Global Health Issues Revised

International Impact of Obesity, Tobacco, and HIV/AIDS International Impact of Obesity, Tobacco, and HIV/AIDS- MMT
Is the United States Part of the Problem or the Solution?
Regarding global health issues, the United States is part of the problems in concerns such as obesity. Indeed, Thompson and Foster (2014) note that dietary intake patterns among Americans are staggering as more people are consuming unhealthy foods. According to World Obesity (2018), obesity rates in the U.S are the highest in the world with 37.9% and 41.5% of men and women respectively being obese between 2015 and 2016. However, the United States is part of the solution regarding tobacco usage. According to Pbert, Jolicoeur, Hayes, and Ockene (2014), the United States has implemented tobacco cessation programs through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, these strategies have led to a significant decrease of 50% of tobacco usage; other countries having a problem with the same issue can learn from the U.S. Indeed, the U.S also has national objectives and agencies to ensure tobacco control (World Health Organizations, 2017). Moreover, the other global health issue that the U.S is part of the solution is HIV/AIDS; the rates of diagnosis of the condition have generally declined. However, there are still individuals in the U.S who engage in risky sexual behaviors such as not using condoms (Rhodes, Wilkin, Abraham, & Bachman, 2014). Generally, the U.S is part of the problem on obesity issues, but part of the solution on HIV/AIDS and tobacco.

How Should the U.S. Global Health Initiative Be Strengthened to Improve These Global Health Issues?
According to Glanz and Rimer (2005), effective health interventions depend on the use of theories and strategies that fit the health issue. As such, the U.S should ensure that all its interventions in the global health issues are not only evidence-based but also grounded on theory. For example, all policies introduced through the initiative should be supported with evidence from scholarly research. According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2018), the U.S. Global Health Initiative can also be improved by providing more funds in addressing health issues such as HIV/AIDS for countries that are highly affected. The initiative can be improved by encouraging people to eat healthy diets and engage in physical activity (World Health Organization, 2018).

References
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2018, September). The U.S. government engagement in global health: A primer. Retrieved from http://files.kff.org/attachment/Report-The-US-Government-Engagement-in-Global-Health-A-PrimerPbert L., Jolicoeur D., Hayes R.B., & Ockene J.K. (2014). Addressing tobacco use and dependence. In K. Riekert, J. Ockene & L. Pbert, The handbook of health behavior change (4th ed., pp. 179-210). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.sRhodes S.D, Wilkin A.M, Abraham C., & Bachman L.H., (2014). Chronic infectious disease management. In K. Riekert, J. Ockene & L. Pbert, The handbook of health behavior change (4th ed., pp. 291-308). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Rimer, B. K., & Glanz, K. (2005). Theory at a glance: a guide for health promotion practice (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://www.sbccimplementationkits.org/demandrmnch/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Theory-at-a-Glance-A-Guide-For-Health-Promotion-Practice.pdf
Thompson, C., & Foster, G. (2018). Dietary behaviors: Promoting healthy eating. In K. Riekert, J. Ockene & L. Pbert, The handbook of health behavior change (4th ed., pp. 139-154). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
World Health Organization. (2017). WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/usa.pdf?ua=1
World Health Organization. (2018, October 9). Healthy diet: Key facts. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
World Obesity. (2018). Obesity prevalence worldwide. Retrieved from https://www.worldobesity.org/data/map/