Pets with Benefits!

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With project deadlines, budget cuts, and poor job performances, it is no wonder many people consider the workplace to be a stressful environment. But have no fear, your best friend is here! Published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, a preliminary study conducted by Randolph Barker (yes that last name is for real) found that dog owners who took their pets to work had the lowest stress level compared to employees who did not take their dogs to work and those who did not own any pets. Interestingly, dog owners who did not take their pets to work had stress levels that were more than twice as high as the dog owners who took their pets to work. Barker suggests that having pets at the workplace could help buffer stressful situations by helping the pet owner cope more efficiently with negative outcomes.

Shedding pounds in your sleep?

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With obesity being such a hot topic for clinicians, researchers, and the general public, everyone is trying to identify successful weight-loss techniques. The University of Pennsylvania just published a surprising finding that increasing hours of sleep may actually decrease the prevalence of obesity among adolescents. This longitudinal study  followed 1000 adolescents throughout their four years in high school, tracking sleep habits and weight. While sleep and BMI were only somewhat connected at the lower end of the BMI distribution, at the upper end, each additional hour of sleep was associated with a significant reduction in BMI. This relationship remained even when controlling for common correlates of obesity such as time watching TV and physical activity. The researchers suggest that at the age of 18, increasing sleep to 10 hours per night could result in a 4% reduction in adolescent obesity rates (BMI above 25kg/m2). That might not sound like a lot, but that would mean roughly 500,000 fewer overweight adolescents!

The Health Halo

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Organic products may make us feel healthier, but that’s not all they can influence. This awesome food study from Cornell University tested what is now known as the “health halo” to see if people would rate the SAME foods differently just based on an organic label versus a regular label. With Brian Wansink on the research team, it’s no surprise that the trick fooled everyone. Participants were willing to pay 23% more for “organic” cookies and yogurt. Even more surprising, the fake organic label even influenced nutritional perceptions, as participants rated “organic” cookies and yogurt as tasting lower in fat and calories and cookies and chips as more nutritious. The only people who the halo didn’t blind were those already savvy to nutrition and health, so if that isn’t you, make sure you make your next purchase based on its actual nutritional value and not the label!

Ken Guest Blogs: Hit Up the Gym with a Partner!

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Ken Huang, one of Dr. T’s Health Psychology students, guest blogs again!:

A recent study found that female participants who exercised with a workout partner exercised better than when alone. According to the research, when paired up with a stronger partner, participants exercised much longer, and felt no more tired than solo participants who actually exercised for less time. Researchers also found that these benefits applied even when participants exercised with a virtual partner. They saw a looping video of another person exercising and were told that the virtual partner had exercised 40 percent longer than they did. After receiving this news, participants nearly doubled the time they spent biking!
Although the study tested women, past research indicates that this effect is true in male-female and male-male studies as well (and these effects extend into other behaviors beyond just exercise). Researchers think that the effects stem from our tendency to model our behavior based on those around us. If we see others doing well/making better choices, we are that much more motivated to do the same. So next time you’re feeling unmotivated to exercise — grab a partner, especially one who is a great exerciser!

Melissa Guest Blogs: A longer nose leads to poorer health?

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Melissa Chaung, one of Dr. T’s Health Psychology students, guest blogs again!:

Only if you’re Pinocchio that is! But yes, people always say that “Honesty is the best policy,” and a recent study at the University of Notre Dame has found some support for that claim. It turns out that being honest could be linked to positive side effects for our health. Researchers assigned one group of participants to try their best to not tell lies during the course of the study while the other group was not given any directions about lying except that they had to document any lies they told each week. This study lasted for ten weeks. Results showed that both groups decreased in the number of lies they told each week; however, the group that was specifically told not to lie reported fewer mental health and physical complaints compared to the control group. The experimental group also reported having better personal relationships and social interactions. So even though it may not make your nose smaller, sticking to the truth has positive ramifications for your social life and even your health.

Haley Guest Blogs: Rub it in!

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This Guest Blog Post is from Haley McNamara, one of Dr. T’s Health Psychology students:

With temperatures rising and summer approaching in southern California, sunscreen is an important, yet widely misunderstood topic. What exactly is SPF? According to this article from The New York Times, solar rays come in two equally dangerous forms: UVA and UVB. SPF, or sun protection factor, only describes the amount of protection from UVB rays. Sunscreen labels can be even more misleading; because the amount of sunscreen applied in product testing can be up to twice as much as a typical consumer would apply. Any product, “above an SPF of 30, which can block 97 percent of UVB (if used in testing amounts), effectiveness increases by only 1 or 2 percent. In the way that sunscreens are used in the real world, then, a product with an SPF of 30 actually provides the protection of SPF 2.3 to 5.5.” Despite the belief that sunscreen can actually cause skin cancer, there is no evidence to support this claim, so sunscreen should be an integral part of any skin care routine. Medical professionals suggest applying a broad spectrum SPF of 30 – 50 every two hours during sun exposure. Staying clear of the afternoon sun is generally the best course of action, but if it is unavoidable, bring with you hats, umbrellas, and protective clothing. And while you might love your bronzed skin, you won’t feel so sexy with sun damage or skin cancer.

Connie Guest Blogs: The more you remember the less you eat

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Connie Liu, one of Dr. T’s Health Psychology students, guest blogs again!:

Much like Angela’s blog post from December, this recent research claims that an attentive memory for what is eaten could help people eat less at their next meals. Previously, it has been shown that distractions can lead to eating more than necessary by disrupting a person’s ability to notice the pleasure of the food going in. By manipulating subject’s attention on food, the current studies found that enhancing memory of food intake reduced later food consumption. A vivid memory of a filling and satisfying meal might further inhibit future food intake. So to help you remember your meals and avoid overeating later, try to eliminate disruptions while you eat, including TV and computer!

Danni Guest Blogs: A Glass of Red Wine, OK

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Danni Ji, one of Dr. T’s Health Psychology students, guest blogs again!:

Past research has been unclear on the direct benefits of resveratrol, a compound found in red wine. Does it really have benefits on our health and prolong lifespan? Researchers have now confirmed that it indeed does, by improving energy production and overall health in cells via sirtuins (genes that promote mitochondrial function). Resveratrol seems to increase one’s life-span and well-being by enhancing metabolic activity and energy production in the mitochondria. So drink up, but only in moderation, of course, and keep it classy!

 

Chloe Guest Blogs: Feeling the ‘burn’

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This Guest Blog is from Chloe Tagawa, one of Dr. T’s Health Psychology students:

No not the burn from working out; we’re talking about job burnout, which results from “high stress, heavy workload, a lack of control over job situations, a lack of emotional support, and long work hours.” A study at Tel Aviv University has found a link between job burnout and coronary heart disease (CHD). Researchers found that people who were in the top 20% of the burnout scale had an increased risk of CHD, by about 79%. While some of these factors are physically taxing, they wear on the body emotionally, as well. Of the 8, 838 participants who had routine health examinations for 3.4 years, there were 93 new cases of CHD at follow-up. This was associated with a 40% increased risk of CHD for those who experienced burnout. Researchers suggest taking action such as exercise, getting substantial sleep, and seeking psychotherapy, to combat the effects of job burnout.

Krishna Guest Blogs: Dance for Health

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This Guest Blog Post is from Krishna Mehta, one of Dr. T’s Health Psychology students:

Cardiovascular Disease is unfortunately the leading cause of death, especially among Hispanics and African Americans. So researcher Rosemary Flores decided to explore a new way to help young Hispanic and African American students improve attitudes towards physical activity and fitness in general. She designed a program known as Dance for Health, which provides students with an enjoyable school based aerobic exercise program. Her research demonstrated that students who participated in this study, as opposed to students who participated in regular physical education, had a significantly greater increase in aerobic fitness, had reduced body weight, and, as mentioned earlier, had a more positive attitude towards physical activity. However, the Dance for Health program was more effective on girls than boys. In the end though, the program was able to improve the health of the majority of students, and these findings offer strong support for implementing Dance for Health in more school districts. Read more about it here.