Journal Review #2

What is your topic? Or what are your key words thus far? 

My topic is: Is socioeconomic status a determining factor to higher childhood obesity in the United States?


What is your research question? Have you decided to change it at all? And, if you have, how do I know that the way in which the question is formulated is appropriate to conduct a literature review with a systematic approach? 

My research question: When finding evidence that socioeconomic status is in fact a determining factor to higher childhood obesity in the United States how does this compare to other children from a higher end of the socioeconomic spectrum? My question has not changed, it has remained the same from the beginning. While I did change my original topic to something more specific there is compelling evidence to support my research question. 

And what are the definitions on which it depends?

Obesity- increase in weight gain at an early age leading to long lasting impact throughout the individuals life as an     adult. 
Socioeconomic status: Combined total measure of a persons work experience and of an individuals or family economic and social position in relation to others based on income, education and occupation. 
Childhood: the state of being a child. 

What is your hierarchy of evidence? And how do I know you going about finding the most appropriate evidence/method for your research question? 

Hierarchy of Evidence (Aveyard 70)
1: Expert opinion
2: Systematic Reviews of observational studies
3: Services at the individuals disposal
4: Comparison between low and high class

Since my reassarch question will be comparing two groups or factors and attempting to find correlation it is considered a chord and a case control study. With the reach completed by experts in the field I am able to find significant evidence for my topic. 

How do I know that the remit of the method itself is selecting the research, rather than just you on a whim? +1 thing you found interesting+ how you imagine using the source

Article 1 

Carroll, D., & Smith, G. D. (1999). Socioeconomic status and cardiovascular response. American Journal of Public Health, 89(3), 415–416.

This article described the connection between socioeconomic status and cardiovascular response. The experimenters suggest that low socioeconomic status is an effect of the progression of carotid atherosclerosis. I will use this article to support my correlation between socioeconomic status and the increase in childhood obesity. This article further supports that there is a correlation. 

Article 2 

Martens, P. J., Chateau, D. G., Burland, E. M., Finlayson, G. S., Smith, M. J., Taylor, C. R., . . . Bolton, J. M. (2014). The Effect of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status on Education and Health Outcomes for Children Living in Social Housing. American Journal of Public Health, 104(11), 2103-2113. doi:10.2105/ajph.2014.302133

This article makes a direct comparison between health and education among children living in social housing and those who are not. The study finds that children living in social housing fared worse when comprised to a child living in a regular middle class neighborhood. The study concludes that children in social housing have poorer health and education than those living in wealthier areas. I will use this article to contrast children who are at the poverty level with those from the higher end of the socioeconomic spectrum. 

Article 3

Veldhuis, L., Vogel, I., Rossem, L. V., Renders, C., Hirasing, R., Mackenbach, J., & Raat, H. (2013). Influence of Maternal and Child Lifestyle-Related Characteristics on the Socioeconomic Inequality in Overweight and Obesity among 5-year-old Children; The “Be Active, Eat Right” Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10(6), 2336-2347. doi:10.3390/ijerph10062336

This article highlights the fact the childhood oversight and obesity has increased drastically over the years. This article also brings up an interesting fact that this is becoming a huge burden in our public health system. The article supports my research question by stating that "subgroups with a lower socioeconomic status are at increased risk for having overweight or obesity". This article directly supports my research question and I will use it for evidence to create a stronger research. 

Article 4

Huynh, M., Borrell, L. N., & Chambers, E. C. (2013). Maternal Education and Excessive Gestational Weight Gain in New York City, 1999–2001: The Effect of Race/Ethnicity and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 18(1), 138-145. doi:10.1007/s10995-013-1246-5

This article examines the association between maternal education and the excessive weight gain. The article directly supports a correlation between overweight and general education of an individual. This will be useful for my research because education is part of an individuals socioeconomic status, education will also determine ones income and less education as supported by this article lead to an increase in weight and overall heath of the child and family. Highschool through college education is reviewed in this article each with interesting finds that support my research question. 

Article 5  

Brzozowski A, Drews-Botsch C. Early childhood obesity, socioeconomic status, and executive functioning in Atlanta children. International Journal Of Child & Adolescent Health [serial online]. October 2015;8(4):487-495. Available from: CINAHL Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed February 13, 2017.

In this article negative associates between childhood obesity and executive functioning are discussed. Data is used from a verity of developmental growth studies. The studies found significantly lower IQ in the bottom of the socioeconomic spectrum. Again this article supports my research question since a level of education is required for one to make good food choices for themselves as well as those around them. Lower education lead to an increase in childhood obisity due to the lack of food education. I will use this article to support my stance on socioeconomic status directly influencing childhood obesity.

Anything else interesting happen? 

I have been able to find significant amount of information and articles to support my topic and research question. All of the sources that I have found have been credited studies by professionals in the Public Health field. This information and reports allow me to use cohort and case control study for my research.