behavior change

New evidence on running shoes

April 10, 2012 By sh648 6 Comments

If you frequent a trail or neighborhood that is popular with runners, you’ve most likely noticed a new trend: people running barefoot or with very odd-looking shoes that place for each toe. And if you’re a runner yourself, you’ve certainly come across – maybe even experimented with – the trend of barefoot running.

Books like ChiRunning and Born to Run make the case for lower-profile, less-cushioned shoes or none at all. Here at EBL, we’ve written about the phenomenon before – specifically the work of Harvard biologist Daniel Lieberman, who studies the biomechanics of barefoot running and how early humans survived by evolving the ability to travel long distances to hunt.

Now a new study – detailed by a New York Times blog – has found that wearing light-weight shoes, instead of going completely barefoot, is metabolically more efficient.

The researchers’ argument goes something like this: Running with traditional running shoes, which weight 300 to 400 grams, increase the amount of energy required to run because with every step, the running is lifting those weights. Over the miles, that extra energy adds up.

For this study, researchers compared runners in lightweight shoes – weighing 150 grams – to barefoot runners who ran with leaded strips weighing 150 grams taped to the top of their feet. Carrying the same weight, the study found that barefoot running was actually less efficient compared to wearing light-weight shoes.

“What we found was that there seem to be adaptations that occur during the running stride that can make wearing shoes metabolically less costly,” Jason R. Franz, a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado who led the study, told the New York Times. Shoes, he says, “provide some degree of cushioning.” If you eschew shoes, “something else has to provide the cushioning.”

Without any shoes, a runner’s leg muscles require additional energy to provide this cushioning.

In fact, the study even found that unweighted barefoot running was slightly less efficient than running with light-weight shoes, even though the shoes added weight.

The study didn’t address other benefits that barefoot runners tout – namely a reduction in injuries from running without shoes. But the study does make the case for investing in a different kind of running shoe – not the cushioned, bulky trainer that was once popular, but a more protective, lighter shoe that protects feet without adding weight.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness, In The Media Tagged With: behavior change, evidence-based practice, Health and Wellness, science in the media

What we know about mindfulness and meditation

March 29, 2012 By sh648 1 Comment

The phrase “living in the moment” is a buzz word in our modern society that denotes a life well-lived. With its roots lie in Buddhism, the idea of “mindfulness” and “living in the moment” has taken root in modern American culture.

From best-selling books like Eat, Pray, Love to yoga classes offered at nearly every gym in the country, the idea of living in the moment is en vogue. But does it really lead to a happier life?

A systematic review of the evidence found that mindfulness-based therapy – which encourages patients to focus on their breathing and their body, to notice but not judge their thoughts and to generally live in the moment – does yield positive benefits.

The review, published last year in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, is focused on mindfulness as a treatment for psychological disorders. It looked at 39 studies involving 1,140 participants who received mindfulness-based therapy for a range of conditions including cancer, generalized anxiety disorder and depression.

The review concluded that mindfulness-based therapy somewhat helped ease the mental stress of people recovering from cancer and other serious illnesses. The treatment had the strongest benefits for people diagnosed with mood disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and recurring depression.

That’s not to say that a daily meditation session can help cure severe depression or anxiety disorders, but it is a useful tool along with other treatment and for patient with more mild cases.

On a personal note, I don’t suffer from depression or mood disorders, but I do find that a few minutes spent focused on my breath and calming my mind helps me to focus and stay positive for the rest of the day. I find it’s a habit worth cultivating.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness, In The Media Tagged With: alternative treatments, behavior change, evidence-based practice, Health and Wellness, social trends

How your working environment impacts your health

March 6, 2012 By sh648 Leave a Comment

Adopting a healthy lifestyle can be tough these days, especially for parents working hard to make ends meet. Yes, there are gyms and organic grocery stores, on-demand yoga and healthy cooking magazines. But for working parents, long hours and irregular schedules make can make it difficult to eat healthily and exercise.

A cadre of researchers are Cornell’s College of Human Ecology are working on this problem, conducting the research and pulling together the best evidence to help families exercise more and eat healthier.

Among them is nutritional sciences professor Carole Devine, who has created and evaluated a program that helps change workplace environments to support physical activity and healthy eating.

The program, called Small Steps are Easier Together, is an active collaboration between Cornell faculty, Cooperative Extension educators and worksite leadership teams across New York. Pilot studies have been conducted in 23 sites since 2006. It involves worksites creating wellness leadership teams, who work with Cornell researchers to implement evidence-based strategies – like creating walking groups, posting maps, and offering more fruit and vegetable options in the cafeteria – to increase walking and promote healthier eating.

The most recent analysis of the program included 188 participants in 10 rural worksites. It found the percentage of sedentary women had declined to from 42 percent to 26 percent. A total of 35 percent of the women moved to a higher activity level.

Devine is also pulling together the evidence on how working conditions impact food decisions for families at home and on the job.

Her research has found that the stress of a busy job impacts parents’ ability to serve healthy meals, leading them to serve quicker and less healthy meals, such as fast food. She’s investigated a variety of coping strategies such as negotiating a more flexible work schedule and teaming up with a neighbor to take turns preparing meals.

Devine’s work highlights the connections between work environments and health, and provide some evidence-based strategies to improve public health.

Filed Under: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness Tagged With: behavior change, Cooperative Extension programs, environment, evidence-based programs, food and nutrition, Health and Wellness, intervention research, nutrition, parenting, research translation, social trends

New evidence: Marijuana and driving don’t mix

February 17, 2012 By sh648 1 Comment

We’ve all heard the warnings about drinking and driving, but what about driving while under the influence of other substances?

A new study published this week in the British Medical Journal found that drivers who use marijuana up to three hours before driving are twice as likely to cause a traffic accidence compared to those not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

While it may seems obvious that driving under the influence of any substance would lead to more accidents, this is the first systematic review to gather all of the evidence on traffic accidents and marijuana use.

“To our knowledge this meta-analysis is the first to examine the association between acute cannabis use and the risk of motor vehicle collisions in real life,” the researchers wrote.

The study reviewed nine studies of nearly 50,000 across the globe involved collisions on public roads. It found the increased risk was most pronounced in studies of fatal collisions, and that the impact of acute cannabis consumption on the risk of minor crashes remains unclear.

This type of review adds to the body of evidence that ultimately helps policy-makers understand public health threats. In this case, it seems clear that lawmakers and public health officials need to do more to help the public understand the dangers of driving while under the influence of marijuana.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness Tagged With: behavior change, Health and Wellness, transportation

A new tool to help you lose weight

January 2, 2012 By sh648 2 Comments

Happy New Year!

Are you making any diet and exercise resolutions this year? I sure am.

Just in time to help us along, the federal government has launched a new online tracking system. The system is based on the part of a new, evidence-based initiative to improve the diets of Americans that we’ve written about before here on EBL.

It includes tools to calculate the nutritional information of more than 8,000 foods, tally daily calorie consumption and track physical activity. You can set weight loss goals, create reports and receive individualized tips about how to improve.

Admittedly, this kind of tool isn’t for everyone. I know people who crave data – my husband is like this -who love generate graphs and reports showing exactly how many calories they’re consuming and expending. Others find this kind of tracking monotonous and discouraging.

No matter which camp you fall into, the evidence does show that it’s beneficial to track your food consumption – something the new tool will certainly help with. In fact, a systematic review published last year in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association concluded that there is a “consistent and significant positive relationship between self-monitoring diet, physical activity or weight and successful outcomes related to weight management.” (You remember how much we love systematic reviews, right?)

The article reviewed 22 studies that looked at self-monitoring during weight loss programs. Fifteen of the studies focused on keeping a food journal, one looked at keeping an exercise journal, and six tracked subjects who recorded their weight at least once a week.

Researchers found that both written and electronic journals helped with weight loss. They also found that that people kept a weekly record of their weight lost more than those who weighed themselves less frequently.

So if you’re aiming to drop a few pounds in 2012, check out the government’s new tool. It might be just what you need to jump start your New Year’s resolution.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness Tagged With: behavior change, evidence-based practice, evidence-based programs, food and nutrition, Health and Wellness, nutrition

Video feature: How to avoid holiday weight gain

December 22, 2011 By sh648 2 Comments

It’s that time of year full of merriment, parties, and lots of special food treats. It’s also the time of year that the majority of Americans gain weight. And some studies have shown the holiday weight gain actually accumulates year after year.

Sure, there are all sorts of theories about how to avoid those few extra pounds over the holidays. But which strategies actually work?

Brian Wansink – a Cornell professor and director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab – has conducted dozens of studies on environmental cues and diet. He explained there are three main pitfalls to avoid at holiday meals:

First, studies have shown that those who cook food eat more of it because preparing the food makes them feel as if they deserve it. Take home message: If you’re hosting a holiday gathering, serve yourself a normal portion and then move on to socializing with your guests.
Research from Wansink’s lab has also shown that 9 percent of all calories consumed on Thanksgiving are eaten before the big meal. You can make a major dent in your holiday calorie consumption just by avoiding high-calorie appetizers. If you must munch, stick with plain vegetables.
Wansink’s lab has also documented the “happy host” syndrome – essentially when people take more food as a compliment to the host. Research has found that the host won’t actually remember who much food you took in your first plate, only how many times you went back for more. So start with a tiny portion and then go back for a tiny bit more to send the message you’re a fan of the meal.

You can see Wansink discussing his holiday-eating tips in the following video.

Here’s wishing you a happy, healthy holiday!
Note: EBL will be taking a break for the holiday season, but will return with new evidence-based info in the New Year.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness Tagged With: behavior change, evidence-based practice, food and nutrition, nutrition, research translation, social trends

Is junk food cheaper?

October 11, 2011 By sh648 1 Comment

It’s a major misconception in our modern society: processed foods like chips, frozen dinners and Happy Meals are not cheaper, but actually more expensive than whole foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. While this topic graces our TV screens in shows like Jamie Oliver’s Food Revoluion and our shelves in books like Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food, the misconception remains among many Americans.

A few weeks ago, Mark Bittman wrote a column in the New York Times making the case that cost is not what keeps American families from eating healthy meals. Bittman argues that advertising and marketing of snacks and fast food, the addictive nature of unhealthy foods and a lack of cooking skills are to blame for America’s nutrition problems.

It’s a problem that is documented by plenty of evidence, says Christine Olson, a professor of community nutrition at Cornell.

“His article lends some visibility to a fact that is well-known by nutritionists and family economists and amply-substantiated by research,” she said. “A home-prepared family meal is generally more nutritious and cheaper than a family meal purchased at a restaurant, even a fast food restaurant. But the frenetic pace of family life and the relentless advertising by the fast food industry contribute to the widely-held opposite perception. “

Cornell Cooperative Extension has been educating families about this very issue for decades. Its Food and Nutrition Education in Communities program has been helping families gain the knowledge, skills, attitudes they need to eat healthily since the 1970s. Another program called Cooking Up Fun teaches young people about cooking with healthy ingredients.

It’s one of the many ways that Cornell Cooperative Extension is using evidence to help improve the lives of families in New York.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness, In The Media Tagged With: behavior change, Cooperative Extension programs, food and nutrition, nutrition, science in the media

“You can’t say, ‘You can’t play.’”

September 21, 2011 By sh648 Leave a Comment

Over dozens of years in the classroom, author and veteran kindergarten teacher Vivian Paley noticed a disturbing trend among her students: Each year, some children developed the power to create the games, make the rules, and decide who was allowed to play and who would be left out.

So Paley decided to make a new rule in her classroom: “You can’t say, ‘You can’t play.” Paley documented the children’s reaction to the new rule with audio recordings. (You can hear some of them in an episode of the NPR show This American Life.)

The following year, Paley’s rule was expanded to her entire school. She’s written a book on the experiment. And, since then, educators across the country have adopted the rule and studied its implications. My own son’s preschool subscribes to the rule, so I thought I’d do a little digging to find out what the research says about it.

While there is no meta-analysis available to date on “You can’t say, ‘You can’t play,” studies have shown the rule improves social acceptance among kindergarteners. The non-profit research center Child Trends implemented an intervention program among 144 kindergarteners that involved storytelling and group discussion to help children become more aware the different ways they may exclude their peers and learn ways to act in more accepting ways. Their study found that children in the program felt more accepted by their peers compared to the control group.

Another study investigated teacher’s perceptions about inclusive play for young children. The found programs to implement the rule must involve training and on-going support to help teachers communicate the rule to students and deal with problems that emerge as students struggle with inclusive play.

On the whole, I’m impressed with the data available on “You can’t say, ‘You can’t play.’” It seems to be a positive way to teach young children about social acceptance and diversity. This is one area, though, where I’d love to see some more comprehensive research or a literature review to clarify all of the benefits to our children.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, In The Media, Youth Development Tagged With: behavior change, children and youth, evidence-based programs, intervention research

New insights into the teenage brain

August 8, 2011 By sh648 Leave a Comment

We have all heard the frightening statistics before. Teens ages 15 to 19 are age group most likely to die due to injury – about six times more likely than 10- to 14-year-olds. Crime rates are highest among young males. Teens are also more likely to abuse alcohol and engage in risky sexual behavior compared with people of other ages.

Now a new paper published by the National Institute of Mental Health sums up the body of research on the vulnerability of teenagers. Much of the problem, it turns out, has to do with their brain development.

The paper explains that brain scans have revealed that the brain doesn’t resemble that of an adult until most people are in their early 20s. And the parts of the brain responsible for behaviors such as controlling impulses and planning ahead are among the last to mature.

Research also shows that the parts of the brain involved in emotional responses are more active in teenagers compared with adults, which may help explain teenagers tendencies to act impulsively and take on more risks.

So what’s a parent to do? Cornell Professor Valerie Reyna studies risky behavior among teenagers. (In fact, we’ve written about her research before.) She’s created a web page of resources on Risky Decision-Making in Adolescence to help teachers and parents guide kids. She offers a long list of strategies to keep young people safe, such as using positive role models and role playing to simulate risky situations.

If there are teenagers in your life, it’s worth understanding how their brains and developing and what you can do to help them make good decisions.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness, Youth Development Tagged With: behavior change, children and youth, Health and Wellness, research translation

How to promote creativity among kids

July 29, 2011 By sh648 Leave a Comment

Did you know there’s an evidence-based way to measure creativity?

In the 1950s, a psychologist named Ellis Paul Torrance developed a series of tasks to measure creativity and gave them to 400 Minneapolis children.

Scholars have followed the children since then and recorded all of their creative accomplishments – patents, research papers, art exhibits, business innovations, books, musical scores, and so on. Sure enough, the children who scored high on the tests showed the more creativity as adults as well. If fact, the correlation of test scores to lifetime creative accomplishment was more than three times stronger for childhood creativity than childhood IQ.

To date, the Torrance test has been taken by millions of people worldwide in 50 languages. But recently, one researcher identified a disappointing trend. Kyung Hee Kim, a professor of Educational Psychology at the College of William and Mary, analyzed nearly Torrance scores of nearly 300,000 children and adults. She found the scores had been steadily rising until 1990. Since then, creativity scores have consistently fallen every year. (Her work was famously documented in an article in Newsweek magazine in 2009.)

When Kim says creativity is declining, she’s not just talking about artistic ability, but a range of skills such as the ability to produce original ideas, see things from a different angle, elaborate upon ideas and synthesize information. (She explained all of the measures to Encyclopedia Brittanica.)

What does this mean? Kim is the first to point out there’s more research needed. But , based on her body of research on creativity, she does suggest some steps that parents and teachers can take to foster creativity among children.

Take the time to try to find the answer children’s questions and teach how to find their own answers.
Don’t always emphasize getting the “right” answers, but instead encourage inventiveness.
Encourage spontaneous and even silly play.
Foster independence.
Introduce children to different experiences including different places, cultures, food, languages, and people.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, In The Media, Youth Development Tagged With: behavior change, children and youth, research translation, science in the media, social trends

Foods that lead to weight-gain – and other new evidence about staying slim

June 30, 2011 By sh648 Leave a Comment

Hungry for a snack? Go for fruit and yogurt over a bag of chips.

There is new evidence that eating specific foods – like potato chips (surprise!) – on a regular basis leads to weight gain. Researchers at Harvard University conducted three prospective studies involving more than 120,000 people followed over the course of 20 years to learn more about dietary and lifestyle choices that impact weight gain.

The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine offers data about a lot of assumptions many people have about weight gain.

The most striking finding was that people who ate specific foods – among them potato chips, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages and red meats and processed meats – were more likely to gain weight. Increased consumption of other foods – including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, yogurt and nuts – was associated with less weight gain.

The take-home message: It matters what you eat, not just how much. Eating healthier carbohydrates in place of sweets and refined grains leads to less weight gain over time, as does avoiding highly-processed foods.

“These findings underscore the importance of making wise food choices in preventing weight gain and obesity,” said Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard and senior author of the paper. “The idea that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods is a myth that needs to be debunked.”

The study also found that getting too much or too little sleep, consuming alcohol on a daily basis and watching TV lead to weight gain.

You can see the lead author, Professor Dariush Mozaffarian, discussing his findings and learn more about the study in this Atlantic article.

Filed Under: Evidence-Based Living, Health and Wellness, In The Media Tagged With: behavior change, Health and Wellness, research translation

New evidence on running shoes

New evidence: Marijuana and driving don’t mix

A new tool to help you lose weight

Is junk food cheaper?

“You can’t say, ‘You can’t play.’”

New insights into the teenage brain

Foods that lead to weight-gain – and other new evidence about staying slim

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