Childhood Obesity
Following the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines
Cindy Contreras
Purpose of Statement
The purpose of this project is to determine the effect of physical activity, dietary patterns, and family/environmental factors on children with the overall outcome of obesity. The dependent variable childhood obesity is determined by independent variables physical activity, dietary patterns, and family/environmental factors. The most important independent variable in this relationship is physical activity, because the leading cause of childhood obesity is the lack of physical activity. Children are not getting the exercise that they need in order to burn the high-calorie foods that they consume. Insufficient calorie expenditure through exercise is due to an increase in television, video games, and the low number of safe playgrounds (Collins, 2007). Only about one-third of elementary children have daily physical education, and less than one-fifth have extracurricular physical activity programs at school (Ross & Pate, 1987). This variable was chosen because it directly determines the fate of an inactive adolescent. A child’s diet/nutritional intakes are important influences on childhood obesity which has a major impact on the lives of unsuspecting children.
Definition of Variables
The model is: Y = X1 + X2 + X3
(Childhood Obesity) = (Physical Activity) + (Dietary Patterns) + (Family/Environmental Factors)
Where:
Y = CHILDHOOD OBESITY
X1=PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
X2= DIETARY PATTERNS
X3= FAMILY/ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Dependent Variable
Y: The dependent variable is childhood obesity. The variable is defined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey of many of the schools separated by state. This variable is defined by many questions surveyed of students as percentages according to the independent variables.
X1: The primary independent variable is physical activity. This variable is defined as the percentage of students that did not meet recommended levels of physical activity at least five times a week. This variable has a great deal of effect on childhood obesity because if exercise is not used, caloric intake creates a determination of weight gain; continuous practice increases chances of obesity. This should show a positive relationship with the independent variable’s coefficient.
X2: Another contributing factor is to childhood obesity is dietary patterns. The positive variable defined in the data source as the percentage of students that ate fruits and vegetables less than five servings a day during the past seven days. This is a huge determinate because children are currently consuming a surplus of high-caloric foods. According to Anne Collins, Americans are estimated to spend over $1 billion dollars a day on snacks (2007). The consumption of happy meals, sugary sodas, and the placement of high calorie snack machines in school are to blame for the rise of obesity in children. This variable was chosen because the daily consumption rate of a child can negatively alter the weight and health of children. The family and environmental factors contribute to a healthy lifestyle also.
X3: Family and environmental factors decide the outcome for a child’s weight as well. This variable is defined as a percentage of schools that do not allow students to purchase unhealthy food and/or drink. This factor defines restricted choices for children and inhabits them to make correct choices. According to Anne Collins, children of obese parents are estimated to become obese themselves 25-30 percent more of the time (Collins, 2007). This is mainly due to poor nutrition and eating habits practiced by the family. These parental behavior problems are important because some habits tend to rub off on the offspring. These habits include shopping, cooking, eating, and exercise. Environmental factors include social pressure, easy access to “junk” food, and socioeconomic status. The American Obesity Association adds that over-exposure to advertising of foods that promote high-calorie foods and lack of recreational facilities are also problems (2005). This variable was chosen because of the immense impact that family behavior and environmental factors have on children and their choices. The expected outcome of this variable is positive. Along with family behavior comes genetics, yet another determinates of childhood obesity that cannot be controlled as the others above but the evidence is non-conclusive and is not a factor that can be determined.
References
American Obesity Association. (2005). Childhood Obesity Causes. Retrieved March 29,
2008 from http://obesity1.tempdomainname.com/subs/childhood/
Collins, Anne. (2000-2007). Why Children and Teens Become Obese or Severely Overweight.
Retrieved March 29, 2008 from http://www.annecollins.com/child-obesity-causes.htm
Lind, Marchal, and Wathen. Basic Statistics for Business and Economics. 6th ed. New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2008.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2007). Childhood
Overweight. Retrieved March 30, 2008 from http://www.cdc.gov/Healthyyouth/overweight/index.htm
Ross, J. G.; Pate, R. R. (1987). The National Children and Youth Fitness Study II: A
summary of findings. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 58(9), 51-56. EJ 364 411.
