According to the first study by Share et al. (2015), the authors have extensive experience in the medical area and have participated in numerous studies, including health issues affecting children. According to the article, the researchers are highly trained to do varied medical research on various health concerns. The authors have diverse medical qualifications, and Share, one of the authors, is a member of the exercise science department of the health sciences faculty at the Catholic University of Melbourne and Victoria in Australia. The other authors also work in other universities in the health sciences faculty at the catholic university in Melbourne and Victoria in Australia. The other authors also work in other universities in the health sciences faculty but dealing with various issues and research. The authors are thus very qualified to contribute to the study.
The second study by Rogerson, Soltani and Copeland (2016) reveals that the authors are qualified to carry out the study. David Rogerson who is one of the authors is a nutritionist who is registered with the nutrition association (AfN). He works at Sheffield Hallam University as a senior lecturer. He is also a registered midwife and has a master’s degree in human nutrition. Robert Copeland is a chartered psychologist (BPS). He has accreditation in exercise science and sport among other qualifications and works at Sheffield Hallam University also. Holla Soltani also works at the university and also holds various qualifications and experiences that allow him to carry out the study.
Grounds for Conflict of interest among authors
Some of the grounds that may lead to conflict of interest among the authors are things such as working in others research projects that are in competition with the current research at different levels. The other grounds may be the authors themselves if they have any ulterior motives to fail the study. There are many more issues that may be grounds for conflict of interest among the authors but in both studies the authors declare that no competing interest among them exist thus in both studies there are no grounds that may lead to conflict of interest (Greenhalgh 2017).
Research Aims
Research aims, question or hypothesis
The first study was aimed to focus on young women because over the years that has been few studies on cardiovascular disease, obesity and interventions for cardiometabolic risk factors that target young women. The majority of researches carried out on the above topics were targeting older adults. The estimated study designs carried out on such issues affecting young women is still not certain. This is why the study aimed at assessing the effects of a 12 week multidisciplinary way of life intervention on the risk factors of cardiometabolism in women that have not attained menopause and have abdominal obesity.
The second study has an aim to investigate the experiences during weight loss of participants that were sampled for the study and that had no alignment to any clinical research that focused on intervention so as the research covered could lead to an understanding of how could be lost naturally and the experiences involved.
Study justification by authors
The first study is justified by the authors because the problem of abdominal obesity, cardiovascular disease and other related issues have been discussed in many studies but very few of those studies actually focus on young female adults and how they respond to such problems. The study was thus justified as a way to represent young women on the topic and so as to have more sources for the study that may supplement future studies.
The second study is justified as a way to neutralize the bias that is there in many studies on the aspect of exploring the maintenance of weight loss. This is because in the world today there are many studies that offer qualitative insights on the management of weight but few of them actually talk of the experiences involved in the actual maintenance of loss of weight and hence the authors took upon them to design the study. If the study covers all the experiences qualitatively then many women can have an understanding of what people go through during the actual events that lead to loss of weight and also how future studies on the topic can be supplemented (Hoffman, Bennett, Del Mar, 2013).
Design
Research methodology
In the first study selection was of women between the ages of 18 to 30 years old who had abdominal obesity. The abdominal obesity was determined by taking the circumference of the weight (WC) that was above or equal to 80 cm. The study was randomized in an intervention lifestyle that took 12 weeks. The study method was in a way that (n=26) for physical activity, therapy focused on cognitive behavior and nutrition activity or (n=17) a wait list for the control group. Both of the groups in the research completed biochemical, nutrition and anthropometric follow up tests before beginning the program (0 weeks) and after the program (12 weeks). The research required that the participants for the intervention were to complete follow up tests at 24 weeks so as to document the progress. The data for the research was taken between August 2010 and February of 2012. The testing measures for the research were carried out in three perspectives namely the survey of data, evaluation of health and fitness and anthropometric assessment (Share et al. 2015).
The second study consisted of participants who had weight problems and who had tried to maintain the loss of weight. All the participants were (n=8). Those with weight loss were (n=4) and those that those who had experience with maintenance of weight were (n-4) thus in both categories there were equal members. The Framework Analysis was used as the method of thematically analyzing the data. The data used in the analysis was the data collected through interviews. The method and the data used were underpinned by the realist meta-theory. The underpinning style enables deep exploration and it also requires the participants being described. The descriptions of the participants are in terms of their experiences, perspective of issues and realities in their lives in an explicit and objective manner. Purposive sampling was the method used to include participants. The sample size was determined iteratively and data saturation was used to determine it. Adverts of the required participants were placed around many locations so as to locate the participants. The adverts required that the participants be those people who had experience in diet that was intended for weight loss (Rogerson, Soltani and Copeland, 2016).
Appropriateness of the methods and methodology in meeting the aims of the study
In regards to the first study and its appropriateness with the aims of the study it is clear that the age group of participants which was 18-30 and it exclusively included women hence young women got the representation they lacked according to the objective of the study (Trapp, Chisholm, Freund and Boutcher, 2008). The study was also aimed at addressing issues on obesity in young women and other issues such as risk factors for cardiometabolic problems before menopause (WHO 2000). The methods of the research remained appropriate because of the fact that the abdominal obesity was included in the sample by measuring the circumference of the waist. In order to fulfill the aims of the study the methods were made in a way that the participants of the study had to take part in various test so as to ensure that they ft the requirements of the study that were in line with the aims (Sloan, Burt and Blyth, 1962).
In the second study the methods used in the experiments were made in a way that fit or fulfilled the objectives of the research. The research had the objective of exploring the maintenance of weight loss. This involved studying the experiences of the people who had gone through weight loss. The methodology of the research ensured that the participants chosen had experience in weight loss and that they were not aligned with any research for clinical intervention (Graham et al. 2007). The sample of the research included chooses half of the participants who had experience in maintaining weight. The method of sampling went further to determine those who had experiences on weight loss that could be understood through interviews that were semi-structured. In this manner the methods used in the research were appropriately formulated so as to meet the requirements, aims and objectives of the research.
Participants in the study
The first study required that the participants are young females. This is because the young women were the focus of the study. The women used in the study were between the ages of 18 to 30 years old. The number of women who volunteered for the study was 62 and all were tertiary students that were Caucasian and were at risk of cardiovascular disease (Poirier et al. 2006). The women volunteered after advertisements were put forward. Inclusion criteria for the study included women who had abdominal obesity and those who were inactive physically. The criteria for exclusion in the research included: pregnant or breastfeeding women; women who have a history of bariatric surgery; kidney and liver diagnosis; diabetes mellitus that is insulin dependent; thyroid abnormalities; polycystic ovarian syndrome. The participants in the study were all non-smokers. More participants were chosen for other aspects of the study (Share et al. 2015).
The second study stated that the participants were selected after advertisements were put out for people who had experience in taking weight loss diet. The participants were selected through first having to undertake interviews which were recruited. The interviews were then analyzed after being transcribed. This was done until there was saturation of data. This means that the recruitment was done further until a point where no new themes could be drawn from the analysis. Members involved in the study determined that the study could work with as few as 6 participants. The 6 participants would be sufficient to achieve the level of saturation (Rogerson, Soltani and Copeland, 2016).
Findings
In the first study the results determined that there were no significant differences between the groups. There were increased physical activities in the group meant for intervention. Only in the intervention group were the changes in the waist circumference observed. The other changes were noted in the energy intake, ratio of waist and hip together with many more factors. In the control participants there were other improvements involved. The changes involved changes in waist and hip, blood pressure (systolic) but there were no changes detected in terms of nutrition and physical activity (Share et al. 2015).
The second study determined that weight loss is not an easy task and that it required physical, emotional, social and even environmental elements for it to be successful. All the elements were part of the things that made loss of weight succeed or fail. It is thus essential from the observations that the things that dieters go through to be considered in future so as the professionals n the field could work well in understanding the predicament of the dieters and be able to provide solutions (Rogerson, Soltani and Copeland, 2016).
How the conclusion/findings/ results fulfill the aim or hypothesis
The findings of the first study determined that in the groups that ensure lifestyle changes in terms of nutrition and physical activity there was a significant reduction in rate of cardiovascular disease. This was determined after the members immediately completed the program and also years later. It is important to note the results supported the aims of the research thus means it determined that lifestyle changes that re multidisciplinary can work in terms of reducing abdominal obesity and more issues.
The aim of the research in the second study was to understand what people undergoing weight maintenance went through and hence the experiences that were understood through the experiences of the people who had undergone dieting or weight loss helped to greatly understanding the experiences and so that the solutions obtained could be used to improve such activities.
PART B
How Lear’s personal experiences may be a barrier to application of the conclusions reached.
In order to reach the evidence from both the studies Lear has to make changes in lifestyle in terms of diet, physical activities and emotions. All these will occur if Leah is disciplined and dedicated but this is not possible due to her current decisions and lifestyle. The choice of always partying and eating junk foods together with alcohol is hindering her from reaching the evidence of the research.
How close the research aligns with PICO.
The research aligns with the PICO question in terms of how assessment of the data is done. How the intervention is reached in both studies is also another way f the research being in alignment with the question. It is also aligned in terms of understanding the problem to be researched, how comparison is being done for various researches and also the outcomes of the research (Richardson-Tench, Taylor, Kermode and Roberts, 2016).
References
Graham, I., Atar, D., Borch-Johnsen, K., Boysen, G., Burell, G., Cifkova, R., ... & Herrmann-Lingen, C. (2007). European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: executive summary. European heart journal.
Greenhalgh, T.M., Bidewell, J., Crisp, E., Ambros, A., & Warland, J. (2017). Understanding research methods for evidence-based practice in health care. Milton, Australia: Wiley.
Hoffman, T., Bennett, S., Del Mar, C. (2013). Evidence-based practice across the health professions (2nd Ed.). Sydney, Australia: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.
Poirier, P., Giles, T. D., Bray, G. A., Hong, Y., Stern, J. S., Pi-Sunyer, F. X., & Eckel, R. H. (2006). Obesity and cardiovascular disease: pathophysiology, evaluation, and effect of weight loss. Circulation, 113(6), 898-918.
Richardson-Tench, M., Taylor, B., Kermode, S., & Roberts, K. (2016). Inquiry in health care. South Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.
Rogerson, D., Soltani, H., & Copeland, R. (2016). The weight-loss experience: A qualitative exploration. BMC Public Health, 16, 371, 1-12. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4855339/pdf/12889_2016_Article_3045.pdf
Share, B.L., Naughton, G.A., Obert, P., Peat, J.K., Aumand, E.A., & Kemp, J.G. (2015). Effects of a multi-disciplinary lifestyle intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors in young women with abdominal obesity: A randomised controlled trial. PloS One, 10(6), 1-15.Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4483260/pdf/pone.0130270.pdf
Sloan, A. W., Burt, J. J., & Blyth, C. S. (1962). Estimation of body fat in young women. Journal of Applied Physiology, 17(6), 967-970.
Trapp, E. G., Chisholm, D. J., Freund, J., & Boutcher, S. H. (2008). The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. International journal of obesity, 32(4), 684-691.
World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. No. 894. World Health Organization, 2000.
