The publicly available publications of institutions engaged in health promotion seem to be a novel idea, although, in my opinion, they are reasonably promising. For example, Healthy People‘s reports have attained sizable results since their emergence in 1979 (Edelman et al., 2014). Moreover, the main issues intervening in achieving the project’s set goals seem to be solved, namely, the lack of quantifiable data and government support (Edelman et al., 2014). Furthermore, evident progress is being made in creating inclusive treatment, which I consider of special importance.
When comparing nutrition and fitness goals in Healthy People 2010 and 2020, one may find them similar, but the profound conceptual difference between them is present. For the case of nutrition, both reports emphasize the issue of overweight and obesity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000; USDHHS, 2014a; USDHHS, 2014b). Yet, the recommendations for 2020 include “social determinants of diet” (USDHHS, 2014a). Thus, a greater accent on other factors rather than on physical can be seen, which means the advent of the holistic approach to the treatment of patients.
Concerning the fitness objectives, the differences there involve those foresaid and others. For the most part, the innovations are linked to widespread usage of computers nowadays, and inactivity may be linked to this factor as well (USDHHS, 2014b). In addition, the actions against the issue of low popularity of physical activity are proposed. They consider the changes in the infrastructure: parks in empty spaces, safe transportation, and environmental improvements (USDHHS, 2014b). Therefore, the new ideas are profound and provide a greater impact on public health. Besides, more concern for a social aspect is involved, making the project a sophisticated tool for health promotion.
References
Edelman C. L., Mandle, C. L., & Kudzma, E. C. (Eds.). (2014). Health promotion throughout the life span (8th ed.). Elsevier Mosby.
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000). Healthy People 2010 (2nd ed., Vol. 2). U. S. Government Printing Office.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2014a). Nutrition and Weight Status. Healthy People. Web.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2014b). Physical Activity. Healthy People. Web.