Obesity: Do bigger portions make us more powerful?
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 2 Comments »BY BREANNE DAY
According to James Warren from the Chicago News Cooperative, how we see ourselves is associated to the amount of food we eat. A study was done called “Supersize me: Product size as a signal of status” from Northwestern University, where research connects obesity with consumer status. The study concluded that “those who feel relatively powerless will eat bigger food portions when given the choice, since they associated portion size with status.” Those who are higher up in the social world eat less, mainly thinking there is no such thing as too rich or too slim. Obesity is often associated with low-income individuals who don’t have access to nutrition education or healthy food. This study states how “those with a sense of powerlessness link larger food portions to increased status.” David Dubois and Derek Rucker did a study where they took three differently sized options for smoothies at a student cafeteria and the biggest one was named Power. They had 183 students judge others based on how the others responded to three sizes of pizza, coffee and smoothies. The ones that picked the largest were viewed as the ones with the highest social status. Another study was done where people who ate hor dourves in bigger sizes felt more powerful. Warren hopes that if we change the size-to-status relationship, than we can decrease obesity.
In my opinion, I agree that people of a higher social status associate smaller portions with higher social status. However, I disagree on a more personal level because I eat less when feeling powerless because I feel that healthier foods give me more energy and make me feel better about myself. The researchers in this study did do a lot of investigation on the correlations of portion sized and social status. However, I did some research of my own and came to find a few discoveries. In the article “Do people pick super-sized portions to boost their social status?” Nancy Shute discovered that a “In a new study, people chose jumbo portions of food and drink when they felt they lacked power and status.” She goes on to talk about how it’s common for people to constantly feel powerless; therefore people over-eat to make themselves feel better. This seems to be subconscious and unintentional but can be a logical explanation for the rising obesity problem in America. What do you guys think?
LINKS:
Add me!
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 5 Comments »BY LAURA SAMEYAH
Do you feel loved when your Facebook friends “like” your posts or status updates? Do the numerous birthday wall posts boost your confidence and provide social support? According to the article titled “More Facebook friends, Fewer real ones, Says Cornell study” Keith Hampton argues that Facebook users actually get more social support. However, Matthew Brashears, a sociologist from Cornell University asked people online to list the names of people they have discussed important issues with over the past 6 months. He used the database called, Time-Sharing Experiments for the Social Sciences. The results he found were that 48% of the participants reported having one close friend, 18% reported two close friends. 29% reported more and 4% reported nothing. Are we really getting more social support by logging into our Facebook accounts than from an actual person? In a recent study the authors hypothesized that there will be a positive association between the number of Facebook friends college students have and their subjective well being. The authors also asked if perceived social support from Facebook mediate the association between the number of Facebook friends and subjective well being. Participants were asked to list the number of Facebook friends they have. They were also asked to rank the availability of social support on a 5-point Likert scale. 1 represented “not available at all” and 5 represented “extensively available.” For example, a statement would say that Facebook friends “congratulate me on my accomplishments.” The results of the study showed that there was indeed a positive association between the number of Facebook friends and college students’ subjective well being. As the number of Facebook friends increase the level of happiness increases. However, perceived social support did not mediate this association. The authors suggest that college students feel happy from looking at their Facebook friends because it reminds them of the social connections they share. From personal experience with Facebook, I agree with this statement. The ability to view your “wall to wall” or “see friendship” between you and another friend reminds one of the bond he or she may share with this person, provided that the person is an actual friend. Facebook even provides a “friendship picture” to further affirm your belief that you are actually friends with the person. Back to social support, I don’t agree that Facebook users get the most social support. Matthew Brashears states that online contact and personal contact are different and we trust fewer people to disclose our personal information. The three main types of social support: Emotional, tangible and informational are all available offline. Although, you can get emotional and informational support from Facebook, tangible support like money and rides are obviously impossible. Also, I think that the quality of emotional and informational support is better in person than onscreen.
LINKS:
Additional article
Kim, J., & Roselyn Lee, J. (2011). The Facebook paths to happiness: Effects of the number of Facebook friends and self-presentation on subjective well-being. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, And Social Networking, 14(6), 359-364.
Driving While Intoxicated? Try Driving While Sleepy!
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 11 Comments »BY AUDREY AMISTAD
Not only is driving while intoxicated dangerous and illegal, it is sometimes the equivalent of driving drowsy. You may say drunk driving is way worse but research shows that driving under four hours of sleep is the same as driving with an alcohol level of .08%.
Over time, specifically 4 or 5 decades, surveys show that the amount of sleep that Americans get has been decreasing. Because 24 hours is not enough in a day for people to fulfill their busy schedules, they often cut in their time of sleep to get the rest of their work done.
It is very important to educate people to the many dangers of driving when drowsy. This will hopefully prevent future accidents. It was estimated by the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 100,000 crashes are reported every year from sleepiness and fatigue. This is a conservative estimate for a few reasons. It is hard to measure actual driver fatigue like there is a standard test to measure one’s alcohol level. Another reason is that when drowsy drivers drive, they usually drive alone.
Luckily, there are many steps to prevent falling asleep while driving. Step 1 is to recognize how important sleep is and to try to get at least 7 to 8 hours every night. Step 2 is get treatments for sleep disorders. Step 3 is to avoid driving from 2am to 6am when sleepy because that is when the urge to sleep is the strongest. Step 4 is drink caffeine to increase alertness. Step 5 is pull over as soon as you feel like you are sleepy. Step 6 is to avoid driving by yourself especially if you’re driving far distances in the middle of the night. Step 7 is to stop and take a break every 2 hours for driving long distances. Step 8 is to talk to your kids about driving drowsy.
Link:
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/09/driving-drowsy-as-dangerous-as-driving-drunk-studies-show/
Sleepless Nights? Your Heart is Watching the Clock also
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 3 Comments »BY GINA-MARIA ARENA
A study conducted by Norwegian researchers concluded that chronic insomnia may increase the risk of having a heart attack. The study surveyed over 52,610 men and women about their sleeping habits and followed the subjects for more than 11 years. The survey included questions such as the frequency of having a difficult time falling asleep, how often they woke up during the night and were unable to return to sleep, and how many mornings they woke up feeling unrested. The results showed that, compared to people without a history of any sleep problems, those with difficulties falling asleep had a 45 percent relative risk of heart attack. The subjects that had difficulties remaining asleep through the night had a 30 percent increased rate and those who felt unrested had a 27 percent increased risk. A limitation to the study included the researchers not controlling for sleep apnea, which is known to be associated with cardiovascular illness. The study did, however, control for BMI and blood pressure, also known to have associations with cardiovascular illness.
A separate study conducted at the University of Montreal found that sufferers from insomnia have increased blood pressure during the night, which leads to cardiac problems. The study compared the blood pressure over 24 hours of subjects with insomnia to those who sleep soundly. Normally, blood pressure lowers at night, allowing the heart to rest. The blood pressures of people with insomnia, however, increased at night, which leads to damage to the heart and long-term cardiovascular risks. The study results are highly significant because insomnia affects up to 48 percent of the population. Another part of the study included the recruitment of 13 healthy insomniacs and 13 healthy subjects without sleep problems, who spent 40 hours in a laboratory. The first two nights were to allow the subjects to adapt to the environment and the third night was for monitoring the sleep patterns. The results showed that blood pressure cycles are linked to sleep-wake cycles.
People of all age groups can suffer from insomnia and although the causes aren’t known for sure, some causes of insomnia include illnesses that cause difficulties with sleep, major life events, such as marriage, childbirth, death of a loved one, etc., and finally stress! Stress is a very common cause of insomnia.
To help lower your risk for insomnia, you can try four different options. First, you can track your sleep patterns to catch and treat sleep problems. Exercise can also alleviate insomnia. The physical activity is good for your heart, health, and sleep. Another option is to discuss your sleeping patterns with a doctor to determine whether you have a problem and how you can avoid it worsening. Finally, stress management is a great way to reduce your risk for insomnia. Luckily for us, we learned some useful methods for stress reduction! Mindfulness meditation, guided imagery, and relaxation training are two good methods in addition, yoga, acupuncture, meditation, and massage among other things that can work well.
Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090904165238.htm
http://blogs.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/2011/11/insomnia-may-raise-your-heart-attack-risk.html
Freshman Fifteen – Fact or Myth?
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 2 Comments »BY STEPHANIE TOSO
Do you remember your first year of college and how you were warned about the “freshman 15”? Were you the person who took it seriously and worked out religiously in order to prevent the weight gain, or were you the person that just shrugged off the warnings? Would you believe it if it was all just a myth?
Well, according to a research study done in Ohio State University by research scientist Jay Zagorsky and economist Dr. Patricia Smith, the “freshman 15” is nothing but a myth. The study was performed on 7,418 young people from across the country. The weight gain comes with adulthood but even with that they still do not gain 15 pounds in one year. The survey was done in 1997 on people between the ages of 13 and 17. They then continued to interview each person each year. They would ask them their weight and what year in school they were in. They also considered factors such as if they lived on or off campus, if they were pursuing a two year or four year degree, if they were a part time or full time student and if they were heavy drinkers. The only factor above that did contribute to weight gain was heavy drinking. They concluded that people who were heavy drinkers gained less than a pound more than students that did not drink as much as them.
Researchers found that young women gained 2.4 pounds while young men gained 3.4 pounds during their first year in college. Researchers also determined that no more then 10% of first year students gained 15 pounds or more, while 25% of first year students actually lost weight. People assume because college students are living on their own for the first time and have late night dining halls that they will indulge and gain the “freshman 15” but that is not the case.
The problems about college freshman students believing in the “freshman 15” is that some of them may become obsessed with controlling their weight to make sure that they do not gain it, which can lead to eating disorders. It may also lead some students to gain more weight because they believe that they cannot avoid the “freshman 15”. It’s time to stop using the term “freshman 15” and instead start educating students about different ways of maintaining a healthy weight in college.
References:
The infamous freshman 15 … is this a fact or is the myth?
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 1 Comment »BY CHELSEA HELLINGER
As college students leave home for the first time and set up their college dorm rooms, their fears are reinforced by getting teased about the dreaded “Freshmen 15.” While these new beginnings are fun and also a little scary there always seems to be a common denominator with these life changes…horrible eating and drinking habits that destroy your fitness and your body. This problem has grown so much that students try and stop the freshman fifteen before it even occurs.
FALSE, FALSE AND FALSE. I think it is now time to finally ditch this phrase “freshman 15”! A recent study was done at Ohio State University showing this myth is indeed false. Infact, a quarter of freshman said that actually lost weight there freshman year. The study shows that first year females gain an average of 3.1 pounds and males gain an average of 3.5 pounds. Living in dorms and living at home also played a role in weight gain. There was a small weight gain for women living in a dorm rather then living at home and a larger weight gain for men in dorms.
The study also shows the total weight gain within 4 years of college. For women it came out to be 8.9 pounds and for men a whopping 13.4 pounds. This statistics show that we really need to be careful about our weight while in college. This is why obesity levels are so high because they start at such a young age. It is very important for young adults to learn about proper nutrition, portion size and amount of physical activity. A healthy lifestyle is very important and college student must be aware of this.
http://online.wsj.com/video/is-it-true-the-freshman-15/F6C1B190-9B8C-4756-AB81-8C436E739E67.html
The Freshmen 2.4 and 3.4?
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 2 Comments »BY HILLARY SUSSEK
According to a recent study published in the journal Social Science Quarterly, researchers who surveyed over 7,000 college freshmen all over the country discovered there is no such thing as the “freshmen fifteen.” The average weight gain for college females during their freshman year was about 2.4 pounds and for males, 3.4 pounds. Researchers also went on to prove that even a “college fifteen” doesn’t exist, stating most young women gain an average of seven to nine pounds and most young men gain an average of twelve to thirteen pounds. Only about ten percent of college freshmen reported gaining fifteen pounds or more their freshman year and about a quarter of the people who participated in the study stated they lost weight. As a young college female, I find the pressure to stay thin is incredible. From the drinking to the unappetizing food offered to us, it’s hard to maintain the weight I had in high school. For me, my daily routine is a huge factor in why I find it hard to stay thin. Between classes, work, school-work, and my sorority, I feel like at the end of the day I barely have time for myself, let alone a trip to the gym. With such a hectic schedule, I don’t have time to make a healthy dinner every night or eat five small healthy meals a day; this forces me to grab fruit on the way out every morning. Granted, it’s not entirely unhealthy, but when I eat fruit three or four times a day, I don’t feel very satisfied. At the end of the day, all I want is a big plate of mac and cheese and mashed potatoes; my lack of a diet in general leads me to want to eat comfort food. Our lives are too hectic to be gym-aholics, and it was refreshing to find out that for the majority of college students, the freshmen fifteen doesn’t exist.
http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/nosuchthingasthefreshman15studyfinds
Failing BMI?
Posted: November 15, 2011 Filed under: Students 2 Comments »BY CHLOE SWAIN
http://us.cnn.com/video/?/video/health/2009/11/23/fitness.overweight.lincoln.cnn (video)
Have you ever attended a college that required you to take a course that makes you work out? How about a college that did not let you receive your diploma because you didn’t complete that course? At Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, this rule applies to all students who have a body mass index of 30 or above, which is similar or close to obesity. Students must take a fitness course that meets three hours per week but those who are assigned to the class and do not complete it cannot graduate. There is also a waist measurement completed because BMI is not a perfect measure of obesity. Some people have a high BMI simply because of their muscle mass not because they are obese. So this measurement is prepared to sort those students out. There is much debate on this subject and students are having a hard time comprehending it. Personally, I think that it is ideal that Lincoln University is showing they care by trying to make individuals healthier by enforcing this mandatory fitness course, but at the end of the day it should be their choice. Students don’t attend college to be judged or their appearance and told their weight is not acceptable for their school. They are there to earn an education, and no one should be forced to do what they do not want to do. This could potentially affect Lincoln’s admissions in a negative manner. When more people who are overweight discover this knowledge, they will most likely not want to attend that university. Maybe a majority will even transfer out. Even though enforcing this course could be conversant to show people health is important, they should only try to persuade it, not allow it to determine ones education.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/30/lincoln.fitness.overweight/index.html
Recent Comments: