Childhood Obesity 1

Analyzing Childhood Obesity in Low-Income Families

Victoria Rock

American Intercontinental University On-line

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Abstract

Childhood obesity in low-income families is a major problem in our country. I felt it was

important to explain why this is a big problem. I will go over all the steps from choosing my

topic to research done and the outline in which I used. I hope this will help to show why

childhood obesity is a major problem among low-income families and the need to help provide

what is needed to stop this epidemic.

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Analyzing Childhood Obesity in Low-Income Families

In choosing a topic for my presentation, I wanted to talk about something that I had some

knowledge of. I have been fighting the battle of the bulge with my daughters for many years

now. I hear people all the time talking about low-income families feeding their children nothing

but junk foods, but I know this to be false because I don’t buy junk foods. I have been buying

what I thought was healthy foods because they was approved by the government. After realizing

what was in fact going on, I felt the need to open everyone’s eyes as to the real facts involved

with low-income families’ struggles in dealing with this major health issue of obesity among our

children.

Once I had chosen my topic I had to decide what it was I wanted to prove in my

presentation. I knew for a fact that I was having problems with obesity in my family and why,

but was there enough information out there that would help prove what I was saying. I began to

write an outline out to cover the main points of my topic. I knew I wanted to discuss the lack of

healthy foods, lack of affordable gym facilities, and the lack of money to obtain these things by

low-income families. My task was looking for information that would in fact help me prove

these issues. When doing my research I found many articles that covered my questions, but I

wanted reliable sources, so I had to look to see if these resources were in fact reliable. After

determining that they were, I chose the ones that best fit with what I wanted to discuss in my

presentation. I felt the most compelling evidence was going to be my own paperwork done by

the state of Minnesota in determining if I was eligible for food support.

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With the way the economy is today and millions of people now without work and

becoming low-income families, the problem with childhood obesity is going to get worse. The

need to inform every one of the struggles faced everyday by low-income families needs to be

told. It wasn’t hard finding the proper visual aids to help show my point. In many areas all you

have to do is step outside your door and you see it everywhere. I think the visual aids I chose

were the right ones for my presentation.

At first I wasn’t sure if my presentation was effective or not until I heard the questions that

were being asked when I was done. The questions that was asked proved to me that everyone

was in fact listening to what I had to say, but it wasn’t until I read the analyzes done by

Stephanie Willis on my presentation and the comments made by those that responded to her view

of my presentation, did it hit me that I did in fact get my message across and move people by

what I had to say. This presentation was easy for me to do because I live it every day of my life.

There is still so much more information out there on this topic that I am going to continue to

research and help others realize the true struggles that we are facing every day. Hopefully one

day everyone will finally see the true facts about obesity among low-income families.

There are many steps that can be done in preparing for a presentation that I will use next

time to hopefully enable me to prepare for my next presentation. These steps will include:

Determine what I want my topic to be based on and what I know personally about

the topic

Write out questions I want to ask

Research those questions

Do an outline of what I want to discuss

Find reliable resources that cover the information

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Write my paper out in rough draft several times till I get it just the way I want it to

sound.

If I follow these steps I’m sure to continue to write the best papers and presentations I can.

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References

Data and Statistics. (2012, August 28). Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

Fighting Obesity and Hunger. (2010). Retrieved from Food Research and Action Center: http://frac.org/initiatives/hunger-and-obesity/

Gibson, D. M. (2011, September 28). Food Stamps and Obesity. Retrieved from The New York Times: The Opinion Pages: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/09/27/expand-the-use-of-food-stamps/the-link-between-food-stamps-and-obesity

Gucciardi, A. (2012, May 23). IQ Foods: Processed Food Lowers IQ in Children, Nutritious Food Raises It. Retrieved from Infowars.com: http://www.infowars.com/iq-foods-processed-food-lowers-iq-in-children-nutritious-food-raises-it/

Harding, A. (2012, May 1). As childhood obesity improves, will kids in poverty be left behind? Retrieved from CNN Health: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/01/health/childhood-obesity-poverty/index.html

Harper, S. (2011, May 16). Are processed foods (ever) healthy? Retrieved from Salad In A Steak House: http://saladinasteakhouse.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/are-processed-foods-ever-healthy/

Hrywna, M. (2012, September 9). Poverty: Salvation Army Report Concludes Americans Don't Have Accurate Picture Of Poverty. Retrieved from Huff Post:Impact: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/poverty-salvation-army-report_n_1521577.html

K. M. Jetter & D. L. Cassady. (2006). The Availability and Cost of Healthier. Retrieved from American Journal of Preventive Medicine: http://www.aahf.info/test/pdf/youth_articles/PIIS0749379705003351.pdf

Membership Rates. (2012, September 5). Retrieved from YMCA: http://www.ymcabrandon.com/page.aspx?page_id=43

Moran, C. P. (2012). What It Costs For A Gym Membership. Retrieved from What It Costs: http://sports.whatitcosts.com/gym-membership.htm

POVERTY. (2012). Retrieved from 2012 Presidential-Candidates: http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/Poverty.php

Rock, V. (2012, August 1). Income Calculation. (C. C. Services, Interviewer)Willis, S. (2012, September 17). Unit 5 DB: PRES111-1204A-07. Retrieved September 23, 2012,

from American Intercontinental University: https://mycampus.aiu-online.com/pages/MainFrame.aspx?ContentFrame=/Home/Pages/Default.aspx

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