two groups of individuals. Those who are wealthy are in a position to vie for political offices and invest more money in order to win. They will also be able to interact with other individuals of the same class and who also have similar power and interests. Another cause of inequality in the capitalistic society is that there is an existing belief that the government influence has to be maintained at a minimal level (Sen and Foster1997). When the
Sunday, October 6, 2019
The discussion on issues of privacy in the mental hospital in patient Essay
The discussion on issues of privacy in the mental hospital in patient setting - Essay Example 80 percent of nurses said they left work discontented as they were unable to take care of patients with the dignity they ought to have. Mix gender wards have been mentioned as one of the explanations preventing care givers to offer dignified treatment. These problems consequently; call for improvements do away with mixed gender wards in mental hospitals (Claire and Ryder 56). Qualitative statistics from aged female users of in-patients services reported that women have a explicit obscurity in sharing the environment with males. They further highlighted a number of issues that had encountered such as being exposed to unwarranted levels of violence from men, which made them apprehensive for their wellbeing across inpatient and neighborhood outpatient settings. The report further says that the women felt dehumanized as they were forced to share living and curative space with men, making them uncomfortable and despondent about the lack of privacy. Other women held that they were exposed to situations of sexual intimidation, assault and harassment (NHS 24). Upon reporting, they were not believed, which made them feel powerless and unheard by the hospital system. Finally, women were rewired to take part in mixed gender groups where they could not freely talk about their intimate problems in the presence of men. Further, elderly women are sensitive to mixing with members of the opposite sex. In the implementation of single gender wards, major challenges in terms of funding and special cases of emergency persist. Having single gender walls requires a vast amount of resources such as new buildings, beds, and extra staff both qualified and support staffs, all which require money. The government and the national health services are responsible for ensuring that such improvements are attained. However, single gender wards initiative can take a back seat with inadequate financing. Money needs to be invested for extra beds and accommodation as well, in order to cater for tem porary issues arising such as women who give birth in hospitals. It was reported that some women in United Kingdom gave birth in a waiting room. More than 15.3m British pounds are needed to eliminate mixed system of accommodation in hospitals (Hospital Management, para 11). It is evident that implementation of single gender wards does not come easy because there are other heath needs that the heath fund requires to fulfill. Another challenge is that some policy makers do not view single sex accommodation as a priority. The UK government strictly wants the national health services to make efficient savings on its budgetary allocation. This then leaves the question as to whether the United Kingdom heath division is wasting resources on single sex accommodation (Hospital Management, para 13). Emergencies also pose a predicament in single gender wards implementation. In cases where patients require urgent intervention and expert healthcare, the need for admission takes precedence rather than segregation. Hence, patients will be housed with members of the opposite gender. Other challenges in implementing single gender wards are that flexibility needed to maximize bed occupancy will be eliminated. It might be challenging to have two separate wards if bed numbers are small, given a definite geographical distribution. From a social point of view, it may also be held that single gender rule goes against normalization since there will be no interaction with members of t
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Legal History of Film Streaming Websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Legal History of Film Streaming Websites - Essay Example One such disadvantage is the increased risk of infringement of the rights of copyright holders. The Internet provides a faster, cheaper and easier access to entertainment content which inevitably increases the risk of unauthorized reproduction, unchecked distribution and illegal public performance of copyrighted content. (Aspen Pub, 2001). The advent of new digital technologies has eased the circulation of movies around the world which has been and continues to be the source of tremendous problems for the entertainment industry. With the advent of movie streaming technology, an individual can view a movie without downloading it from the website therefore; the ease of viewing has been enhanced. There are a large number of legitimate and legal websites that enable internet users to view motion pictures, live sports events, TV programs and other forms of entertainment. However, the problem of unauthorized public performance of movies has intensified with the advent of illegal and illegi timate movie streaming websites. (Litman 2001). History of Video streaming websites and Copyright Law issues: The demand for online viewing of movies surfaced in the year 1997 and is now a $1.9 billion industry. In 2001 two major movie downloading websites surfaced which were Movielink and Moviebeam. Both websites failed to establish a profitable market place and were sold in the year 2006. Today, one of the major legal movie downloading sites is Apple iTunes along with Amazon, Veoh, Hulu, Netflix and Blockbuster. (Finney, Angus 2010). One of the fundamental issues that arose with widespread use of the Internet was violation of copyright laws. In 1997, the Congress enacted the No Electronic Theft Act in an effort to prevent the unauthorized uploading of movies and videogames. In accordance with Telecommunications Act of 1996, Internet Service Providers will not be considered liable of copyright infringements committed by their website users if they agree to promptly remove the unlaw ful materials from their website. The advent of social networking and film clips sharing sites such as MySpace and Youtube was soon followed by lawsuits filed by copyright owners. In accordance, Youtube was sued by Media conglomerate Viacom for $1 Billion for the violation of copyright laws as thousands of copyright videos were uploaded by Youtube users each day. Youtube and Viacom solved the issue by negotiating outside the court but officials from Youtube stated in court that they fall in the safe harbor category of Digital Millennium Copyright Act which states that the Violator will not be liable for the violation if they promptly remove the material blamed with copyright infringement. Therefore, both MySpace and Youtube acted to prevent the resurfacing of such an issue by installing specially designed internal filters which prevent the uploading of copyrighted material. However, the critics of such lawsuits believe that it is perfectly legal to upload copyrighted material under the fair use Doctrine. The year 2010 proved to be hugely successful for Google and Youtube because the Court dismissed the billion-dollar infringement claim filed by high profile lawsuits and declared that Youtube falls under the ââ¬Å"safe harborââ¬
Friday, October 4, 2019
Game Design Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Game Design Plan - Essay Example But unfortunately, you do not have enough funds and needs someone to sponsor this trip. So, you ask your boss, Mr. X for help, who comes up with a very interesting deal due to his wild craze for puzzle, according to which you, the player, must go through his special area (level of a game), populated with a set number of destructible bricks and you must break all of them using a ball and a paddle, without letting the ball fall to ground; if you succeed, then you will get a chance to fly to any one historical place in the world; in this manner, as you can predict, for each place, there will be a special area. However, if you, the player, lose then you will have to work for Mr. X for a year without any pay. The core idea of the game is heavily inspired by another, similar game - Smashing (available at http://www.miniclip.com/games/smashing/en/) in which each level has a set number of destructible bricks and the player uses a ball and a paddle to break all of them to move on to the next level; if the ball falls below the game area, a paddle is lost.. Even though, this existing game is highly enjoyable but at the same time, there are various aspects that can be enhanced or added, for example, facilitating the player to select difficulty level, inclusion of distinct sound effects for ball collisions as a means to praise the player for destroying bricks or adding a game-continue feature, therefore, becoming a clear source of inspiration to modify the existing game, without compromising the core notion that made the existing game so enjoyable in the first place. II. Genre and Audience The games that are based around the dynamics of a player controlled block, called a paddle or a bat, which hits a ball towards another player's bat or game specific object are generally categorized under "Bat-and-Ball" genre. At more specialized level of this genre, those games which are characterized by the addition of a wall of blocks or similar objects, that the player chips away at with the ball as part of the main game-play, are known as "Breakout-style game" or "Breakout clone"; most of these games highly depends on hand-and-eye coordination and quick reflexes, rather than thought and logic. Some of the notable Breakout Clone games are the Arkanoid series, Circus Atari, Thro' the Wall, DX Ball and Block Breaker Deluxe. The profusion and notability of such games has been sufficient enough for them to also be referred to by some as a genre in their own right. However, since this is a fairly narrow definition of a genre, it is often not considered as such, but even then so, in the view of above statements, our proposed game can be tagged same as a Breakout-style game, and therefore, can be categorized under "Bat-and-Ball" genre. Although Smashing is a nice game and both kids and teenagers can enjoy playing it but it might not be the choice for adults as it doesn't have much to offer, especially in terms of complexity and involvedness. On the other hand, this game will not only cover the Smashing's audience, but will also take care of
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Developed in Rome Essay Example for Free
Developed in Rome Essay In the time of the Renaissance, the arts became the primary preoccupation of the people. This is because of the pervading atmosphere of humanism, which promotes the accomplishments of the individual in a gamut of areas. The Renaissance as an era is divided into two parts: the early Renaissance which occurred in Florence and the high Renaissance that developed in Rome. How are these two phases different in terms of artistic styles? How are they alike? In the spirit of humanism that it advances, the art pieces reminiscent of the early Renaissance tried to put into canvass a very realistic depiction of the human form. Everything from proportion to color was considered to achieve the desired effect of realism. According to Noble, ââ¬Å"artists developed new techniques to give paintings a more three-dimensional, life-like quality, and commonly studied human and animal anatomy in efforts to better understand their subjects (6). â⬠These artists enjoyed the patronage of the wealthy, but they were not granted complete artistic freedom. Even though humanism was at its peak, the theme of the arts still leaned towards religion (Noble 6). The artists could only manifest freedom in terms of style and technique. The artistic pioneers of that time included Giotto di Bondone, Massacio, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Donatello. Giotto was the first important artist; it was his study of nature that rendered realistic facial expressions in his paintings (Noble 6), which served as the benchmark for the periods realistic techniques. Massacio is known for his Bible-inspired work, The Tribute Money. Ghiberti was the leading name in architecture; he designed and sculpted bronze doors, which was embellished with scenes from the Bible, for the Baptistry (Noble 6). In terms of sculpture, Donatello was the most important artist. He was responsible for David, ââ¬Å"the first freestanding nude figure sculpted since the Roman era (Noble 6). â⬠ââ¬Å"If the early Renaissance artists paved the way for new techniques and styles in creating arts, it was the High Renaissance artists who mastered these said techniques (Noble 7),â⬠bringing the creation of art to new heights. There might have been an improvement in method, but the subject matter remains the same. The arts of the High Renaissance was still controlled by the Church. However, the works of Leonardo began to manifest a strong leaning toward extreme humanism, which marked the beginning of change (Noble 7). In the High Renaissance, there were three dominant artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo Buonarroti and Raphael. Da Vincis works include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and Lady with an Ermine (ââ¬Å"Artcyclopediaâ⬠1). Michaelangelo, on the other hand, is famous for the artwork in the Sistine Chapel (ââ¬Å"Artcyclopediaâ⬠2). Raphael were responsible for such paintings as Saint George and the Dragon, and The Small Cowper Madonna (ââ¬Å"Artcyclopediaâ⬠3). In conclusion, the early Renaissance and High Renaissance only differed in two points: first, they occurred in different locations; second, while the early Renaissance artists created the techniques, the High Renaissance artists perfected them. Moreover, the two phases shared a similarity: the theme of religion despite the humanistic atmosphere. Works Cited Artcyclopedia. 2007. 17 Dec. 2007 http://www. artcyclopedia. com/history/high-renaissance. html. Noble, Matt. Sparknote on Italian Renaissance (1330-1550). 2006. SparkNotes LLC. 17 Dec. 2007 http://www. sparknotes. com/history/european/renaissance1/.
Obesity in Childhood
Obesity in Childhood PREVENTION OF OBESITY IN CHILDHOOD Introduction In this assignment I will endeavour to tackle the prevention of obesity in childhood as an aspect of health promotion. The rationale of choosing this topic is that obesity and overweight increase the risk of contracting world killer diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes .The prevalence of obesity in United Kingdom and other countries and the cost to National Health Service and economy will be looked into. An analysis of the behavioural change model and how it relates to health promotion initiatives will be discussed. The role of a nurse and other professionals with regards to heath education and health promotion will be highlighted. What is health The World Health Organisation (WHO 1986)defines health as a state of complete physical ,mental and social well being and not just the absence of disease and infirmity. Forster (2002) confirms that health is generally seen in terms of people being ill or well but indicates that this is a simplistic view, as being well or ill are not entirely separate notions but in fact overlap to some degree. Forster(2002) while concurring with the definition of health as provided by the WHO (1986) adds that this definition provides a positive view of health and suggest that health fluctuates over time along a continuum, good and poor health appearing at opposite poles of the continuum. Ewles and Simnett(2003) also suggest that health is determined by many factors such as Physical health, body function, Societal health living accomodation ,employment status , Spiritual health, religious beliefs and moral values or behaviours, Social health being able to sustain relationships and make friends, Emotional health the ability to cope with depression, stress and anxiety. Therefore an individuals health position along this continuum is variable but no distinct demarcation line between health and ill health exists. With regards to the definition given it is argued that health professionals interventions should focus on helping the clients ,individuals, families and communities to gain health related knowledge, attitudes and practice associated towards achieving certain behaviours. Obesity and associated problems.Obesity is a condition of excess body fat associated with increased risks such as diabetes, cardiovascular and other common diseases (Beebe 2008) and (Campbell and Haslam 2005). Like smoking eating is a complex combination of behaviour driven by social and psychological factors as well as biological compulsion (Croghan and Johnson 2005).They went on to say that people eat fast food because it is socially accepted. For example some fast foods have high fat and high sugar content and people tend to overeat them because they are the most palatable and provide pleasure. The prevention and management of obesity has been a national governmental policy for a number of years according to the Chief Medical Officer,s Annual Report 2002,(DoH 2003).Obesity has been highlighted as a health time bomb and seen as a challenge for the government as a whole (DoH 2003).The World Health Organisation,(WHO 1998) has described obesity as a global epidemic as evidenced by the growing trends in most developed countries. Obesity in childhood carries health risks in both short and long term. Marshall et al (2003) agreed with Bond et al (2004) that obesity has been recognized as a major health problem as it is linked to number of diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes .Obesity is known as a major risk factor in the development of many diseases such as arthritis of weight ââ¬âbearing joints, gastro esophageal reflux, sleep apnea and certain types of cancer,(Bond et al 2004).Therefore obesity can influence physical, intellectual ,emotional and social development influencing childhood .It is for the above reason that long term eating and exercise habits need to be promoted in health and stop obesity in childhood years. Primary care should play a leading role in obesity management and prevention. The above statement is supported by the document Choosing Health ;Making Healthier Choices Easier (DoH 2004) which identified primary care as crucial to the provision of services f or overweight and obese clients. Obesity is associated with many illnesses and is directly related to increased mortality and lower life expectancy. Tackling obesity is a government wide priority .Obesity was one the key areas highlighted in the governments white paper that needed reform and the plan to meet this target was that each primary trust should have a specialist obesity service with the clients have able to access to a dietician and able to receive advice and support on changing behaviour (DoH 2004) Possible causes of Obesity .A study by Mulvihill and Quigley (2003) has revealed that age, education, social class and prosperity have an important influence on the risk of becoming obese. Muller et al (1999) suggest that unhealthy eating habits are associated with overweight in children, they went on to say that overweight is linked with coming from a low socio-economic background, suggesting that these families should be a primary target for awareness and prevention campaigns. The figures released by the National Child Measurement programme are deeply disturbing.à The fact that 22.9% of children in year one in primary school are overweight or obese surely indicates that measuring the BMI of children should begin much earlier (National Obesity Forum 2008). How childhood obesity in England compares with other countries and the implications to the NHS and ecomony The 2002 review of the white paper (Health of the nation) target for obesity was just 6 per cent for 1992. A continuing rising trend in obesity to 2010 is predicted, when one-fifth of boys and more than one-fifth of girls will be obese,(King Fund 2007) . More recently the Munich Declaration(WHO 2000) recognized that actions need to be increased to enhance the roles of nurses and midwives in public health, health promotion and community participation. Irvine (2005) reported that in United Kingdom there has been corresponding growth in emphasis on health promotion in primary care. For example the liberating the talents policy document for England (DoH 2002) identifies the involvement of nurses in public health, health protection and health promotion as one of three core functions for nurses. In the United States the problem of obesity and overweight is a growing concern and the prevalence has nearly tripled during the past decade. The economic cost is approximately 117billion dollars annually taking into account hospitalization and the lost workdays,(Sitzman 2003)In Australlia the child obesity has increased dramatically and the contributing factors include the availability of affordable energy ââ¬âdense food supply and sweetened beverages that are marketed aggressively. The studies by (Kaplan and Wadden 1986) cited (Joanna Briggs Institute 2008) has shown that obesity also causes adverse psychosocial problem such as bullying, discrimination and in older children and adolescent and low self esteem. The reduction of physical activities such as walking or cycling to school and an increase in computer and electronic games has compounded the problem (Joanna Briggs Institute 2008).Simillarly a study by Jebb(2005)has revealed that obesity and overweight continues to be a serious public health problem as it is rooted in three main areas such as excess food ,absences of controlling food behaviour and lack of physi cal activity. However the studies by ( Dietz and Robinson 2005,Kirk et al 2005 and Reilly 2006) cited by (Joanna Briggs Institute 2008) has evidence that indicates that a combination of dietary intervention, behavioural therapy and exercise will have significant impact on weight reduction in overweight and obesity children. In England the rates of obesity have increased dramatically over the last decade and if no action is not taken one in five children aged will be obese by 2010 (DoH 2003)The prevalence of obesity and overweight has a substantial human cost and serious financial consequences for the National Health Service (NHS) and the economy .In 1998 over 18 million days of sickness were attributed to obesity and the total cost of obesity was 2.6 billon (National Audit Office 2001). In order to tackle the growing problem of obesity, the then Public Minister of Health Tessa Jowell set in motion a wide ranging plan of action (DoH 1999) cited by White and Pettifer (2007) which included the follow ing; Healthy school programme, living centres to be established , safe and sound challenge, to increase activity levels in children and to increase information for public ,so that they can make informed choices. The Choosing Health White Paper (DoH 2004) demonstrated this shift towards this awareness with two of the overarching principles of the policy being reducing obesity and improving diet, nutrition and increasing exercise. Role of a nurse in health promotion Health promotion is at the forefront of healthcare and the teaching role of the nurse is more important than ever (Rush et al 2005). Whitehead(2004) agreed that nurses impart healthcare related information that influences values, beliefs attitudes and motivations. It is for this reason that nurses in primary care play a pivotal role in the management of obesity. Encouraging people to change their attitude towards a health issue is an important part of any health education programme (Clark 1999). Health promotion is a process by which the ecologically-driven socio-political- economic determinants of health are addressed as they impact on individuals and the communities within which they interact (Whitehead 2004).In agreement with Whitehead (2004) , Tones and Tilford (2001) viewed health promotion as political advocacy which is aimed at representing the underprivileged sections of society by helping them to redress the imbalances in power. The WHO( 1986) also viewed health promotion as a mechanism to enhance health and to prevent ill health in order to maintain and impose better lifestyles. Health education is an activity that seeks to inform the individual on the nature and causes of health/illness and that individuals personal level of risk associated with their lifestyle related behaviour (Whitehead 2004).He further states that health education seeks to motivate an individual to accept a process of behavioural-change through directly influencing their value, belief and attitude systems . However, Quinn (2001) argues that although health education is vital for health promotion ,the nurse must acknowledge that having the knowledge does not guarantee that people will implement healthy choices and a change in behaviour. To reduce obesity nurses can engage with young people for instance routinely measuring children s height and weight in order to obtain their body mass index (BMI),to establish the level of obesity. BMI is an accepted measure of obesity and is calculated as ratio of weight to weight, using the formula :BMI =weight in kilograms/height in square meters (Hump hrey Beebe 2008).The National Institute for Health and Excellence (NICE 2006) and The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionââ¬â¢s ( CDC 2006) guidelines define those with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 as overweight and those with 30 and over to be obese. There are several approaches that health care professional can implement to tackle obesity in childhood. For example the interventions and strategies can be targeted at the whole population ,individuals who are at risk , children and people with mental health problems. The House of Commons Health Committeeââ¬â¢s recommendation (2004) that all children should have their BMI measured annually at school and that the results should be sent home to their parents or carers with appropriate advice. If fully implemented it would amount to full scale population level health screening programme that is cost effective. Health promotion is a vast subject with a variety of theories, models and approaches. Piper (2005) identified, the three models in health promotion frameworks that a nurse or midwife as behaviour change agent, the midwife or a nurse as empowerment facilitator ,nurse as strategic practitioner. Nurses as facilitators of self ââ¬âhelp and promoters of positive health , are key to initiating change in this area (Croghan 2005).The nurses are ideally placed to adopt a public health role and can identify health needs as they are in regular and close contact with individual, families , communities and other health and social bodies (Jack and Holt 2008). The above models involve the midwives or nurses working with individual and the focus is on intervention. According to Ewles and Simnett (2003) there are fives approaches to health promotion namely the medical , behaviour change , educational , client centred and societal change. The model by Ewles and Simnett (2003) identify the needs and priorities by setting the aims objectives and decide on the best way of achieving the aims by identify the resources ,plan and evaluate the methods ,set an action plan. In tackling obesity in children the medical approach would include the monitoring of the BMI. The medical approach is a reactive and opportunistic process and is adopted where the client has an existing condition or illness (Whitehead 2004) and (Ewles and Simnett 2003).The medical approach promotes medical interventions from professionals to prevent or reduce ill health and this requires the individuals to comply with preventative medical procedures. The educational approach provides individuals with knowledge and information thereby enabling them to make informed decisions and choices about their lifestyles. For example the educational approach would include teaching the children about the importance of nutrition and exercise. The behavioural change approach is targeted at the individuals ability to change their attitude and behaviour in order to adopt a healthier lifestyle. However the behaviour change theory suggests that change will not occur until the individual is ready (Kopelman and Dietz 2005).The client-centred approach takes on the idea that people should act on their own problems. It helps client to identify what they want to know and act on them. The approach aims to empower the client. The societal approach aims to effect changes on the physical ,social , and economic environment to make it more conducive to good health (Ewles and Simnett 2003).Whitehead (2004) states that health education is an activity that seeks to inform the individual on the nature and causes of health or illness and that the individuals personal level of risk associated with their lifestyle related behaviour. The approach and aim of health promotion is to focus on changing the behaviour towards a healthier lifestyle. The stages of changes in health promotion developed by Prochaska and Di Clemente (1983)cited by Croghan (2005) are Precontemplation, contemplation, prepara tion, action , maintenance and relapse. This model shows the process through which people travel to change addictive behaviour.. During the precontemplation stage the individuals are not thinking about making any change in their lifestyle. Not all clients are a stage in their life where they want to make a lifestyle behaviour change (Croghan 2005).The clients may not be aware that there is a problem and could be resistant to making changes. Contemplation is a point where the individual may be aware that there is a problem and at this stage they are weighing up the costs and benefits of change. Simillarly the Cognitive dissonance theory Festinger (1957) cited by Clark (1999) is a state of tension that occurs when an individuals beliefs are at odds with their behaviours .The cognitive dissonance is viewed as a motivational state as it enables the individual to bring the behaviour in line with beliefs such as binge eating and may change attitude towards it (Clark 1999).Croghan and Johnson (2005) agreed with the above that the support package should begin with an assessment of client s readiness and motivation to change. Preparation is where the client becomes aware that the perceived benefits of change outweigh the costs, change is possible and small behavioural changes may occur. The Knowledge Attitude-Behaviour Model (KAB) proposes that as people acquire knowledge in nutrition and health areas, their attitudes change. Changes in attitude will then lead to changes in behaviours (Contento 2007). The next stage is where the individual takes action to change their behaviour and will lead to the maintenance stage where the new habits become established and the individual sustains the change in behaviour and moves on to a healthier lifestyle. The NICE guidlines (2006) came up with a Obesity Intervention Pyramid aimed at tackling obesity for all children. It starts by adopting a whole school approach by addressing the levels of overweight and obesity in school children. If children are encouraged to become healthier eaters the interventions are more likely to succeed if it is applied as a whole and monitored daily. This done by ensuring that the schools promote a culture where staff, pupils and parents or carers are encouraged to help each other to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The schools are advised to emphasise the importance of a balanced diet .A pictorial form of the balanced diet identifies those foods and drinks that should be consumed regularly and those that are high in sugar, fat and salt that should be limited. Physical activity in schools should be encouraged such as participate in sport and physical education(PE). Walking ,cycling, scooting and walk initiatives should be encouraged. This will reduce traffic outside the school thereby promoting healthy lifestyles. Avoid the blame culture that stigmatises those who are obese and overweight. Always stress the positive such as be healthy, get active, feel better and enjoy being active. The Health Schools Programme approach involves parents and carers since they are the main influence on their children lifestyle .Parents and carers are important role models for children and can help them to stay healthy (NICE 2006).The school based activity should involve General Practioners (GP),Paediatricians ,School nurses, Dietacian and other health professionals. The behavioural programme uses the behaviour change techniques such as self-monitoring ,goal setting, positive enforcement, stimulus control and relapse prevention. BENEFITS AND BARRIERS AND WHAT HAS CHANGED .The benefits of engaging the children are improved health, concentration and behaviour. Nurses must identify potential barriers to participation in health promotion and intervene to reduce those barriers such as (Padula et al 2006) Conclusion Obesity is a problem that plagues millions of people, and can be considered an epidemic. Social changes and the increase in fast food corporations are leading to an escalation in obesity. Diet companies are profiting from the unhealthy habits of individuals and creating a false sense of relief. The rise in obesity is a social inclination, and needs to be seen as more of a health issue, and not as a counter-culture way of life. With a decrease in obesity, our country will become more active, and current obese people will have a new found sense of heightened self-esteem
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