Discerning Fact from Fiction

Not an hour goes by without a new headline. Sometimes, it only takes minutes for a fresh story to blaze across a website, begging to be read. Yet, despite the boldness or catchiness of a headline, people often ignore the news around them. Perhaps this disregard stems from simple laziness or apathy, but there is another feasible cause: the overwhelming amount of emerging stories. Remaining updated takes time and effort, entities found in short supply in too many American households.

When it comes to science, staying updated takes on a different importance. Some emerging stories hold the key to our health or education, while others contain a knot of ill-supported rubbish. Reading science magazines or newspaper articles is not enough: distinguishing between reliable and untrustworthy information becomes a second duty, one equally important to the first. Such a skill takes experience and practice, but there are several tricks to spotting a poorly supported article.

An article from early February features a perfect example. The three page story, titled Mediterranean Diet Aids the Aging Brain, explores a study’s “promising” results: the Mediterranean diet prevents cognitive impairment. Evidence? 1,400 people completed a food frequency questionnaire, detailing what they had eaten in the past year. Researchers then evaluated the subjects’ cognitive functioning. Those who adhered “a lot” to the diet had 28 percent lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. A leader of the study, Alice Lichtenstein, admits that the specific diet may not cause such results: those who follow the plan may have other healthy habits that decreased their risk for cognitive decline (businessweek.com).

Another science article made its debut the same day. This second story, titled Regimens: Multivitamins Not Found to Reduce Risks, shoots down a widespread belief: vitamins do not help prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer in postmenopausal women. Evidence? Researchers examined data from 68, 132 women in a clinical trial and 93,676 women in an observational study. They followed the women for eight years and controlled for age, physical activity, family history, and many other factors, and eventually found that the supplements had no effect on the risk for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer ovarian cancer, heart attack, stroke, blood clots, or mortality (nytimes.com).

These science articles share few similarities beyond their matching publication dates. Bold differences in research render the first article undependable and the second reliable. Evidence? The study of the Mediterranean Diet had a minimal number of subjects—leaving much room for random results—while the multivitamin discovery involved a huge amount of participants. The Diet study used self-questionnaires, a flawed and imprecise way of gathering data. On the other hand, the multivitamin research entailed eight years of careful observation, evading error caused by a subject’s faulty memory or indifference.

These distinctions involve more than just discerning information: judging the reliability of a science article affects education and health, communication and lifestyle. A woman who reads Regimens: Multivitamins Not Found to Reduce Risks may stop wasting money on dietary supplements, now that she understands their ineffectiveness. A man knows he does not need to jump on the Mediterranean Diet bandwagon, just because a small study declares the diet’s power. But most of all, discerning fact from fiction requires one skill above all: reading. Science changes with every passing hour, requiring attention and effort from a reader. New data means new knowledge, and the more we read, the more we understand article reliability—a tool that betters our choices and lifestyles.

The Power of the Podcast

In the past few years, the popularity of podcasts has skyrocketed. An eMarketer report predicts that 65 million Americans will listen to podcasts by 2012, an increase of almost 30 million from 2009 (socialmarketing.oneupweb.com).
As podcasting becomes embedded in American society, we must consider its effects on everyday life. Education and communication—both vital parts of school and work—cannot continue unscathed, but instead reveal the extent of podcasts’ influence.

Just a few years ago, most schools taught from textbooks, occasionally adding a packet or video to contribute to students’ education. The majority of students remained passive learners, simply swallowing whatever reading assignment was due the next day. Today, as podcasts enter more and more classrooms, education becomes a more active, dynamic process. The breadth and depth of podcasts is staggering: teachers can recommend a certain author, or students can even record their own podcasts. Either way, podcasting engages students in their education. The information on podcasts is not reviewed—as its equivalent is in textbooks—so listeners must become critical consumers. Writing and recording podcasts involves research and public speaking, reminding students that their voices matter. In addition, mastery of material is not indicated by a percentage on a test, but instead on a product—what students can do with the material.

Podcasting alters modes of communication as well. By recording their own words, people can contribute their ideas into a larger body of knowledge. Work and research are no longer meant for just a boss or teacher: instead, a podcast expands the audience into the world. This technology ensures that work is never really finished. A student may write an essay, or an adult may file a report, but a few months later, those pages of hard work end up in a recycling bin. On the other hand, podcasts survive for years—they can be updated and modified, erased and remade. Most importantly, podcasting fosters connections through millions of unfamiliar people: we can learn from each other, teach each other, and ultimately expand our perspective.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if you record your own podcasts or simply listen to those of others. What matters—what survives—are the values and effects, the fundamental changes to society. Podcasting offers students a more active way of learning and fosters communication beyond our narrow homes. People work together with one ultimate goal: bettering our education, bettering our lives.

Kids Teaching Kids

In a world of thriving fast food chains and outrageously large entrees, maintaining proper nutrition becomes tricky. Many informed adults continue unhealthy eating patterns, despite the warnings and hazards of obesity. Numerous children and adolescents also gravitate towards poor nutrition, but for different reasons. Often, children do not understand the purpose of a healthy diet; even more, they live in a world that takes advantage of their malleability. (Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation discusses at length the deliberate targeting of the child consumer). Without proper role models and effective instruction, children and adolescents become the next victims of obesity. Preventing this damage is possible: changing both the message and the deliverer of such instruction coaches children towards healthier, safer lifestyles.

Much too often, children and adolescents hear the message “eat what you don’t like because it is good for you.” In the national Gallup survey, 64 percent of adolescents agreed that “foods that are good for you do not taste good,” and a whopping 71 percent believed “your favorite foods are not good for you” (Nutrition Through the Life Cycle). Just these statistics help explain why many young adults ignore nutrition advice. The message—choose foods you dislike because they are healthy—forces kids towards an unhealthy diet. Such a message proves ineffective with the majority of adolescents. Instead, young adults should hear advice like “eat well because it will help you in what you want to do and become” (Nutrition Through the Life Cycle). Generally, teenagers are concerned with physical appearance, body image, energy, and sports performance—all short term benefits of a healthy diet. Communication to adolescents should then focus on these advantages—real reasons to choose a proper diet—not on vague and unwelcome guidance that pushes kids to healthy foods, simply because “they are good for you.”

Who should deliver these messages to adolescents? Many would suggest parents, or perhaps teachers—the standard choices for such a job. But perhaps there is another option, a more effective choice. What if students heard about nutrition from their peers? Such a group, after all, can fully understand kids’ motivations and sensibilities. A paper in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior in 2007 contains a promising study. The study measured the effects of peer-led nutrition education on kids. After four weeks, the majority of “educated” children could properly identify healthy foods and reported plans to eat more vegetables and fruits. Meanwhile, those not involved in the peer-led group experienced no change in eating patterns (ars.usda.gov). Perhaps the students should be the teachers!

This year at Moorestown Friends School, efforts to communicate about nutrition with students—from one peer to another—have successfully begun. Students from the Bionutrition class post signs on cafeteria tables and hallway bulletin boards with questions like “Want energy?” Their messages target adolescents’ desire for short-term benefits, such as feeling healthy and looking good. Every two weeks, the class distributes free fruit during the school day (not during meal times) in a designated location (not the cafeteria). Hoards of hungry students gravitate towards their peers, devouring the bananas and apples within fifteen minutes. Adults come as well, so younger students see adolescents and adults eating fruit.

Still not convinced? One afternoon, a few hours after the high school fruit distribution, a middle school class was offered a reward of candy. Conscious of the older students milling around in the hallways—hands full of healthy food—the normally ravenous middle school students politely refused the sweets, and instead snacked on the left-over fruit.

Childhood Obesity Escalates

The number of obese children multiplies every year. The International Journal of Pediatric Obesity predicts dramatic increases by 2010, projecting that 46 percent of children in North America will be overweight and 15 percent will be obese (jhsph.edu). Such predictions present a dilemma. Childhood obesity causes pediatric hypertension, leads to Type II diabetes mellitus, increases the risk of coronary heart disease, places excessive stress on joints, lowers self-esteem, and harms relationships with peers (kidsource.com). In addition, a report from the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the explosion of childhood obesity is shortening the U.S. life expectancy. Presently, the average life expectancy has dropped four to nine months, but if childhood obesity continues unabated, these months will escalate into years. The Journal’s findings mark the first reverse in the life expectancy in over two centuries (eurekalert.org).

The long term consequences of childhood obesity generally remain unknown. “The tsunami of childhood obesity has not yet hit the shore -- it takes many years for complications to develop,” says David Ludwig, who directs the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) program at Children's Hospital Boston. “If the clock starts ticking at age 12 or 14, the consequences to public health are potentially disastrous -- imagine heart attack or kidney failure becoming a relatively common condition of young adulthood” (eurekalert.org).

Multiple factors have been cited as causes for childhood obesity, but three issues carry the bulk of the responsibility: family, low-energy expenditure, and heredity. Parents’ weight and eating habits greatly influence child health: the risk of becoming obese is greatest among children of obese parents. Lack of physical activity—often the result of television and video games—also contributes to weight gain. Heredity, the third cited cause, can also influence obesity. Infants of overweight mothers gain more weight by age three months than infants of normal weight mothers, suggesting that the path to obesity can begin at birth (kidsource.com).

These causes are embedded in a child’s lifestyle, making childhood obesity much easier to prevent than to treat. In most cases, a child’s unhealthy weight is the fault of the parents. As a result, prevention largely focuses on parent education.

Until recently, such parent instruction has remained spotty, regional, and mostly unsuccessful. The number of obese children climbs, despite efforts to halt the growth. But now, through the fog of failure, a figure of hope emerges: on January 6, Barack Obama appointed Dr. Sanjay Gupta as the next surgeon general. The chief medical correspondent for the health and medical unit at CNN, Dr. Gupta achieved fame for his campaigns to inspire Americans to lead healthier, more active lives (cnn.com). He launched the “New You Resolution” and “Fit Nation,” CNN’s initiatives against obesity. As surgeon general, he plans to tackle the obesity epidemic in a seven-week tour across the country, seeking to educate and search for more solutions (usatoday.com).

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in the United States. The nation desperately needs a man like Sanjay Gupta; no longer should children live as victims of a controllable, changeable condition.

Podcasting: Producer’s Experience

One year ago, I knew absolutely nothing about podcasting. If someone told me that I would soon become the producer of a podcast, I probably would have accused him of insanity. Podcasting was a foreign entity to me, entertaining boring adults and inhabiting a world far away from my own.

But contrary to my prior belief, I did indeed become involved in podcasting. It was spring of my sophomore year; I needed a project for the Honors Program, and Mrs. Kreider wanted help launching a MFS podcast. The timing was impeccable. Mrs. Kreider approached me, explaining her idea for an MFS podcast. Could I help produce it? Although apprehensive, I agreed to the idea.

Throughout the remainder to the spring and the summer, I began to learn about podcasting. I listened to popular broadcasts from iTunes (recommended by Mrs. Kreider), researched the history of podcasts, and read excerpts of noteworthy science writing. Mrs. Kreider’s enthusiasm became contagious. “This is the future of writing,” she told me. “You just wait and see.”

Fall arrived, as did the official beginning of the MFS podcast. By now, we decided upon a name for it: Science Among Friends. The seniors in Chemistry III began to record podcasts, discussing and exploring various branches of science. I organized meetings, recorded the introduction to each podcast, and wrote the narrative summarizing the podcast. By October, the podcast was well underway. We bumped into a dilemma, however. We only had one place to record: the computer lab with the Mac. Constantly abuzz with chatter and filled with students, the lab proved an extremely inconvenient and difficult spot to record. Luckily, we eventually purchased a laptop, just for podcasting. Within a day, the process of recording became much smoother.

Just in February, the podcasts aired on iTunes. The MFS community took great interest in the development. Students approached me, proudly declaring, “I listened to a podcast!” Everyone involved in the project basked in the glory of seeing the product of months’ hard work. As of now, my favorite podcasts include Eric’s “Quick Personality Profiles” and Shaina’s “The Importance of Breakfast.” Personally, I do not know where the podcast will lead (as discussed above, I obviously have no ability to guess my future). But I do hope the podcast leads somewhere unexpected, coloring the future with excitement.