Visual Data

 

The pie chart on this infographic caught my attention. I like how they presented it as the top of a hat with a patriotic theme. I also find it interesting that they used a lighter blue instead of the traditional royal blue in the American flag. Although it differs from the norm I think it is more visually appealing. The teal color is softer on the eyes and makes the text in the chart easier to read. I like how they turned facts and statistics into something more visually appealing. Your eye is drawn to the chart first then you can read more about them and click the links to the left.

 

 

This was a very visual info graphic. It presents facts and statistics with out using bland charts and lists. What I really liked was how this infographic related the images to the facts and figures. Measuring tape listing the percentage of obese and overweight people per state ties in a popular way of measuring weight with statistics on overweight people. The pill bottles list increased risk of disease that obesity entails. The scale shows the age ranges. The smaller details are also interesting. The tag with an american flag and the date 2010 and the price tags with additional information. This is a very intricate infographic. They did not miss a single detail. I also like the array of colors. The measuring tape, pill bottles, and scale are true to color and the other details compliment them. They call attention to certain places without being distracting.

I liked the way this info graphic used its lines. It did not arrange them in height order nor are they straight. The circular shape is appealing to me. I also like the combination of the shopping cart and mouse. However I do not like the use of the red line next to the red cart. I would have put that particular line in a different place. I think they could have also made the background more interesting. They could have written the heading in the address bar or made the background look like a website in some way.

I like organization of this infographic. It is very easy on the eyes. All of the colors are more neutral shades and they are almost in a descending order. I also like how the food and wine are in two clean parallel lines. Although all of the crossing lines get a bit tangled they are long and clean making it still keep its organized feel. I like how this info graphic is very simple

 

I liked how this inforgraphic used real images. The heading is clean with the necessary information listed next to it which allows the pictures to do most of the talking rather than being crowded with words. This infographic seems more informal. It is also a less serious look at portion sizing. It shows the past, the present, and predicts the future. Obesity is a serious issue but the prediction puts a kind of funny spin on it. A hamburger that size is just ridiculous but it shows the what will happen at the rate we are increasing our portions. I also like how the tag on the 2050 hamburger is red so it stands out. The curved arrows also look good with the shape of the hamburger buns. It keeps the repeating pattern of the arches.

I plan on focusing on exercise in Americans for my final infographic. I am a group exercise instructor so it is an area I am familiar with. I want to outline the fact that as of 2011 only 20% of American adults perform the recommended amount of muscular and aerobic exercise according to the CDC. I also want to include the benefits exercising and risks of being inactive. Regular physical activity decreases your risk of a number chronic conditions including type II diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, asthma, and certain type of cancers. Exercise can also help people to live longer lives. Physical activity also has numerous psychological benefits from better moods to increased self esteem. Exercise is also a way to reduce stress and anxiety in addition to boosting brain power. Regular exercise has been linked to better grades in school students. 2013 reports lower percentages of adults exercising from 2012. With the obesity crisis in American it is more important than ever to exercise regularly. After all, strong is the new skinny.

Works Cited

A.D.A.M. “Health Guide.” Physical Activity Exercise’s Effects on Other Conditions. A.D.A.M., 26 June 2012. Web. 14 June 2013.

American Heart Association. “Physical Activity and Children.” Physical Activity and Children. American Heart Association, 26 Nov. 2012. Web. 14 June 2013.

Avnet, Lily. “13 Mental Health Benefits Of Exercise.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 June 2013.

Bass, Katie. “Americans’ Exercise Habits Worsen Slightly in 2013.” Americans’ Exercise Habits Worsen Slightly in 2013. Gallup Inc., 3 May 2013. Web. 14 June 2013.

BBC World Service. “Risks of Not Exercising.” BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 14 June 2013.

Center for Disease Control. “FastStats.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 May 2013. Web. 14 June 2013.

Jaslow, Ryan. “CDC: 80 Percent of American Adults Don’t Get Recommended Exercise.” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 3 May 2013. Web. 14 June 2013.

MedlinePlus. “Exercise for Children: MedlinePlus.” U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 14 June 2013.

Messer, Andrea. “Americans Fall Short of Federal Exercise Recommendations.” Penn State News. Penn State, 8 May 2012. Web. 14 June 2013.

Michelle, Kiki. “5 Consequences of Not Exercising.” Livestrong. Livestrong, 26 July 2011. Web. 14 June 2013.

Reinberg, Steven. “Only 1 in 5 Americans Gets Enough Exercise: CDC.” US News. U.S.News & World Report, 02 May 2013. Web. 14 June 2013.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. “Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 July 2011. Web. 14 June 2013.

 

For my header I want to incorporate the silhouette of a person running. I would like to have the image repeat across the top of the page and gradually get darker so it appeaser as if someone is running across the page. I would like to add text across the lighter parts of the image.

This woman has been named the fittest woman in history after winning the crossfit games twice in a row. I would like to incorporate her image in my design.

This is the effect I want the runner at the top of my page to have with fading colors.

 

 

 

I would like to incorporate an image of a piece of exercise equipment as well as some weights because aerobic and muscular training are both important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For my design rough draft I used stair cases to represent the things exercise increases and decreases. I also included the statistics of how many Americans get the appropriate amount of exercise as well as the amount of exercise needed depicted in the stopwatch in the center. I also listed some activities and the amount of calories they burn in 30 minutes for the average healthy adult.