Intrapersonal level of ecological model

Topic: Assignment: Applying the Social-Ecological Model

Number of sources: 5

Writing Style: APA

Type of document: Essay

Academic Level:Undergraduate

Number of Pages: 1 (Double Spaced)

Category: Healthcare

Language Style: English (U.S.)

Applying the Social-Ecological Model

The first level of SEM is intrapersonal and personal and biological history that help in increasing the likelihood of obesity are identified in this level. The factors like behavior, attitude and knowledge associated with nutrition, diet, exercise and overall health. Furthermore, eating & nutrition behaviors (children are consuming more unhealthy food and that is the main cause of increasing obesity while it can be reduced by consumption of vegetables & fruits that provide fundamental nutrients to children and healthy nutritional behavior can be maintained), physical activity& sedentary behaviors (physical activities help in reducing the risk of obesity and involvement in recreational sports reduces obesity in children) and individual demographic characteristics (age, gender, race and ethnicity: the prevalence of obesity varies in terms of age, race, gender and ethnicity such as preschool children aged between 2-5 years have lower prevalence of obesity as compared to children aged between 10-16 years; Hispanic white have lower prevalence of obesity as compared to Hispanic Blacks are included in this level.

The interpersonal level in SEM focus on close relations and influences that affect the health behavior that is developed in a child. The environment and people in SEM hold importance to life of child. Institute of Medicine explained that ‘A child’s family members, home environment, and closest social circle of peers influence his or her individual behaviors’. In this level, the family characteristics, structure of family, knowledge of parents, health behavior of parents, home and food environment and family demographic characteristics are some of the factors that are included in this level. They influence a child's dietary practices, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors. The structure of family also influences the child behavior and obesity prevalence as it is found that children living with single parent or grandparents tend to have higher BMI as compared with child living with father & mother (Byrne et al., 2011).

The school level is another level in SEM as schools are the fundamental aspect of life of children. Children spend most of their time in schools and it is found that the factors in school like learning & education environment, physical education & activity, bullying & peer victimizing and school food environment are associated with risk of obesity in children.

The community level is another level in SEM in terms of obesity health issue. The factors like physical environment and social environment are included in this level. ‘The neighborhood-built environment is comprised of buildings, roads, open spaces, and sidewalks and can provide opportunities or barriers to health.

The policy level is the last level in SEM whereby several environmental and policy changes are implemented in reversing the epidemic of obesity that help in promoting the balance in energy of children (Brennan, Brownson, & Orleans, 2014).

While the most challenging factor include policy level because funding for initiatives in schools in terms of obesity reduction might be a problem.

References

Brennan, LK., Brownson, RC., & Orleans, CT. (2014). Childhood overweight and obesity policy research and practice evidence for policy and environmental strategies. Am J Prev Med. 46(1), e1-e16.

Byrne, LK., Cook, KE., Skouteris, H., & Do, M. (2011). Parental status and childhood obesity in Australia. International journal of Pediatric Obesity, 6, 415-428.