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Joshua Williams
UWRT 1102
April 21, 2015

Extended Inquiry Assignment Reflection

Section 1:
My groups Extended Inquiry Project was based on the topic of food choice availability
and how the relationship to health status. In our research, our intent was to derive a direct
correlation between the food choices offered on campus and the health status of college students.
Through the data gathered in the Extended Inquiry Project, our group came to the following
conclusions: the majority of students on UNC Charlottes campus think they are unhealthier now
that prior to attending college, the majority of food options on campus are unhealthy fast foods,
and finally lack of exercise and types of foods consumed by the students at UNC Charlotte relate
closely to their health status. We came to these conclusions through 25 surveys, observations,
secondary research, and 25 interviews.
My analysis of the data begins with the data collected in the survey results. Although
these questions were formatted in a multiple choice format, the results received were quite
interesting, to say the least. In our survey, we posed questions asking for height, weight, and
weekly exercise rates. Through our feedback, I found that the average college student in fact was
on the larger frame and more obese side of the scales. Our data gathered from height and weight
stated that specifically 56% of individuals were overweight, with only 32% being ideal body
weight, and 12% being under the average body weight for their height and age. We based these

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findings off of the 2015 Ideal Height and Weight Chart. Our group furthermore found that only
21% of students exercised 5 or more days per week, only 7% of which exercised on a daily basis
7 days per week. Although exercise rates were not the topic we focused for our study, the data
revealed an interesting point in the lack of physical activity among the students questioned.
Secondly, I analyzed the data collected in our interviews. In our interview questionnaires,
we asked more opinion based questions on what the consumer thought of the universitys food
variety, their opinion of their health status, and furthermore, how the consumer thought their
eating habits had changed since attending UNC Charlotte. Through the answers to these
questions, our group began to notice trends. We noticed that many of the answers to the question,
In your opinion, do you think you are healthier now than prior to attending UNC Charlotte?,
resulted in an answer along the lines of, No, I believe I am not healthier now than prior to
attending UNC Charlotte. As you may see, even the student believed that they were now living
a less healthier lifestyle now than before college. The limitations of this study are: there is no
comparison of height and weight from before the students entered college; however, the
interview questions asking whether the student believes they are healthier now than before
college is of great importance. Approximately 78% of individuals surveyed and interviewed
advised that they are not healthier now than prior to college, while only 28% stated they were
healthier. This information supports their current height and weight data taken from the survey
showing that a majority of them are overweight.
The next form of research conducted was the analysis of the on-campus eateries menus.
While scrolling through multiple restaurant and dining halls menus, we found that there was a

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plethora of unhealthy, fried foods offered, while there were minimal choices in vegetables and
home cooked meals offered to the consumer. We found that most of the options presented to
students were primarily these unhealthy calorie loaded, fried foods. Each menu also had a calorie
intake measurement for each item. After viewing the calorie intakes of these menus, we found
that they were much higher than the recommended healthy meal. This factor plays a vital role in
leading to obesity. As Marion Nestle discussed in her video What to Eat, the portion size has
increased leading to higher calorie intake. The end result leads to a larger, more obese individual.
Finally one of the last conclusions, we made from the menus was that if there were vegetables
offered, they were primarily in the form of salads. Although persons typically believe that salads
are a healthier meals, with the addition of high calorie dressings, create an unhealthy choice.
Finally, the last research method performed was a first-hand observation of one of the
dining halls. I personally chose Crown Commons as the dining hall to observe. Through my
dining experience in this dining hall, I was amazed at the multitudes of unhealthy food offered.
Many of the foods I viewed throughout the buffet lines were saturated in grease. When I did find
a home cooked section, it was at the back left corner of the room. Not only did I find that a large
amount of entrees offered were unhealthy, I also found that the amount of desserts offered was
astounding. This was yet another piece of evidence leading to the conclusion that the types of
food offered on campus relate to obesity.
Through each piece of data collected, our group found the average individual in college
to be consistently of a larger frame size. This is an indicator that college student obesity may
very well be linked to the types and amounts of foods offered. Not only did we address the types

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of foods offered, we also took into account whether exercise played a role in the students health
status. We found that the lack of exercise also contributed to being overweight. Through our
findings, we would like to begin educating students in college who are not aware of this data.
Our primary goal will be to lower the rate of obesity by sharing our data with other students of
our age group. Types of genres we could use to inform our primary audience would include
charts, graphs, and first-hand, primary accounts on individuals stating how these types of food
have changed their health status. Presentation methods such as videos showing college students
stating how they have experienced weight gain, and how it has affected their lives negatively
would be an excellent choice in audio-visual material. Secondly, our group could present the
UNC Charlotte student population with the graph we have designed which undoubtedly displays
data indicating that the majority of students on campus are overweight. Each of these genres
would reach out to the student in different ways, hopefully allowing them to realize the impact
that food choices make in a persons life.
Although our group received very useful data from our methods of research, a few
revisions could be made. I personally believe the interviews we conducted could have been more
specific, and conducted toward some individuals of higher positions. They also could have been
more specific by having the interviewee to state whether they were male or female Instead of
interviewing all students, we could have interviewed staff members, eatery managers, eatery
workers also. I also believe the group could have completed more dining hall and eatery
observations, as we only had one completed in the final draft of the project. I do believe the
surveys conducted were of great relevance to our data analysis, in the fact that they showed great

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relation between health status and dining habits. These surveys gave no biased data, and in my
opinion could not have been much better than they were other than. Overall, I believe our
research methods were concise, productive, and greatly effective.

Section 2:
I believe our group performed well on this project. Through the Extended Inquiry Project,
I learned that sometimes the interviewee does not always take the interview seriously. In a few of
our interviews, we received results which were not applicable at all to our project. I have
furthermore learned that group members do not always complete their portion of the task. I found
myself completing the entire portion of the PowerPoint alone. I also found myself completing a
majority of the Research Plan Outline, while also having to delegate the work to my group
members. I found that if I did not delegate work, my group members simply sat there playing on
their cell phones. This became more and more persistent as the project progressed. I am not
normally an individual who complains or has problems with group work; however, I honestly
found myself left alone on this project, especially when a written task needed to be completed.
Although my group experience was not greatest, I did have a beneficial experience while
conducting the Extended Inquiry Project. I found that much of the data findings concerning
health related very closely to my major of nursing. Relating the Extended Inquiry Project to my
major of Nursing, gave a more personal connection and made the project a very interesting and
educational experience to me as an individual.