Contact Information

Ernest C. Young Hall, 10th Floor
155 S. Grant Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2114
(765) 494-9879
E-mail: wro@purdue.edu
twitter.com/WROPurdue

Bathroom Babble

 

FUN FACTS

Did you know?

• Laughing 100 times roughly equals 15 minutes on an exercise bike: Vigorous laughter increases the heart rate deepens the breathing rate, and uses muscles in the face, stomach, and diaphragm.
• Three hundred million cells die in your body every minute.
• Every person has a unique tongue print and that by age 60 most people will have lost half of their taste buds.
• The Hundred Year War actually lasted for 116 years.
• The planets Mercury and Venus are the only ones without moons, and Venus spins the opposite direction of other planets.
• A giraffe’s heart weighs 24 pounds, and an adult’s neck can weigh up to 500 pounds!
• What is a hiccup? A hiccup is a spasm of your diaphragm, which normally expands and contracts to help you breathe. The "hic" noise comes when the breath is cut off by the snapping shut of your glottis - which is like a fleshy lid or trapdoor that separates the food and air tubes in your throat. The world record stands at 68 years, with a guy called Charles Osbourne, who hiccupped continuously from 1922 to 1990!

PURDUE TO-DO BEFORE YOU GRADUATE:

• Visit the CCO (Center for Career Opportunities)
• Go sledding down Slayter Hill
• Visit the Bug Bowl
• Go to an athletic event, especially football!
• Get a Den Pop at the Discount Den
• Go to Triple XXX
• Attend a concert or show at Elliot
• Ride the Boiler-Maker Special
• Write a resume and attend a job fair
• Fountain Run!

 

SERIOUS FACTS

Binge Drinking

http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/quickstats/binge_drinking.htm

• The prevalence of binge drinking among men is 2 times the prevalence among women.
• Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to report alcohol-impaired driving than non-binge drinkers.
• About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 years in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.
• The proportion of current drinkers that binge is highest in the 18- to 20-year-old group (51%).
• Consequences of binge drinking:
• Unintentional injuries (e.g., car crashes, falls, burns, drowning)
• Intentional injuries (e.g., firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence)
• Alcohol poisoning
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases
• Liver disease and neurological damage
• Alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape has been reported by over 70,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24.
• Over 100,000 students have reported that they have been too intoxicated to know if they consented to sexual intercourse.

Body Image Issues

                  http://www.colorado.edu/StudentGroups/wellness/NewSite/BdyImgShockingStats.html

• Two out of five women and one out of five men would trade three to five years of their life to achieve their weight goals.
• In 1970 the average age of a girl who started dieting was 14; by 1990 the average dieting age fell to 8.
• A study found that women overestimate the size of their hips by 16% and their waists by 25%, yet the same women were able to correctly estimate the width of a box.
• After viewing images of female fashion models, seven out of ten women felt more depressed and angry than prior to viewing the images.
• The “ideal” woman - portrayed by models, Miss America, Barbie dolls, and screen actresses - is 5’5”, weighs 100 pounds and wears a size 5.
• Young girls are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer, or losing their parents.
• One out of three women and one out of four men are on a diet at any given time. Two thirds of dieters regain the weight within one year and virtually all regain it within five years.
• 35% of occasional dieters progress into pathological dieting.
• 30% of women chose an ideal body shape that is 20% underweight and an additional 44% chose an ideal body shape that is 10% underweight.
• The average U.S. woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds whereas the average U.S. model is 5’11” and weighs 117 pounds.
• The diet industry (diet foods, diet programs, diet drugs, etc.) takes in over $40 billion each year and continues to grow.

Eating Disorders

http://www.nowfoundation.org/issues/health/whp/whp_fact2.html

Statistics:

• 5-10 million women and girls suffer from anorexia and/or bulimia, in the United States alone.
• Approximately one million men and boys suffer from anorexia and/or bulimia, in the United States alone.
• 25 million people suffer from compulsive overeating, in the United States alone.
• Eighty-six percent of people with eating disorders report the onset of the illness by the time they reach the age of 20 (by no means is an eating disorder "less severe" when the eating-disordered person is above the age of 20).
• The death rate for eating disorders is approximately 20 percent.
• An estimated 85-95% of people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia and 65% of people with binge eating disorders are female.
• Approximately 80% of women want to lose weight.

Definitions:

Anorexia Nervosa

• the refusal to maintain body weight of at least 85% of normal expected weight
• intense fear of weight gain
• distorted body perception
•  amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycle)

Bulimia Nervosa

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating experienced as out of control
• Regular purging, fasting, or excessive exercise to prevent weight gain
• At least two episodes of binging and purging per week for at least three months
• Persistent over-concern with weight and shape.

Complications from starvation and severe dieting:

• Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycle)
• Osteoporosis
• Electrolyte imbalances, which lead to fatigue, diminished reflexes, kidney damage, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, death
• Cognitive impairment (i.e. clouded or distorted perception or thinking, difficulty concentrating, difficulty comprehending)
• Dangerously low heartbeat and blood pressure
• Severe abdominal pain
• Sustained starvation can even lead to death

Complications from purging methods:

• Vomiting: electrolyte imbalance that can lead to cardiac arrest and death; abdominal cramping; anemia; dehydration; headaches; tooth decay; tears in esophagus; chronic sore throat; difficulty swallowing
• Diuretic Abuse: electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, muscle weakness or cramping, headaches, fatigue
• Laxative Abuse: electrolyte imbalance, constipation, dehydration, muscle weakness or cramping, headaches, fatigue

 

PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE

                  According to the Mayo Clinic, the top five health threats that women have are:

• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Stroke
• COPD- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Alzheimer’s Disease

It is important to take proactive steps now to reduce your risk of disease later. These are some basic steps you can take. For more information visit: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/womens-health/WO00014

• Don't smoke or use other tobacco products. Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fiber and fish. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and sodium.
• If you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, follow your doctor's treatment recommendations.
• Include physical activity in your daily routine.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. Too much alcohol can raise blood pressure.
• If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control.
• Manage stress.
• Visit your doctor for regular cancer screenings, especially for your yearly gynecological visit and/or if you have family history, which increases your risk.

SEXUAL ASSAULT

http://www.rainn.org/

• Seven to 10 percent of adult males are survivors of sexual abuse or assault.
• Persons between the ages of 15 and 25 are the most vulnerable to date or acquaintance rape.
• Statistically, the beginning of a student's college career is the time of highest risk for sexual assault.
• More than 60 percent of rape survivors are acquainted with their attackers.
• Sexual assault can happen to anyone. It is not confined to any race, class, age group, or gender.
• Contrary to popular belief, false reports of rape are rare. In fact, only one in six rapes are ever reported to police, making it the most underreported violent crime in the U.S.
• Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
• One in six American women are victims of sexual assault, and one in 33 men.
• In 2004-2005, there were an average annual 200,780 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.
• About 44% of rape victims are under age 18, and 80% are under age 30.
• Since 1993, rape/sexual assault has fallen by over 69%.

Purdue University Resources

Women’s Clinic

• General Information: (765) 494-1700
• Appointment Desk: (765) 494-6504

 

Cartoons

"Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman": Vintage Ladies' Home Journal Cartoons

                  Cartoons perfect for a women’s encouragement inspired from history!

http://www.lhj.com/style/covers/never-underestimate-the-power-of-a-woman-vintage-ladies-home-journal-cartoons/