Adolescents and Healthy Food

Paper Summary:

This paper critically analyzes the article "Factors of Fruit and Vegetable Intake by Race, Gender and Age Among Young Adolescents" by Granner et. al. The paper explains that although a number of methodological aspects prove problematic, the paper is also confounded by equally serious conceptual errors. The paper looks at the apparent total absence of research hypotheses and notes that the absence of testimonial regarding the benefits of eating healthily also leaves a question mark over whether poor diet is a concern for researchers, or even a problem willing to be explored. The writer believes that the discussion section seems fairly brief for a research topic apparently so broad in scope, but notes that the one notable finding of the Granner et. al. experiment - a high correlation between self-efficacy and snack choice - may be explored in further detail in the future.

From the Paper:

"The research measures, moreover, provide something of a quandary. The complicated and numerous variables lead to a much more intricate and confusing methodological tapestry than would seem necessary. Measures such as race, age, and gender, and their impact on the food attitudes of adolescents are certainly necessary. However, measures such as "normative beliefs", "outcome expectations" and "modeling" seem a little excessive. Instead, the experimenters conduct something of a dual study of both these dependent variables impacting age, ethnicity and gender, and these former measures again acting as independent variables to fruit and vegetable consumption. If the point of the present research is indeed to examine a relationship between adolescence and poor dietary habits, the variables should be similarly simple."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Granner, M.L., Sergant, R. G., Calderon, K.S., Hussey, J. R., Evans, A. E. & Watkins, K. W. (2004). Factors of Fruit and Vegetable Intake by Race, Gender and Age among Young Adolescents. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour 36, 173-180.

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• Essay # 65072 : "A Young Person's Guide to Health"

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