Community Health Risks
Community Health Risks-i
Community Health Risks
Molly Bondurant
NR442
Community Health and the Role of the Professional Nurse- Theory
Professor Johnson
May 14, 2013
Thanks to Michele Obama and others, much attention has recently been directed toward the
problem of childhood obesity. It is a growing problem everywhere in our nation, but this paper will
focus on Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, and how it compares to the state, and the rest
of the nation. Hillsboro County is home to the largest city in New Hampshire, Manchester, with a pop-
ulation of 109,565 (census 2010). The population in the Manchester area is comprised of 86.1% whites,
4.1% African Americans, 3.7% Asians, 8.1% Hispanic/Latino and small numbers of other nationalities.
The median income is $51,000 and 9.6% of people live below the poverty level. This metropolitan
area is one of the fastest growing communities in New England.
According to the National Survey of Children 's Health (2011-12), in the age range of 10-17,
31.3% of our nation 's children fit in the overweight or obese category. The percent for New Hampshire
is 26%. Comparatively, I was unable to find data for exactly this same time frame, but 2008-2009 data
for Hillsboro County, New Hampshire shows 30.7% of the children in this age range were overweight
or obese. (Childhood Obesity In New Hampshire Report, 2008-2009). Additionally, according to the
City of Manchester Department of Health Obesity Report Card (2005), 39% of first graders were found
to be overweight, and of those, 19% were classified as obese. (The accepted definition for obesity is
more than 20% above one 's ideal weight for height and age.) These percentiles hover around the
national averages, and do seem to indicate that childhood obesity is indeed a concern for children
in Manchester and Hillsboro County.
The health risks to these children are many and
Community Health Risks
Molly Bondurant
NR442
Community Health and the Role of the Professional Nurse- Theory
Professor Johnson
May 14, 2013
Thanks to Michele Obama and others, much attention has recently been directed toward the
problem of childhood obesity. It is a growing problem everywhere in our nation, but this paper will
focus on Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, and how it compares to the state, and the rest
of the nation. Hillsboro County is home to the largest city in New Hampshire, Manchester, with a pop-
ulation of 109,565 (census 2010). The population in the Manchester area is comprised of 86.1% whites,
4.1% African Americans, 3.7% Asians, 8.1% Hispanic/Latino and small numbers of other nationalities.
The median income is $51,000 and 9.6% of people live below the poverty level. This metropolitan
area is one of the fastest growing communities in New England.
According to the National Survey of Children 's Health (2011-12), in the age range of 10-17,
31.3% of our nation 's children fit in the overweight or obese category. The percent for New Hampshire
is 26%. Comparatively, I was unable to find data for exactly this same time frame, but 2008-2009 data
for Hillsboro County, New Hampshire shows 30.7% of the children in this age range were overweight
or obese. (Childhood Obesity In New Hampshire Report, 2008-2009). Additionally, according to the
City of Manchester Department of Health Obesity Report Card (2005), 39% of first graders were found
to be overweight, and of those, 19% were classified as obese. (The accepted definition for obesity is
more than 20% above one 's ideal weight for height and age.) These percentiles hover around the
national averages, and do seem to indicate that childhood obesity is indeed a concern for children
in Manchester and Hillsboro County.
The health risks to these children are many and
References: Document/childobesityreport. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dhhs.nh.gov English/health-issues/conditions/obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healthychildren.org Manchester,_New_Hampshire. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.wikipedia.org Obesity/data/adult. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov Obesity-rate-by-state. (2012, August 14). Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com Obesity/stateprograms/fundedstates/new_hampshire. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov Portals/2/Departments/health. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.manchesternh.gov