Running Head: OBESITY AND INCOME 1

Signature Assignment: Obesity and Income

Ashley Turner

Azusa Pacific University College

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Signature Assignment: Obesity and Income

Obesity is a national epidemic that affects millions of adults and children. With the

introduction of fast foods, obesity has continued to rise. Fast food makes meals more convenient

for families who are constantly on the go or where both parents work all day and do not wish to

cook. While this is a good option for this new generation, it comes with health concerns. Obesity

can lead to hypertension, diabetes, cardiac issues, and death.

Frame the Problem

In California, the state is ranked in the top 20% of state with children who are diagnosed

as clinically obese. As a result of this alarming data, public health officials are working to

determine the cause of this epidemic. Currently, public health officials believe obesity is linked

to income (Babey et. al, 2010). Due to this discovery, income may play a role in the dramatic

increase in clinically obese children in the state of California.

Research Question

Based on the current problem affecting California, one would need to conduct research

concerning income. Do low income families, especially those who live in poverty, have higher

instances of obesity? Understanding the role income plays will better help public health officials

determine the root of the obesity epidemic. Aside from income, race may also play a significant

role in the obesity rates. Do African Americans and Hispanics have higher rates of obesity as

opposed to Caucasian families? By looking into race, researchers can uncover the relationship

between obesity and race.

Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis

In this situation, the null hypothesis is obesity plagues all incomes and races equally. If

this is true, then the data from all 150 households will depict equal numbers concerning obesity.
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The alternate hypothesis is that obesity rates are higher in low income Hispanic and African

American families compared to Caucasian families.

Data is an important aspect of understanding trends and the overall problem at hand.

When it comes to obesity, data can detail changes, allowing for predictions to be made for the

future, and provide health officials with a better understanding of current trends. Based on data,

health officials can develop effective health programs that can be utilized to combat this growing

epidemic. With California being one of the top states to have children diagnosed as clinically

obese, these numbers and what they represent are of utmost importance.

Methodology to Test Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis

Two hypotheses need to be tested. The first, the null hypothesis, focuses on the equal

rates of obesity among different races and incomes. In order to prove the null hypothesis, one

must analyze the data concerning income and race. Graphing income alone allows for a

visualization concerning high, low and middle incomes. In order to graph race, the data points

must be individually counted. Using statistical analysis system (SAS), each race can be given a

numerical value that is easier to work with. Once these values have been obtained, they can be

graphically depicted much like income. Both graphs, bar graphs, allow for easy interpretation.

Alternative Hypothesis

The next hypothesis, the alternative hypothesis, focuses on how race and income

determine the rate of obesity. Since it is believed that income is linked to obesity, as well as race,

specifically minorities, it is important to test the alternative hypothesis (Babey et. al, 2010).

Much like the testing for the null hypothesis, testing the alternative hypothesis will revolve

around graphs. However, instead of graphing each category separately, each will be depicted on
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the same graph to better determine a trend. The use of a scatterplot allows for a better

representation of the data as well as providing insight into whether the null hypothesis should be

rejected or not.

Expected Results and Data Analysis

After creating each graph, it was expected that there would be no difference between race

and income. Since obesity appears to effect nearly every race, it can be assumed that race plays

no role in rates of obesity. Conversely, obesity seems to impact all individuals at various

incomes, suggesting that obesity affects everyone equally regardless of other variables. In

regards to the alternative hypothesis, race and income are believed to play a significant role in

the rates of obesity. According to Babey et. al (2010), families that are within poverty range are

believed to have more rates of obesity. This is due to lack of access to healthier food choices. It is

also believed that minorities are more likely to be obese due to culture. Based on the graphs, the

null hypothesis can be rejected. The scatterplot comparing income and race shows that minorities

with lower incomes have higher instances of obesity compare to Caucasians.

When understanding data, several factors contribute to the whether or not findings are

acceptable or should be rejected. Despite what data may say concerning a specific subject,

certain conditions must be met. Bias, ethics, and worldviews must be taken into consideration

each time new data is collected. If they are not considered, then the hypothesis and the results

cannot be trusted.

Findings

Currently, the alternative hypothesis has been proven to be true. The null hypothesis,

which was rejected, stated that income and race have no role in the outcome of obesity. The
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alternative hypothesis states that race and income play a large role in obesity. Minorities,

specifically Hispanics and African-Americans, have higher instances of obesity.

Annual Household Income ($1000s)

300.0

250.0

200.0

150.0 y = 4.4764x + 127.98

R² = 0.0343

100.0

50.0

0.0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

This scatterplot depicts the annual household income by race of participants who reported having

an obese family member. Based on the data, eleven Hispanic and twenty-four African-American

participants noted they had an obese relative.

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Annual Household Income ($1000s)

250.0

200.0

150.0

y = -3.079x + 132.35
R² = 0.0199
100.0

50.0

0.0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

In this scatterplot, it is evident that Caucasian participants noted having no obese family

members. When comparing income, African-Americans with no obese family members had

higher incomes than Asians and Hispanics and had relatively similar income to Caucasians.

However, there was no real income discrepancies between races with obese family members.

Interpretation based on bias, ethics, and worldview

After looking at the graphs, bias must be taken into account. Data seems to be distributed

evenly and there appear to be equal numbers of participants. However, the region of where the

data was collected must be considered. When collecting data that deal with race and income, it is

important to consider region as racial composition tends to differ among location. Considering

what the graphs say, ethics must be taken into consideration. Since race and income are involved,

it is important not to draw conclusions based solely on race. Other factors such as household size
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must also be considered when interpreting the data to avoid making unnecessary conclusions.

One must also consider cultural factors when interpreting the data. Obesity in specific racial

groups may be due to culture such as eating large meals during holidays. Since culture is not

represented in the data, it is important not to conclude that obesity is simply linked to race.

When thinking about the process of testing the hypothesis at hand, several factors must be

considered. The main factor is selection bias. The reasoning behind the hypothesis lies in the fact

that the data chosen reflected the selection. When observing obesity and the possible contributing

factors, it was necessary to choose data points that support the hypothesis. Aside from selection

bias, varying worldviews and faith play a role in hypothesis and data collection.

Choosing the variable to test depended on what I was hoping to test. In this case, I chose

to measure rates of obesity based on race and income. Babey et. al (2010) explain how minorities

have a higher rate of obesity. By choosing to focus on race, I was hoping to uncover similar

results. I also chose to focus on income since most minorities tend to have lower incomes than

other racial groups. When looking at the data, it was important to compare income and race in a

scatterplot. Performing regression allowed for me to determine the possible relationship between

the two variables.

Worldview also played a role in selecting data points. Since obesity affects minorities

more than other races, my culture allowed me to better understand why this is true. Growing up,

my family consumed large meals when we celebrated certain occasions. This provided me with a

better understanding of how minorities relate food to culture and how large, fatty meals

contribute to obesity. When selecting these variables I hoped to provide insight into race and

factors that contribute to this epidemic in the hopes of finding solutions to this problem.
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References

Babey, S. H., Hastert, T. A., Wolstein, J., & Diamant, A. L. (2010). Income Disparities in

Obesity Trends Among California Adolescents. American Journal Of Public

Health, 100(11), 2149-2155.