biology news assignment

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Biology 1408, Sec. 21501

October 17, 2013 Professor Steiner

Healthier Diets Possible in Low-Income, Rural Communities

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Healthier Diets Possible in Low-Income, Rural Communities." ScienceDaily, 11 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Oct. 2013 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131011093329.htm

According to the article, children in the United States don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; instead they indulge in large amounts of sugars and solid fats. A team of investigators conducted and designed the CHANGE (Creating Healthy, Active and Nurturing Growing-up Environments) study in low-income rural areas, which was a two year randomized, controlled, community and school-based intervention to prevent unhealthy weight gain among the rural school aged children. The investigators wanted to test their hypothesis that students exposed to the study would improve their diet quality due to healthier food environments, so they examined the changes in fruit, vegetable, legume, whole grains and low fat dairy consumption among rural elementary student’s who were exposed to the CHANGE study intervention compare with the students in control schools. The investigators chose from eight rural communities in California, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina to participate in the study between the years of 2007-2009. The communities where divided up into two and randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group, which the students in the intervention sample were given daily access to healthier school foods, and weekly educational curriculum. The mean age of the 1,230 participating student were 8.6 and about 85-95% were nonwhite. At the end of the study, the investigators concluded that student in CHANGE schools ate similar amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, potatoes/potato products, saturated fats, and sugars as student’s in control schools. The CHANGE schools also consumed significantly more legumes.

The material that we covered in chapter one of our textbook, about the Scientific Method helped me better understand the study that the investigators conducted in the low in-come rural areas. The Scientific Method starts with observation and developing a hypothesis, which the observation tells what happens and the hypothesis tells you what causes it to happen. In the article the investigators observed that children in low-income rural areas don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, instead indulge in sugars and solid fats which lead to obesity and higher risk of diabetes in adulthood. Their hypothesis was the reason the children are at higher risk is because they are not exposed to healthier diet choices at home or in school. We also learned that when using the Scientific Method you must use the hypothesis to make a prediction, such as the prediction the investigators made that if the children in school are exposed to the study it will

improve their diet quality due to the healthier food environment. After the prediction is made that is when the testing of the hypothesis began. The researcher must conduct an experimental group and a control group, which the experimental group is exposed to the independent variable and the control group is exposed to the dependent variable. Fro example, in the article the investigators conduct the experimental group who were the children is rural areas exposed to the CHANGE study, and the control group of the students in control schools. The test results and data that are consistent with the predictions are evidence in support of the hypothesis, and if not consistent then the hypothesis should be revised. In the article the investigators concluded that their prediction was right, if children are exposed to the study it would improve their diet quality.

This article really brought to my attention and made me aware of the eating habits amongst the children in low-income rural areas. I really enjoyed reading and learning about the study that the investigators conducted, and seeing how they implemented the Scientific Method. I agree with the concluding statement that Dr. Cohen stated in the article that the outcome of their study provides evidence that intervention targeting low-income children living in rural communities can improve their diet quality. My desired field of study is Education, so to read this article and to learn how the investigators conducted a study to improve the diets of children that are less fortunate makes me want to be more involved in the community, and making sure that the children in society are becoming more healthier and active.