Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly contagious disease caused by a poliovirus. There are three types, or serotypes, of poliovirus: P1, P2, and P3. All three types can cause infection and are considered paralytogenic. Before the development of the polio vaccine, the disease had worldwide occurrence. Humans, particularly children are the identified reservoir for the virus and can be transmitted through direct and indirect contact with respiratory discharges and feces. However, the fecal-oral route is the more common mode of transmission. “The virus enters through the mouth, multiplies in the throat and gastrointestinal tract, and is shed in the stool. The incubation period of nonparalytic poliomyelitis is 3 to 6 days. For the …show more content…
The statistics and the numbers do not lie. As cited by Nies and McEwen (2015) “The rate of obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents over the past 30 years” (p. 296). Gallagher (2012) in his article cited a report from the Federal government that “one in three children in America are overweight or obese. The numbers are even higher in African-American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40% of the children are overweight or obese” (para. 2). Childhood obesity carries with it the burden of diseases that affect “not only children’s ‘current and future health’ but also their evolving and future liberty as adults” (Schmidt (2008 p. 3). Some of “the health consequences of childhood obesity include greater risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and other serious illnesses” (HBO, n.d., Part 3, para.1). Thus, experts have feared that for the first time, American children will not survive their parents (HBO, n.d.). Insel, Ross, McMahon, and Bernstein (2014) graphically described the grim situation with “Childhood and Teenage Obesity: The first generation that does not outlive its parents” (p. …show more content…
The foremost determinants of obesity lie mostly on diet and physical activity. The promotion of healthful diets and healthy weight, therefore, is one of the major objectives of Healthy People 2020 in addressing childhood obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) has published data supporting overweight and obesity are linked to a sedentary lifestyle (Edelman, et al., 2014). In order to meet the objectives set forth by HP 2020, American families are urged to be partners with the community at large to promote a healthful diet and healthy weight in their