Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Results Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Results EssayA cogitation recently published in the San Jose Mercury News suggests the pargonnts of obese children do not perceive their children as obese. An analysis of this study, its methods, and its findings is an important exercise in reason the meaning and relevance of all research. The ability to read research critically and understand how it was generated allows us to identify possible design flaws or to realize the harshness of its conclusions and make appropriate use of the data.The study was conducted through an profit research firm for the University of cabbage. Its goal was to determine the percentage of pargonnts who realized their children are obese and to equalise it to the percentage of parents that do not realize their children are obese. The participants were selected by simple random sampling and were considered a representative sample of American parents. The sample include 2060 respondents (Runk, 2007).The data app eared to be collected 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 indicant greater than or equal to the 95th percentile in comparison to children the same age and gender was the criteria used for fleshiness in this study. The data from these children was indeed 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, in truth overweight, or about aright was also collected (Runk, 2007).Although it was not specifically stated, I hypothesize the children studied were broken down into hive aways by age and gender. The first bin comprised of obese girls sixer to 11 years old and the second bin obese boys six to11 years old. For the 12 to 17 year old free radical the first bin included o bese girls 12 to 17 years old and the second bin included obese boys 12 to 17 years old. I moreover hypothesize the parents of children in each aggroup 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 very 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 monumentally 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% account their children were about right (Ru nk, 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. Thirty one percent of the parents of obese children in this age group reported 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 both age groups under reported the incidence and severity of obesity when compared to the national statistic stating 17% of all children meet 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 balance between 15% and 17% could easily be a coincidence. It may also have resulted because the internet was used to coll ect data and poor children are more likely to be obese and less likely to have 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). Such 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). deprecative 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 accomplished for all the study participants. T he 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 noted in this study and as such is a probable source of confounding. The criterion for obesity is well defined and could be easily measured in all the subjects, but I remain concerned a significant portion of obese children may have been inadvertently omitted from consideration. In the end, however, I find there is a weapons-grade practical use for this data. Healthcare providers are made conscious of the fact that the parents are, more often than not, genuinely unawar e their child is obese. This data supports the decision to inconsiderate a dialogue 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 Reasoning for EverydayLife, Second Edition. Upper institutionalise River, NJ Addison Wesley. RetrievedDecember 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 view in school children. Southern Medical Association. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from University of Phoenix library EBSCOhost.