Obesity among the Somali Community in Minneapolis (Essay Sample)

Obesity
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Obesity
In recent years, the Somali community in Minneapolis has been one of the city's fastest-growing. A study by Njeru et al., (2016) suggested that the Somali population in Minneapolis has increased by about 70% since 2010, according to the most current Census data. The city's population is growing mostly as a result of refugees resettling in the area. The Somali community in Minneapolis is also one of the city's newest neighborhoods. Somalis in Minneapolis are only 22 years old on average. It is significantly younger than the 36-year-old citywide median age. Obesity is a major concern among the Somali population in Minneapolis because of their young age. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, nearly 30% of Somali youth in Minneapolis are obese. It is almost double the rate of obesity for all youth in Minneapolis, which is 15%. This has been backed by County (2009) who claims that many factors contribute to the high rate of obesity among Somali youth in Minneapolis. The Somali community in Minneapolis has long been affected by socioeconomic factors that have contributed to high rates of obesity among its youth. Failing to access to healthy nourishment and fields for doing physical exercises, combined with a lack of knowledge about nutrition and health, have all contributed to the obesity epidemic in this community.
There is a lack of awareness among Somali youth in Minneapolis about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and eating nutritious food. Somali youth are also more likely to engross in health-limiting activities, like smoking and drinking sugary beverages, which can contribute to obesity (Arcan et al., 2018). Somali youth need more information about the health risks of obesity and how to prevent it. They also need access to resources to help them make healthier choices, such as affordable healthy food and safe places to exercise. Community health priorities for Somali youth should include increasing awareness about the risks of obesity and providing access to resources that can help prevent it (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002). Current interventions, such as education programs and community gardens, are making a difference, but more must be done to reach all Somali youth.
There are several reasons why the Somali community in Minneapolis has such high rates of obesity. One of the most significant factors is the lack of access to healthy food options (Nguyen and Lau 2012) Somali families often live in food deserts, where the only options for food are fast food cafeterias. Failing to access to