Comparing obesity among different races
The materials required for this science fair project:
- 50 African-American boys aged between 15 and 18 years old
- 50 African-American girls aged between 15 and 18 years old
- 50 Caucasian boys aged between 15 and 18 years old
- 50 Caucasian girls aged between 15 and 18 years old
(for more reliable results, ensure that the participants live in the same city and attend the same school)
- A measuring tape
- A flat wall
- A weighing machine
- 1 roll of masking tape
1. For this science fair project, the independent variable is the racial type of the participating students – African-American or Caucasian. The dependent variable is the BMI of the participant. This is determined by measuring each participant’s height and the weight to calculate his/her BMI. The constants (control variables) are the age of the participant and the number of participants for each group.
2. The measuring tape is fixed on the wall with masking tape. The weighing machine is also placed close by so that the weight of the participant can be recorded immediately after checking the height.
3. The participants are separated into 4 groups as follows :
a. 50 African-American boys
b. 50 African-American girls
c. 50 Caucasian boys
d. 50 Caucasian girls
4. The height of each participant is measured in meters and their weight is measured in kilograms. Using the formulae provided above, the participants’ BMI is calculated. The BMI value will indicate whether the participant is obese.
5. The number of obese participants in each group is counted and recorded in the table given below. The percentage of the obese persons in each group is calculated and recorded in the table below.
Basis safety requirements