Survey Plan

For my interview, I plan on asking both males and females across several different age groups about their thoughts and views on obesity and related topics. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins have agreed to take part in my data collection. Because of their ages, I will have an adequate sampling of three different generations. Since all of these people will be visiting my home during the upcoming holidays, the interviews will take place in my house. Moreover, I plan to spend approximately fifteen minutes asking pointed questions; additional time twill be needed to analyze the results. To complete my project, I will need my notebook and the following prepared questions to conduct the interviews. These are the questions included on my survey:

1.      Do you agree that there is an obesity epidemic in this country?

2.      Was there an obesity epidemics going on as you were growing up?

3.      Do you believe that the NYC Soda Ban will help lower the rate of obesity?

4.      What do you think is the main reason that there are so many obese people in America today?

5.      Do you think people get treated differently if they are grossly overweigh?

6.      Do you agree with the airlines when they charge overweight people for two seats if they do not fit into one?

Research Method

I have chosen to utilize survey research to evaluate my healthcare topic. Before using the interview method, I will develop pertinent questions that are directly related to the obesity epidemic in our country. Then I will proceed to interview males and females in a wide range of ages. In an attempt to avoid interviewer bias, I will choose relatives and close friends that I have a comfortable and honest rapport with. 

Cereal Companies Fail to Cut Content in the U.S.

Article 

    Obesity  rates have increased by 4-5% across the globe! This is why companies like Nestle and General Foods are reducing the amount of sugar (by 24%) and sodium (by 12%) contained in their breakfast cereals. By 2015, your Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch will be altered in response to the growing waistlines of children.  Both companies also plan on adding more whole grain and calcium in their products too. Unfortunately, these nutritional makeovers will be adapted in many countries around the world, but the United Stats is not on the list. This is very odd because the United States also has alarming incidence rates of obesity in all age categories. Isn’t this odd? 

                                       

Mayor Bloomberg's NYC Soda Ban Gets Sued

Article 

     Mayor Michael Bloomberg's NYC Soda Ban is being sued by the beverage industry, movie theaters, and other businesses that the new law will affect. These companies feel that the New York City Health Department has no right dictating the size of sugary drinks to its consumers. They argue that their sales revenue will be negatively impacted by this unfair regulation. In addition, the giant soda industry fears that other states struggling with obesity will hop on the bandwagon too. In response, the New York City Board of Health believes it does have the power to regulate sugary drink size because obesity is epidemic across the city. The mayor and his panel are happy that this ban will shed new light on obesity and possibly decrease the number of obese men, women, and children in the population.

News Anchor Stands Up to Bully's Email About Her Weight

Article          

      Thousands  are applauding Jennifer Livingston's response to a cruel email that she received at work last week. Jennifer is a news person with WKBT News 8 in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, and she received an email from a man that criticized her weight. The sender noted that Jennifer was obese and certainly not a suitable role model for the community's young girls. I watched Jennifer's on air video several times and also caught her appearance on the Ellen Show. Jennifer is a very bright, articulate woman who took down the bully with knowledge, grace, dignity, and power. Take the time to read the article and get to know why Jennifer is more than a number on a scale

Brown Bagging It is Back in Style

Article 

Michelle Obama’s 2010 legislation called The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act has revamped the nation wide school lunch program in an effort to combat obesity. The meals have shrunk and the prices have risen. Plates have less protein and bread on them, and the portions are limited to a total of 850 calories. Students are outraged and still complain of hunger pains after eating. Why should someone that doesn’t have a weight problem be subjected to such strict nutritional standards? In fact, many athletes complain that the calorie restrictions do not fuel their bodies adequately.

            In many states, students have begun to boycott the cafeteria meals in favor of bringing in heir own. In addition, many students are writing angry letters to their legislators in an effort to express their distaste of the new federally mandated school lunch program.  Will their efforts pay off?

We Are Hungry

       For the first time in 15 years, the Federal Nutritional Guidelines were revamped in an effort to combat obesity and diabetes. Many teens are finding the new lunch program in our schools “hard to swallow.” In this video parody, the students are poking fun at the 850-calorie limits on their lunch trays and complaining about being tired and weak because of the lack of food. The FDA says that 850 calories is more than sufficient to sustain them until dinner. Where do you weigh in on the issue?