Childhood Obesity
The study by Datar, and Nancy Nicosia (2012) has Level VI (level of evidence), and is of sufficiently good quality as the research is empirical in nature and has minimal level of bias due to the appropriate data collection procedure and instrument validity. The study is significant as it is working on one of the most important healthcare problems in the world, i.e. childhood obesity. It is also important as the study deals with Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Class (ECLS-K) along with instrumental variables, so that the outcomes would come on the basis of well-documented facts. With the help of this research, experts and healthcare policy makers could consider the implementation of policies regarding junk foods in the prevention of children’s problems.
Researchers worked on the effect of junk foods available in schools and their affect on overweight and obesity. They found that the availability of junk food in different schools is not directly related to elevated chances of increased BMI or obesity in 5th graders (Datar and Nancy Nicosia, 2012).
Thematic analysis has been done and the process of thematic synthesis has been used that is helpful in qualitative research and facilitates in providing clear link between the text of the research and conclusions. In order to synthesize the article, important information including different variables, outcomes of interest, and population were considered and arranged in a logical flow. Moreover, the level of evidence and rigor of the study was considered as mentioned in the start of the paper. Researchers noted that in spite of limited evidence, it is usually thought that junk foods in schools could result in increased chances of childhood obesity. In the study, they worked on a national sample of 5th graders to determine the effects of junk food availability on obesity, body mass index (BMI), and other such related outcomes. So, the variables of interest in the study were in-school junk foods, BMI, and obesity. The national sample of 5th graders was a longitudinal study from the ECLS-K along with the instrumental variables that were helpful in working on well-documented facts. They considered the effect of school food environment by controlling for BMI of children at the time of entry to school. It was found that the availability of junk food in the schools is not directly linked to increased chances of elevated BMI or obesity in 5th graders in spite of increased chances of purchases of junk foods. Researchers noted that schools get a good amount of funds from competitive food sales; therefore, policy makers have to consider these things while making policies for sales of foods in schools (Datar, and Nancy Nicosia 312).
The study by Sanchez-Vaznaugh et al., (2015) has Level VI (level of evidence), and is of good quality as the researchers worked on more than 2,700,000 students from fifth-grade in more than 5,000 public schools from the year 2001 to 2010, i.e. a study considering decade long time. The study is of significant nature as it is considering an important healthcare problem in the world, i.e. childhood obesity that is also related to avoidable disease burden on healthcare industry. It is also important as the study deals with school-based intervention and schools are among the most important parts of the lives of children as children spend a good amount of their time in school. With the help of this research, experts and healthcare policy makers could consider the influence of competitive food and beverage (CF&B) policies in working on the health care problems in children.
Researchers worked on the relation between the CF&B policies in elementary schools and their effect on the overweight or obesity trends in children, and found that these policies can favorably change the trend for obesity and overweight. They were also considering the effect of school education level and neighborhood income, and found that socioeconomically advantaged and highest-income neighborhoods decrease the chances of overweight and obesity (Sanchez-Vaznaugh et al., 2015).
Thematic analysis has been done and the process of thematic synthesis has been used that is helpful in qualitative research and facilitates in providing clear link between the text of the research and conclusions. For the synthesis of the information from the paper, purpose of the study was considered. Moreover, statistics, methods, and results were studied and presented in a summarized and conceptual manner. Researchers performed a cross-sectional study on 5th grade students in public schools in California from 2001 to 2010. They also defined overweight or obesity as a BMI at or more than the 85th percentile for sex and age. In the study, the variables of interest were CF&B policies, BMI, and body weight. Researchers found that overall rates of overweight or obesity ranged from 43.5% in the year 2001 to 45.8% in the year 2010. They noted that CF&B policies (2005 to 2010) resulted in the change of trend of overweight or obesity in the favorable direction as compared to the period before the introduction of those policies. Schools having socioeconomically advantaged neighborhoods showed declining trends in the prevalence of overweight or obesity. Similarly, schools with highest-income neighborhoods showed the yearly percentage decline in the odds of overweight (Sanchez-Vaznaugh et al., 1).
Works Cited
Datar, Ashlesha, and Nancy Nicosia. "Junk Food in Schools and Childhood Obesity." Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 31.2 (2012): 312-37. Print.
Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Emma V, et al. "Association between Competitive Food and Beverage Policies in Elementary Schools and Childhood Overweight/Obesity Trends: Differences by Neighborhood Socioeconomic Resources." JAMA pediatrics 169.5 (2015): e150781-e81. Print.
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