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Features

[JULY 19, 2002]  URBANA — The next time you visit a fast-food restaurant, bring your Internet-ready cell phone with you, because researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a wireless tool that calculates the number of calories and the amount of fat in the meal you’re about to order.

"When people want nutritional information, 99 percent of the time they want to know the calories and fat content," said Jim Painter, professor of nutritional sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. "So, we started this wireless version of the nutrition tool by offering just the fat and calorie content for the top 10 nationwide fast-food chains."

Once at the Internet site, it’s possible to choose a specific restaurant and create a meal by selecting items from a list of categories: entrée, side dish, salad, beverage or dessert. "You choose items to make up a meal, and the total fat and calorie content will be calculated for you. If the totals are higher or lower than you expected, you can go back to a category, select a different item, then have your meal recalculated," Painter said.

"Once we get this accessible on handheld devices like Palm Pilots," said Painter, "I’d like to add an energy calculator, too, so that people can use it while they’re out jogging. They can jog for 30 minutes, then check how many calories they’ve burned so far, then decide to jog further or switch to a different activity." Painter said that he also plans to add family-style restaurant chains to the listing of fast-food chains.

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Note: The wireless Web address http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/aim/nat will work only on a cell phone, not on a personal computer. "Any cell phone that is ‘wireless Web-ready’ can access the site," said John Schmitz, one of the co-creators of the site. "These phones have what’s called a ‘micro-browser,’ basically a very small version of Netscape or Explorer. Soon we will also develop the capability to reach wireless personal digital assistant devices like Palm Pilots and Pocket PCs."

The wireless calorie and fat calculator component is an extension of the Nutritional Analysis Tool. To access, visit http://www.nat.uiuc.edu/ and choose NAT Tool Version 2.0. At this site, the information is not listed by restaurant. Visitors type in the kind of food they want information about, such as "hamburger," and will get a listing of items to choose from.

[U of I news release]

[JULY 13, 2002]  Nearly two out of every five Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic crash in their lifetime. Alcohol-related traffic accidents are the second leading cause of teen deaths.

Alcohol is the primary drug of abuse for youth. Research shows that about 10 million Americans between ages 12 to 20 years had at least one drink last month. These numbers increase alcohol’s association with the leading causes of death and injuries among teenagers and young adults. For example, during a typical weekend, an average of one teenager dies each hour in a car crash. Nearly 50 percent of these crashes involve alcohol.

Driving under the influence in Illinois is a serious risk-taking behavior. Apart from concerns for the personal safety of yourself and others, there are severe legal penalties (see chart)  and economic consequences if convicted.

Under the "Use It & Lose It" zero tolerance law, drivers under age 21 with any trace of alcohol in their systems will lose their driving privileges. People under 21 also can be charged with a DUI if they have a blood alcohol content of .08 percent, the legal blood alcohol limit in Illinois for those of legal drinking age. A DUI conviction involves both administrative and criminal penalties and will result in both the revocation of your driver’s license and the suspension of vehicle registration privileges. The following chart illustrates some of Illinois’ consequences of underage drinking.

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Parents have tremendous influence over their teen’s decision whether or not to drink alcohol. Studies show that parental attitudes and practices related to alcohol are the strongest social influence on children’s use of alcohol and other drugs. That is why it is important not to send mixed messages. Parents need to maintain good lines of communication, become involved in their child’s lives, make and enforce clear and consistent rules, serve as positive role models, and be aware of their child’s activities in order to help their child make healthier choices.

A study from the Center of Substance Abuse Prevention found that when school-age youth are allowed to drink at home, they not only are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs outside the home, but also are more likely to develop serious behavioral and health problems related to substance use. The survey indicated that most parents allow for "supervised" underage drinking, which is a bigger factor in use and abuse than peer pressure. Parents should know that it is a Class A misdemeanor, with a possible fine of $1,000, to knowingly allow individuals to gather at a residence when the individuals are under the age of 21 and are drinking.

If you would like more information on the "Use It & Lose It" zero tolerance law or more alcohol information, contact Kristi Lessen at (217) 735-2272.

[News release]

Health Matters

A monthly feature from  Logan County Health Department

August is World Breastfeeding Month

[AUG. 2, 2002]  When a woman learns that she is pregnant, she begins to think about all kinds of things. She may worry about a variety of health issues. Will my baby be healthy? What if the baby is born with a problem? One issue that many women are concerned about is how to feed their baby. "Should I breast-feed or should I formula-feed my baby?" or "Which is best, breast or formula?" These are questions often asked.

Formula feeding is OK, but breast-feeding is best for baby, and for you. There are many benefits to breast-feeding. A few are listed below.

Benefits for baby

1. Breast milk has the right balance of nutrients and changes as the baby grows.

2. Breast milk provides immunities that help protect from certain diseases.

3. Breast milk is easier to digest; constipation and colic are less common.

4. Breast-feeding helps with baby’s development: mouth structure, jaw and facial muscles, and tooth position.

Benefits for mom

1. Breast-feeding helps the uterus return to pre-pregnant size sooner.

2. Breast-feeding burns extra calories, helps mom lose weight.

3. Breast-feeding is easier. No bottles to sterilize or formula to prepare. Also, it is always available and at the right temperature.

4. Breast-feeding costs less. No formula or bottles to buy.

For more information on breast-feeding and WIC services, contact Logan County Health Department at (217) 735-2317.

[News release]

Red Cross

Red Cross classes in August

[AUG. 6, 2002]  The American Red Cross will conduct classes on CPR and first aid on Aug. 12, 13 and 14. Sessions will be at the local office, 125 S. Kickapoo St.

A class on adult CPR will be Aug. 12; first aid, on Aug. 13; and infant and child CPR, Aug. 14. All classes will be from 5:30 until 9:30 p.m.

Also, there will be a challenge class on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Red Cross office.

To register for any of these classes or for further information, call 732-2134 between noon and 4 p.m. weekdays.

Red Cross August blood drives

[JULY 25, 2002]  NAPA Auto Parts will sponsor two blood drives at the Lincoln Sports Complex in August. On Aug. 7, the hours will be from noon until 5 p.m., and on Aug. 21 hours will be from noon until 6 p.m.

Also on Aug. 21, there will be a blood drive at the Mount Pulaski Christian Church, with hours from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The following blood donors reached milestones recently: R.W. Shanle, 25 gallons; Elaine Knight, 12; Vern Reichle, 10; Helen E. Hoagland, 9; David Andreason, 8; Benjamin Vogel, 7; Vicki Hamm, 6; Jayne Kimmer, 4; and Sheila Sheley, 2 gallons.

Honors & Awards

Announcements

The Rural Health Partnership has announced the schedule for its mobile health unit for 2002.

For more information on the mobile health unit schedule and services, contact Dayle Eldredge at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 409.

Community resource list

This family resource list to save and use is provided by the Healthy Communities Partnership and the Healthy Families Task Force, 732-2161, Ext. 409.         

(updated 2-15-02)

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