With about one in three children in the United States obese or overweight, according to government statistics, the need for effective weight loss programs targeted to the needs of kids and their parents is clear. But, experts say, creating them will be challenging. Other than intensive hospital-based programs, few proven models exist for helping children and adolescents achieve and maintain a healthier weight. "There's a big gap" between what is available for children and what is needed, said Gary Foster, director of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
Following the lead of a growing number of hospitals, Geisinger Health System will turn away job applicants who smoke starting next month. It's another way to get the message across that smoking is bad for your health, said Temple pulmonologist Aditi Satti. But it's complicated, she said. "I think a pretty fine line runs between public health and personal liberties. Whether or not this is going to be an incentive, time will tell."
Don't end up unhappy because you took a job with a company that has a bad culture. Instead, stay on the lookout for warning signs when you go in for an interview. Robert A. Giacalone, a human resources professor at Temple's Fox School of Business, offers several suggestions, including researching the company's reputation online. "If they are treating their customers poorly," Giacalone says, "you won't fare any better."
The FCC has intimidated National Public Radio, says Burton Caine, a professor at Temple's Beasley School of Law, in an opinion piece. NPR used to broadcast readings from Ulysses and bleeped sexual allusions. In response to objections of censorship, NPR banned the reading altogether. Freedom of speech is the most fundamental freedom. It is time for public radio, which receives free license to broadcast, to practice and protect that right not only for itself but, more importantly, for all, Caine wrote.
Temple professor Julia Ericksen investigates the sociology of ballroom dancing in her new book. "Dancing is a way for people to obtain an intimate relationship — and to have that on their own terms," she said. "The physical side of dancing…was a major appeal."
Yesterday the Owls got to work out for the first time in their new state-of-the-art facility, which is part of a major renovation project in the Pearson-McGonigle complex. "It's a tribute to all those who've gone before us — players, coaches, administrators — to make this possible," said coach Fran Dunphy. "It's the culmination of a lot of years of tremendous basketball at Temple University. We're really grateful for it."
New government statistics show that the obesity rate has inched up slightly over the past decade mainly because of weight gain in males. Gary Foster, director of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education, says, the increase in obesity among men "is troubling given that men typically carry excess weight in their bellies which confers greater medical consequences such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and sleep apnea."