Harrison 1

Abigail Harrison
Professor Adam Padgett
English 102
9 February 2016
How is Child obesity a reflection of parental Negligence?

The research question I am focusing on is, How is Child Obesity a Reflection of

Commented [AP1]: 1) try to observe proper title case. 2)

this seems like a leading question. You are saying that there
is a connection between obesity and negligence. If you were
truly inquiring to discover, your question would be is there
a connection between obesity and negligence? although,
that too would be kind of leading.

Parental Negligence?. This research question is interesting to me, because I am a psychology

major and want a career in examining why people behave the way they do. Over the past few
years, in the United States especially, obesity has been on the rise. It is causing serious health
concerns for children, young adults, and adults. This is becoming a worldwide phenomenon that
is getting hard to control. However, there is a reason people behave or act the way they do.
Could eating be related to a person trying to fill a void they feel? Digging deeper, I would like to

Commented [AP2]: The answer to this question is yes.

understand why children are becoming more and more overweight. That leads me to question the
parents or guardian of the child. I do not have personal experience with obesity, but there are
people in my family who have and still are overweight that leads to health problems. I am
qualified to write about this, because I am a student who is learning and researching. I have also
grown up in this era of food lovers. My generation has been part of the statistics and I am at

Commented [AP3]: Try to mask the fact that you are

answering questions from the assignment sheet. Its fine
that you are answering the questions, but make it look like
youre not.

fault for giving into the temptations of food that should not be consumed and put into our bodies.
The first article that pertains to my research question is titled, Understanding the Obesity
Problem: Policy Implications of a Motivational Account of (Un)Healthy Eating, by Edward
Orehek and Anna Vazeou-Nieuwnhuis. This article is a generic explanation of obesity and how
people approach foods. This article helps to get a better understanding on what obesity really

Commented [AP4]: Seems like a solid source. Who is the

publisher?

Harrison 2
means and how an individuals choices can lead to the consequences of being overweight. The
central claim in this article is that obesity is not just a lack of self-regulation, but that this eating
behavior is in response to goal pursuit. The reliance on food fulfills convenience and price goals
at the cost of health goals. The major values and interests at stake in this article is the idea of
goal theory and how accurate this is in relation to obesity. This article is also defining obesity as
not just a physical health problem, but as a psychological problem. The two authors who are
related to this article have a wide range of other psychological articles. They have published
many articles in books and have presented many arguments. They are both credited in the fact
they have been published in The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, which is
a very credible source.
The second article relating to my research question is titled, The relationship between
basic need satisfaction and emotional eating in obesity and is written by Robyn A. Andrews,
Roger Lowe, and Anne Clair. This article is about how emotional eating has been a source of
obesity and how emotional eating obstructs the treatment of obesity. Some important values this
article upholds is the fact that obesity is caused by emotional eating. This is appeared through

Commented [AP5]: I dont think this is a value. A value is

that obesity is a problem. Or obesity is harmful.

behaviors associated with self-esteem, social support, coping strategies, and satisfaction of basic
needs. This article is proving that obesity is not just because people like to eat food, there is a
deeper connection mentally. Knowing these facts can help us relate back to how parental
negligence can affect the child emotionally and therefore have unhealthy eating habits. This is a
credited source, because The Australian Journal of Psychology is known through the world of
psychology. There are many articles and research published through this journal as well. As for
the authors, they are highly credited in their field and they have all three contributed to many
works in the Australian Journal of Psychology and other journals as well.

Commented [AP6]: Do you mean credible?

Harrison 3
The third article used to back up my research question is titled, Psychological correlates
of childhood obesity and is written by J J Puder and S Munsch. This article shows the
relationship of obesity and psychological factors, including family influence. Family structure
and how the role models of the family interact with food and nutritional patterns have a big
impact on the child. Another familial aspect of obesity is stress within the family. There could be
an issue whether or not family is really the cause of obesity. This is also categorizing obesity as a
mental problem, not just a physical health problem. This article is found in the International
Journal of Obesity. This is a very credible source. There are many publications and issues, which
means it has been around for a long time. This would be the best place to get information on
obesity. The authors are also both very credited in their writing and have a long history with
journals like these. They both also have experience with the Department of Medicine and
Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.
This research question is arguable, because there is not a definite answer to the question.
This question cant be answered with a simple yes or no. This is a question that can be used
to argue whether or not obesity is more emotional than just a physical problem. Obesity is a
worldwide phenomenon, but why is it such a big deal? There are agreements that obesity is a
huge problem that continuously grows. However, the disagreements were in why obesity

Commented [AP7]: The answer to this question is fairly

obvious, right? Also, your worldwide comment is
interesting. Im wondering if you could reorient your inquiry
toward obesity and culture? Which cultures are most obese
and why?

continues to grow. These sources do not necessarily alter my own opinion. I believe obesity is a
lack of self-control and I also think it is due to psychological problems. I also believe in the
household, or environment one is raised in can have a negative or positive effect on the wellbeing of the child. I think my research question is specific enough, but not too specific. I would
revise how I present this question and find more research to help understand how the family has
an effect on the child.

Commented [AP8]: Be careful with your language here.

psychological problems sounds more callous and
dismissive than I think you intend.

Harrison 4
Abigail,
I really like the inquiry you are going after here. There should be tons of research out there,
which might be one of your challenges. People have written books on obesity. So try to narrow
your focus. Your inquiry in the title is pretty leading, and so Id like for you to reconsider it.
Also, you dont spend much time in the actual proposal talking about neglect. I would
encourage you to ask a bunch more questions. Try to narrow your scope some. I think the
culture-obesity question might be more interesting to you since youve mentioned worldwide
multiple times. I do like how thoroughly youve discussed your sources, and it seems as though
you are headed in a productive direction with a great deal of your interest invested in this project.
Looking forward to seeing how this develops.
Works Cited
Andrews, Robyn A., Roger Lowe, and Anne Clair. "Proxy Login - University Libraries USC." Proxy Login - University Libraries - USC. N.p., Dec. 2011. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.
Orehek, Edward, and Anna Vazeou-NieuwenhuisVazeou-Nieuwenhuis. "Proxy Login University Libraries - USC."Proxy Login - University Libraries - USC. N.p., Jan. 2016.
Web. 08 Feb. 2016.
Puder, JJ, and S. Munsch. "Proxy Login - University Libraries - USC." Proxy Login - University
Libraries - USC. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.