Research Proposal

Jessica John
Independent Research
2016-2017
Must Everyone Clean Their Plate? The Importance of Cultural Attitudes toward Weight
Composition
Introduction and Overview of Research:
The general area of investigation is how cultural diets impact weight loss and obesity.
The problem that will be attempted to solve is the epidemic of obesity in the United States. With
this research, obesity will hopefully be diminished by using different portions of each cultural
diet in order to create a healthy alternative diet that is varied yet colorful. In the end, the hope is
to use several portions of each cultural diet in order to reduce weight loss, and hopefully gain a
better understanding which foods in a typical diet help to lose or maintain weight.
Background and Rationale:
In the United States, obesity has reached epidemic proportions. In 2012, of all children
were considered obese or overweight and more than of adults in the United States are reported
either to be obese or overweight (Childhood Obesity Facts). There have been numerous studies
that have conducted regarding the best diet to reduce the weight proportion of adolescents.
Typically, the research findings suggest that a diet of vegetables and fruits is effective in reducing
weight. Recently, there has been clinical trials that have centered around decreasing the epidemic
of obesity. One trial had experimented with the idea of a program called Take Shape For Life and
Medifast Direct. Another had experimented with a placebo and a tablet, HMB. People across the
nation have begun looking into the perfect routine of diet and exercise that improves weight loss.
It is difficult to determine when the idea of creating a perfect routine of diet and exercise began,
or if the diet has evolved over the years, but the issue of weight loss among adolescents, has been
prevalent in the United States in recent decades.
Obesity creates several problems physically and emotionally. In health terms, obesity
increases risk for several health conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease,
high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, respiratory issues, and several types of cancer. Therefore, it is
very crucial to diminish the rates of obesity among adolescents. According to the National Center
for Biotechnology, the rates of obesity have tripled among adolescents and doubled among adults
in the past couple of decades (Background of Obesity). Many factors have led to this large
increase of obesity in the world, especially in the United States. One factor is diet, which in the
United States, typically centers on foods that are high in fats and sugars. Foods that are high in
fats and sugars are typically inexpensive, accessible, and highly advertised which are a couple of
reasons why a typical American diet consists mainly of fatty foods.
I feel that this obesity and overweight issue is important because it has become a very
prevalent conflict in todays youth in America. Over and over again, I hear about various food
plates and pyramids that teach how to eat healthy, but they change every year. The idea of

creating a unique diet, that features portions of various cultural based diets, seems to be more
needed each day. With a large number of school systems trying to implement good eating habits,
this idea is very important to find a diet that helps prevent obesity to dominate the population in
the future. Currently, there are various ideas floating around that the majority of ones diet should
be centered on vegetables, fruits, dairy, grains, and poultry. If a healthy diet and exercise regimen
is started early, then risks that are paired with obesity will hopefully diminish as well.
Research Methodology:
Research Question- Can various cultural diets improve weight loss among growing
adolescents?
Research Hypothesis- Cultural centered diets, specifically Japanese cuisine, can be effective in
improving weight loss among growing adolescents.
Elements: A traditional Japanese diet consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, and fish. All of these
food items are very common to be spoken of when dealing with weight loss.
Research Design Model:
The design model that will be used is Correlational research, and Quantitative Research will be
used along with it. This design model was chosen because a relationship between weight loss and
obesity has to be established, but an experiment will pose issues of handling random samples.
Correlational research will be helpful in providing a relationship between obesity and weight
loss. It is easily accessible to look at associations between two variables instead of introducing a
new change and monitoring how it impacts other factors. The variables in this study are cultural
diets and weight loss/obesity among adolescents.
Weight Loss: In terms of improving weight loss, as stated in my hypothesis , am referring to
about five or greater pounds lost, healthier weight for age and height, an increase in energy, and
an overall positive outlook.
Obesity: A body mass index of 30 or above.
Adolescents: A child (11-14 years) who is in the process of developing to be an adult.
Data Collection:
The data collection that may be used is documents and records. This was chosen because it will
be easily accessible and will provide a large amount of information needed for correlational
research. Since the data will be mostly numerical, I can compare numbers between countries and
those who are considered to be obese and how exactly a typical diet in that country impacts
them. Data will be collected from several online sources that record countries censuses and
certain data that contains information about obesity in the population. New information will be
created by combining portions of each cultural diet and comparing it to other cultural diets. The
literature review will support the data collection by showcasing the interpretation, understanding,
analysis, and argument of the data that was given in the collection. The literature review will
provide a sense of analysis and tell what exactly was learned through the data collection.
Product Objectives:

After the primary research is finished, a mini model of the world or a mini magnet will be
created to showcase the information. This was chosen because it establishes a creative point of
view that will capture the audiences attention and are able to carry their information around
without the product causing problems. The specific audience of the project and product is parents
of adolescents and adolescents. The outcomes are intended for adolescents benefits. This is the
target audience because adolescents are in a crucial stage where development and nutritional
needs play a large part in ones life. The product and outcomes will be communicated for the
selected audience by presenting it at a middle school PTA meeting.
Logistical Consideration:
Human, print, and media resources will required for the project and product in order to obtain as
much information as needed. Materials for this project will include paper, printed out pictures,
and magnetic devices. Printing/Distributing may be more complicated but it can be done by
producing several at a time. Permission may be needed from the human resources to gather data
and share the final product.
In third quarter, a timeline will be added that outlines the data collection, product development,
and audience distribution.
"Background on Obesity." National Center for Biotechnology Information Search,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44656/.
"Childhood Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm.