Application of Background Methodology Essay

In addition, childhood obesity can adversely affect social and economic development and lead to adult obesity causing more adverse health conditions. The costs of treating obesity in the United States are steadily increasing. Estimates show the direct and indirect costs associated with treating obesity was near $139 billion in 2003 (Li, & Hooker, 2010). The focus of this paper is to examine a peer-reviewed research article conducted by Ji Li, PhD. and Neal Hooker PhD published in the Journal of School Health, to show how the application of background and methodology of the research process can be applied to problems in health care. By examining the purpose of the study, the hypothesis, the variables employed, and the framework used to guide the study, a better understanding of the research process will be gained. Study Purpose Schools have been the subject of many research studies regarding childhood obesity. Surveys have examined issues such as race, ethnicity, and gender-specific differences relating to issues such as how television viewing affects weight gain and how physical activity effects academic achievement. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) School Breakfast Program (SBP) and have been the subject of many studies (Li, & Hooker, 2010). The studies examined food choices; comparing the nutritional content of program meals to other competitive food choices available in the cafeteria. A different study observed the effect of NSLP eligibility and food insecurities on child welfare. The results of the study indicated no evidence of benefit associated with participation in the NSLP and child well-being (Li, & Hooker, 2010). Past research, associating childhood obesity and school-related programs and activities have been limited. The research did not differentiate between either public or private school types or were only composed of public school findings. Moreover, past research studies have employed only limited perspectives on the issue. The purpose of this article’s study is to delve further into the effects family, school, and community play on childhood obesity in hopes of understanding better the correlation (Li, & Hooker, 2010). By doing so administrators of health care will be better equipped to advise parents, educators, and policies makers of the importance of wellness and nutrition among school-aged children. Research Questions Many questions are posed in this study. The main question asked is, what is the correlation, if any, between school type, physical activity, participation in the NSLP, and other independent variables on body mass index (BMI) of children living in the United States? In addition, does the type of school, public or private, make a difference in the BMI of children? Last, does the physical activity level of the parents have an effect on a child’s BMI (Li, & Hooker, 2010)? Hypotheses This hypothesis of the study is not clearly stated within the article although the reading suggests there are several. The study suggests that children living in lower socioeconomic households and qualifying for the NSLP have greater chance of becoming obese. Children who attend public schools are more at risk of becoming overweight than those who attend private schools. In addition, children whose parents are physically active have less chance of becoming overweight. Last, parental education levels, smoking habits, and employment status can affect a child’s weight (Li, & Hooker, 2010). Study Variables To analyze how various factors effect childhood obesity, information was gathered about the children’s schools, families, communities, and daily activities from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). These sociodemographic independent variables include such information as the child’s age, gender, race, primary spoken language, physical activity level, television use, time spend playing computer games, extracurricular ctivities, and participation in the free or reduced lunch program (Li, & Hooker, 2010). Information about parental activities such as smoking practices, employment status, and education, economic, and activity levels were also included. The dependent variable body BMI was used as the measure of obesity. BMI can be defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. This method of mea surement is widely used by health providers to determine physical development (Li, & Hooker, 2010). Conceptual Model or Theoretical Framework The conceptual model used to understand the results of the study and to determine its empirical and scientific effectiveness, studies the relationships between childhood obesity and factors that contribute to the problem. By considering the multidimensional perspectives surrounding the lives of children in the United States, the effects on BMI as a measure of obesity can prove probable correlations. This study first applied a nonlinear regression model to survey data to examine important relationships. Next, the study constructed three model specifications to investigate the effects of the NSLP (Li, & Hooker, 2010). Last, discoveries were analyzed regarding the factors influencing the child’s probability for becoming overweight (Li, & Hooker, 2010). The conceptual model of the study provides correlations between socioeconomic status (SES) and other factors and childhood obesity by providing supporting facts. Review of Related Literature A review of the literature cited supports the need for this study. Research by Ogden, Carroll, and Flegal (2008) proves the BMI of children and adolescents in the United States are increasing steadily. A related study by Bouchard (1997) shows the relationship between childhood and adult obesity. In addition, the reference to Dietz (2004) shows that obesity can cause serious illness in children such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The high cost associated with treating obesity in the United States proves the need for further study into the problems associated to childhood obesity (Finkelstein, Ruhm, & Kosa, 2005). Study Design The study design employed was quantitative, consisting of data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2003 and 2004 NSCH. The State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey Program was used to survey and investigate the physical and psychological health status of children age birth to 17 (Li, & Hooker, 2010). The households were randomly selected with the screening question of the presence of children under age 18 in the household was used. Observations of 62,880 children from different households living in the United States were studied through the value of BMI (Li, & Hooker, 2010). Conclusion The article from the Journal of School Health contains research collected from the NSCH conducted by the CDC to investigate the associations between children attending public and private schools, student eligibility for the free or reduced-cost meal programs, and family SES on children’s BMI (Li, & Hooker, 2010). Issues such as parent education and activity level in addition to child television and video game use are noted as possible associative factors that may lead to childhood obesity. The research further illustrates the implications for school health policy and its need for wellness curricula to promote healthy eating and physical exercise (Li, & Hooker, 2010). By examining the background and methodology used in the creation of this study, one can see how the data was used to help formulate and prove the hypotheses giving a greater understanding of the research process.

Free Essays on Crucible

John Proctor And Willy Loman: The Tragedies Of Two Common Men Are John Proctor and Willy Loman common men? Are they tragic heroes? Using information from Arthur Miller’s essay, â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man†, both men can be defined as common, and both men can be defined as tragic heroes. Miller’s essay also characterizes the plays â€Å"The Crucible† and â€Å"Death of a Salesman† as tragedies in modern literature. According to Miller, the quality that shapes the image of the common man is one that â€Å"derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what and who we are in this world† (Miller, Tragedy of the Common Man). Both John Proctor and Willy Loman share this fear, and both regard their reputations in society very highly. Proctor’s fear of being displaced is evident in the last act when he refuses to sign the confession stating that he practiced witchcraft. Procter declares, â€Å"I have given you my soul; leave me my name!†(Miller, The Crucible, Act IV). This quote implies that Procter values maintaining his chosen image as a good and holy man over his soul, which in his religious society is also regarded very highly. Willy Loman lives in a fantasy world where he believes that he is extremely successful and loved by all. At one point Willy states â€Å"I’m the New England man. I am vital in New England.†(Miller, Death of a Salesman, Act 1). Later in the play Willy refuses a job offered to him by Charley, because he fears that accepting the job will tear him away from his chosen image if being the best, thus categorizing him as a common man by Millers standards. Because John Proctor and Willy Loman regard their reputations and dignity so highly and fear the possibility of these qualities being degraded, they are considered common men. Miller describes that the tragic element in a tragic hero is â€Å"evoked... Free Essays on Crucible Free Essays on Crucible A Major Theme of The Crucible According to the Webster’s Dictionary, a crucible is â€Å"a vessel in which metal is heated to a high temperature and melted for the purposes of casting†. It can also be referred to a situation in which a person has to make a decision that can be critical to his morals and principles. There are many interpretations of the word crucible as there is for the theme of Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible. Closely related to the word â€Å"crucifixion†, The Crucible is about a man put in a crucible situation, who is forced to choose between life and morality, just as Jesus Christ did. Miller interweaved these scenarios to form the main themes of the play – the problem of making the right moral choice and the necessity of sacrifice as a means of redemption. Both of these themes can be abridged to form one main theme, good versus evil. Based on the Salem witch trials of the late 17th century, The Crucible explores the vulnerability of a society and the difficulty of doing ‘good’ in the face of evil and tremendous social pressures. The play is about a town, Salem, Massachusetts, and the hysteria its residents go through because of the witchcraft accusations made by the young girls and countless other people of the region. These accusations, we learn in the novel, are not true and are merely stories to put the blame of someone’s mistakes or wrongdoings to someone else. The accusers are just trying to find scapegoats for their shortcomings. This is where good versus evil takes place. There are numerous â€Å"good† characters in the novel that try to prove that there are no such things as witches, as well as â€Å"bad† who use the trials for their own gain, and the plot revolves around their struggle against each other. One of the many cases where good versus evil is portrayed is through the situation between Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams. Abigail Williams is the niece of Reverend Parris, a renowned preache... Free Essays on Crucible John Proctor And Willy Loman: The Tragedies Of Two Common Men Are John Proctor and Willy Loman common men? Are they tragic heroes? Using information from Arthur Miller’s essay, â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man†, both men can be defined as common, and both men can be defined as tragic heroes. Miller’s essay also characterizes the plays â€Å"The Crucible† and â€Å"Death of a Salesman† as tragedies in modern literature. According to Miller, the quality that shapes the image of the common man is one that â€Å"derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what and who we are in this world† (Miller, Tragedy of the Common Man). Both John Proctor and Willy Loman share this fear, and both regard their reputations in society very highly. Proctor’s fear of being displaced is evident in the last act when he refuses to sign the confession stating that he practiced witchcraft. Procter declares, â€Å"I have given you my soul; leave me my name!†(Miller, The Crucible, Act IV). This quote implies that Procter values maintaining his chosen image as a good and holy man over his soul, which in his religious society is also regarded very highly. Willy Loman lives in a fantasy world where he believes that he is extremely successful and loved by all. At one point Willy states â€Å"I’m the New England man. I am vital in New England.†(Miller, Death of a Salesman, Act 1). Later in the play Willy refuses a job offered to him by Charley, because he fears that accepting the job will tear him away from his chosen image if being the best, thus categorizing him as a common man by Millers standards. Because John Proctor and Willy Loman regard their reputations and dignity so highly and fear the possibility of these qualities being degraded, they are considered common men. Miller describes that the tragic element in a tragic hero is â€Å"evoked... Free Essays on Crucible The madness of the Salem with trials is explored I great detail. There are many theories as to why the with trials come about, the most popular of which is the girls’ suppressed childhoods. However, there were other factors as well, such as Abigail Williams’ affair with John Proctor, the secret grudges that neighbors held against each other, and the physical and economic differences between the citizens of Salem Village. From a historical viewpooint, it is known that young girls in colonial Massachusetts were given little or no freedom to act like children. They were expected to walk straight, arms by their sides, eyes slightly downcast, and their mouths were to be shut unless otherwise asked to speak. It is not surprising that the girls would find this type of lifestyle very constricting. To rebel against it, they played pranks, such as dancing in the woods, listening to slaves’ magic stories and pretending that other villagers were bewitching them. The crucible starts after the girls in the village have been caught dancing in the woods. As one of them falls sick, rumors start to flu that there is witchcraft gong on in the woods, and that the sick girls is bewitched. Once the girls talk to each other, they become more and more frightened of being accused by saying, ‘I go back to Jesus; I kiss his hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!† Another girl, Betty, continues the cry with, ‘I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the Devil!† From here on, the accusations grow and grow until the jails overflow with accused witches. It must have given them and incredible sense of power when the whole town of Salem listened to their words and believed each and every accusation. After all, children were to be seen and not heard in Puritan society, and the new found attention was probably overwhelming. The girls were called before the judges...

Women of Julius Caesar essays

Women of Julius Caesar essays Portia and Calpurnia are the two main women in the story of Julius Caesar. They had two totally different parts in the story. One was kind of a servant wife and the other was a equal but not equal wife. Shakespeare shows the two characters as supportive figures but not very important ones. Portia is the wife of Brutus. Portia considers herself as an equal to Brutus. They share a mutual relationship and they both contribute to it. No one is better or considered better. They had shared a perfect relationship up until the point when the conspiracy of killing Caesar started. Portia figured it out pretty easily that something was wrong with Brutus because they had such a close relationship. She begged him to tell her and when Brutus said that he couldnt then she knew that their relations had faded a little. Of course, Brutus ended up telling her what was going on. This quote resembles there relationship. "By all your vows of great love and that great vow Which did incorporate and make us one, That you unfold me, yourself, and your half, Why you are heavy, and what men tonight This quote tells the reader how much she cares for Brutus. Calpurnia on the other hand is the total opposite in the eyes of the husband. She is the wife of Caesar. Caesar treats Calpurnia as if she was the scum level of his servants. He orders her around and never pays any attention to her. One example of this was when she warned and begged him not to go to the capitol that day. She had a feeling that something was going to happen and sure enough did. (Caesar was stabbed by the Senate who had been planning against him.) Therefore, the two important wives in the story had two totally different roles. One was a servant woman and the other was a equal but one that was left out of the most important thing that was ever done by her husband. They were both similar in that they both had husba ...

Ghost Hunting is Pure Fiction

Ghost Hunting is Pure Fiction It is interesting that in a time of increasing secularism and a renewed interest in rationality and skepticism, many people still believe in ghosts. Even many of the same people who dont believe in other supernatural entities maintain a belief in ghosts. Ghost hunting is still popular today, with reality  television  shows featuring ghost hunters and ghost hunting specialists that people can literally hire in order to inspect their own homes for ghosts. However, there is no evidence that ghosts even exist or that the  techniques  of ghost hunters are more than pure fiction. The popularity of ghost hunting and the belief in ghosts is not evidence of anything other than the desire to believe in ghosts. The Lack of Evidence for Ghosts and Ghost Hunting One of the reasons why the belief in ghosts persists is that ghosts are often considered invisible. Invisible things are harder to disprove. Many of the superstitions that have lasted a long time are invisible. People can simply claim that the thing in question does exist and that people cant prove that it doesnt exist, thus hiding behind the problem of knowing. Its easier to make this argument with entities that are invisible, intangible, and otherwise nearly beyond detection. People end up with functionally no evidence for them or against them, and the believer can simply appeal to the problem of knowing and win the argument on a technicality. Ghosts Manifest as Electromagnetic Radiation Of course, ghost hunters supposedly say that they can locate ghosts, so they do believe that there is something that separates areas that have ghosts from areas that dont have ghosts. They believe that there is evidence for ghosts. However, the evidence that they do choose could very easily be explained by something else. They use devices all the time that supposedly can be used to pinpoint the location of a ghost. However, these devices are usually just detecting electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation levels in a building can vary depending on surrounding or distant power sources and not just the ones that the ghost hunters have immediately identified. One of the biggest tricks of their trade is very easily debunked. You will definitely enjoy reading these articles: Is Science Atheistic? Ghostwriting Can Science Go Too Far? Education and  Pursuit of Right Wisdom Environmental Education and Green Citizenship Extraordinary Claims Require High Standards of Evidence The belief in ghosts is an extraordinary claim that requires equally extraordinary evidence. Ghost hunters have electromagnetic radiation and noises. The existence of ghosts would mean that it was possible for a human consciousness to exist outside of the brain. Scientists have a hard time even quantifying human consciousness, and all evidence suggests that it is a product of mental functioning. As such, it could not exist without brain matter. Electromagnetic radiation and noises are insufficient to explain something as unlikely as ghosts. Old houses are often structurally unsound and they will make funny noises. The human brain is primed to look for patterns. Patterns of noises can easily be imagined as being caused by ghosts in the minds of people who believe in ghosts. People who believe in ghosts will look for even the slightest evidence that ghosts exist in a bias known as confirmation bias. The belief in ghosts is popular because ghosts are defined in such a way that it is difficult to completely discredit their existence. The problem of knowing is an unsolved philosophical problem. However, in order to believe in ghosts or ghost hunting, people need to get some evidence that ghosts exist. The idea that it is possible for human consciousness to exist outside of the body seems to contradict all that is known about human neurology. Ghost hunters will use the noises and electromagnetic radiation in old houses to justify the existence of ghosts. However, finding out that ghosts exist would require scientists to revise their entire understanding of the human brain. Electromagnetic radiation and random noises are easily explained away. They cannot be used as evidence for anything other than the complicated nature of the environment that people are trying to understand.

RESEARCH paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

RESEARCH paper - Essay Example The factors that affect forestry and the significance of forests will be discussed in this paper. This paper will also tackle the different types of forests. Forests are mostly dominated by trees amongst other plants. Some of the plants are tall and others are short. Most of the plants have features that help them adapt to the several conditions that are presented in the different types of forests (Green). Forests have sufficient amount of water. A majority of the forests receive sufficient amounts of rain that help in the growth of the plants and support the animals that live in the forests (Green). The rain water forms ponds and streams. Forests offer great biodiversity due to the fact that it acts as a habitat to many habitants. The forest has several foods and shelters that support the habitants that reside in the various forests (Green).Forest canopy is a characteristic that is found in different forests (Green). The canopy differs in the different types of forests due to the fact that the nutrients found in forests differ. Tropical forests are densely populated and are found near the equator. In this type of forests winter is not present and the temperatures are normally between 68 and 77 degrees. These forests receive mostly receive 100 inches of rain in a year. The soils found in the tropical forests are very poor due to the high levels of rain and warm temperature. The plants that grow in these types of forests are normally broad-leafed and the trees are normally very tall. Due to the huge density of the trees the sun doesn’t reach the lower levels of the forest. This forces the animals that live in these forests to adapt to living in the trees (Green). These forests are normally found in eastern North America, northeastern Asia, parts of Russia, China, Japan, Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The trees that are found in these forests are normally deciduous and coniferous evergreen trees. The trees are

Critical Analysis of the Film Eros Plus Massacre by Yoshishige Yoshida Movie Review

Critical Analysis of the Film Eros Plus Massacre by Yoshishige Yoshida - Movie Review Example Audience’s critique may be inclined to express that fragments of the past and of the present in â€Å"Eros Plus Massacre† are pieced together in a certain manner that guides comprehension of a twist. It appears quite a venture for Yoshida to have radicalized cinematographic aspects which might have otherwise caused misleading interpretation when the broken parts fail to be ascertained as a whole. Yoshida’s decentralized approach in this project explores the nature of sexuality as it portrays the core function in designating characters according to gender traits and the appeal to feminism wears an unusual tone and attitude. â€Å"Eros Plus Massacre†, nevertheless, concretely illustrates scenes where a woman normally falls as man’s object of desire. Between Eiko and her part-time lover whose sensual moment is caught by the intruding friend and colleague Wada as well as between the same man and the other desperate woman in another scene at a spot in ho tel, there occurs an affair of nothing more than physical worth in which undertones of eroticism manifest through moderate visual elements of dynamic nudity. It may be inferred herein that the principle of Sakae Osugi regarding exaggerated independence in a culture that permits a number of liberated sex relations are carried from his conservative era to a modern age of over forty years later. By a sequence of past-present juxtapositions which had been altogether enhanced by peculiar camera angles and transitions, Yoshida managed to bring across the significance of understanding time as an element from which to compare views, especially how such have evolved as whether they appear subject to change or unaltered due to a couple of similarities between the past and the present. The scenario at the top of the cliff when Eiko and Wada station themselves back to back on a wooden cross as though to assume a position that depicts punishment or captivity may be perceived to have figuratively coincided with the thematic situation of Osugi and family in a pyramidal structure that resembles a platform for execution. In particular, when Wada and Eiko are led to an academic recollection among the archives of Japanese history, the critical point in the life of Osugi and feminist wife Noe Ito is projected in a momentous setting with their son who would eventually yield to the misfortune of being massacred.  Ã‚  

Sexual violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexual violence - Essay Example The majority of the victims tends to blame themselves, and thus fails to give information about the heinous acts of sexual violence, which the offenders perpetrate on them. The reasons that compel victims not to report cases of rape encompass fear, feeling of helplessness, and perceived powerlessness of the security agents such as the police. Similarly, the victims fail report the sexual assaults because of the threat of further victimization from the authorities. The speech indicated that personal fear and lack of trust in the security agents contributes to the unreported cases of sexual assault. These are the lessons that everyone should draw, and then explore ways of dealing with the fear because sexual assault has emotional, physical, and psychological ramifications. It seems that people do not have hope in the police, and thus they chose to remain silent on cases centering on sexual violence. In fact, the event drew a significant lesson that people should take the responsibility of reporting any case of sexual violence. The victims should view that sexual assault is heinous and a disrespect for an individual’s dignity. No one should go silent on issues that violate one’s right to live a respected life devoid of interference of any sort. In fact, the higher education should organize such events regularly in order to equip the students with the right skills that are integral in their lives. Many students are subject to the se xual violence, and events discussing issues central to student life ought to feature prominently in the institutions’ calendars. The student involvement in the campus community plays a critical in ensuring that the learners live a success life in college. The activities foster a sense of togetherness and promote the growth of a community of scholars who exhibit a prime target of acquiring knowledge to apply it in the future