Final Reflections

Content:

In my research, I learned more about childhood obesity and its impact in the United States. First, I learned that millions of American children are impacted with childhood obesity. Additionally, these children have a high chance of long-lasting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. From my research into existing literature, I learned that the majority of Russian low-income adolescents are at a “higher risk of obesity,” but the majority of Chinese high-income adolescents are “at a higher risk.” From my own research, I learned that children are at a higher risk of obesity in U.S. territories compared to U.S. states.

In the future, I can further my research in this topic, analyzing differences in childhood obesity in factors beyond socioeconomic status. I can research differences based on ethnicity and sex/gender in the U.S. states and territories. 

Product:

From this academic paper, I learned how to independently form a research question and answer this question with methodologies justified from the existing professional conversation. Through this paper, I learned how to problem solve and persevere, which are vital skills that I can apply to college. I also developed my writing skills by supporting my research with methodologies from existing literature.

Additionally, from the oral defense presentation, I learned how to professionally and confidently present my research findings. I defintely developed my public speaking skills. This is an extremely useful skill that can be applied to college and later life because I will continue to present my business proposals, research findings, and reports in the future.

Process:

As a researcher and a student, I learned that the journey or Road to Research is often difficult and bumpy. However, through problem-solving and perseverance, my research became successful in unexpected ways. Sometimes, research and future plans can turn on a completely different path, but I have learned to accept that this is okay, and grit will make me successful. I will carry these lessons with me throughout college and my future career. I will apply these lessons in future work problems, future job applications, and even future decision making.

Acknowledgments:

I would like to sincerely thank Ms. Dobos for all of her help and guidance on this research process. I learned a great deal about problem solving and independent research, skills that can be applied in my future life. I greatly appreciate all of the advice she has given me, with my research paper and with the class as a whole. I would also like to thank my parents for supporting my academic journey at home, outside of the classroom. 

Abstract

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity is a major health concern within the modern United States, afflicting over 14.7 million American adolescents from 2017-2020. The CDC defines childhood obesity as having a weight status greater than 95% of a reference population, measuring weight status based on body mass index (BMI), which is calculated from age and sex factors for that specific child.  For instance, if a 5’6, 15-year-old boy had a BMI of 29, he would be greater than the 95th percentile of comparable teenage boys. Thus, this weight status would be considered unhealthy, and this boy would fall into the obese category. 

Childhood obesity is an extremely alarming disease because it is associated with a variety of long-term health implications. According to the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, childhood obesity leads to an increase in early-onset type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and more. The prevalence of these serious health problems reveal the negative impact that childhood obesity has on America’s youth. 

As a response to this issue and in order to make improvements for the future, it is important to recognize the demographics surrounding childhood obesity. Essentially, it is necessary to ask the question: What factors cause childhood obesity? As stated by the Mayo Clinic, psychological, political, and family factors are all potential contributors to this major health concern. However, as argued by previous research, socioeconomic factors, such as a limited access to supermarkets or healthy food products due to low-income, are the most impactful in modern childhood obesity rates. 

Therefore, to gain more insight about childhood obesity and its causes, my research focuses on socioeconomic status (SES) and its correlation to the complex disease of childhood obesity. Specifically, addressing the gap in existing literature, I compare U.S. territories and U.S. States. Additionally, I analyze data from the most recent decade in order to determine the modern trend of childhood obesity, using the years with the most available data of 2012-2020. Thus, this leads to the research question: How do childhood obesity rates in the U.S. territories differ from U.S. states based on differences in socioeconomic status within the past decade (2012-2020)?