Savannah Technical College The End Game of Public Policy Paper

Write a 3–4 page paper in which you do the following:

Using a policy from the topic you chose in assignment 3:

The Dynamics of Public Policy in America
Public Policy on Reduction of Obesity among school-going Children
Naxiris Cole
PAD500: Modern Public Administration:
Managing Public and Nonprofit Organization
Timothy Smith
05/27/2022
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The Dynamics of Public Policy in America
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Public Policy on Reduction of Obesity among school-going Children
Obesity in the US is a significant public issue affecting millions of Americans who are
overweight and are at risk of developing chronic conditions associated with the condition.
However, obesity affects young children and teenagers who are attending diverse levels of
educational institutions. The main flaw of the US about its escalating level of obese people is its
consumption pattern and dietary intake, which include processed and junk foods. School menus in
most states comprise foods that are not healthy and comprise sugary drinks and fattened foods.
Consequently, many policies have been enacted at state and federal levels, but they have not
produced adequate results (Chriqui, 1). Obesity levels are intensifying at alarming levels, and
school-going children comprise many obese people in the country. In this case, a solid and
outreaching policy-related obesity reduction in schools in all states is clinical because the best way
to reduce obesity is by ensuring that the young generation remains healthy and adopts better
dietary intakes and lifestyles.
The policy under scrutiny entails creating nutrition standards for beverages and foods
served to children at schools, implementing better physical activity standards, incentivizing food
purchasing for schools, and financial incentives to promote food served in school menus,
cafeterias, and vending machines. School-going children prefer junk and processed foods because
they are sugary and sweet, and given a chance, they will consume more fattened and sugary foods
and beverages (Chriqui, 1). However, the stated foods and beverages consumption is the main
reason why obesity has tripled in the US in the last decade. Therefore, enacting nutrition standards
for schools is an important move because it will regulate the foods and beverages offered to
The Dynamics of Public Policy in America
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students. In this case, changes related to offering better and healthier foods and beverages are
significant. Schools should be guided by the health agencies such as the FDA on the level of
calories offered to each child every day. Controlling calorie levels for an individual student is an
effective control measure that will regulate dietary intake levels in schools to minimize the
development of obesity. The policy is essential because it will address the public health issue at its
roots because by controlling what students, obesity development levels will decline significantly.
The next section of the policy entails developing uniform physical activity standards for all
schools at different levels. Obesity is caused by a lack of or reduced physical activities among
young children. Therefore, creating a consistent schedule for all schools in the country that dictates
the time allotted to physical activities and the procedure that should be followed is a necessary
intervention that will reduce obesity among school-going children (Shirley, 3). The best part of the
stated intervention is that it trains children on the importance of physical activity at a tender age.
They are likely to continue exercising in their adulthood. Enacting nutrition standards without
considering the financial implications of the changes is a long shot. Subsequently, incentivizing
food purchasing for schools is an essential move to reduce the financial burden associated with
increased costs of dietary changes that include organic and unprocessed foods and natural
beverages (Shirley, 3). Therefore, the government should create better avenues that will allow
schools to access healthier foods and beverages at reduced costs. Healthier foods are more
expensive than junk and processed foods, which is why schools offer unhealthy foods and
beverages. Therefore, incentivizing school food purchasing will enable schools to offer healthier
diets at affordable prices.
The Dynamics of Public Policy in America
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The policy aims at giving financial incentives to all schools to manage all areas where
children buy or access food, such as vending machines and cafeterias. In this case, financial
incentives will promote better and healthier consumption patterns and behaviors. Consequently,
reduced prices for healthier foods and beverages will reduce the consumption of sugary and
fattened foods in schools. The incentives will allow schools to replace sodas with natural fruit
juices, burgers with fresh vegs and fruits, and fries and frozen meals with whole grains and milk
(Hung, 2). The stated changes will mitigate obesity development at its roots because obesity is
most prevalent in school-going children.
However, the stated changes provided by the policy affected diverse vital stakeholders and
influencers such as the public, government agencies, the private sector, food processing
companies, interest groups, and political and cultural ideologies. In this case, the public will
support the policy because it will offer their children healthier foods and reduce high costs
associated with handling obesity costs such as medication costs. Economic conditions will impact
the policy because the intervention will require more funds to purchase healthier foods, and
taxpayers will have to dig deeper into their pockets (Hung, 2). However, the policy will positively
impact economic conditions because it will reduce the resources used to handle obesity in the
nation. Interest groups will support the policy because they support better and healthier dietary
intake in schools to reduce obesity cases in the states they represent. Food processing companies,
especially those that produce processed foods, will oppose the policy because it will significantly
reduce the demand for their products (Hung, 2). Lastly, politicians will support the policy because
reducing obesity is one of their agendas in their campaigns agendas. However, the policy may have
unintended outcomes, such as losing jobs for people working in companies that produce sugary
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drinks and processed foods. Second, it may fail to work because it only regulates children’s dietary
intake at school, and there is a high likelihood that children will consume unhealthy foods and
beverages at home where no such regulation exists.
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References
1. Chriqui, J. F. (2013). Obesity prevention policies in US states and localities: lessons from
the field. Current obesity reports, 2(3), 200-210.
2. Hung, L. S., Tidwell, D. K., Hall, M. E., Lee, M. L., Briley, C. A., & Hunt, B. P. (2015). A
meta-analysis of school-based obesity prevention programs demonstrates limited efficacy
in decreasing childhood obesity. Nutrition Research, 35(3), 229-240.
3. Shirley, K., Rutfield, R., Hall, N., Fedor, N., McCaughey, V. K., & Zajac, K. (2015).
Combinations of obesity prevention strategies in US elementary schools: a critical review.
The journal of primary prevention, 36(1), 1-20.
The End Game of Public Policy
Before a policy can be created, a problem must exist that is called to the attention of the
government. Illegal immigration, for example, has been going on for many years, but it was not
until the 1990s that enough people considered it such a serious problem that it required increased
government action. Another example is crime. American society tolerates a certain level of
crime; however, when crime rises dramatically or is perceived to be rising dramatically, it
becomes an issue for policymakers to address.
Consistent and effective policies at the federal level are critical to the success of government and
nonprofit organizations. What factors determine a successful vs. ineffective public policy?
Write a 3–4 page paper in which you do the following:
Using a policy from the topic you chose in assignment 3:
1. Provide a thorough background and history of your chosen policy. This should include
what underlying issue the policy was intended to address, who the major influencers were
in creating the policy, and when it was officially adopted.
2. In your opinion, was the policy a success or failure? Why? Be sure to list at least one
positive and one negative outcome of the policy.
3. Defend your position with substantial professional information and statistics.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
•
A minimum of three professional references (Wikipedia is not accepted in this class).
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
•
Research a public policy in a government or nonprofit organization to determine its
effectiveness.