Spring Semester 2013: A Reflection

This course has truly been a blessing in disguise. For months, or maybe even years, I have been saying I want to start writing again and this class gave me the means and motivation to do it – and not even because of the obligation to write for the grade.

I found a niche that I never thought I would write about and discovered that I enjoyed the adventure far more than I originally thought. I’ve always thought of myself as a music person. Music would be the only non-fiction subject I write about. I mean, how much could a picky eater possibly write about food? To my surprise, quite a bit!

Through this course I’ve learned it’s OK to be a writer with extreme idea A.D.D. As long as you never stop taking notes and find the right audience for what you want to say, all ideas can be revisited in due time. (Which is good because if you ever get the chance to see some of my notebooks at home, you’ll think I’ve gone insane.) I’m no longer scared of writer’s block. The kinks will eventually work themselves out as long has I keep the passion for what I intend to write about alive.

Though writing my proposal was originally a fate worse than death, it became easier with the more time I spent practicing the art of writing a proposal, reciting each passage and editing. When writing for a magazine or newspaper, you’re told to be objective – you can’t show partiality to either side of a story. So here I was faced with an assignment where I was SUPPOSED to give my opinion and write with passion and feeling and actually try to convince the reader to feel or think a certain way about an issue. It was something completely foreign to me. I can’t say I enjoy writing proposals now, but I’m not going to be intimidated when I write one in the future (should I ever have to). Oh, I can also guarantee that I will never be comfortable giving presentations. Ever. It’s just not in my blood.

I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read my posts and an even bigger thank you to those who made suggestions and gave feedback. You have also helped me develop as a writer. Though the semester is over and the course is complete, I fully intend to continue with this blog. Not only has it helped me grow as a writer and learn how to write outside of my comfort zone, it was also a fun experience and an adventure that I am nowhere near completing.

You haven’t seen the last of me yet.

A Deeper Look Into Picky Eating: Revision 1

Table of Contents:
I. Introduction
II. Causes/Symptoms
III. Picky Eating in Children
IV. Picky Eating in Adults
V. Possible Cures

Introduction
Picky eating is essentially the exclusion of certain foods from one’s diet (Dovey, T. M., 2010); causing the individual to have a more restricted diet than average eaters. In some cases, extremely picky eaters can develop long-term health issues (Intlekofer, 2012). These avoided foods could either be familiar or unfamiliar to the person.

Though a common behavioral phase in most young children, picky eating, or neophobia – which is the fear of trying something new – is sometimes seen in adults. The root cause of picky eating or neophobia is unknown, but there are various theories that genetic and outside factors – such as parental and peer pressures – are potential contributors to the development of the behavior (Dovey, T. M., 2010). But more often than not a child will grow out of his or her pickiness by the time they reach adolescence (Sostek, 2010).

It’s reported that typically, picky eaters will follow the same kind of eating pattern – where they dislike and gravitate towards the same style foods. Fruits and vegetables and most meats are often avoided while salty and processed foods are favored (Cordova, 2011). Some eliminate entire food groups from their diets; others simply avoid foods that are of a certain texture.

While avoiding a couple of foods is not considered a problem, extreme cases can be linked with a certain type of eating disorder called “selective eating disorder” (Carr, 2010). It is not considered as dangerous or life-threatening as other eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia – as it doesn’t focus on body image and weight – but can still have a negative effect on one’s social and physical health.

Serious pickiness can cause some individuals to lie in order to avoid going to social events due to the stress and embarrassment of the condition(Intlekofer, 2012).

There is no documented way to cure pickiness. There are a few methods one might take to help enhance their palate or persuade a child to eat more foods that they might otherwise avoid.

Causes/Symptoms
The leading cause of picky eating is unknown. In children, pickiness is in part the result of outside pressures from both family and friends. The family’s mealtime dynamic and parents’ own dietary preferences can each influence a child’s eating behavior (Dovey, T. M., 2010). In some cases, these early experiences carry over into adulthood (Nixon, 2010).

There is also the theory that picky eating or neophobia is genetic (Carr, 2010) and that an individual’s genetic makeup results in them being “supertasters” or having a more intense sense of taste than other people (Nixon, 2010).

“Their selection isn’t necessarily based on calorie content or fat content. It’s more of a textural and taste component,” said [Jennifer] Lombardi [MFT, co-owner of Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program] (Cordova, 2011).

The concept of the “supertaster” can be linked to other sensitivity disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder and autism. However, not all picky eaters are diagnosed with these disorders (Intlekofer, 2012).

Dovey, T. M., Staples, et al (2010) call this particular characteristic tactile defensiveness, in which the individual may be “overly sensitive to oral touch leading to the rejection of foods with certain textures.”

Other sensory attributes such as smell or how the food looks could also play a role in why someone avoids certain food. If some foods look the same, then they must taste the same (Dovey, T. M., 2010). There are also instances where a certain food item is associated with something else i.e. mushrooms and dirt or fungus (Carr, 2010).

Not all pickiness involves avoiding foods, however. Pickiness calso includes how one eats their food. For example, some eaters may avoid foods that have touched or are on the same plate as other foods (Carr, 2010).

If only a small number of food items are avoided, the effect it’ll have on one’s health is minimal. There are other – and maybe similar – foods to choose from that will provide the proper vitamins and nutrients one needs (Sostek, 2010). However, for those that exclude a more vast range of food items, there is a risk of problems similar to diabetes or anemia (Intlekofer, 2012).

Picky Eating in Children
Researchers at the Duke Center for Eating Disorders claim that pickiness in children usually starts as an “evolutionary safeguard” as the child develops motor skills. As the child learns to move around more, the more timid they are to put something into their mouths (Sostek, 2010).

Establishing likes and dislikes starts at a very early age. When much of the child’s development depends on environmental factors such as parental practices/interaction and peer influence. There is evidence showing that children become familiar with the taste of the foods in their mother’s diet if they are breastfed as infants. As the child matures, parents contribute to their child’s eating habits through the way they structure family meals, if they are on a specific diet or if one has his or her own food rejections (Dovey, T. M., 2010). Though more often than not, a child will grow out of the picky behavior as they reach adolescence (Sostek, 2010).

Reactions to novel foods span from body language (moving away from or throwing the food) in young children to verbal communication in older children (Dovey, T. M., 2010).

Picky Eating in Adults
Some children continue their picky eating habits throughout adulthood. While considered more of a behavioral/developmental phase in children, pickiness in adults could be a form of eating disorder. But it depends on the severity of the case. Extreme cases of neophobia and pickiness go beyond disliking a small number of foods. It’s the individual’s thought that “there are very few foods they are even capable of eating” (Nixon, 2010).

This thought process is known as “selective eating disorder,” in which an individual will reject a wider range of foods based on their smell, appearance and/or texture (Cordova, 2011). This particular disorder differs from anorexia or bulimia because the concern is not about losing or gaining weight.

For some adults, pickiness stems from negative experiences/associations with food that began in their childhood such as a food-borne illness or forced feeding. (Nixon, 2010 & Sostek, 2010). Most often, adult picky eaters will stick to foods that are high in fat, sugar, or sodium and not much else. This behavior can act as a social stigma, in which social events are often avoided due to the emotional stress and embarrassment of the condition(Intlekofer, 2012).

Possible Cures
To treat picky eating/neophobia, one should take the same gradual approach as any behavioral treatment. (Intlekofer, 2012).

For children and adults, “exposure Therapy” or the constant exposure to the particular food item(s) could eventually alter and enhance the palate – causing the food to become liked rather than disliked (Cordova, 2011). How often and how long a parent exposes their child to foods – especially those that have been rejected by the child – will have a significant influence on the child overcoming his/her neophobia or pickiness (Dovey, T. M., 2008).

Despite social pressures acting as a potential factor in causing one to become picky, it could also contribute to helping break the habit. “The more the people around the child consuming the novel food, the more willing the child will be to try it” (Dovey, T. M., 2008).

Tricking the child into eating a certain food by incorporating it into foods that the child will eat is a riskier approach to expanding the palate (Carr, 2010).

Citations
Carr, L. (2010, September 20). Picky eaters – causes and top 10 natural remedies. Retrieved from http://collectivewizdom.com/PickyEaters-CausesandTop10NaturalRemedies.html

Cordova, D. (2011, May 25). Adult picky eater? could be an eating disorder. McClatchly-Tribune Business News. Retrieved from http://libraryproxy.quinnipiac.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/868683616?accountid=13381

Dovey, T. M., Staples, P. A., Gibson, E. L., & Halford, C. G. (2008). Food neophobia and ‘picky/fussy’ eating in children: A review. Appetite, 50(2-3), 181-193. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666307003716

Intlekofer, K. (2012, September 12). Pathologically picky. Johns Hopkins Magazine, Retrieved from http://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2012/fall/pathologically-picky

Nixon, R. (2010, November 28). Adult picky eaters now recognized as having a disorder. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/10301-adult-picky-eaters-recognized-disorder.html

Sostek, Anya. “Universities Studying Picky Eating in Adults.” The Ledger Jul 25 2010. ABI/INFORM Complete; Hartford Courant; Hoover’s Company Profiles; ProQuest Central; ProQuest Criminal Justice. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.

Social Media: Friend or Foe? Enabler or Inhibitor?

Much can be said about the concepts behind Digital Nation; but I’m going to try to keep my thoughts brief here. Being a twenty-something year old in the 21st century, much of my life has revolved around technology. It’s become second nature. I must say I agree with many of the points made in the film; i.e. multitasking has become second nature to most and it is difficult to get people to break from digital media today and that this generation is learning to think in snippets as opposed to longer and fuller thoughts. However, I could help but wonder if this digital and social media was prompting us to behave this way?

Having held a job at a local newspaper for about a year, I was forced – for the lack of a better term – to be available on multiple social platforms. Not only was I writing a story for print, but I also had to break the story down for the online component, blog, and email. The paper also has a Facebook and Twitter account that I didn’t manage. It wasn’t enough to just type up the piece and submit it for publishing. I could be covering a meeting, but at the same time, was getting emails about another lead and blogging about what was taking place as it was happening. Many jobs now require that we multitask because we’ve become a society that thrives on instant gratification, we need to tackle multiple things at once because everything now holds a sense of urgency.

I remember when I was in school we were taught the importance of writing and were encouraged to handwrite our essays. Today essays will not be accepted unless they are typed and double-spaced. As Mark Bauerlein argued, people in this generation are thinking in snippets and it is evident in their writing. Again, I wonder, is social media prompting this behavior? Think of Twitter, for example. When composing a tweet, you are only allowed 140 characters. Now, I’m fully aware that some thoughts can be summed up in this amount of space; however, some thoughts are just too big to be trimmed down. How do you express them then?

I agree that digital media is necessary, as it meets the needs of this fast-paced society; but is fast-paced a good thing? Are we doing ourselve a favor or are we setting ourselves up for failure in the long run?