14: Reflecting on what I learned

One useful thing I learned in this class was that there are many other search engines to choose from besides Google. There are not only other search engines but deep web, hidden, directories, and so on. These sites I never new about because I just used the one popular search engine. Another thing that will be useful for me in the future is to know how to check out a web site for credibility. In addition, I am glad for the experience of writing a long research paper. I now have confidence to tackle another one when it comes up and know that I can do it.

13: Reporting on the Application Project

For my application project I am going to write a journal entry to a friend about my efforts to get one of the children in my daycare to eat more fruits and vegetables. He will not eat any at all. I will write about what techniques I used and what the results were.
I am in the process of researching more ideas for different techniques to get him to at least try a new food. I have not had very much success and will begin sneaking in pureed veggies and fruits into the few foods he will eat in addition to offering them on his plate.
Most of what I write in the journal will be from real live experience so I need to start recording what I am doing in order to have a written record and therefore have more to write about in my journal.

12: Creating a Word Cloud

My word cloud

11b: Planning your application project

My topic is on childhood obesity. Many times, parents are very concerned about their children around the age of 2-4 because at this time many become absolutely adamant about what they do not like to eat. Often, they will not eat much at all. Parents then panic so to speak, and give them anything at all; including foods high in fat and sugar just so their child will gain weight and eat more. This is a huge mistake. For my project, I will write in a journal to a friend what I will do as the child care provider, to encourage the picky eater to eat more nutritious foods and then write to her about the results of my efforts.

11a: Reporting on your progress

At this point in writing my research paper I am about half way through the first draft. In other words, it is slow going. Much time was spent on researching for my topic and other various assignments. Time spent on research paid off because I now have a lot of information. I need to finish writing the first draft, hopefully by the 17th, and then I will be able to start working on writing the second draft. I also need to find more graphics to place in my paper and possibly a few more relevant references. I have found that many of the works cited I originally listed are not going to be used.

10b Brainstorming Ideas for the Application Project

1. Write a personal letter to a friend about my day shadowing a dietitian at a local nutrition program for low-income women, infants and children (WIC).
2. Write an article about a bill proposal to remove trans fats from all foods served in school.
3. Write an editorial expressing my opinion on how two states have removed junk foods from their schools and how it did not ruin them financially.
4. Write a journal entry on how I tried a new way to make a picky eater in my daycare eat a new food.
5. Write a journal entry on how I am progressing in helping a picky eater in my daycare eat new foods.

10a

interview with Professor
I interviewed a Professor in Community Nutrition at Metro State College two occasions on the telephone. The first one was on 3/18/09 and the second one was on 3/24/09. The interviews were approximately 50 minutes long.

Question – Concerning childhood obesity, is there a problem?

Prof. – Yes. Years ago, in a pediatric office, if a child had type II diabetes everyone would come to look at this case. Now, it is common to see children with type II diabetes. If an older person gets diabetes there are things they can do for him. They can delay the progression and with that, the consequences of the disease. If it begins with a child, they can delay the severe consequences, such as amputations, heart and blood vessel disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage and other serious consequences for perhaps 20 years but that puts the kid at 32 if he got it when he was 12!

In addition, the huge costs will ruin our country because the costs of chronic disease related to obesity are a tremendous cost to our country, not only in medical costs but in many other things in everyday life. One for example is airplane seats. It will cost a huge amount of money to fit larger seats on planes now because more people are too big to fit in them anymore. They’ll have to get larger hospital and long term care beds for bigger patients. These are just a few examples.

Question – What do you think is the cause of childhood obesity?

Prof. – The beverages we drink. Years ago you would get sent out of class for bringing even a bottle of water, now everyone has a drink on their desk. It’s not morally wrong to have a drink in class but this is just to show that we are always drinking something and it isn’t just plain water. It is flavored waters, energy drinks, soda, and different coffees, most of which are high in calories.
He said portion sizes, lack of exercise, and availability of fast foods on every corner and in schools are equally to blame.

Question – What or who do you think can help this problem?

Prof.- Parents or anyone can write letters to their congressmen concerning nutrition bills that attempt to improve our children’s nutrition. Parents can go to school meetings and ask for removal of junk foods on school grounds, and for removal of ads for junk food in school TV programs or busses.

No vending machines in schools, mandate healthy foods in school only, universal free lunch, and ban all unhealthy food ads.