Newsletter

The Changing Nature of Play

February 22, 2008
When one tugs at a single thing in nature; he finds it attached to the rest of the world.
John Muir
In an excellent segment on National Public Radio yesterday, Howard Chudacoff, a cultural historian at Brown University, discussed how play has changed. Up until recently children played outdoors, unsupervised engaged in freewheeling and imaginative play. However, today, children's play is more scripted by their toys, more directed by the media, and more protected by anxious parents. In the NPR interview, Chudacoff talked about how these changes in how children play also results in changes in their cognitive and emotional development...

"It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped children develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function. Executive function has a number of different elements, but a central o ne is the ability to self-regulate. Kids with good self-regulation are able to control their emotions and behavior, resist impulses, and exert self-control and discipline.

"We know that children's capacity for self-regulation has diminished. A recent study replicated a study of self-regulation first done in the late 1940s, in which psychological researchers asked kids ages 3, 5, and 7 to do a number of exercises. One of those exercises included standing perfectly still without moving. The 3-year-olds couldn't stand still at all, the 5-year-olds could do it for about three minutes, and the 7-year-olds could stand pretty much as long as the researchers asked. In 2001, researchers repeated this experiment. But, psychologist Elena Bodrova at the National Institute for Early Education Research says, the results were very different.

"'Today's 5-year-olds were acting at the level of 3-year-olds 60 years ago, and today's 7-year-olds were barely approaching the lev el of a 5-year-old 60 years ago,' Bodrova explains. 'So the results were very sad.'

"Sad because self-regulation is incredibly important. Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates, drug use, and crime. In fact, good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a child's IQ. Children who are able to manage their feelings and pay attention are better able to learn. As executive function researcher Laura Berk explains, 'Self-regulation predicts effective development in virtually every domain.'"

Read or listen to the entire NPR segment, "Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills,"

Ways to Cut Winter Heating Costs Plentiful

Writer:  Candace Pollock, pollock.58@osu.edu, (614) 292-3799
Source:  Susan Shockey, shockey.3@osu.edu, (614) 462-6700

COLUMBUS, Ohio —With mountains of debt already weighing heavy on the wallet, potentially high heating bills this winter could put an even tighter chokehold on a consumer’s strapped budget.

According to Department of Energy statistics, Americans are expected to spend more for heating oil, natural gas and electricity this winter, with Midwest customers carrying the brunt of the increased costs — over 70 percent higher than last year.

But not all hope is lost. Steps consumers can take to reduce energy consumption to keep heating bills low and to save money for worst-case scenarios are plentiful, said Susan Shockey, an Ohio State University Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Sciences with a specialty in money management.

“Energy costs are at the top of the spending list during the winter months,” said Shockey. “Winter preparedness is important and there are many things consumers can do to save money.”

Shockey, who works in the Franklin County office of OSU Extension, offers the following tips to help reduce energy consumption in the home or apartment:

• Conduct a home energy inspection. Look for cracks and leaks, poorly sealed vents and poorly insulated doors and windows and make repairs accordingly. For example, place weather stripping and draft barriers around doors and plastic on windows. Properly sealing a home can reduce energy bills up to 10 percent.

• Regularly clean and replace furnace filters. Clean filters increase efficiency and save money. It is recommended that filters be replaced every 30 days.

• Turn off lights after use, and close off rooms or other areas that don’t get frequent use.

• Unplug unnecessary appliances, or those that don’t get frequent use. Use energy-efficient appliances if possible. Look for the ENERGY STAR label and the bright yellow and black Energy Guide label when buying.

• Lower the heating system thermostat when not at home. Open south window draperies to help warm rooms on sunny days. Close draperies at night to conserve heat.

• Close storm doors and storm windows before winter sets in.

• Install weather stripping gaskets on electrical outlets, especially those on exterior walls.

In addition to conserving in the home, consumers can also better prepare themselves for high heating bills by conserving the cash in their wallet.

“Every decision we make can save us money, just by making simple lifestyle changes. Carelessness is the No. 1 factor in poor spending,” said Shockey. “With people already living in debt, it’s about making the best choices for themselves and their family.”

Ways to save money include carpooling to work or taking public transportation to conserve gas consumption, cutting back on vending machine snacks, eating out less, bringing lunch to work and buying store brands instead of name brands.

For those families on a fixed income who struggle to make ends meet, assistance programs are available to help stretch their dollars. For example, the Ohio Department of Development offers HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program). For more information, call (800) 282-0880, or log onto http://www.odod.state.oh.us/cdd/ocs/heap.htm.

Some utility companies also offer a budget payment plan. American Electric Power (AEP), for example, will divide yearly energy costs into monthly payments to help alleviate high-usage months.

Any Oatmeal is a Good Choice

I heard that old-fashioned oats are more nutritious than the instant kind. Is that true?

On the whole, no: Any kind of oatmeal will give you oat-related benefits you're looking for.

The biggest difference between instant and old-fashioned (also called "regular rolled") oats are the way they're cut and flattened. During processing, oats are steamed lightly to deactivate enzymes and prevent the product from going rancid during storage. Then they're dried down, and instant oats are cut into smaller pieces for quicker cooking. After that, the oats are "rolled," or flattened. Instant oats are rolled flatter than old-fashioned oats - again, for quicker cooking.

"Quick cooking" oatmeal is rolled and cut finer than regular, but larger than instant. It isn't packaged with the extra flavorings that instant often has, but cooks more quickly than old-fashioned.

The fallacy that old-fashioned oats are more nutritious might have arisen from a casual comparison of the Nutrition Facts information. You might notice the old-fashioned label lists more fiber (4 grams) compared with instant oats (3 grams). But that's mainly because of a difference in serving size: a serving of regular oats, a half-cup dry, contains 40 grams of oats; a serving of regular, non-flavored instant oats contains only 28
grams.

Instant oats often contain additional sugar and flavorings, which increase carbs and empty calories per serving. But still, old-fashioned, quick and instant oats all have the same health benefits.

For one thing, oatmeal is high in fiber. The National Academy of Sciences recommends daily fiber intake of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, up to age 50.

In addition, more than half of oatmeal's fiber is soluble, which is much less common than its insoluble partner. In fact, along with barley, oats are among the best sources of a particular kind of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which helps you feel full longer and also appears to help reduce blood cholesterol. However, you'll need to eat a lot of cereal - or find ways to incorporate oats into other recipes - to get that benefit. The Food and Drug Administration says people need 60 grams of oatmeal daily to decrease blood cholesterol. That would be one and one-half servings of old-fashioned oatmeal, or three pouches of instant.

Still, oatmeal is also high in many other nutrients. Whether instant or old-fashioned, oatmeal is a good choice for your diet.

Chow Line is a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1044, or filipic.3@osu.edu.


This column was reviewed by Sharron Coplin, registered dietitian and Ohio State University Extension nutrition associate in the College of Human Ecology.

Mediterranean Diet Offers Clear Benefits

Does the "Mediterranean Diet" really work?

If by "work" you mean it helps you live longer and healthier, the answer just may be "yes."

The Mediterranean diet is touted for a wide range of health benefits, and it's got plenty of research to back up those claims.

But first, just what is the Mediterranean diet? Its chief characteristic is its heavy reliance on vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and nuts, but it is also known for moderately high amounts of fish and unsaturated fats,
particularly olive oil; low to moderate amounts of dairy products, mostly cheese and yogurt; a low amount of meat and saturated fats; and a moderate amount of alcohol, ordinarily wine.

In 2003, researchers published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that followed 22,000 adults in Greece for four years. They found that those eating a traditional Mediterranean diet were 33 percent less likely to die from coronary artery disease and 24 percent less likely to die from cancer than participants who generally ate a different diet. Overall, those following a Mediterranean diet had a 25 percent lower death rate. Like most studies, you can't absolutely establish a cause and effect here, but the results sure sparked a lot of interest.

Then, earlier this year, the same researchers grouped with others across Europe to examine dietary effects outside of Greece. The study, published in the British Medical Journal in April, followed more than 74,000 healthy people aged 60 or older in nine European countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, between 1999 and 2003.

Researchers rated participants' diets depending on how closely they followed the typical Mediterranean diet. They made one modification:
Instead of just giving points for consumption of olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fat, they gave similar credit for consuming oils high in polyunsaturated fats, which are more common in the rest of Europe.

Results were more modest but similar to what the researchers found in the Greece study: Participants who followed a Mediterranean diet had a 7 percent lower mortality rate overall than others.

The bottom line? Eat more fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains and reduce saturated fat in favor of mono- or unsaturated fats. It's familiar advice that has some solid research behind it.

Chow Line is a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1044, or filipic.3@osu.edu.

Editor: This column was reviewed by Jaime Ackerman, registered dietitian and Ohio State University Extension program specialist in the Department of Human Nutrition, College of Human Ecology.

Do Your Homework When You Invest for Retirement

I want to learn more about investing for retirement, but where can I find trustworthy information?

Lots of places have good, sound family finance and investment advice, but here are a few guidelines to help you get started.

First, ask around at your workplace. Many employers offer financial education courses, and research shows that employees who take advantage of such courses have a higher degree of financial literacy and more confidence in their future financial situation. They also appear to be more satisfied
with their employer, which is always a bonus.

If you're a self starter and like home-study courses, Ohio State University Extension and other Extension services offer information you can read and review at home. For example, one in-depth course, "Investing for Your Future," is offered through Rutgers Cooperative Extension at http://www.investing.rutgers.edu/. The 11-unit course covers everything from Investing Basics to Investment Fraud. The entire course is available free online or can be ordered from Rutgers for $12 plus shipping and handling.

OSU Extension also has money management fact sheets that include information about investing. Check the "All About Money" series at http://ohioline.osu.edu/mm-fact/. Also, contact your county Extension office, which may offer family finance courses at reasonable fees as part of its Healthy Finances programming.

Also, the Cooperative State, Research, Education, and Extension Service has a wealth of information on its Financial Security in Later Life site. Go to the consumer page at
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/economics/fsll/cons_intro.html and check the "Extension Learning Tools" and "Online Tools" links.

Once you start looking, you might find yourself overwhelmed. It might be helpful to key in on one specific piece of knowledge  -- say, differentiating between growth, income and other types of funds -- and look for educational resources on that narrow topic. Once you're comfortable with that information, look for more on related topics.

Or, you might decide you're ready for some professional help --financial help, that is. A good source of guidance for choosing  the right financial professional is in Unit 10 of the "Investing for Your Future" course. It gives a thorough overview of different types of financial professionals and suggests a step-by-step process for finding one you can trust, including
questions to ask about fees.

The bright spot is that you're even thinking this way. Many Americans will live 20 to 25 years after they retire, and less than three-fifths of baby boomers are expected to have enough income to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. The earlier you start investing for retirement, the better off you'll be -- but it's never too late to start.

Family Fundamentals is a monthly column on family issues especially regarding finances and relationships. It is a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Send questions to Family Fundamentals, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1044, or filipic.3@osu.edu.