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Toxic Youth: The 35 LBS Project












Haley Harbaugh














10/12/2014
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Overview

Health and weight conscious youth are able to correlate the additional amount of food consumed, in
pounds, annually with a tangible object of similar weight after seeing the infographic I created.
Additionally, I depicted how the corresponding dangers of childhood obesity affect the body into
adulthood, specifically Type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, if the issue is not addressed. While I
researched Type 2 diabetes, I became acutely aware that this is affecting the youth of America more
today than ever before in US history. I created this infographic to highlight the dangers of childhood
obesity and inspire parents and youth to eat healthier to avoid preventable diseases such as Type 2
diabetes and kidney disease.
Upon review of this infographic, the audience is now able to:
1. Begin mindful eating
2. Choose a healthier snack
3. Examine the amount of extra calories consumed
4. Determine a better lifestyle for themselves
5. Recognize the dangers of continuing obesity
As mentioned above, the audience is primarily health and weight conscious youth, but is also extended
to parents who are concerned about the health of their child as well. In addition to families, health care
workers and social services personnel are appropriate recipients of this information. Age, gender, and
education level variances do not hinder the audiences understanding of the information presented.
While prior knowledge of the viewers caloric intake is preferable, it is not required to initially view this
document. As the audience used this document as an informational tool, most viewers had a general
desire to improve ones health. Therefore, this created an audience subset that does not necessarily fit
into any one of the previously discussed groups.
I employed the SMART Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based process for my
design goals.
Increase the awareness of childhood obesity
Correlate 35 pounds of additional food consumed in one year to a household object
Show how to limit snacks to 350 calories or less
Learn to choose farm-based healthy snacks over factory-created junk food
Decrease the rate of obesity by 30% for children
Encourage healthy eating habits by the age of 18
I utilized Microsoft Word for the infographic layout, Microsoft stock graphics that I ungrouped, flat icons
from Flaticons.com, and photographs that I have taken. After I completed the initial layout, I saved the
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document as a PDF, then exported each individual page into Photoshop. Once in Photoshop, this only
served as a platform to transfer the images into JPG files. After the JPG files were created, I used
InkScape software to merge all the images together and create one fluid PNG file. Lastly, I uploaded the
file onto Google Drive and created a shareable link to the image for viewing.
Project
Google Docs InfographicHarbaughFinal.PNG
Design Decisions
I utilized design decisions based on statistics, stories, and memorable concepts. Through these three
decisions, the viewer can ascertain several important features of the infographic and connect this to
their own life. The statistical decision embeds itself into the story of childhood obesity. My decision to
incorporate both of these, lends itself to the third concept of memory and the subsequent influence on
the viewer.
1) Statistics and S.T.A.R. Moments
Use of dramatic statistics is prolific in everyday news agencies. I employed this fundamental design
in the first portion of the infographic to emphasize the reality of childhood obesity in the United
States. These numbers not only represent data collected by the CDC, but also represent an entire
generation. In Duarte (2010, p. 148), she introduced Something Theyll Always Remember or
S.T.A.R. Moments, in which I used her Shocking Statistics moment strategy. She states, If
statistics are shocking, dont gloss over them; draw attention to them (p. 148), which is why I
showcased the most shocking of the statistics in a green box, mirroring the appearance of a scale
screen. I placed the supporting statistics on either side of the first page of the infographic to
encourage the viewers eyes to move around the page and look at all images. With these shocking
statistics, Heath and Heath (2008) reminded that When people think analytically, theyre less likely
to think emotionally (p. 167). With this quote in mind, I tied the data back to relatable and tangible
daily items, seen on the second portion of the image with a farm setting, and on the last with
children participating in activities. Strategized use of data throughout the entire infographic lead to
a S.T.A.R. Moment that the viewer understood.
2) Stories
Heath and Heath (2008, p. 227) presented three story ideas, and I chose The Connection Plot for
my infographic premise. Its a story about people who develop a relationship that bridges a gap
racial, class, ethnic, religious, demographic, or otherwise (p. 228), and through this quote I was able
to understand the purpose of my infographic and the relationship with at-risk youth and their food
consumption. I connected the audience to a social issue and made it capable of being understood
from a supportive and beneficial view. Another use of stories comes from Duarte (2010), where she
examined the pattern of stories and how people universally related to them. Through her quote,
The most simplistic way to describe the structure of a story is situation, complication, and
resolution (p. 29), I was able to examine my own story structure for the infographic. Section one of
the infographic is the situation children are eating 35 pounds more annually and the
complication risk of diabetes and kidney disease related to obesity. Section two and three of the
infographic lead into the resolution of the story healthy lifestyles are supported by eating
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wholesome foods and exercising. I applied story to my design to maintain a cohesive principle
throughout the infographic.
3) Perceptions
Medina (2008) expressed that vision and perceptions are vital in learning, he stated We learn and
remember best through pictures, not through written or spoken words (p. 234). I used simple
images that conveyed a profound message on childhood obesity. Infographics are inherently visual
objects, but I incorporated images as primary focal points, instead of the words. Throughout this
infographic I chose flat icons for general instruction at the beginning, then progressively integrated
more personal and humanistic images towards the end. Doing this allowed the viewer to picture
themselves in the position of the child in the image, making better choices for a healthy life. Not
only do images play an important role in the perceptions of the viewer, but also the color that
resembled a cautionary reactive effect based on daily interactions with stoplights, emergency
vehicles, and road construction signs. In Reynolds (2014), he stated Often we are not conscious of
the perception, but its impact can be profound (p. 62), which influenced the decision to
incorporate oranges as cautionary items. This is a simplistic design decision, but younger viewers
perception of the infographic was directly impacted by the choice of color, and since they are the
target audience, color choice was particularly important.
4) Visual Thinking
Roam (2008) explained the idea of visual thinking as, Look, See, Imagine, Show (p. 37). He
examined the four ideas, Looking = Collecting and screening (p. 39), Seeing = Selecting and
clumping (p. 40), Imagining = Seeing what isnt there (p. 41), and Showing = Making it all clear
(p. 42), and through this explanation I engaged the viewer in visual thinking. In the looking phase,
the viewer collected information related to annual overeating. Secondly, the viewer selected the
information they may already know and differentiated that from what they do not know, then
clumped the data into a sequence of visual material for later retrieval. Third, the audience imagined
themselves in that situation or envisioned the analogies in the first section of the infographic and
imagined what that tangible 35 pound object would look like on a child. Lastly, I showed the
audience the best way to view the data into concrete objects, for instance that a microwave weighs
35 pounds, and then how to choose a healthier option, as seen on the second and third pages where
I explained food choices and the daily exercise recommendation.
In addition to Roams visual thinking ideas, Heath and Heath (2008, p. 246) also credit The
Communication Framework as a way to connect to the audience. I correlated these two authors in
this visual thinking section because Roam took a pen to paper approach, whereas Heath and Heath
take a more communicative approach. Heath and Heath (2008, p. 246) listed five ways to create
communication frameworks, as I reviewed this information I added my exercise of this after each
one:
1. Pay Attention Visually stimulated the audience with the green scale and number
2. Understand and remember it I broke the intangible data down into relatable
constructs, which facilitated memory retention
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3. Agree/Believe Engaged the audience in a manner that connected them to the data
and made them believe change is necessary
4. Care The use of children and dramatic statistics prompted the audience to get
involved and care about this issue
5. Be able to act on it I provided concrete ways to promote a healthy lifestyle limited
snack calories, choice of better foods, and exercise recommendations
5) Repetition
I used repetition throughout my decision process, from the circles on each section, to color
repetition, and finally repetition of the recommendations at the bottom of the infographic. Heath
and Heath (2008) also mentioned to Make sure the message is simple and concrete enough to be
useful turn it into a proverb (p. 249). I used this quote when I created the title of the infographic,
Toxic Youth: The 35 LBS Project, which sums up the entire infographic into one neatly defined
topic name. Repetition also aided the five analogies for 35 pounds on the first page. Heath and
Heath (2008) also explained that, Analogies make it possible to understand a compact message
because they invoke concepts that you already know (p. 57). From this statement, I correlated
everyday objects into what an additional 35 pounds would look like on a child, thus I created the
analogy of an objects weight as related to a childs weight. I provided five different 35-pound
objects as perspective for various audience members who may not have experience with one of the
objects versus another. Lastly, in regards to repetition, Medina (2008) stated, Most memories
disappear within minutes, but those that survive the fragile period strengthen with time (p. 147),
and with this quote I encouraged my audience to strengthen the long-term memory retention of
this material through engaged decisions every day and continued daily reflection on food choices.
Formative Evaluation
Question 1
How do the color choices impact your initial reaction? I want to know if the colors chosen evoke a sense
of urgency.
Reviewer A: I think the color combinations work well, I would maybe consider making the 7 and 8 one full
color, because at the top of numbers kind of blends in with the background.
Reviewer B: I definitely think the oranges and reds evoke that urgency. I am guessing you changed the
hue of the orange so that the background was not as loud. I wonder if a slightly less washed out orange
would evoke even more urgency. I am not sure if that would be possible with all of the other orange on
your infographic, but it is a thought.
Reviewer C: I would suggest tweaking the colors a bit. To me, the orange represents health rather than
unhealthy so it fits with the bottom section but not necessarily the urgency of the top. Perhaps use a
more aggressive color such as red at the top with a gradient down to orange? You may also choose
contrasting colors for the numbers (7 and 8) to really make them pop. The 35 in the green box is the
message of the infographic so I would make it standout even more.
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Reviewer D: The colors are very pleasant and consistent throughout your infographic. Try out some
different shades of your colors and see if you can get more contrast. The colors have the same muted
feel. The infographic could really pop with a brighter color on a darker color.
Considerations: I took reviewer As feedback regarding the coloring of the numbers and decided to make
them a bit more bold and stand out as important facts on the page. I also considered reviewer Bs idea of
washing the background out more, but after I played with the colors, I thought the hue that I selected
originally maintained more consistency throughout the document than the more washed out hue. Again,
with response to reviewer Cs comment regarding the orange background, that did not change, but I did
make the 35 lbs. image larger to be a focal point. The comment from reviewer D regarding darker colors
was taken into account when I updated the 7 and 8 on the first page. I think the darker color helps
contrast with the lighter background more so it stands out more.
Question 2
What are some additional design elements or images that could enhance this infographic? Any elements
that could be removed? I want to understand if my image choices are sufficient, if there arent enough
images, or if there are too many.
Review A: I think you make great choices on your images, I did get lost in the middle with the barn,
perhaps you were trying to show a farm.
Reviewer B: I wondered if the repetition of snacks up to 350 calories and factory vs. farmed was
necessary. If that is the most important part of your infographic, maybe you want to repeat the idea
twice. However, it seems like we are so tight on space with an infographic that maybe a different piece
of information may be more appropriate. Looking at your design document, I see that was one of your
design decisions. I think if it was intentional, then keep it. Just be sure that it is the most important
elements that you are repeating.
Reviewer C: The images are good. A couple of clarifications:
1) The three circles at the top aren't clear as to what they are explaining (a bag of dog food,
microwave, and a canoe?)
2) The farm in the circle in the middle section. In the row above it you have a comparison
between factory vs farm. I expected the next row to show junk food versus the health food.
Reviewer D: In your first section, I think you can make each of the representations of 35 lbs. much bigger
to make the message clearer. The size of the image will also support the idea that 35 pounds is really
big. Also, the statistics about death don't really fit with the representations. You may want to move
these statistics to the very top of your presentation.
In the second section, the picture of the farm looks like it is producing pollution and might be a worse
choice. Try editing out the smog. I would also make the heading for this section bigger.
At the bottom of your infographic, I think you can get rid of the review about snacks and farmed vs.
factory. I think you can make the other information in this section bigger to emphasize the point of
moving.
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Considerations: In response to reviewer Cs concern about the audience not understanding the images at
the top, I added some clarification for each image. Also, the concern from both reviewers C and D, about
the farm image on the second section was modified to include some more explanation surrounding
healthy food choices. I wanted to keep the element as a formidable piece that depicts food should come
from farms. Therefore, I added text to accompany the picture for additional snack examples. As for
reviewer Bs commentary on the repetition of the 350 calorie snacks, this is repeated again in the last
slide for emphasis, so those items were kept the same, unchanged.
Question 3
What are three of the strongest takeaways from this infographic? What is lacking? I am making sure that
my design goals are being enforced with the information I have, or if I need to add clarification to any
areas.
Reviewer A:
1. Children are eating 35 pounds more food.
2. Diabetes is number 7 killer in US
3. Kidney disease is number 8, wow!
Reviewer B: The strongest takeaways were that I had clear, actionable steps to help kids be more
healthy. I was shown a clear problem and then given several solutions for solving that problem. As far
as what is lacking, I can think of a few things, but I dont want to crowd your infographic too much. So
use with discretion. You list a few pictures of possible healthy snacks and possible exercises. I wonder if
a list with a few more options might be helpful. Perhaps someone who is already health oriented would
know exactly what foods to eat and what exercises to do. Someone who is not so health oriented may be
lacking that knowledge.
Reviewer C: The take-aways are clear - kids are overweight, they should eat right and exercise more.
Reviewer D: The biggest takeaways are that kids need to pay attention to what they eat and be active.
The idea of 35 pounds seems disconnected from the rest of the infographic. Is there a way you can
create a connection or make a statement that emphasizes how the 35 pounds impacts your other points.
Considerations: From the reviewers responses, I can see that the learning objectives initially devised are
understood and retained by the audience. I did consider reviewer Bs suggestion to add more images of
food or exercises for people who many not be familiar with what to eat or what exercises to do, so I did
add more pictures of exercise. Due to size constraints, I did not add additional images for foods, rather
added some snack suggestions above the farm on the second section and added a description of the food
next to the images. For reviewer Ds comment that 35 lbs. felt disconnected from the rest of the
document, I kept the 35 because it is a focal point issue at the beginning, showcasing how much children
are eating, which lead to the intervention and resolution in the subsequent sections.
Question 4
How can I make this infographic speak to a younger audience? I am unsure if the targeted audience will
be interested in this infographic.
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Reviewer A: I think if you wanted to reach a younger audience, introduction of cartoon characters would
be appealing.
Reviewer B: I think that is a great question. I wonder if using a different example besides copy paper
might help speak to a younger audience. I dont know that young people relate to copy paper. What if
you found 35 lbs. of something that would spark kids interest? 35 lbs. is so many video games or so
many baseballs. You might also consider listing healthy foods that are popular among kids. Are there
healthy snacks out there that are being produced that kids are excited about? Are there exercises that
kids are excited about?
Reviewer C: I think what you have speaks more to adults (it spoke to me - after I read the stats about
diabetes it made me not want to eat junk food). Do kids know about diabetes or kidney failure (or
enough to be scared of it)? You may look at things that motivate a kid - "are you too out of shape to play
soccer with your friends", "do other kids make fun of your weight"? They would probably care more
about that than diabetes.
Reviewer D: I think you have a good start on making this accessible to younger audiences. I think if you
are trying to influence teenagers, then you should use more photos of teenagers. Teens like to feel like
other people like them are making healthy positive choices. I would also consider using brighter colors
that pop of the page and demand attention.
Considerations: I appreciated reviewer As comment to add cartoon characters, but due to many
licensing issues, I was not able to find any images for cartoon characters that had creative commons
rights. I took reviewer Bs suggestion about using more age appropriate images for the first section. I
added books instead of copy paper, and made notes for all of the images as to what they are so that if
you did not immediately know what the item was, it was clearly marked. For the foods and exercises that
kids can get health y about comment, I added a few more images to the exercise portion, including a
skating one, which I know should appeal to youth more. For the foods, I wanted to leave simple, natural
options for children available, and not muddle the infographic with advertisements. In regards to
reviewer Cs comment to put in more verbiage that children can relate to, I wanted to also address the
audience of healthcare workers, thus kept these two shocking statistics as discussion points for the
audience. Also, with reviewer Ds comment about the teenager audience concerns, I am more focused on
youth that are pre-teens, and I chose muted colors so that the facts and images could stand out on a
professional background.
Question 5
How does the length of the infographic measure with the content too long, too short? I have seen
longer infographics, but I want my information to measure out with the rest of the document no
unnecessary gaps, images too close, or anything that doesnt seem spaced properly.
Reviewer A: I think the infographic measures just write, I found the information useful but not
overwhelming. Provides the essence of the message of little things we can do to be healthier.
Reviewer B: The only spacing question I had was under consider. It seemed to me that the vs. could be
more centered. I think the reason it looks that was is because of the difference in length of the words to
each side of it. I dont know if that can be adjusted or if that is the way it looks best. I know there are a
lot of considerations when finding the best placement for each element.
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Reviewer C: Everything was well spaced. I think you could actually increase the size of some of the
graphics to highlight the focus (like the 35 lbs.).
Reviewer D: The infographic feels very long for the amount of information on the infographic. However, I
think this is only an issue because of the scaling of your content. I would either make the document
shorter or make the content on the page much bigger. If you do a combination of both I would look to
make sure it fits on legal or letter sized paper.
Considerations: For reviewer Bs comment regarding the vs. not being completely centered looking, I
tweaked that item so it appears more centered between the words and also under the title. To address
reviewer Cs comment of increasing the size of the 35 lbs., I did do that and centered that in the middle of
the first section more so that it is a focal point. Reviewer D made a statement of increasing the image
sizes, which I chose not to do because of spacing between the images, and not wanting images and
words to become too close together and making the viewer have a hard time distinguishing which words
go with which images. I did size this document to be a legal letter format, so there should not be any
issues if anyone wished to print this infographic. I did not anticipate printing this document, but rather
sharing it on the web for viewing.
Lessons Learned
I learned to research on the internet for additional resources related to infographic design. I found
several articles that I referenced, which included some text, and other were simply images of
infographics. I downloaded several new software programs, some of which worked, some were too
advanced for this project. The final software I chose to create the project was beneficial, and will be
utilized for this sort of project again. The main lesson I learned late into this project was to research the
internet for terms related to the infographic creation process. There is a wealth of knowledge on this
topic, so narrowing down the search will help you direct your focus and obtain the correct information
initially. Lastly, I would recommend utilizing peer feedback, if available, whenever possible. If the class
does not offer required peer feedback, contact someone else in the program who is willing to review
your project and provide constructive feedback and support.










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References
Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2008). Made to stick: Why some ideas die and others survive. New York, NY:
Random House.
Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, and school. Seattle,
WA: Pear Press.
Reynolds, G. (2014). Presentation zen design: A simple visual approach to presenting in today's
world (2nd ed.) [Kindle].
Roam, D. (2008). The back of the napkin: Solving problems and selling ideas with pictures. New York, Y:
Portfolio/Penguin Group.

Appendix A
Heron, M. (2013). Deaths: Leading Causes for 2010. National Vital Statistics Report, 62(6).
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_06.pdf
Shute, N. (2009, May 11). Today's kids are fat. Why? They eat more. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from
US News website: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-parenting/2009/05/11/
todays-kids-are-fat-why-they-eat-more
Tanrim, B. (n.d.). Flat icons [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.flaticon.com
de Jonge, S. (n.d.). Flat icons [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.flaticon.com