BOO! Fifty-eight percent of U.S. women believe that ghosts exist, compared with 45 percent of men.
—Self/Vitality
UNDER CONTROL Americans appear to be doing a better job of managing diabetes, with more
than half of diabetics reaching recommended targets for controlling blood sugar last year, according to a survey published in June. Just over a third of people had their diabetes
well controlled in 2001, according to a study of lab tests done on more than 4 million people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
—Newsfax
SAFETY FIRST! 94: Estimated percentage of Washington drivers who wear their seat belts—the highest seat-belt use recorded in the nation.
—Journey Puget Sound
LEAVE THE DISHES If you’re trying not to overeat, don’t be so quick to whisk dirty dishes from the table. At an all-you-can-eat chicken wing buffet in a sports bar, researchers randomly assigned 50 graduate students to sit at 21 tables that were either bussed (waiters removed leftover chicken bones) or unbussed (bones were left on the table). The 31 students at bussed tables ate an average of seven wings, while the 19 at unbussed tables averaged five and one-half wings. The unbussed chicken bones had more impact on men than women.
Keep dirty dishes, empty food containers, and similar cues in sight, so you won’t forget how much you’ve consumed.
—Nutrition Action
10 MINUTES THAT WILL PROTECT YOUR JOINTS Working out about 10 minutes a day may help ward off achy joints, according to a study in the journal “Arthritis Research & Therapy.” Researchers tracked arthritis-free women in their 70s for three years and found that 75 minutes of exercise a week cut their risk of developing symptoms by 28 percent, while 2½ hours a week nearly halved it. Regular activity enhances circulation to keep joints lubricated, say researchers. For best results, aim for 30 minutes a day, but even short bouts can help.
