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Critiquing a Research Article Understanding childhood obesity in…
Critiquing a Research Article
Understanding childhood obesity in the US: the NIH environmental influences on child health outcomes (ECHO) program by Tylavsky et al., 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7060502/
Links to an external site.
What is the research problem or research question addressed by the study?
The study sought to study the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States. The study intended to examine the relationship between early life environment and later obesity rates.
What type of research design was used, e.g., experimental, observational?
The study used longitudinal observational research. The investigation was based on a cross-sectional study of 70 US and Puerto Rico cohorts between 2003-2007.
What are the variables, and which ones are dependent and independent, or continuous or discrete?
The variables involved in the study were childhood obesity rates and environmental influences. In this case, the study presented the obesity outcomes as the dependent variables, while the environmental influences were the independent variables.
Describe the population of the study or sampling frame, the sampling technique, and the sample size.
The study included a population of “age, race/ethnicity, and sex in children with body mass index (BMI) data, including 28,507 full-term post-birth to <2 years and 38,332 aged 2-18 years" (Tylavsky et al., 2020). The persons targeted came from different socio-economic backgrounds and were selected from different races and ethnicities. The data was collected from 84 cohorts within the ECHO programs, and the researchers took steps to avoid under and over-sampling. Describe the data collection methods, including procedures, instruments, and unit of analysis. The data used in the study were selected from pooled ECHO program. The study had clear inclusion and exclusion criteria in the data collection process. For instance, they excluded data from self-reported cases missing weight or height measurements and many other exclusion criteria, resulting in 37,603 children for the report. The weight and obesity study was based on the world health organization's BMI characteristics and classification. The environment under study was based on maternal socio-demographic features. What descriptive statistics were used in the study to summarize the data (graphs, summary tables, etc.)? A combination of many descriptive statistics was used. The researchers used tables, charts, and numerical results summaries to outline the study findings. The charts were used to explore the relationship between the dependent and the independent variable components. Describe the statistical techniques used to analyze the data. Are these techniques adequate? Why or why not? The study used meta-data analysis for individual participants. The researchers used common statistical codes to evaluate the ECHO data. What do the results of the study mean? The study found instances where BMI advanced with age and varied significantly based on race and ethnicity. The study found a higher prevalence of obesity among the black and Hispanic populations, while non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic Asians showed decreasing obesity rates. These results mean that environmental factors, race, and ethnicity determine obesity rates. Reference Tylavsky, F. A., Ferrara, A., Catellier, D. J., Oken, E., Li, X., Law, A., Dabelea, D., Rundle, A., Gilbert-Diamond, D., Hivert, M.-F., Breton, C. V., Cassidy-Bushrow, A. E., Mueller, N. T., Hunt, K. J., Arteaga, S. S., Lombo, T., Mahabir, S., Ruden, D., Sauder, K., ... Trasande, L. (2019). Understanding childhood obesity in the US: The NIH environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. International Journal of Obesity, 44(3), 617-627. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-019-0470-5 Question I appreciate your critique of the article regarding childhood obesity. The study is of explanatory nature as the researchers set out to ascertain the relationship between environmental influences and child health and development. You provided a good analysis of the variables relating to this study. You also included a succinct summary on the data collection method, sample frame and sample population. I wonder if including some statistics regarding the results and the overall conclusion of the study could add value to your critique of the article. Some may not be familiar with NIH (National Institutes of Health); I suggest adding the meaning of the acronym to make it clear.
