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RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Greg Culver
GT Independent Research
2017-2018

Title​: Please, Just Eat Your Food!

Introduction and Overview of Research:

This investigation consists of pediatric and dietetic studies. The specific problem that is
trying to be solved is how parents should introduce new foods into a children's diet in order to
help and sustain nutrition. This issue will be dealt with through the sharing of information.
Parents will find valuable information on methods and tactics to better a child’s eating habits.
The hope is to prove that the reason a high percent of Americans are obese or have disease is not
only because of junk food, but because parents are encouraging fruits and vegetables the right
way. Also, if parents find and use more effective strategies, America will become a healthier
society.

Background and Rationale

The research in this study of nutritional patterns in children has a close link to two
branches in the scientific field. It involves dietetics and pediatrics. The eating patterns in kids,
why they choose the foods they eat, and how parents or medical professionals can help them
improve their eating habits are main dietary points. It involves pediatric studies regarding the
behaviors of children, why they behave a certain way, and how those attitudes change based on
many factors such as age. In their lifetime, most parents will experience a hard time getting their
child to eat a certain food. The most beneficial foods are usually the ones that kids get picky
about. They are fruits and vegetables. Taste, texture, availability, and the influences on one’s diet
from their peers are the reasons to why kids do not eat certain foods, but all these factors are
causing many people to suffer. The ​National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH)​ conducted by
the ​Health Resources & Service Administration​, concluded that in 2016, 31.2% of the American
youth population was either obese or overweight (Study of children…). Of course fatty, saturated
junk food is also a factor that is present in this statistic, but the general absence of fruits and
vegetables is also a leading reason.
Ever since dietary counseling has been offered, parents have gone to medical
professionals with hopes that one day, they could get their children to eat the right way in order
for their bodies to stay strong for as long as possible. However, a high percentage of parents still
struggle with picky eaters. Children can struggle with nutritional hostility at any age
(Udahogora). There is not a certain developmental stage where it is a prominent issue. This is
most likely because parents have never discovered the perfect method to grow a child’s diversity
of foods on the plate and sustain the diet. There is another problem that is introduced.
Sustainment is the most important part of nutritional development. The main goal is to stay
eating healthy foods as a grown up and beyond the childhood years. If someone cannot continue
their eating habits after the learn them, there is only little success in the whole picture.
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Without vegetables and fruits in someone’s diet, they are much more vulnerable to heart
disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke (Renee). They
have all been on the rise in the past years, so people are becoming more self conscience about
what they are eating. This study provides reasoning on why it is important to eat healthy. Also,
many parents are not finding success in their current interventions, so ones offered by dietetic
and pediatric professionals are summarized and set forth for use. The actual ways to help the
children is the most important thing. It should be the bulk of what is taken from the paper.
Because kids are the future, it is most important for their eating habits to improve before the have
the opportunity to get worse. That is why focusing on the nutrition of kids rather than everyone
was selected as an approach in the review. However, the reasoning and methods could be used to
help someone of any age. If something is not done soon to help improve general nutrition,
America will become a society based off of poor eating habits that do not focus on garden fresh
and farm fetched food consumption. The study is a contribution to the health industry and offers
new insight on how this country should be fed, and that is why it is important.

Research Methodology:
Research Question​:
How can a plan be developed to help parents feed their child so they develop good eating
habits that they can carry on for the rest of their lives?
Research Thesis​:
If parents understand how to offer new foods to their children, then the child’s food
choices will expand and incorporate healthier foods.
Many parents are still struggling on how to get their children to keep a consistent, healthy
diet. However, if they are aware of many different methods to attempt, it will be easier. Of
course, each and every method may not have successful results on every child, but that is
because everyone is different. For example, an artistic child would enjoy eating vegetables more
if they were organized in colorful patterns. An athletic child would be more likely to eat
vegetables if it was explained to them how they contribute to increasing athletic ability.
Research Design Model:
Mixed method research was conducted with a survey design model. It is important to
examine the opinions of parents (targeted group) as well as how many feel a certain way about a
specific idea. The mixed method survey approach was used because both numerical data and
ideas are important in order to gain knowledge on how to increase nutrition in children. A survey
was best because the resulting research describes methods parents that have attempted in order to
help their child eat a healthy diet. Also, numbers and percentages of parents who may agree or
disagree with a certain statement. For example, the percentage of parents who have come across
a picky eating child. An understanding on various methods with specific numbers on how many
people feel a certain way is gained.
Data Collection​:
For the actual data collection, a ten question survey was sent out to parents. Parents are a
great source of data for this specific topic because they have daily hands-on experience with
children. A survey was most feasible because it studied the ideas of a large group of people.
There were 57 responses collected in order to draw conclusions on methods of enforcement, ages
at which picky eating was most persistent, and what the causes to a dislike of certain foods are.
85% of parents have struggled to help their child overcome anxiety towards a certain food. With
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this statistic, it is proven that this is a prominent issue that must be addressed immediately. Also,
it allows other to truly see why our country is currently so unhealthy. With what was learned,
there is now an opportunity to contribute something to the world in order to help a certain group
of people. I’ve realized that when people do not know the answer to something (in this case, how
to make a child eat a disliked food), they look it up. This led to the conclusion that the product
must be something accessed online.
The research was 100% authentic because it was new. No source on the internet collected
mixed method responses specifically on how parents feel about the way the feed their children.
Within the gathered research, all the professionals agree. You must base interventions on the
child. People are different, so they may respond to different methods in different ways. Also,
aggressive parenting is never the answer, at least involving this topic. The research agreed with
the experts in all points. Parents have not commonly tried basing interventions of personality of
the child, which accounts for the high rate of struggle. Not to mention, some parents were overly
assertive and forceful.

Product Objectives:
The product of the year will be a video. Parents might benefit from a video that
demonstrates how different interventions can be used based on the type of child. For example, an
artistic child may enjoy a colorful plate filled with patterns and shapes rather than a yelling
parents who is demanding a child to eat. Or an athletic child is more likely to eat healthy if it is
explained to him how it will help his body develop to be stronger and better at sports. The video
will be available on multiple platforms and public to all viewers. However, it is targeting parents.
If they understand how children will react to a particular intervention, they can adjust their
method to accommodate their children's feelings. This approach was selected because it will be
available online. Looking things up is the first thing people do these days in order to gain
knowledge. Not only that, but most parents would rather watch a video than read an article.
As mentioned, the targeted audience for the video is parents because they are the ones
actually feeding their children. Parents will benefit with a better understanding on a plethora of
different tactics that they may not have attempted before. The product will be communicated
through popular websites such as YouTube. Also, the videos will be sent to privately owned
websites like Parents.com for a possible feature of the video. These platforms will allow the
video to spread to the intended audience and be used to gaining intelligence.
It will consist of acts showing a good method of enforcement vs. a bad one. It will show
how certain interventions may help a child based off of their age and character type.

Logistical Considerations:
Actors will be needed to produce the video. The editor will process and put the pieces
together. The internet is a big necessity considering that is where the video will gain popularity
and be visible to the target audience. The costs of production will be no more than $50 because
food from the grocery store and a microphone is the only prop that will have to be purchased. A
professional grade camera will be needed, but one is already in ownership of the producer.
Online, public distribution is free. However, there may be a time barrier with posting on some
websites. If the goal is to expand beyond sights like YouTube and reach website created for
specifically for my target audience (such as Parents.com), there must be time to contact the
website and figure out how to get the video featured. Permission to share the product will be
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required by those who run certain websites were the posting of videos is private and monitored,
but websites like YouTube where anything can be posted will need no permission. Also, the
gathering of data will not require special permission granted by anyone.

References
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http://www.summertomato.com/11-proven-ways-to-get-kids-to-eat-more-vegetables
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