Obesity in San Antonio, Texas, a severe chronic condition that is continuously increasing

Obesity in San Antonio, Texas, a severe chronic condition that is continuously increasing.

Background: Community Health Concern and Identification

Obesity is a major health concern in San Antonio. San Antonio was ranked second city in the United States with most obese people. The major cause of obesity in San Antonio has been identified including lack of exercises and daily consumption of soda. Other causes include using food as a coping mechanism to emotional or psychological distress, financial problems, side effects of medications, which lead to weight gain, and lack of education on healthy living. Evidence indicates that San Antonio records the worst rates of unemployment, poverty, lack of education on healthy living, and lack of health insurance, which are important obstacles to accessing care. The common health complications of obesity that poses a community health concern include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease, depression, and joint arthritis (Bexar County Community Health Collaborative, 2016).

Background Literature

Obesity is a prevalent health condition throughout San Antonio. Approximately 32.4% of children (between the ages of 10 to 17) and 65.7% of adults in San Antonio are obese or overweight. The rate of obesity in San Antonio are disproportionately high among particular racial and ethnic populations.  Approximately 27% of children from Hispanic racial population are obese compared to only 12% of children from white population who are obese (SA Tomorrow, 2017). Findings have shown a clear connection between low income areas and poor health. Areas in San Antonio with worst rates of obesity largely reflect those with lower incomes and among minorities such as Hispanic population.

The external, internal and key stakeholders and their significance to your project objectives and outcomes

The major external stakeholders to this project include the office of Sustainability in the City of San Antonio, which provides programs to identify options of healthy food such as San Antonio mobile grocery store and Farmers Markets. In addition, the CDC is another stakeholder that funds San Antonio to establish programs that foster healthy living. Examples of these programs include bike share program and providing schools with resources to increase physical education. Moreover, the internal stakeholder include the Mayor’s Fitness Council that funds the city salad bars in high, middle, and elementary schools, which allows these students to make readily available fresh options. Others include the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and the Bexar County Community Health Collaborative, which offers administrative support to coalitions to address the critical community healthy needs of San Antonio (SA Tomorrow, 2017).

The beneficiary and secondary stakeholders

The beneficiary of these projects include the Community stakeholders, the residents of San Antonio especially those from vulnerable and low income families, the health insurance providers. The secondary stakeholders include the learning coalitions and collaboratives such as San Antonio Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Coalition, San Antonio Health Literacy Initiative, and Active Living Council.

The benefits of the identified stakeholders to your project

The benefits of stakeholders include they will funds programs thus provide free fitness opportunities, nutrition education, and wellness to the community. In addition, stakeholders will facilitate improved planning process, which will lead to development of healthy behaviors, prevent illness, and protection of the community against health hazards through key services, collaboration, and education to create awareness on healthy living.

Potential impacts and motivation of your project for the stakeholders

The potential impact and motivation of my project for stakeholders include, their support will make a huge progress towards fighting obesity in adults and children in San Antonio. In addition, their support will help to establish healthy habits and incorporate in their daily lives, and it will enhance their ability to access to free education, nutrition, and treatment of symptoms of obese.

References

Bexar County Community Health Collaborative. (2016). Bexar County Community Health Needs Assessment.

SA Tomorrow. (2017). What is SA Tomorrow? Retrieved from https://satomorrow.com/