Middle school students are subject to pressures from society and their peers that often lead them into making bad decisions about their health, particularly when it comes to their diet. They participate in unhealthy practices in an attempt to change their image or improve their performance in sports. Obtain permission from parents of minors before students become involved in any science project experiment.
Risky Diets and Reaction Time
There are a number of unhealthy diets teenage girls take part in, including fasting, diet pills and various fad diets. The hypothesis of this project is that these diets affect reaction time. Select five students to participate, four of whom are each on a different type of diet and one who is eating a healthy diet. For a period of at least five days, ask each student to start and stop a stopwatch upon command. Record and chart the reaction times of the girls on a daily basis. The results will show that unhealthy diets adversely affect reaction time while healthy eating results in faster reaction times.
High Energy Foods and Blood Sugar Levels
Many products on the market offer increased energy. These high-energy foods provide a temporary rise in energy by increasing blood sugar levels. The hypothesis of this project is that this rise in energy is temporary, requiring increasing amounts of these substances to sustain the energy level. Students participating in the experiment will drink a high-energy beverage, like orange juice. Using a glucometer and test strips, their blood sugar levels will be tested as soon as they drink the juice, again in half and hour and one hour afterward. Record and chart the results for each test. The results will show that blood sugar levels rise after about one-half hour and descend again after one hour.
Healthy Eating and Sports Performance
Students involved in athletic activities often do not understand the importance of a balanced diet in their success. They exercise, jog and train for their specific activity, but continue bad eating habits. This project uses two groups of at least six students each. They should all be in the same age group and routinely involved in some athletic activity. The first group continues their normal diet, while the second follows recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary guidelines, which includes the recommended quantities from the major food groups. Measure and record the progress of four or five physical activities at the start of the experiment and every day for four weeks. Record the daily food intake of each participant. The results will show that a well-balanced diet improves athletic performance.
Caffeine and Blood Pressure
Teenagers often consume excessive amounts of beverages with caffeine; caffeine affects many bodily functions. The hypothesis of this project is that excessive caffeine adversely affects blood pressure. Select a group of six students to participate in the experiment. Half will drink a beverage with caffeine, and half a decaffeinated or caffeine-free beverage. Using a blood pressure cuff, take their blood pressure before and directly after consumption, and again every 15 minutes. Record and chart the results for each student. The results will show that blood pressure rises after intake of the beverage that includes caffeine. Include information on high blood pressure risks in the report.
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