Rudd Sound Bites

Is it June Fools Day?

by Sarah Novak

Philadelphia Media Holdings said they wanted to “put a smile on people’s faces” (read: do some stealthy market research) with an ad spoof the company ran today in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News.  If the ads didn’t perpetuate weight bias, perhaps I would be smiling instead of writing this blog.  The papers featured ads for Derrie-Air airline (get it?  like a rear end!  how irreverent!), where a commitment to the environment and decreased fuel consumption is achieved through a price per-pound fare structure.  The tag line on the site is “Pack Less. Weigh Less. Pay Less.”

Lexiconographic Tutelage Abets the Disbursement of Aliment?

by Sarah Novak

I recently heard about a website that juxtaposes two very different issues. 1) Each of us can benefit from an enhanced vocabulary, and 2) poverty and hunger continue to be major problems in the world. FreeRice.com encourages visitors to play a simple vocabulary game.  For each correct answer, 20 grains of rice are donated through a branch of the United Nations (see the FAQ for more information).  Twenty grains doesn’t sound like much, but if you share my vocab geekiness (hmmm…where did all of those high school medals get to?) and the joy of trivial competitiveness, the donations quickly become substantial.  The word game adjusts to the player’s skill level so that everyone can take part.  The goal is to progress through the 50 levels as your abilities improve.

Did Slow and Steady Win Some Ratings?

by Sarah Novak

After overcoming the irritation of having the Proclaimers’ mid-90s hit “I’m gonna be (500 miles)” stuck in my head for several weeks, I was eager to see ABC’s summer entry into the weight loss TV genre.  “Fat March” followed 12 obese adults as they walked over 500 miles, passing through 9 states in the process.  The contestants started at the Boston Marathon and those who completed the journey ended up in Washington, DC 10 weeks later.  The prize money was determined by the number of marchers who finished.  Though it could have been as much as $100,000 each, due to quitters, physical problems, and rivalries, the finalists wound up with only $40,000.  An insurance-minded viewer has noted that marchers also reduced their insurance premiums significantly.

Is Weight Control Like 9th Grade Geometry?

by Sarah Novak

It is hard to understand what others are going through when our personal experiences are very different. During 9^th grade, I took geometry, and I adored it. I was the kind of geek who thought solving proofs was fun. I barely did my homework, rarely studied, and yet I skated through the class pretty effortlessly (don’t worry – I got my comeuppance in organic chemistry a few years later). Some of my classmates had a very different experience with high school geometry. I know this sounds snotty, but I was baffled that people were struggling, feeling miserable and incompetent, and hating it. One friend in particular spent hours studying and working practice problems, only to get low grades on the exams. Up until this point, I honestly thought that people’s grades and outcomes were directly related to the effort they invested, but my friend and I were demonstrating that that was not the case. I felt bad for students who struggled, but on some level, it also made me feel really good about my own abilities.

With A Little Help from My Friends?

by Sarah Novak

You have probably seen some of the coverage of a major study published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week.  The media hype surrounding the findings has been pretty dreadful, but I hope people will look beyond the silly headlines (e.g., CNN’s “Tubby?  Blame your friends”).  The real bottom line is that our personal relationships have an impact on our waistlines, and this can be for the better, but it tends to be for the worse.

Understanding the 2007 Farm Bill

by Sarah Novak

The Farm Bill is a massive, complicated piece of legislation, but Monday's episode of the public radio show "On Point with Tom Ashbrook" offers a really nice discussion of the key points. Guests include Sen. Tom Harkin, Rep. Bob Etheridge, and author Michael Pollan, as well as some agricultural policy experts. They take calls from listeners and offer suggestions for what you can do to get more involved in the debate over this incredibly important but misunderstood bill.  You can listen to the segment here.

Super Sleuths

by Sarah Novak

If typical nutrition and health advocates are referred to as “The Food Police,” Charles Stuart Platkin should be installed as the director of the FBI.  Not the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but the Food Bureau of Investigation.  Platkin is a public health professional whose current title is “The Diet Detective.”  He leads a team of investigators seeking to document the true nutritional values of foods sold to consumers.  You can read about their interesting work on their website.  NPR had a great piece describing Platkin’s efforts to determine the difference between packaged Hostess cupcakes and the ones sold at NYC bakeries (sans nutrition info).  I won’t spoil the conclusion – you can listen to the story here. 

Want Not, Waste Not

by Sarah Novak

During a recent visit to Virginia, I ate lunch at a Korean buffet with my in-laws. As soon as I returned to the table with my plate, I read a sign that made me regret some of my more adventurous selections. The sign indicated that we would be charged an additional fee for any food left on our plates. I had never seen anything like it, but apparently this practice is spreading. The “clean your plate” message (which is not a great idea to begin with) seems to be moving from the family dinner table to the public sphere.

Et Tu, Rachael Ray?

by Sarah Novak

Last week, I learned a few new things about Rachael Ray, who is a chef, TV personality, and one of Oprah’s protégés.  First, I found out that she has launched a foundation called the “Yum-o! Organization,” named in honor of one of her catchphrases.  Its goal is to “…empower kids and their families to improve their relationship with food and cooking.” Sounds great so far…  Next I heard that she was collaborating with Bill Clinton’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which also seeks to improve the food environment for children and families.  Even better!  Finally, I caught a commercial for Dunkin’ Donuts featuring Rachel Ray as the spokesperson.  What?!?

Knowledge is Good

by Sarah Novak

As Sir Francis Bacon famously said, “Knowledge is power.”  The restaurant industry tends to dish out knowledge in small portions as it vigorously fights political action requiring establishments to provide nutrition information to empower consumers.  However, the National Restaurant Association is supporting a resource that may give consumers an extra helping of nutrition information.  The Healthy Dining Finder website is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction.

Daylight Spending Time?

by Sarah Novak

An interesting interview on NPR sheds some light on why we will be moving our clocks ahead this weekend, weeks earlier than usual.  To be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to the legislative action on this front.  Because this was part of an energy bill, I thought the goal was to conserve energy because more natural light means less need for artificial light.  Michael Downing, author of “Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time,” says this misrepresents the issue – it’s based more on corporate profit than conservation.

Trans Rats

by Sarah Novak

Many of us indulge in fast food because it is cheap, convenient, and tasty.  Though it is difficult to argue that fast food is not a good value, the real costs are not always visible.  The Rudd Center folks tend to focus on the toll frequent fast food consumption can exact on our waistlines, blood glucose, and arteries.  However, events in the past several months have highlighted that food safety issues also threaten our health.  These include the current Peter Pan peanut butter salmonella case, the recent Taco Bell E. coli outbreak and the spinach contamination problems of last fall.

Keeping Up Appearances

by Sarah Novak

According to a story by Sam Dillon in the New York Times, national officers of the Delta Zeta (DZ) sorority decided to “reorganize” its chapter at DePauw University by forcing 23 of its 35 members to vacate the house.  Among the 23 were all of the sorority’s overweight members, as well as all three of sorority’s racial minority members. The twelve members left standing all fit the common sorority stereotype—trim, pretty, and White.  Apparently six of these remaining women were so infuriated by the move that they quit anyway.

Coffee Consternation, the Conclusion

by Sarah Novak

A few months ago, I wrote a blog about a coffee promotion underway at several service stations along my daily commute.  During the promotion, the 20 oz coffee was half price, making it cheaper than even the 12 oz cup.  In my blog, I asked about the logic and intent of the promotion. Were they trying to train me to reach for the 3rd cup?  Were they trying to shift my perceptions?  Readers made excellent comments, and I recently found out that several of them were correct.

A “Mindless Eating” Christmas

by Sarah Novak

I am a huge fan of Brian Wansink, one of the cleverest and most productive researchers in the fields of eating behavior and consumer psychology.  I zipped through his latest book “Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think” when it came out a few months ago, and I found it to be extremely readable and interesting.  In the book, Wansink describes his innovative research program and the light it sheds on barriers to healthful eating.  Much of his work elucidates the ways availability, perception, and context shape our diets without our conscious awareness.  In each chapter, he provides strategies to help us reengineer our personal food environments to make healthful eating more of an automatic default than an effortful struggle.  If we can do this, we can reduce our daily intake by a “mindless margin” of 100-300 calories, which we can’t consciously perceive.  It’s not a miracle diet, but over time this will make it possible to eat less and better without feeling deprived.

Rob & Big

by Sarah Novak

The debate over different approaches to weight loss played out humorously on a recent episode of a reality show on MTV called “Rob & Big.”  Rob & Big follows the adventures of Rob Dyrdek, a professional skateboarder, and his bodyguard and best friend, Christopher “Big Black” Boykin.  The premise may seem contrived, and the show does get superficial laughs from the physical pairing of a somewhat diminutive Caucasian skater and his 6’6” African American friend.  However, if the friendship between these two isn’t genuine, they deserve Academy Awards for appearing to enjoy each others’ company immensely.  If you’re a fan of goofy buddy comedies, this show is for you.

Starved for attention

by Sarah Novak

Donald Trump has taken his ridiculous feud with Rosie O’Donnell, host of ABC’s “The View” to a new low.  Rosie started the fight by criticizing Donald for posing as a moral compass after the recent Miss USA misbehavior flap.  Next Donald fires back, calling her fat, ugly, lucky to have an attractive girlfriend, and a total failure.  This stupid fight makes great television, so every show seems to be airing it.  I saw a clip of his screed on CNN’s “The Situation Room.”  My family sat in shocked silence as he repeatedly insulted Rosie, mostly focusing on her weight.  I tried to find a clip like the one we saw on that program, but all the ones I’ve seen online since then are toned down.  Maybe that’s for the best.

Thin

by Sarah Novak

There is a new documentary about eating disorders called “Thin” that is currently appearing on HBO. “Thin” was hard for me to watch, but even harder to turn off. It focuses on women undergoing treatment for eating disorders at the Renfrew Center in Florida. I want to make it clear that I do not study eating disorders, so I lack the expertise to comment on the treatment strategies that are used or the behaviors of staff or patients. That said, I was moved by the film and would like to share some of my impressions.

Coffee Consternation

by Sarah Novak

On my morning commute, I stop at one of a number of service stations that all offer the same coffee service.  In case you are wrinkling up your nose at that idea, I will confess that I am no coffee connoisseur, and I find this coffee to be completely adequate and extremely convenient.  (I am also the kind of person who still walks into Starbucks and still orders a “medium,” to the great frustration of the barista, so take my coffee judgments with a grain of, er, sugar substitute.)  Anyway, the service stations have a buy six, get one free card, so I end up with a free cup about every other week.  All of this is to say that I am a happy, loyal customer.

A different kind of food politics

by Sarah Novak

As Election Day nears, thinking about politics is becoming unavoidable.  We often talk about the politics of food and obesity here at the Rudd Center, but writer David Kamp commented on a different kind of food politics in a clever piece on NPR last week.  In “The Politics of Brie: Time to Scrap a Label” Kamp bemoans the use of terms connoting culinary sophistication as slurs against candidates.  You can listen to his essay here.  Kamp is the author of a recent book, “The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation.” I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but it sounds great and has gotten positive reviews.

Oh, I Wish

by Sarah Novak

I vividly remember the day one of my classmates skipped down the hall and exclaimed that the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile was outside.  My friends and I dropped what we were doing and ran out to see it.  We smiled goofily as we received miniature weenie whistles and then went back to working on our project.  I am embarrassed to report that happened when I was a sophomore in college.  Oscar Meyer certainly knows a thing or two about how to appeal to kids of all ages.

Friday Night, Not so Light

by Sarah Novak

I caught a segment of “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” in September about the steady climb of high school linemen’s weights.  These days, it is common for high school linemen to weigh upwards of 300 pounds, which would have been unheard of less than a decade ago.  While they are mostly large to begin with, and some bulk up in a controlled, relatively healthy way, many of these players are intentionally overeating junk foods to gain weight quickly. 

One reason for this alarming trend is the players’ desire to catch college recruiters’ attention in order to win a coveted spot on a college team.  The more disturbing reasons include high school coaches’ desire to win games (even at the expense of their players’ health), and parents’ hope of getting their child a cheaper college education, and perhaps even a position in the NFL (once again, to the players’ physical detriment).  Unfortunately, most of these young players will not be recruited for college ball and few will ever play professional football.  The majority will be saddled with excess weight and unhealthy habits that will be difficult to change.

Children of the Corn

by Sarah Novak

I have an idea for a diet that could rival the Atkins craze.  Instead of giving up carbohydrates all together, my plan requires you to give up only one food.  Does that sound too good to be true?  It isn’t if you are able to stop eating corn.  The real catch is that I am not just talking about corn on the cob or the canned corn in your pantry. 

Science Friday

by Sarah Novak

I am always a fan of Ira Flatow’s radio show, “Science Friday,” but a couple of recent segments may be of particular interest to blog readers.  The September 15th program had a short interview with Ann Cooper, the chef who is working to reform school lunches in Berkeley (who is also interviewed in the Sept. 4th New Yorker).  The August 25th show featured a longer discussion about the challenges of eating locally with Brian Halweil, author of "Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket," and Jennifer Wilkins, Kellogg Food and Society Policy Fellow at Cornell.

You can hear the conversations for yourself at:  http://www.sciencefriday.com/

 

With maturity comes refined taste buds

by Sarah Novak

What myths and misconceptions from childhood have you brought with you into adulthood?  Recently I listened to an episode of the radio show “This American Life” that featured several slice-of-life stories with this theme.  Some told hilarious tales about believing that unicorns are real (although endangered species), that the Nielsen ratings are based on a poll of families named Nielsen, and that monkeys can create precious handicrafts.  In each case, the too-late revelation led to a humiliating, humorous, or heart-warming conclusion.

Hot enough for you?

by Sarah Novak

During the grueling heat wave we endured here in the northeast this summer, I heard a meteorologist on the radio talking about individual differences in how people experience heat.  He said that individuals perceive heat and humidity differently, and one determining factor is weight.  This made me think of the recent article in the International Journal of Obesity by Allison and Keith that talked about air conditioning as one of the unsung contributors to obesity, and it occurred to me that the association probably goes both ways.   I wonder whether the increase in obesity has caused people to set their air conditioners to cooler temperatures to maintain the same level of comfort.  While this might cause a small creep in our individual utility costs, the more important question is what impact this has on our collective energy usage, particularly as capacity is exceeded and blackouts loom.  Clearly there are a lot of factors that determine our energy consumption, but it would be interesting to know whether this is yet another economic cost of the obesity epidemic.

Project Runway didn’t “make it work!”

by Sarah Novak

I try to keep up with pop culture, but there are few shows I am as devoted to as Bravo’s Project Runway.  To me (and lots of the non-Emmy-voting public), it is the best reality show on TV.  It features truly talented, creative people who produce provocative clothing within mere hours.  Add in the drama of competition and some fabulously catty commentary, and you’ve got one enormously entertaining show.   

Oprah, we need you!

by Sarah Novak

Making progress in the obesity arena requires that health advocates be as persuasive as possible in order to have the greatest impact. Researchers in social psychology have narrowed down the top qualities that make people influential. They include authority, expertise, likeability, friendliness, physical attractiveness, celebrity, perceived similarity. Many people possess these qualities, but the person who leaps to mind when I think about them is Oprah Winfrey.

Not the jungle gym...

by Sarah Novak

I caught a segment on NBC’s Today show about the increasing number of gyms for kids.  I have mixed feelings about this trend.  Ideally, kids would be able to ride bikes, play games, dance, and enjoy themselves while getting the physical activity they need.  Realistically, that isn’t happening because neighborhoods aren’t perceived to be safe enough, activity classes can be prohibitively expensive, PE is being cut out of the school day, parents are overwhelmed, and video games, computers, and other gadgets provide more competition for kids’ time and energy.  I also don’t like to think about kids worrying about working off that spare tire (or is it a spare training wheel?).

Fat chance pageant

by Sarah Novak

Over the past couple of weeks, I watched two televised pageants (don’t judge me…). One was the Miss Universe Pageant on NBC, and the other was “Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance,” a pageant for full-figured women on the Oxygen network. One gave me a new appreciation for diversity, the other was vapid and predictable. Guess which was which…

Everyday Bias

by Sarah Novak

Some of the most pervasive biases psychologists describe can contribute to our understanding of obesity.  One is the fundamental attribution error (FAE).  The FAE says that we tend to exaggerate people’s responsibility for their circumstances and underestimate the contribution of situational factors.  For example, if we see a person stumble on the sidewalk, we usually make the dispositional attribution that the person is clumsy, instead of making a situational attribution and assuming that the sidewalk is uneven, and almost anyone would have tripped. When thinking about the issues of overweight and obesity, a lot of people focus on individuals and ask “What are those people doing wrong?  Are they lazy?  Stupid?  Hedonistic?”  These myopic dispositional attributions keep us blind to the situational forces that impact the behavior of others.

To The Extreme

by Sarah Novak

An article in Newsweek magazine (on shelves July 3-10) talks about the growing trend of driving 90 minutes or more to work, dubbed “Extreme Commuting.”  Read the full article here.  Author Keith Naughton describes several of the adaptations we are making to accommodate these longer commutes, including eating more meals in the car. Two of the staggering statistics he gives are that Americans eat an average of 32 meals a year in their cars, and one in four restaurant meals are ordered from the car.   

Normalization of Deviance

by Sarah Novak

Recently, Wendy’s announced a shift in some of their products’ names. (For the full story, click here.) Specifically, what used to be known as “biggie” fries and drinks will now be called “medium,” and what used to be called “medium” is now known as “small.” In short, the portions haven’t changed, but the labels have, and they have changed in a way that will probably make consumers think the items are smaller servings than they actually are. Wendy’s claims this change was instituted to ease consumer confusion, and yet it will probably create more.

Honey, We're Killing the Kids

by Sarah Novak

In The Learning Channel’s new show, “Honey, We’re Killing the Kids,” host and nutritionist Dr. Lisa Hark attempts to improve another family’s health habits by creating a pseudo-scientific projection of what the kids will look like at age 40. Yes, these kids may be headed for diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, but jeez, don’t let them turn out to be ugly!

The host tells us she hopes this “terrifying vision” will wake parents up. Her catch phrase is, “If this doesn’t motivate them, I don’t know what will!” The show sells the parents and its audience short. Appearance is definitely a serious motivation behind weight loss goals, but it is not the only one. Worse, the show never talks about the realities of being teased or discriminated against, feeling unattractive, or any of the psychological issues related to weight and poor health. The shallow focus on future appearance takes away from the real health and well-being issues.

Here Comes the Bride

by Sarah Novak

Wedding season is upon us, and lots of brides are working hard so that their corsets don’t have to. As I am joining the ranks marching down the aisle this year, I have been struck by the conflicting weight loss information to which brides are exposed. For example, one well-known wedding planning site provides sound advice in their articles, like suggesting women buy a dress that fits the size they are, not the size they hope to be, and starting to exercise and eat healthfully far in advance so that there is time to reach the goal in a safe way. However, on the same screen only inches away are ads for diet pills to help women drop sizes effortlessly and fast. Most of the images we are fed are of slim, toned women, although a few companies have started showcasing their plus size bridal gowns.

Is scrambling to lose weight before a big event a good idea? A 2001 editorial by Cheskin and Donze in JAMA suggests that researchers and health professionals may underestimate the motivational boost people get from impending social events, such as weddings and class reunions. We tend to focus on the health implications, rather than the appearance concerns involved. My sense is that people will have more success and less stress if they follow a slow and steady regimen, but if there is no time for that, a last-ditch effort that is done safely shouldn’t hurt. The real difference may be in the long-term effects of the effort.  Last-minute, heroic weight loss attempts can lead to a rebound if individuals “fall off the wagon” as soon as the high-stakes event is over.

Interestingly, there is no “buff grooms” movement, at least not yet. Suits and tuxedos can hide what most wedding gowns can not. In a perfect world, couples would take the time and make the effort to begin a healthy regimen as they prepare to start a new chapter in their lives together. They would focus on the joy of their big day, rather than the measurements of their waistlines. But in our imperfect world, there’s always photoshop.

I Heart DDR

by Sarah Novak

There is a new love in my life, and it goes by the name of Dance Dance Revolution (see a description on Wikipedia). For those who haven’t heard of it, DDR is a video game that plays upbeat music and challenges users to follow increasingly complex dance steps via arrows on a floor mat. The game can score your accuracy, count the calories you burn, and maybe even improve your rhythm. As you dance, you get feedback ranging from “Perfect!” and “Great!” to an occasional “Almost!” or “Boo!” I have known of this video game for years – among other uses, it has served as a health intervention in schools in West Virginia– but I admit that I was way behind the curve in actually trying it. I went from novice to addict over the course of a weekend.

This isn’t just an open love letter; I do have a point.  DDR is popular among kids (and adults) because it is fun and challenging, not because of its cardiovascular benefits. Unlike many workouts I have tried, I was able to forget that I was making an effort to exercise – I was enjoying myself that much. The food industry could learn a lesson from this gaming example.

When food companies create products that are supposedly good for us, they cram the health messages down our throats. It seems like more of a PR move more than a public health innovation. They are trying to say, “if you want to be healthy, eat this,” but many people interpret it as, “if you want to deprive yourself of tasty food, eat this.” (See Horgen & Brownell, 2002 for information on this effect.)  What we need are foods that make taste and convenience the priority and make their positive health impact a fortunate side effect. Unilever (maker of products ranging from Skippy peanut butter to Country Crock spreads) is one company that appears to be employing this philosophy. They have improved the health profile of many of their products without shouting it from the rooftops, and consumption hasn’t changed. It would be great to see more of this kind of “stealth health.” People have a hard enough time maintaining their weights when they are making a huge effort. Why can’t we take some of that effort out of the equation?

References:

Horgen, K.B., & Brownell, K.D. (2002). Comparison of price change and health message interventions in promoting healthy food choices. Health Psychology, 21, 505-512.