Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition

"What is so unique about the YES Competition is that everyone shares a genuine interest in improving public health. The focus among the finalists and judges is less on the competition and more on building a basis for a healthier world."

Megan first read about MS when she was in the sixth grade, and began mapping its distribution in the eighth grade. After hearing about the commonalities between MS and ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease), she decided to map both diseases to examine their distributions. Megan's research shows a common geographic pattern of MS and ALS in the United States. Active in the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a regular speaker at MS fundraising events, she believes her research may shed light on a common environmental factor or trigger for the two diseases.

Megan says that the YES Competition showed her the need for young people to pursue careers in medicine, and that solving the health problems of tomorrow will demand the efforts of today's brightest minds. Megan is fluent in Chinese, and her hobbies include playing the flute and piano, writing fiction, playing tennis, and running. She has participated in numerous science fairs and placed seventh in the Intel Science Talent Search this year. She hopes to continue researching MS and Lou Gehrig's disease until the causes and cures are found. Megan plans to earn an M.D. and Ph.D. to become both a researcher and a doctor.

A Space/Time Epidemiological Comparison of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common primary neurological disease among young adults. Signs of MS include neural inflammation and demyelination within the central nervous system (CNS). Amotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is also a demyelinating disease. This study applies a new paradigm in spatial statistics, called comparative space/time epidemiology, in order to compare the geographic distributions of MS and ALS. As recent studies have found that MS incidence has increased by nearly 50 percent since 1982, investigating this disease is of great importance to public health. In addition, growing evidence suggests that MS is influenced by an environmental agent. Thus, spatial statistics and epidemiology can provide insight into MS that more conventional methods cannot. This study uses three areas of statistics to investigate co-occurrence of MS and ALS: descriptive spatial statistics, nonspatial correlation/multiple regression, and comparative cluster analysis. The results show both a visual overlap between MS and ALS and highly significant co-occurrence (p<0.001). In addition, ALS correlates with latitude (p<0.001); previous studies in smaller geographic areas have found the opposite to be true. This study spans the entire United States, an area large enough for latitudinal investigation. Finally, cluster analysis reveals that both high and low clusters of MS and ALS coincide. High clusters are found primarily along the Eastern seaboard, around the lower Great Lakes, and along the northern Pacific coast. Two controls were used: viral hepatitis and external cause of death. Neither produced significant correlations with MS, and the clusters did not coincide. Therefore, MS and ALS co-occur across the United States; these results suggest MS and ALS are influenced by a common environmental agent.

"I think many answers to questions in health can be found by doing a social examination into why people make the unhealthy choices they do, as well as why certain advertising is so effective, and how to counter the factors that make a population unhealthy."

Developing a highly innovative social networking analysis method, Will found that high school students' levels of alcohol use tend to be similar within the same group of friends and tend to take place in larger groups. Marijuana and tobacco use, however, tend to be more individualistic and appear to occur in smaller groups. Will believes his findings can be used to better understand teen substance abuse behaviors and shape future interventions around the issues of drugs and peer pressure.

Professionally, Will wants to look at how technology affects social relationships and health, and how scientific research and its ramifications can interact with the public. "I feel there is not a strong interface between science and the public, such that often clear science can be confused by those who oppose its conclusions." Will's hobbies include playing and composing on the piano, and keeping up to date with political news events. He is a member of the National Honor Society, is active in his church youth program, and is a mock trial captain and student body treasurer at his school. He has placed at the Georgia Governor's Honors Program in Chemistry. Will plans to attend Williams College and study sociology or political science.

Teen Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use: A Social Network Examination

Abstract

Substance use and abuse is a recurring problem in secondary schools. Alcohol use can lead to alcoholism and addiction, and driving under the influence of alcohol can be deadly. Marijuana (or cannabis) fundamentally alters the user's mental state and can act as a "gateway drug" to other more dangerous substances. Tobacco has a very high risk of dependency and contributes to multiple health problems, including cancer. Hard drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamines, have many harmful effects physically and psychologically and easily lead to addiction. The most common form of introduction of these to minors is through their peers. This study aimed to find if an analysis of usage through a secondary school social network was possible, and if so, how usage spread and manifested itself in such a network. Using a survey system for students from grades 9-12, usage and social connections were analyzed. The data showed that the usage was socially related and the usage of each substance was itself manifested differently within the context of the social network. The study showed that alcohol use is often homogenous within a peer group, that marijuana use exists often in small groups, that tobacco use exists most often in pairs of friends, and that hard drug use, while rare, is evident in all parts of the social network. This study suggests how drug, alcohol, and tobacco education can be targeted to the specific way that particular kind of usage spreads and manifests. With additional studies, more detailed conclusions can be found about usage, especially if those studies are within different schools. Each school can develop its own program to discourage substance abuse through programs for high school students and also in drug and alcohol education for younger children who have yet to reach middle school.

"I really enjoyed hearing about the work my peers have been doing and found some of the topics incredibly interesting. I am now seriously considering epidemiology as a career path."

Jessica first became interested in her topic when she found an article on social norms campaigns and how they have been used in college contexts. She was curious if the message would be effective in a high school setting. Jessica investigated the effectiveness of traditional, "fear-based" anti-alcohol messages, compared with messages based on actual student usage, finding the latter had a greater effect on decreasing teenage alcohol consumption. She also studied students' self-reported drinking behaviors and their perceptions of drinking behaviors of peers. Summarizing her findings, Jessica said, "My work indicates that social norms messages may be effective in deterring teen alcohol consumption but that some commonly used types of anti-alcohol messages might actually promote teens' use of alcohol."

Jessica belongs to local school and community based programs including Youth Against Cancer and the Principal's Advisory Council. She also contributes to the school's newspaper. Her hobbies include reading and exercising. Jessica will attend Cornell University in the fall and plans to major in policy analysis and management.

The Impact of Anti-Alcohol Presentations on Teens' Perceptions and Consumption of Alcohol

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between students' alcohol use and their perceptions of their friends' and larger peer group's use. In addition, it investigated whether a social norms-based anti-alcohol message would be more effective in changing students' alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors, than a traditional approach that focuses simply on the dangers of alcohol or a message that urged students to resist peer pressure to drink. High school students in health classes were surveyed about their perceptions of alcohol consumption and personal drinking habits. They then viewed one of the three anti-alcohol PowerPoint presentations and took posttest surveys, immediately and 24 days after viewing the presentation. Participants' self-reported drinking behaviors were found to be more closely related to those of their close friends than to their peers. The first posttest showed that students who viewed the social norms presentation reported decreased perceptions of the number of peers who drink, while students in the other two groups experienced an increase of perceptions of these numbers. At the second posttest, the effect on perceptions of peers' drinking was similar, although smaller. In addition, students who viewed the social norms or control presentations perceptions of peers' drinking frequency decreased, while students in the resist pressure group's perceptions of peers' drinking frequency increased. The presentations did not significantly decrease participants' self-reported drinking behavior. Implications are discussed.

A Comparison of Practice and Competition Related Injuries Among High School Athletes Participating in Nine Sports During the 2005-06 School Year

"My lifelong enjoyment of athletics inspired me to pursue a research project that could lead to a better understanding of athletic injuries with aims to decrease injury rates among my peer student-athletes."

A three-sport student athlete, who is ranked number four nationally as a junior elite triathlete, Julie studied the body site, severity, and diagnosis of sports injuries for athletes participating in nine leading high school sports. She says she chose her topic because she is passionate about both sports and epidemiology, so she found a project that would blend these two interests. As an athlete, she has noticed disparities between competition and practice related injuries and wanted to investigate these differences in more depth. Julie studied student athletes at 100 different schools, analyzing data from 4,350 injury reports, to compare the rate of competition injury versus practice injury. She believes her findings could be used by coaches and students to increase injury awareness and prevent potential sports injuries.

Julie has participated in a variety of science competitions earning awards in several state championships. Her hobbies include scrapbooking and scuba diving, and she is active in church based activities. Julie will attend the University of Richmond this fall and plans to major in biology, with a concentration in neuroscience.

A Comparison of Practice and Competition Related Injuries Among High School Athletes Participating in Nine Sports During the 2005-06 School Year.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to calculate rates and characterize the general epidemiology of body site, severity, and diagnosis, of injury in practice and competition related injuries in nine high school sports. Methods: Data on high school sports injuries collected over the 2005-06 school year via High School RIO™ were analyzed to calculate rates and describe patterns. Results: During the 2005-06 school year, 100 high schools submitted 4,350 injury reports resulting from football, boys' and girls' soccer, volleyball, boys' and girls' basketball, wrestling, baseball, and softball. The rate of injury per 1,000 athlete-exposures was higher in competition (4.63) compared to practice (1.69) (RR=2.73, 95% CI:2.58-2.90). Competition related injuries (17.7%) were more likely to be to the head/face/neck than practice related injuries (11.0%) (IPR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.73-1.76; p<0.01). Competition related injuries (12.0%) were more likely than practice related injuries (6.9%) to result in an end to the athlete's season or career (IPR=1.73; 95% CI: 1.36-2.21; p<0.01). Competition related injuries were more likely to result in concussions (IPR=2.02, 95% CI: 2.00-2.04, p<0.01) than practice related injuries, especially in boys' soccer (IPR=6.93, 95% CI: 6.64-7.24, p<0.01). Conclusions: With rising participation in high school sports, it is crucial to examine risk factors by exposure type in athletes to make suggestions for better injury prevention at the high school level. Both coaches and players should have increased awareness of the potential for athletic injuries in order to ensure more effective injury prevention.

"I meet many college students who are applying to dental school. While the application process is no doubt a stressful experience, I noticed that students seem stressed after they were accepted. This led me to do a project to examine the change in stress over time, and to see if the amount of stress students experience negatively affects their performance."

Sarah's project represents an investigation into a real-life problem. She feels that first-year dental students may be uniquely affected by stress. This is because they experience various life changes, such as the need to move, leave friends and family, and make new friends—as well as worry about finances and insecurities concerning their ability to do well in class. In her study of nearly 300 first-year dental students at four dental schools, Sarah found extremely high levels of stress. Sarah says that, "Knowledge of how stress affects performance and health, and how it changes over time, can be used by schools to counsel first-year students and to stimulate the implementation of stress-reduction programs."

Sara holds membership and leadership roles in numerous school and community based organizations, and has participated in multiple state and national science competitions. She has a variety of hobbies, including reading, photography, ceramics, swimming, and dancing. Sarah will be attending Nova Southeastern University in the fall. She is enrolling in the program for dentistry and will major in biology. Sarah plans to have a career as an orthodontist.

A Longitudinal Study of Stress in First-Year Dental Students

Abstract

Objective: Life changes and daily hassles lead to stress. This longitudinal study tests the hypotheses that stress in first-year dental students will negatively affect performance and health, and that the amount and sources of stress will change over time. Methods: Twelve U.S. dental schools were contacted; 4 participated. Students completed the Dental Environment Stress (DES) scale, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Stress Rating and demographic questions at the start of school (Time 1); 11.7 weeks later (Time 2); and 1 year later (Time 3), when first-year grade point average (GPA), illnesses, health ratings, and frequency of symptoms were also assessed. Results: Of 407 first-year students, 296 (186 men, 110 women) responded at Times 1 and 3; 205 responded all three times. Stress scores were negatively correlated with GPA (p=.006 for DES; p=.042 for PSS; p=.002 for stress rating) and with physical and emotional health ratings (ps .002), but positively associated with numbers of illnesses (p<.05), symptoms (p<.0001) and symptom frequency (ps<.05). Stress was higher at Time 3 than 1 (p<.0001 for DES; p=.0004 for PSS), and varied by school (p<.0001). Women (p<.01), younger (p<.003) and single students (p<.03) had higher stress scores at Time 1, but not Time 3. Ratings for DES items related to school work were high at Time 1 and increased at Time 3 (ps<.0001); items related to school atmosphere had low ratings at Time 1 but had large increases over time (ps<.0001). Conclusions: Stress increased over time and had detrimental effects on performance and health. Variation between schools may reflect different teaching methods. Changes in sources of stress may reflect the different contributions of anticipatory and situational stress. First-year dental students may benefit from stress reduction programs.

A Study of the Effectiveness of Lifestyle Habits and Coping Strategies on Stress Tolerance in College Students by Race and Gender

"I really enjoyed meeting the surgeon general and getting to hear him speak. YES has shown me how to analyze problems from a scientific standpoint. I will retain this skill, even if I don't continue in health research."

Recognizing that college students, particularly college freshmen, face increased stress from new social situations and heavier academic workloads, Paul examined the differences in how male and female, and Caucasian and African American students, suffer from and cope with stress. Finding that gender and race do indeed affect how one deals with stress, Paul believes his research can help students better handle the day-to-day stresses they face.

Paul has competed in state science fairs and the Science Olympiad. He belongs to school and civic organizations, and his hobbies include running and reading. He will attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall and plans to major in chemistry, biology, or international affairs.

A Study of the Effectiveness of Lifestyle Habits and Coping Strategies on Stress Tolerance in College Students by Race and Gender

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if the effectiveness of certain lifestyle habits/coping strategies on stress tolerance differs by race and gender in young college students. College students, especially freshmen, are expected to handle a more difficult academic workload at a faster pace, while simultaneously adapting to a new social situation with little supervision or structure (Missouri AHEAD, 2007). This change undermines their current environment and removes most of their stress-coping mechanisms. Research has begun to suggest that stress responses might vary by gender and race (Taylor et al, 2000; Ulbrich,Warheit, & Zimmerman, 1989). This led this researcher to believe that these groups might employ different coping mechanisms, with varying effectiveness. To test this, 459 randomly chosen college students were given an instrument comprised of three established surveys of stressors and symptoms, 20 lifestyle habits/coping strategies, and demographics. Stress tolerance scores were calculated, and subjects divided into high and low stress tolerance groups, based upon scores. Statistical differences were determined by chi-square and odds ratio reported with 95% confidence intervals. Seven factors (out of 20) were significantly associated with high stress tolerance for males and 12 for females. Of these, five were commonly shared. One common factor was associated with low stress tolerance. Whites had 13 factors significantly associated with high stress tolerance and one with low. Blacks had only 3 factors significantly associated with high stress tolerance and one with low; 2 of these were shared by both race groups. Differences in frequencies, types, and relative importance of employed strategies strongly suggest that gender and race cope differently and that the current "one size fits all" stress intervention programs may not be effective.

How Sweet It Is: The Influence of Taste Perception and Sensitivity on Food Choice Based on Taste Status

"I will never forget all the amazing people at the competition. After listening to the speakers and hearing what epidemiology is really about, I have an entirely new outlook on the world. I know that we can help the world and that we can do so much good."

Dalene, a confessed picky eater, investigated whether taste sensitivity to sweet and bitter was related to food choice and body mass index (BMI). She did some research, and found that people could be categorized into certain taste status categories. Then she wondered if a person's taste status could affect BMI and the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese. With this research, Dalene believes that food scientists and manufacturers will see that taste status does affect how sweeteners and foods are preferred by different types of tasters. This information can be used to make healthy foods more attractive to consumers.

Dalene has competed in state science fairs and is a member of the National Honor Society and her school's Student Council. She plays the saxophone and enjoys reading, volleyball, track, and spending time with her friends. Dalene plans to become a doctor and has not yet decided on which school she will attend when she graduates from high school next year.

How Sweet It Is: The Influence of Taste Perception and Sensitivity on Food Choice Based on Taste Status

Abstract

Is taste sensitivity linked to the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes? Can taste screening be used as a diagnostic tool for determining a person's likelihood of becoming obese or diabetic? These questions were addressed in this research. In order to find the answers, 251 subjects—ranging in age from 11 to 62 years old—tasted seven different sugars and sweeteners, and rated them on a labeled magnitude scale (according to how bitter, metallic, and sweet they were) and ranked each for preference. Subjects' taste status as nontaster, taster or supertaster was determined by counting papillae on the tongue. A questionnaire determined the subjects' family history of type 2 diabetes. Subjects' body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat were measured to classify them as overweight or obese. Subjects were divided into various categories based on age, taste status, and weight. Statistical analyses were run to determine if there was a link between sweet preference, taste status, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Supertasters ranked sweetness intensity as higher for sucrose and fructose and could more acutely detect metallic and bitter tastes in sweeteners. Statistics showed there was no significant difference among the various tasters and sugar preference. Also there was no correlation between taster status and obesity or type 2 diabetes. With these findings, it can be concluded that taste status would not be a good tool to use when detecting the likelihood of becoming obese or developing type 2 diabetes.

"There are many possible explanations for why a woman would miss her period, but it is often associated with a low body weight and high level of physical activity. My study found that young women with this condition do have a lower average body mass index and are more active than those who do not have amenorrhea."

Mio's topic is based on personal experience. She used to dance almost 25 hours per week, but has since had to stop because she was affected by amenorrhea. She thought it would be interesting to see if high activity level was really associated with amenorrhea, and then inform the public that exercise does come with some risks if taken to the extreme. Mio examined the impact of body weight and physical activity on young women's menstrual cycles. Surveying 200 girls at her high school, Mio found that high levels of physical activity and low body weight were associated with amenorrhea or missed periods. She hopes that potential health problems resulting from amenorrhea can be avoided if women are more informed about the risks of maintaining a low body weight and exercising excessively.

About her experience at the YES Competition, Mio says, "The whole experience was one of the most memorable I have ever had, but I mostly enjoyed meeting and presenting my research to both people my own age and professionals who had the same interests as me." Mio enjoys teaching dance classes and has taught English to students in Japan during her summer break. She plans to major in biology at Stanford University or the University of California, Berkeley, and will continue on to medical school.

Examining the Correlation Between Physical Activity, Body Mass Index, and Amenorrhea in Young Women

Abstract

Excessive exercise and a low body weight are thought to be associated with amenorrhea. Surveys distributed to 202 sophomore, junior, and senior girls were analyzed in order to investigate the relationship between menstrual regularity, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). However, the 22.77% of subjects who reported having taken oral contraceptives, and the 0.99% of subjects under 16 years of age and who reported that they had not begun menstruating, were removed from the final analysis to eliminate lurking variables. Of the remaining 154 subjects, 29.87% reported having irregular menstruation, while 14.94% have secondary amenorrhea. Subjects with irregular periods have a current mean BMI 1.13 points lower (p=0.024), and activity index 114.47 points higher (p=0.113) than those who report having regular periods. The difference in subjects with amenorrhea and subjects without amenorrhea is exaggerated with a current mean BMI 1.9 points lower (p=9.97*10-5) and activity index 217.11 points higher (p=0.037) in subjects with amenorrhea. When investigating these subjects' BMI and activity index at the time they missed their period, the difference in BMI was smaller (1.09 points), but the difference in activity index was greater (643.99 points). These results suggest that long and intense exercise and a low body weight can be disruptive to a young woman's menstrual cycle, indicating that students should be taught the risks of excessively high physical activity and low body weight.

"Education programs to prevent obesity should include the risks of eating at all-you-can-eat buffets and legal regulation of all you can eat buffets should be considered."

Charles decided on his topic because he frequently eats at buffets and has noticed a significant amount of obese diners. His innovative and scientifically rigorous study compared patrons of all-you-can-eat buffets with those visiting sit-down restaurants in the same geographic regions and price ranges. He found that obesity was substantially more prevalent at all-you-can-eat buffets and that prevalence varied by ethnicity. Charles said his research could impact the messages in future anti-obesity health interventions.

The YES Competition has changed Charles's life in a variety of ways. "Now I always have epidemiology in the back of my mind," he says. "Whenever I hear someone say something causes something else, I always ask myself whether it is cause or correlation and think of possible confounders." Charles is a member of several organizations including the National Honor Society. His hobbies include basketball and football. Charles has not yet determined which school he will attend, but intends to major in biology and will keep epidemiology in his career plans.

"All-You-Can-Eat" Buffets and Obesity

Abstract

Context: Obesity has become a major public health problem in the United States. Large portion sizes of fattening food in restaurants are a possible contributing factor. All-you-can-eat buffets have become common, but their role in obesity has not been studied in decades. Objective: Compare the rates of obesity in patrons of all-you-can-eat buffets to a control restaurant. Design, Setting, Subjects: All-you-can-eat buffets were enumerated in four adjacent zip codes. A nearby non-buffet restaurant was identified that had same cuisine type and price range. At similar times of day and day of week, all patrons in the restaurants were measured with a validated rating instrument, the figure rating scale (FRS). Four pairs of restaurants were studied. Across the pairs, a total of 408 persons were rated; 40% African American, 31% non-Hispanic white, and 23% Hispanic. Main Outcome Measure: Obesity, defined by body mass index (BMI) ?30, which correlates to ?5 on FRS. Results: Overall, there was a much higher prevalence of obesity in the buffets (p<0.001). The prevalence of obesity was from two to four times higher in the buffets, compared to their controls. When stratified by gender and race/ethnicity, the obesity remained much more common in buffets. The same was observed in every age strata, except the small number of subjects under the age of 20. Conclusions: Obese people patronize all-you-can-eat buffets. The role of buffets in causing or maintaining obesity warrants further study.

"The YES Competition was an unbelievable experience. The speakers' strong emphasis on prevention really changed my view on the world. This idea of prevention was stressed so much throughout the weekend and has really changed the way I look at situations."

Recognizing that obesity is a problem in today's society, Seth became interested in the relationship between fast-food and obesity after reading numerous newspaper articles relating the two. An active student-athlete, Seth investigated whether the presence of fast-food restaurants in New York City contributes to obesity, particularly in low-income and African-American neighborhoods. As part of his work, Seth mapped the distribution of fast-food restaurants in New York City neighborhoods. "There are many interrelated factors that contribute to an individual becoming obese," Seth said. "It is the interrelation of ethnicity, individual behavior, and environment." Seth thinks that it is important to identify what neighborhoods are most at risk, in order to develop a rational approach to combat obesity.

Regarding the YES Competition, Seth says, "I got to meet so many great people from all over the country. I never imagined I would be able to present my research to a full auditorium of people and professionals in the field. It was an exhilarating and inspiring experience that I will not forget. The whole weekend just being surrounded by motivated students and people was truly amazing." Seth has competed in several regional science competitions. He enjoys soccer, basketball, and track and is on the Math Team. Seth will attend the engineering school at the University of Pennsylvania and plans to combine his interests in science, math, public health, and business into a rewarding career.

Fast-Food and Obesity in New York City Neighborhoods: A Statistical Approach

Abstract

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in America. More than 30 percent of adults nationwide are now classified as obese. Environmental factors may contribute to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Over the last 20 years, America's dependence on fast-food restaurants has grown; the United States spends over $110 billion on fast-food per year and the number of fast-food restaurants now exceeds 280,000. This study examined the relationship between obesity and fast-food density, fast-food per capita, ethnicity, and poverty, in 22 neighborhoods in New York City. A greater fraction of the residents are overweight and obese in neighborhoods that are predominantly African American and have a high percentage of individuals living under the poverty level, than those in predominantly white and wealthier neighborhoods. There was also a greater fast-food presence per capita in predominantly African American neighborhoods. The percent of the population that is living under poverty and the percent that is African American are strong predictors for the occurrence of overweight and obesity rates. However, the inclusion of fast-food per capita improves the predictive power of the model. Interestingly, fast-food density (restaurants per square mile) was found to have no correlation with obesity or overweight rates in the 22 neighborhoods examined. There is no simple solution for obesity, but a better understanding of the environmental factors that are correlated with high rates of obesity provides a stronger basis for rational intervention to control this debilitating epidemic.

"The research results reinforced the importance of eating a healthy breakfast for many reasons including feeling better, optimizing learning opportunities in school, and improving health. If high school students and others can see in a concrete way the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast, then perhaps some will begin to make better breakfast choices. Our school cafeteria has started offering better breakfast options since the study."

After hearing that her school nurse saw an increase in the number of students complaining about headaches and an inability to concentrate mid-morning, Kelsey wanted to explore whether or not breakfast habits were related to these symptoms. She tested mid-morning blood sugar levels of students to examine the effects of students eating breakfast at home, at school, or not at all, respectively.

Her research found that eating a sugary, simple carbohydrate breakfast, or skipping breakfast, resulted in a wide range of mid-morning blood sugars. It was less beneficial to students' health than eating a complex carbohydrate, high-protein breakfast, which resulted in steady, normal mid-morning blood sugars. Kelsey developed an educational brochure for families that is now being used by the county health department and a local hospital.

Kelsey says that, "The YES Competition has opened my eyes to the scope of research that has been done and still needs to be done. I have learned so much through the whole experience, not only about research, but also public speaking and the field of medicine." Her hobbies include volleyball, basketball, and track. She is involved in numerous organizations and clubs. Kelsey plans on attending Colorado State University, where she will study biomedical sciences.

A Study of Early-Morning Breakfast Habits of Teens and Their Midmorning Blood Sugar Levels

Abstract

In our small community, it was brought to my attention by the school nurse that students were complaining of headaches, tiredness, and an inability to concentrate midmorning. This poses quite a large problem since many of our tests (such as the Colorado Student Assessment Program and the ACT) are taken in the morning, as well as many of our more difficult educational classes. I decided to further research the effect that different breakfast choices have on adolescents' blood sugars in the midmorning hours. I used a participatory action research format, where 210 secondary students were surveyed and 30 voluntary students (varying by age and gender) were divided into three different study groups to monitor blood sugar. One group of 10 students ate a school breakfast every morning. Another group of 10 students ate a high protein, complex carbohydrate, breakfast at home. The last group of 10 students ate no breakfast. For 18 school days, five testers proceeded with the testing of blood sugar levels using glucometers. The study showed significant difference between the blood sugar levels of the school-breakfast-eaters and the no-breakfast-eaters, as well as the home-breakfast-eaters and the no-breakfast-eaters. I set out to prove that what students eat affects blood sugar, affecting the ability to focus and stay alert in those crucial midmorning hours. Our research proves that eating a healthy breakfast is indeed essential to maintaining a consistent midmorning blood sugar.

"I wanted to study a particular air pollutant that hadn't been looked at much before. I also wanted to apply the statistics I had learned, in order to help people with health inequities."

Justin was very interested in the effects of pollution, especially PM2.5. He wanted to use scientific research to better the lives of people and reduce their health risks. Justin examined air pollution levels in and around Camden. More specifically, he detected the presence of dangerous air particles, PM2.5, in several area neighborhoods and explored their impact on health. He found that the Waterfront South area of Camden, an area with a high density of factories, was a "hotspot" for PM2.5 concentrations. Justin noted that the health effects of PM2.5 still are not well known, but his research has highlighted those parts of Camden that must be investigated further to reduce health threats.

Justin has participated in numerous science competitions and is a member of many clubs, including the Robotics, Calculus, and Business Clubs. He enjoys playing jazz guitar and piano, and reading about a variety of topics. Justin has been accepted at several institutions, but has not yet made a final decision on where he will attend college. He plans to major in math, physics, or economics and expects to make research his career path. Due to his experience at the YES Competition, Justin says, "I am now considering going into epidemiology, where I can use my mathematical abilities to help people."

Personal and Ambient Concentrations of PM2.5 in Camden, New Jersey

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure the ambient concentrations and personal exposure levels of fine particles (PM2.5) in Camden, NJ. There are over 50 factory sources and a high concentration of diesel trucks within one kilometer (km) of the Waterfront South (WFS) area. It was believed that this area was a "hotspot" for PM2.5 concentrations, due to its proximity to the sources. Another area, Copewood/Davis Streets (CDS), located three kms from the local sources, was hypothesized to have lower ambient and personal concentrations. To test this, personal samplings were conducted using a sample population of 100 people. These personal and ambient measurements were sampled for 24 hours using active filters during two seasons (winter and summer), times of the week (weekend and weekday), and location (WFS and CDS). The relationship between personal exposures and ambient concentrations was identified, as well as the variations in season, time of the week, and location. A relationship between personal and ambient samples was evident during the summer. WFS proved to be a hotspot because it has a significantly higher ambient concentration than CDS. The local sources are thus the causes of the higher ambient concentrations. The personal exposures are the same in both locations, due to the dependence of personal exposure on activities, not necessarily on ambient concentrations. The personal exposures in WFS in the winter were higher than in the summer. There was no significant difference between weekend and weekday concentrations. Altogether, the residents of WFS have greater health risks, due to their higher personal and ambient concentrations.