Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Results Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Results EssayA study recently publish in the San Jose Mercury News suggests the p arnts of obese children do not perceive their children as obese. An analysis of this study, its methods, and its nonplusings is an eventful exercise in belowstanding the meaning and relevance of any research. The ability to read research critically and on a lower floorstand how it was generated allows us to identify possible design flaws or to realize the validity of its conclusions and make let use of the selective information.The study was conducted through an internet research firm for the University of Michigan. Its goal was to baffle the piece of parents who agnize their children are obese and to compare it to the percentage of parents that do not realize their children are obese. The participants were selected by artless random sampling and were considered a representative sample of American parents. The sample include 2060 respondents (Runk, 2 007).The data appeared to be takeed through internet surveys. The study was observational and measured continuous data sets including the height, weight, age, and gender of the participants children (Bennett, Briggs, Triola, 2003). A body mass index greater than or equal to the 95th percentile in semblance to children the same age and gender was the criteria used for corpulency in this study. The data from these children was then compared the national percentage of children considered obese by the same standards. Qualitative data pertaining to whether or not the parents thought their children were slightly overweight, rattling overweight, or about right was also collected (Runk, 2007).Although it was not specifically stated, I hypothesize the children canvass were broken down into bins by age and gender. The prototypic bin comprised of obese girls six to 11 geezerhood ageing and the insurgent bin obese boys six to11 years old. For the 12 to 17 year old group the first bin included obese girls 12 to 17 years old and the second bin included obese boys 12 to 17 years old. I further hypothesize the parents of children in each group were binned according to their response to the qualitative assessment of their childs weight. For each age group the first bin included parents who answered actually overweight, the second bin included parents who answered slightly overweight, and the third bin included parents who answered about normal (Bennett, Briggs, Triola, 2003).The findings in the six to 11 year old group revealed 15% of the children in this age group met the criteria for obesity. This finding was not significantly different from the national figure which reports 17% of all children in the United States are obese by the standard of this study. Thirteen percent of the parents of obese children in this age group categorized their children as very overweight, 37% classified their children as slightly overweight, and 43% describe their children were abou t right (Runk, 2007).The findings in the 12 to 17 year old group revealed 10% of children in this age group met the criteria for obesity. This finding is significantly lower than the national figure for obese children. 30 one percent of the parents of obese children in this age group account their children as being very overweight, 56% reported their children as slightly overweight, and 11% reported their children were about right (Runk, 2007).Researchers concluded some(prenominal) age groups under reported the incidence and severity of obesity when compared to the national statistic stating 17% of all children suit the criteria for obesity outlined in this study (Runk, 2007). I agree the severity of obesity was greatly under reported in both groups. However, I disagree with the assertion the incidence of obesity was under reported in the six to 11 year old group. I believe the difference between 15% and 17% could easily be a coincidence. It may also perplex resulted because th e internet was used to collect data and poor children are more likely to be obese and less likely to harbour internet access (Vieweg, Johnston, Fernandez Pandurangi, 2007).I do agree that obesity seemed to be considerably under reported in the 12 to 17 year old group. A statistically significant difference (about 7%) occurred between that age groups 10% incidence and the 17% national incidence of childhood obesity (Runk, 2007). much(prenominal) a large difference is unlikely to be a coincidence and supports the theory that obesity was under reported in this age group orconfounding was present (Bennett, Briggs, Triola, 2003).Critical analysis of this data reveals many strengths and a few significant weaknesses in the design and implementation of this study. The goal is clearly stated, to determine the percentage of parents who realized their children are obese and to compare it to the percentage of parents that do not realize their children are obese. This goal was clearly accomp lished for all the study participants. The source of the study is the University of Michigan which can be considered a reliable, neutral source. The sampling is sufficiently large, but whether or not it is representative of childhood obesity in this country is questionable. A serious problem with the sample exists as a result of using the internet as the setting. High proportions of obese children are socioeconomically disadvantaged and may not have internet access.The internet setting is likely to account for the apparent under reporting of obese children noteworthy in this study and as such is a probable source of confounding. The criterion for obesity is tumefy defined and could be easily measured in all the subjects, but I remain refer a significant portion of obese children may have been inadvertently omitted from consideration. In the end, however, I find there is a strong practical use for this data. Healthcare providers are made conscious of the occurrence that the pare nts are, more often than not, genuinely unaware their child is obese. This data supports the decision to open a communion with parents and offer teaching about the dangers and prevention of childhood obesity the clear course of action.ReferencesBennett, J., Briggs, W., Triola, M. (2003). Statistical ratiocination for EverydayLife, Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ Addison Wesley. Retrievedcelestial latitude 5, 2007, from University of Phoenix rEsource HCS 438.Runk, D. (2007, December 24). Parents dont realize their kids are fat. MercuryNews (San Jose). Retrieved December 28, 2007, fromhttp//www.mercurynews.com/healthandscience/ci_7799918?nclick_check=1.Vieweg, V., Johnston, Fernandez, A., Pandurangi. A. (2007). Correlationbetween high risk obesity groups and low socioeconomic status in groom children. Southern Medical Association. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from University of Phoenix library EBSCOhost.