Ladies, Grab Your Spoons!
Yeah, yeah, yeah ... breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You've heard it a million times before, but a new study suggests that eating a decent meal in the morning can actually help teenage girls lose excess weight. Not to say that a stack of pancakes and bacon is gonna help you shed poundage, but a sensible, low-sugar breakfast of cereals and grains can put you on the right track.
The difference between this study, held by the Maryland Medical Research Institute, and others linking weight loss to a morning meal is that this one specifically targeted teenage girls. Because nearly one in three adolescent girls can be classified as overweight, MMRI, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, decided to delve deeper into the eating habits of teenage girls.
The study tracked the eating habits of 2,379 girls between 9 and 19 in California, Ohio and Maryland. The results showed some interesting facts: On average, a girl who ate breakfast had a lower Body Mass Index (0.7 units lower) than one who skipped breakfast altogether. If her breakfast included cereal, her BMI was typically 1.65 units lower!
Researchers think that the link to eating breakfast and a lower BMI is because eating in the morning kickstarts your metabolism, making you less hungry at lunchtime and less likely to chow down on calorie-laden foods like pizza and potato chips. Eating a healthy morning meal can also make you more alert during first period. With the benefits of breakfast too great to ignore, bring on the Mini-Wheats!
AOL Tries Reality
If you couldn't find enough reality entertainment on TV, now you can log on to AOL's RED and get even more. The new AOL service, designed specifically for teenagers, is launching its very own reality docudrama called Project Freshman. This Internet-only show will chronicle the lives of six students in their first semester of college. Using a DV camera and film confessionals, each student will document his or her own experience. And while chronicling the lives of college freshmen is nothing new, AOL RED will offer a slew of cool features for first-year college students: You can get info on concert tours stopping at your college; you can customize home pages to fit your personal style, and chat with nearly 5 million other users registered to the site. So even if you're over reality TV, AOL RED has something to offer.
Boston Girls Stick It to Harassers
If you've ever walked down a crowded street, you are bound to know how the girls from Jamaica Plain in Boston feel when they get catcalled and harassed by strangers. Jamaica Plain and surrounding Hyde Square are known to be areas flooded with harassment, rape and violence against women, so local girls are strongly urged to be aware of their surroundings, walk on well-lit streets and hang out in groups.
These teens are so fed up with the sleazy guys who hassle them that they are planning a new strategy. The girls will be handing out cards that define sexual harassment and urge them to "Please respect me." This tactic is designed to boost the girls' confidence and hopefully embarrass the slimeballs into keeping quiet. The Hyde Square Task Force has created the cards and posters in hopes of spreading awareness of sexual harassment and gaining the support of local males.
While Hide Square Task Force insists it is not suggesting that girls and supporters approach dangerous situations to hand out pamphlets, local authorities are worried that they may do just that. "Personal safety comes first," says Police Sgt. Gary Elban. He suggests only handing out the cards in bright, public areas. It may not be the best solution to warding off catcalling, but this tactic is bound to give young girls some empowerment and self-worth while walking these dangerously pigheaded streets.
