Assessment Tool Assignment Instructions
Overview
Weight loss is a challenging and necessary part of obesity management. An individual may begin a weight loss program at the recommendation of a healthcare provider or for a variety of personal reasons. While many weight loss programs exist, not all programs provide a safe, effective approach for their clients.
The Institute of Medicine states that “Given the billions of dollars consumers currently spend on weight-loss programs, we believe strongly that these programs require special attention and evaluation.”1 This assignment involves the development of an assessment tool that will then be used to evaluate a community weight loss facility or online weight loss program.
The assessment tool will be developed throughout the course. Each component of the assessment tool will focus on a key area of need for overweight/obese clients including physical, psychological, intellectual, social, and spiritual aspects of successful weight loss.
Instructions
This assignment involves design of a new assessment tool to evaluate a community facility or online program that focuses on the management of obesity through weight loss. The assessment tool should be flexible enough to evaluate any program dealing with weight-related issues. As you are designing the tool, you must consider the complete physical, psychological, intellectual, social, and spiritual well-being of program participants to determine if a program is adequately meeting a participant’s needs. In addition, the assessment tool must address co-morbidities and sensitivity to diversity.
Develop a meaningful set of criteria to evaluate the services provided by the facility that you will be evaluating.
These criteria will form the foundation of your assessment tool. You are encouraged to review the grading rubrics and assignment instructions before completing this assignment. The Assessment Tool Assignments must use an Excel spreadsheet.
Assessment Tool: Physical Section Assignment should address energy needs and comorbidities.
Assessment Tool: Psychological Section Assignment should address mental illness and eating disorders.
Assessment Tool: Intellectual Section Assignment should address nutrition education and comorbidity education.
Assessment Tool: Social/Spiritual Section Assignment should address social support and spiritual needs.
Several resources are included in the Reference section below. You may find it helpful to review these resources and others as you develop the assessment tool.
It is important to know the comorbidities that are often associated with obesity, as well as factors that contribute to program adherence and successful weight loss.
REFERENCES:
Thomas, PR, ed. Weighing the Options: Criteria for Evaluating Weight-Management Programs. Washington D.C., Institute of Medicine/National Academy Press; 1995.
Aim for a healthy weight. National Institute of Health: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/recommen.html Accessed August 3, 2020.
Choosing a safe and successful weight-loss program. National Institute of Health: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/choosing-a-safe-successful-weight-loss-program. Published July 2017. Accessed August 3, 2020.
*Khaodhiar L, McCowen KC, Blackburn GL. Obesity and its comorbid conditions. Clin. Corner. 1999; 2(3):17-31.
* Full text article can be accessed through the Jerry Falwell Library.
