Jordan located in the Middle East

Jordan located in the Middle East; it’s a lower middle-income country. Jordan has an epidemic of obesity due to an increase consumption of food that is high in sugars, fats, as well as very little physical activity. Some of the main reasons for obesity in women are 1. There is not an appropriate place for them to exercises 2. They have a lot of children 3. Little money 4.Quality of food is poor. The purpose of system-thinking is to establish goals and priorities that will help to fight obesity epidemic in Jordan. First, is to establish new partnerships to engage in non-health sectors, financial and regulatory measures to promote healthier choices, education the people, setting up programs in school, workplaces, and in the community (WHO 2014). The main goal is to focus on the poor diet that people are consuming, increase their physical activity, and weight management. One way to help people understand what they are eating is to put food labels on the front of packages so they can easily read how many calories, sugar, fat, and salt it contents.
Before a policy change can be processed at a national level and in the health sectors; the High Health Council that works with SDH Steering Committee alone with the support from the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Jordan (WHO 2014); their goals are to reduce and prevent obesity by implementing three goals. 1. Reduce rates of obesity in community 2. Teach medical staff and community in prevention of obesity 3. Use evidence based information to help develop a health policy. Their main group they want to target is Jordanian Community mainly the women, children, and the students.
Short-term goals are to establish what factors are influencing obesity and what policies can be put into place to make a change. The long-term goals are effective funding, media advertising, and educating the public. In order to reverse obesity in Jordan the physical and the food environments must be change (WHO 2014) Some strategies are opening more public gardens so people in areas unable to have a safe place to walk, now can, simplifying food labels, health standards for schools and universities, programs aimed at school children, and setting up a website called Jordan Social Determinants of Health (JSDH) with all the needed information and awareness materials.
The programs that Jordan plan to implement such as areas for women to exercise, working with the schools and universes; so that the children and students are educated on how to manage their weight, how to eat, and how to become physical active alone with simplifying food labels so it’s easier to read and understand. All the programs working together in there good of the people will eventually help fight the epidemic of obesity in Jordan. But of course there are also challenges. For example; financial resources for staffing, education, and support for increasing advocacy and public support, as well as eliminate any barriers that would prevent healthy food choices and increase physically active lifestyles (WHO 2014).

Work Cite: http://www.who.int/sdhconference/resources/draft_background_paper18_jordan.pdf?ua=1 (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2014.