Leading Health Indicator - Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Essay

Leading Health Indicator - Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity - Essay Example The leading health indicators are meant to help people understand the importance of disease prevention through health promotion and encourage broad participation in improving health over the next decade. The development of strategies and action plans in addressing these indicators will serve a significant role in increasing the quality of life and years of healthy life and in eliminating health disparities. Healthy people 2020 outlines specific objectives that are to be used in tracking the progress of each leading health indicator. The development of these indicators provides a snapshot of the state of health in the U.S and acts as a benchmark in future challenges and achievements. Health indicators are, therefore, fundamental building blocks in community health initiatives. This paper will analyze the leading health indicators of nutrition, physical activity, and obesity and provide an intervention strategy that is best suited for addressing this health issues. Glanz, Rimer and Lewis(2002) emphasize that physical activity, good nutrition, and healthy body weight are essential in the overall health and well-being of a person. A majority of people in The United States do not engage in sufficient physical activities. Healthy People 2020 points out that 81.6% of the adults and 81.8% of the adolescents in the U.S do not get the recommended amount of physical activity. Regular exercise is important in maintaining a healthy body, preventing premature deaths, body weight control and enhancing ones psychological well-being. The risk factors in the lack of physical activity include heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and so forth. Children and adolescents require weight bearing exercises for normal skeletal development and young adults need such exercise in maintaining bone mass. Older adults can also improve their strength and agility through regular exercises. The