kebaldwin
Tue, Oct-25-05, 05:14
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/1500AP_Childhood_Obesity_Poll_Method.html
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 · Last updated 1:13 a.m. PT
Results of poll on childhood obesity
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The AP-KOL poll on attitudes about childhood obesity is based on telephone interviews with 961 randomly selected parents of children from all states except Alaska and Hawaii and some areas recovering from Hurricane Katrina - such as in Louisiana and coastal Mississippi. The interviews were conducted Oct. 5-23 by Ipsos, an international polling firm for AP and KOL, the kids' online service of America Online.
The results were weighted to represent the population by demographic factors such as age, sex, region and education.
No more than one time in 20 should chance variations in the sample cause the results to vary by more than 3 percentage points from the answers that would be obtained if everyone in the United States were questioned.
This margin of sampling error is larger for responses of subgroups. There are other sources of potential error in polls, including the wording and order of questions. Response totals that are less than 1 percent are marked by X. Totals may not add up to 100 percent because of rounding.
The questions and results:
For each of the following, tell me whether it is a major problem, minor problem, or no problem at all in trying to improve your child's eating habits.
1. Please tell me whether this is a major problem, minor problem, or no problem at all in trying to improve your child's eating habits.
1a. The cost of healthy food
-Major problem, 25 percent
-Minor problem, 32 percent
-No problem at all, 43 percent
1b. Television commercials for food aimed at children
-Major problem, 24 percent
-Minor problem, 31 percent
-No problem at all, 45 percent
1c. The food served in the school cafeteria
-Major problem. 24 percent
-Minor problem, 27 percent
-No problem at all, 47 percent
-Not sure, 2 percent
1d. Product packaging aimed at children
-Major problem, 22 percent
-Minor problem, 31 percent
-No problem at all, 46 percent
-Not sure, 1 percent
1e. Family not having enough time for home-cooked meals
-Major problem, 22 percent
-Minor problem, 27 percent
-No problem at all, 51 percent
2. Would you say right now that your child's weight is below what doctors say it should be, about what doctors say it should be, or above what doctors say it should be?
(IF UNDER/ABOVE, ASK:) Would you say that your child's weight is slightly, somewhat, or a lot (under/over) what doctors say it should be?
(IF ABOUT, ASK:) Would you say that your child's weight is slightly under what doctors say it should be, right at what doctors say it should be, or slightly over what doctors say it should be?
-UNDERWEIGHT (Net), 15 percent
-A lot under, 2 percent
-Somewhat under, 2 percent
-Slightly under, 10 percent
-Right at, 64 percent
-OVERWEIGHT (Net), 21 percent
-Slightly over, 12 percent
-Somewhat over, 5 percent
-A lot over, 4 percent
-Not sure, 1 percent
(IF "Slightly over", "Somewhat over", "A lot over" IN Q5 CONTINUE, OTHERWISE SKIP TO Q7)
3. Which ONE of the following factors would you say is the most important factor that has contributed to your child being overweight? (READ LIST. ENTER ONE RESPONSE ONLY. IF UNSURE, ENCOURAGE BEST GUESS.)
-Lack of exercise, 38 percent
-Easy access to junk food, 23 percent
-Genetics, 12 percent
-Eating unhealthy food, 9 percent
-Overeating, 8 percent
-Parental food choices, 7 percent
-Medical condition, 2 percent
-Not sure, 1 percent
4. I'm going to read you a list of things that your child might have discussed with you. For each topic, please tell me if your child has ever discussed the topic with you, or not.
How about... (INSERT ITEM)
(READ AS NECESSARY: Please tell me if your child has ever discussed this topic with you, or not.)
Percent who said 'yes'
Wanting to exercise more, 52 percent
Wanting to lose weight, 30 percent
Dieting, 27 percent
Taking weight loss pills, 4 percent
Having surgery to lose weight, 3 percent
None of the above, 39 percent
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/1500AP_Childhood_Obesity_Poll_Method.html
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 · Last updated 1:13 a.m. PT
Results of poll on childhood obesity
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The AP-KOL poll on attitudes about childhood obesity is based on telephone interviews with 961 randomly selected parents of children from all states except Alaska and Hawaii and some areas recovering from Hurricane Katrina - such as in Louisiana and coastal Mississippi. The interviews were conducted Oct. 5-23 by Ipsos, an international polling firm for AP and KOL, the kids' online service of America Online.
The results were weighted to represent the population by demographic factors such as age, sex, region and education.
No more than one time in 20 should chance variations in the sample cause the results to vary by more than 3 percentage points from the answers that would be obtained if everyone in the United States were questioned.
This margin of sampling error is larger for responses of subgroups. There are other sources of potential error in polls, including the wording and order of questions. Response totals that are less than 1 percent are marked by X. Totals may not add up to 100 percent because of rounding.
The questions and results:
For each of the following, tell me whether it is a major problem, minor problem, or no problem at all in trying to improve your child's eating habits.
1. Please tell me whether this is a major problem, minor problem, or no problem at all in trying to improve your child's eating habits.
1a. The cost of healthy food
-Major problem, 25 percent
-Minor problem, 32 percent
-No problem at all, 43 percent
1b. Television commercials for food aimed at children
-Major problem, 24 percent
-Minor problem, 31 percent
-No problem at all, 45 percent
1c. The food served in the school cafeteria
-Major problem. 24 percent
-Minor problem, 27 percent
-No problem at all, 47 percent
-Not sure, 2 percent
1d. Product packaging aimed at children
-Major problem, 22 percent
-Minor problem, 31 percent
-No problem at all, 46 percent
-Not sure, 1 percent
1e. Family not having enough time for home-cooked meals
-Major problem, 22 percent
-Minor problem, 27 percent
-No problem at all, 51 percent
2. Would you say right now that your child's weight is below what doctors say it should be, about what doctors say it should be, or above what doctors say it should be?
(IF UNDER/ABOVE, ASK:) Would you say that your child's weight is slightly, somewhat, or a lot (under/over) what doctors say it should be?
(IF ABOUT, ASK:) Would you say that your child's weight is slightly under what doctors say it should be, right at what doctors say it should be, or slightly over what doctors say it should be?
-UNDERWEIGHT (Net), 15 percent
-A lot under, 2 percent
-Somewhat under, 2 percent
-Slightly under, 10 percent
-Right at, 64 percent
-OVERWEIGHT (Net), 21 percent
-Slightly over, 12 percent
-Somewhat over, 5 percent
-A lot over, 4 percent
-Not sure, 1 percent
(IF "Slightly over", "Somewhat over", "A lot over" IN Q5 CONTINUE, OTHERWISE SKIP TO Q7)
3. Which ONE of the following factors would you say is the most important factor that has contributed to your child being overweight? (READ LIST. ENTER ONE RESPONSE ONLY. IF UNSURE, ENCOURAGE BEST GUESS.)
-Lack of exercise, 38 percent
-Easy access to junk food, 23 percent
-Genetics, 12 percent
-Eating unhealthy food, 9 percent
-Overeating, 8 percent
-Parental food choices, 7 percent
-Medical condition, 2 percent
-Not sure, 1 percent
4. I'm going to read you a list of things that your child might have discussed with you. For each topic, please tell me if your child has ever discussed the topic with you, or not.
How about... (INSERT ITEM)
(READ AS NECESSARY: Please tell me if your child has ever discussed this topic with you, or not.)
Percent who said 'yes'
Wanting to exercise more, 52 percent
Wanting to lose weight, 30 percent
Dieting, 27 percent
Taking weight loss pills, 4 percent
Having surgery to lose weight, 3 percent
None of the above, 39 percent