KNIGHT WATCH

WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES?

Women are more concerned about global warming than men are. A study published in the journal Population and Environment analyzed 8 years of data from Gallup’s annual environmental poll. Although men are still believed to understand global warming better, more women believe it’s happening now (59% to 54%). More women also believe it’s primarily caused by human activities (64% to 56%). In fact, the 37% of women who are concerned about global warming affecting their way of life during their lifetime obviously want the 72% of men who aren’t concerned to “warm up” to the idea.

Doctors haven’t warmed up to the idea of taking their own advice. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed a 2009 anonymous survey of 537 medical residents at 12 hospitals nationwide. Fifty-eight percent of the residents said they’d worked at least once while sick the previous year and 31% said they’d worked more than once. The Accreditation Council is calling on residents and faculty to make sure they’re fit for duty and there’s a growing effort to require all health workers to have flu shots. Otherwise, residents should take 2 aspirins and call the doctor in the morning.

Popular people –including medical residents – get the flu first. A study published in the journal PLoS ONE was based on the concept known as the “friendship paradox” – when people name their friends, their friends tend to have more social contacts than they do. When 319 Harvard undergraduates, randomly chosen, were asked to name their friends, the result was a group of 425 students. In the fall/winter of 2009 students in the “friends” group were diagnosed with the flu 14 days, on average, earlier than those students who were randomly selected. It seems when discussing flu, popular people are more “flu-ent".

Confident people are born that way. In a study published in the journal Science, 32 volunteers had to identify a patch of screen that was slightly brighter than the rest of the screen and say how confident they were about their answer. When researchers scanned the participants’ brains, they isolated an area of the prefrontal cortex believed to be involved in high-level thought, conscious planning and brain activity monitoring. The volunteers who were good at assessing their confidence had more gray matter in that area and more connections to other parts of the brain. It seems confidant people are “better connected”.

 

IS TRIVIA BIG ON SMALL TALK?

Arabic is harder to learn than other languages. Researchers at the University of Haifa tested the reading speed and accuracy of Arabic, Hebrew and English in children and adults, as well as in those for whom Arabic was their native language. The results showed that although both sides of the brain are involved in reading Hebrew and English, only the left side is involved in reading Arabic. Identifying the location and number of dots is critical in differentiating Arabic letters, but it’s too complex for the right brain. Thus learning Arabic takes longer because we’re not “right-minded”.

We may be budget-minded choosing an airline, but what passengers pay for air travel has nothing to do with their satisfaction. According to a USA TODAY analysis of government and consumer survey data dating back to 2004, passengers rank discount airlines higher in quality and service than the traditional, big-network airlines. JetBlue, Southwest and Frontier ranked among the top airlines while US Airways, United, Delta and American ranked lowest. Newer planes and service are what affected consumer satisfaction and consumer satisfaction leads to an improved bottom-line for airline earnings. Of course, bigger airline seats would improve passengers’ “bottom-line”.

High fructose corn syrup, the sweetener used in soft drinks and many other foods, may not improve “bottom-lines”, but it may get a new name. Because Americans’ concerns about health and obesity have reduced consumption to a 20-year low, the Corn Refiners Association wants to rename high fructose corn syrup “corn sugar”. Although a decision by the FDA could take until 2012, renaming other products has been successful. Euric acid rapeseed oil became much more popular after being renamed “canola oil” in 1988 and prunes were renamed “dried plums” in 2000. Basically, the makers of high fructose corn syrup want to “sugarcoat” its image.

An image wasn’t enough for a Dutch contractor. He spent over 5 years building a working replica of Noah’s Ark to the exact scale given in the Bible. The ark is 150 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 20 cubits wide. A cubic is an ancient measurement equal to approximately 20.3 inches. Thus the ark is about two-thirds the length of a football field and as high as a 3-story house. There’s a petting zoo on the top deck, life-size animal models in the hold, a 50-seat theater near the keel and a massive central door where visitors can enter two-by-two.

 

DIDN'T WE SOMEHOW KNOW THIS?

Americans are washing their hands more. Researchers from Harris Interactive pretended to be busy in public restrooms while they secretly watched people’s behavior. This 2010 research took place in 4 major cities across the country and included more than 6,000 people. The results showed that 85% of restroom users washed their hands – up from 77% in 2007. However, men continued to be more lax about it. Twenty-three percent of men failed to wash versus 7% of women. When researchers surveyed more than 1,000 adults nationwide by phone, 96% said they always washed their hands after using restrooms. Obviously, some people weren’t “coming clean”. 

What Americans see – longer – is what they get. In a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, researchers gave hungry study volunteers a choice of 2 snacks and then tracked their eye movements. As packaging designers have suspected, the snack the volunteers looked at longer was the one they chose most often – 70% of the time. Reading left to right is another cultural norm that is used to sell products. Our reading left to right is the reason both shelf and computer screen space on the top-left are more valuable. When it comes to making choices, the “eyes have it”. 

Thirty-five percent of American adults have software programs – “apps” – on their cell phones, but only 24% use them. According to surveys by the Pew Research Center and by the Nielson Company, app users tend to be younger, male, college graduates earning $75,000 or more. In 2010 the average number of apps on phones was 27 – up from 22 in 2009. Games are the most popular apps, followed by weather apps. Women are likelier to use game and social networking apps. Men are likelier to use productivity or banking/finance apps. Considering the app culture began in 2008, app appeal’s apparent. 

Finally, errors by supermarket scanners cost Americans up to $2.5 billion a year. More errors occur during times of high-volume sales, like holidays. However, these everyday mistakes include shelf prices not matching checkout prices, scales charging for the plastic wrapping – not just the food – and charging tax on non-taxable items. Supermarket overcharging isn’t an isolated problem. For example, state testing found 3% of products rung up wrong in California, 4% in Wisconsin and 5% in North Carolina. Supposedly, some supermarkets offer customers free items when they ring up wrong – and that policy has a nice “ring to it”.

WHO FITS ON THE FITNESS BANDWAGON?

Working long hours increases the risk of dying from heart disease. However, staying fit can eliminate that risk. According to a study published in the journal Heart, people working more than 45 hours a week had 2 times the risk of cardiovascular death as those working less than 40. Working extra hours stresses the cardiovascular system and boosts the nervous system, causing heart rate and blood pressure to rise. A fit body recovers faster, reducing physiological stress. Exercising 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes with heart rate at 50%-85% of maximum puts the fit in fitness.

In seniors a firm handshake and a brisk walking pace are signs of fitness. A study published in the British Medical Journal analyzed grip strength, walking speed, time getting up from a chair and balancing on one leg in people 70 and older not in nursing homes. Those with the weakest grip were 1.67 times more likely to die during the study as the strongest and those with the slowest walking pace had almost 3 times the risk of dying as the fastest. To be fit it’s best to take life in stride and with a firm grip on it.

Fitness can’t be judged by how jeans fit. A “Good Morning America” producer thought he had a 36-inch waist. However, after trying on several brands of jeans, he seemed slimmer – until the jeans were taken to a tailor. Thirty-six inch Levis were actually 36.5 inches in the waist, Zara’s were 36-37 inches, Gap’s were 38 inches and Banana Republic’s were 38.5 inches. Esquire Magazine, the first to investigate jean size, discovered 36-inch Dockers were 39 inches and Old Navy’s were 41 inches. Instead of fitting their waists, it seems men’s jeans are made to fit their egos.

Apparently Americans can’t judge their own fitness. In a 2010 Harris Interactive/Health Day survey 2,418 adults were asked their height, weight and weight category. Thirty percent of those overweight thought they were normal weight and 70% of obese thought they were overweight. Of the morbidly obese, 60% thought they were obese and 39% thought they were only overweight. Regarding cause, 52% percent of overweight participants and 75% of obese and morbidly obese thought they didn’t exercise enough. However, only 36% of overweight, 48% of obese and 27% of morbidly obese thought they ate too much. The majority thought exercise – not food - was a “weightier” problem.

WHO SAYS MEN AND WOMEN ARE EQUAL?

Marriage doesn’t make men and women more alike. Research published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences was based on 1,296 couples who were married an average of 19.8 years. What the researchers found was that couples who had been married up to 39 years weren’t more alike in fundamental personality traits than newlyweds. The similarity in married couples was attributed to couples – consciously or unconsciously – having looked for mates during courtship that were very much like themselves. Supposedly, the only exception was aggression. If one spouse was physically aggressive, the other was likely to become aggressive too – growing alike when growing apart.

In 2010 American women working full-time earned, on average, 20% less than men. However, there were exceptions – single, childless women ages 22-30. This group, on average, earned 8% more than men. According to Research Advisors, women out-earned men by greater percentages in some cities – 11% in San Francisco, 17% in New York and 21% in Atlanta. This earning difference was attributed to 3 things: more women graduating from college, increasing wages for college degrees and decreasing high-paying jobs in male-dominated fields like manufacturing. Unfortunately, women’s earnings, in general, stopped increasing when they became mothers in their “fatherland”. 

Women are more likely to use prescription drugs than men are – 53.3% compared to 43.2%; but according to the National Center for Health Statistics, Americans, in general, are taking more prescription drugs. For children under age 12 most prescriptions were for asthma and for those 12-19 most were for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In the 20-59 age group antidepressants were the most commonly prescribed drug and for those 60 and older it was cholesterol-lowering drugs. In 2008 $234 billion was spent on prescription drugs – more than twice as much as was spent in 1999 – but are we twice as healthy? 

However, women and men are very similar in one respect – menopause. In men this condition is officially known as hypogonadism. According to male health experts, more than 5 million men experience symptoms which include mood swings, fatigue, reduced muscle mass and decreased sex drive. Male menopause is caused by a deficiency in testosterone. Men’s testosterone levels fall about 1% a year beginning in their late 30’s. Although male menopause can be diagnosed with a blood test and treated with testosterone injections, skin patches, gels and implanted pellets, it’s estimated 95% of cases go undiagnosed – which should give “men(o)pause” to think.

CAN WE TAKE THE RISK OUT OF HEALTH RISKS?

Our hair can predict our risk of heart attack. In a study published in the journal Stress, Canadian researchers discovered when the hormone cortisol is released into the bloodstream during stress, it seeps into hair follicles. When the researchers took hair samples from 120 men – 1.2 inches of hair closest to the scalp – approximately 3 months growth – the cortisol levels were significantly higher in the men who had had heart attacks. Hair thus could provide doctors with a non-invasive test of heart attack risk. It seems when someone “gets in your hair”, cortisol gets there too.

Our diet can predict our risk of early death. A Harvard University study tracked the eating habits and health of 45,000 men and 85,000 women for more than 20 years. The researchers found those who had a diet low in carbohydrates and high in animal protein were 23% more likely to die – particularly from cancer – during the study. However, the men and women who had a low-carb diet that included lots of plant foods were 20% less likely to have an early death. It seems a healthy diet requires a “meating” of the minds.

Yes, a healthy diet requires fruits and vegetables. In 2000 the government’s goal was to get 75% of Americans to eat 2 servings of fruit daily and 50% to eat 3 servings of vegetables. In 2009 32.5% of adults ate the recommended amount of fruit and 26.3% ate the recommended amount of vegetables. According to a 2004 study, eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily is linked to a 28% lower risk of heart disease and stroke compared to people eating fewer than 1.5 servings. In a perfect world 2 servings of fruit loops and 3 servings of French fries would be healthy.

Unfortunately, it’s not a perfect world. Many Americans regain lost weight. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 104 overweight or obese adults ate a low-calorie diet for 8 weeks, losing about 5% of their body weight. When they were followed up 6 months later, 55 participants had maintained their weight loss and 49 had regained at least 10% of lost weight. Those with higher levels of leptin (the stop eating hormone) and lower levels of ghrelin (the eat hormone) were likelier to regain. Researchers hypothesize some people are resistant to these hormones and need special diets that are “resistance fighters”.

ARE WE STILL AS AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE?

Americans may not be as competitive as they think. According to the Geneva-based World Economic Forum, out of 139 countries Switzerland had the most competitive economy for the second successive year. Sweden was second, Singapore remained third and the United States – which was first in 2008 and second in 2009 – was fourth in 2010. Economic data and a survey of more than 13,500 business executives showed the U.S. drop was due to huge deficits, rising government debt and declining public faith in the ethics of politicians and corporations. Obviously, it’s time for the U.S. to competitively “go fourth” and prosper. 

Americans may not be as charitable as they think either. According to the British-based Charities Aid Foundation, Australia and New Zealand shared first place in a ranking of 153 nations with 57% of their population’s participation. Canada and Ireland had 56% and Switzerland and the United States had 55%. The rankings were a composite percentage of those who donated money, donated time and helped a stranger the previous month. Although only 8% of Liberians donated money, 76% - the most of any country – helped strangers. In the U.S. 65% of the population helped strangers and the U.S. has about 100 times more strangers. 

Forty-six million Americans aren’t as smart as they think. According to the Centers for Disease Control, that’s the number of Americans – including 20% of teenagers - who still smoked in 2010. Also, more than 50% of American children ages 3-11 were exposed to secondhand smoke and 98% of children who lived with a smoker had measurable tobacco toxins in their body. Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the U.S., yet it’s estimated smoking kills 1,000 Americans a day. It seems 21% of Americans can’t “smoke out” much lower risks of heart disease and lung cancer for themselves.

However, Americans are safer than they may think. The number of traffic deaths was the lowest since 1950 – when tracking started. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car crashes decreased 10% from 2008 to 2009. This was attributed to safer vehicles, increased use of seatbelts and a weak economy reducing the miles driven for pleasure. Alcohol-related traffic deaths – which represent one-third of traffic deaths – decreased 7.4%. Although all traffic accidents – fatal or not – decreased 5.3%, vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for those ages 3-34 – a fact that needs to be “driven home”.

IS THE AVERAGE AMERICAN MORE AVERAGE?

Most Americans think they are better looking than average. According to a msnbc/ELLE magazine survey of 26,000 people, 60% thought they were between a 6 and 7 on a 10-point scale. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 75, with under-30’s being the most confident. Twenty-eight percent of women and 30% of men rated themselves between an 8 and 10. Unfortunately, 62% of women still feel pressured by media to look better, compared to 29% of men; but 85% of young women and 81% of young men were happy with their partner’s looks. Hopefully, their seeing was their partner’s believing.

Almost one-third of Americans who have cell phones have “smartphones” – phones with Web-enabled devices; and almost 20% of American travelers with smartphones have downloaded one or more travel-related application. That’s according to the 2010 Ypartnership/Harrison Group survey of 2,500 households with annual incomes over $50,000. The survey found 47% of travelers used GPS functionality to find destinations, 46% checked flight updates, 29% compared airfares or hotel rates, 18% booked air travel or lodging, 15% viewed virtual visitor guides and 11% downloaded and/or redeemed coupons. Considering the increasing applications offered by smartphones, are some Americans dumb not to have one?

It used to be dumb to think money could buy happiness. However, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reviewed daily happiness/life satisfaction surveys of 450,000 Americans in 2008 and 2009. Researchers found happiness increased with income only up to $75,000, but sense of well-being continued to rise as earnings rose. According to the researchers, for those making less than $75,000 annually “stuff is so in your face it’s hard to be happy”. Of course, knowing the U.S. ranked 9^th in life-satisfaction after the Scandinavian countries, Iceland, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand isn’t very satisfying for Americans.

What could be satisfying is knowing superstitions work. A study at Cologne University submitted students to memory and motor-dexterity tests. Based on surveys previously filled out by the students, it was known which were superstitious; and whatever the task, the superstitious students performed it better. The researchers concluded superstitions boost performance because they calm those who believe in them. Tennis champion Serena Williams believes she lost the 2008 French Open because she tied her shoes laces wrong and didn’t bounce the ball 5 times before her first serve. Obviously, having serene in her name isn’t calming enough.

WHAT WOULD MAKE PARENTING EASIER?

Lack of sleep in young children has been linked to later obesity. A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine examined data on approximately 2,000 children and found infants and toddlers who slept less than 10 hours a night were almost twice as likely to go from normal weight to overweight or overweight to obese in 5 years. Unfortunately, naps don’t compensate for deep sleep; and lack of deep sleep causes a decrease in the production of the hormones leptin and ghrelin and that stimulates appetite. Considering children’s increasing obesity rates, they may not be getting enough time to “sleep off” future weight problems.

Lack of sleep is also bad for teenagers’ diets. A study of 240 teenagers ages 16-19 published in the journal Sleep found teens who average less than 8 hours of sleep on weeknights tended to eat more fatty foods and high-calorie snacks – a pattern leading to weight gain. Researchers hypothesize the reduced production of leptin and ghrelin from lack of sleep is responsible for this too. It seems teenagers would be healthier if they slept the 9 hours recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine while “visions of sugar plumbs danced in their heads”.

Secondhand smoke is bad for children too. Although the federal government set a goal of having only 12% of Americans smoking by 2010, 20% still smoke. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined blood samples from more than 1,300 children and reported more than 50% of children ages 3-11 show signs in their blood of secondhand smoke exposure. Such exposure makes children more susceptible to pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma and decreased lung function. The fact that the majority of exposure occurs in the children’s own homes unfortunately gives new meaning to the word “smokehouse”.

However, if there are sisters in the house, that’s good for their siblings’ mental health. According to a study published in the Journal of Family Psychology, sisters help adolescent siblings handle depression. Researchers looked at 10- to 14-year-olds in 395 families and found this positive influence existed regardless of age difference or birth order; and as long as there was affection, it existed in spite of fighting. Researchers think a sister’s presence is more effective in dealing with depression because girls are more willing than boys to discuss emotions. Maybe the day will come when Philadelphia is known as the “City of Sisterly Love”.

IS OUR HEALTH LYING IN "WEIGHT" FOR US?

Obesity in the U.S. has increased. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control, the number of obese Americans increased 2.4 million between 2007 and 2010. In 2007 there were 3 states with obesity levels of 30% or higher. Now there are 9 states with similar levels and no state has an obesity level as low as 15%. In 2008 dollars medical costs associated with obesity were about $147 billion. That means medical costs for obese people were $1,429 higher each year compared to those for normal-weight people. Obesity is a societal problem, but a healthy society can’t “afford” obesity. 

According to the American Cancer Society, people with large waists double their risk of early death. A large waist for men is more than 47 inches and for women, more than 42 inches. The double risk held true even if people were normal weight for their height. In fact, many researchers believe a big waistline is a better indicator of health risks than Body Mass Index. Bigger waists mean more abdominal fat, the fat that doubles the risk of death from many diseases including cancer, stroke and heart disease. Therefore, food left on plates isn’t “waisted”. 

A study published in the British medical journal Lancet found women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are likelier to have heavier babies and heavier babies have a higher risk of obesity as children and adults. The study reviewed medical records of approximately 1,500,000 women and children, examining the difference in weight gain in each woman’s pregnancies. Women who gained 50 pounds were twice as likely to give birth to babies weighing more than 8.8 pounds compared to women who gained 20 pounds. Supposedly, underweight women should gain 28-40 pounds; normal weight, 25-35 pounds; overweight, 15-25 pounds; and obese, 11-20 pounds - thus keeping obesity from “gaining” on society. 

However, another study in Lancet offers new hope. In a multi-center study 1,742 obese adults were randomly assigned placebos or a combination of naltrexone (an endorphin blocker) and buproprion (an antidepressant that also helps with nicotine addiction). The goal was for the participants to lose 5% of their body weight in 1 year. In the placebo group 16% reached the goal. In the combination-drug group it was 48%. Although more studies are needed before the FDA approves using naltrexone and buproprion for weight loss, new hope for fighting obesity seems to “aweight”.