Lucy Gift

Pre Calc
Kiker
Sept. 3, 2014
Regression Project Report
It is hard to believe how far technology has advanced since the creation of cell phones,
computers and the Internet. Within seconds you can have practically any question you could
think of answered, to some extent, watch numerous videos involving dancing cats, and check up
on the latest gossip and news that, unfortunately, most readers tend to believe. However, most
people use their computers and access the internet throughout the day by being in the workforce.
As of 2003, about 55.5% of those employed in the US access the internet or check their email
while at work, and it is almost completely certain that these people were sitting at their desk,
typing or scrolling away, while doing so because no one really feels the need to lift weights while
checking their Twitter feed. For my regression project I chose to compare percent of internet use
in the US to obesity rates because, according to a study completed by the Milken Institute, for
every 10% increase in what our country spends on communications technology theres a 1%
increase in obesity rates (Chatterjee, and DeVol).
Internet use does not directly cause someone to gain weight and to be considered obese
a persons body mass index (BMI) has to be greater than 30 (US Census Bureau). However,
activities or habits while on the computer, for example eating, and not exercising or sitting for a
long period of time can cause weight gain. This correlation between my two variables was best
shown in a quartic function, -2.1639x+1.2297x-.0075x+.2096x+15.0492 and this function
was used because my r value was 0.99 meaning it was the most accurate function to use
because its value was closest to one. Over a period of 16 years, the graph then shows an increase

in obesity rates as there is an increase in internet use throughout the US which proves the
variables correlate very well. The reason the first two x-points are at zero is because the internet
was not heavily used enough during the years 1995 and 1996 to produce a sufficient amount of
data. The time range for the data points begins in 1995 and continues on until 2010 with a final
data point of 71.1% internet use and an obesity rate of 30.1%. However, it has been predicted
that by 2016 32% of Americas population will be obese while 78% use the internet, and by 2020
obesity rate will be up to 39% with internet use at 84%. If this trend continues, America will
have a 51% obesity rate along with an 89% internet use rate by 2030 (United Health
Foundation).
It is apparent that not all people who use the internet frequently are obese, but people
cannot disregard the correlation between these two variables. Unfortunately, these rates will most
likely only increase from this point on. Nutritionists might be interested in this topic because
their clients may need to realize how much they are, in fact, getting further and further from the
weight loss spectrum. Weight loss doctors and specialists may also find this helpful to do studies
on and show actually how much of internet users are getting enough exercise, eating healthy, and
making the best lifestyle choices in order to avoid that 51%.

32

24

Obesity Rate (%) 16

8

0
0

20

40

60

Internet Use (%)

80

Chatterjee, Anusuya, and Ross C. DeVol. "Waistlines of the World: The Effect of Information
and Communications Technology on Obesity." Research Report. Milken Institute, 21 Aug. 2012.
Web. 06 Sept. 2014.<http://www.milkeninstitute.org/publications/view/531>
"Computer and Internet Use." US Census Bureau, May 2013. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-569.pdf>
"Obesity." America's Health Rankings. United Health Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.
<http://americashealthrankings.org/all/obesity>