October 24, 2012
Il!‘ ^Jortlanb (Observer
Page 7
Marriage
Matters
PSU Professor
says marriage is
good for us
Married couples, on average, are
more likely to be healthier, happier
and better off financially than single
people, no matter how they met or
their type of marriage.
That’s the conclusion of Port
land State University Professor
Karen Seccombe in her new text
book, “Exploring Marriage and Fami
lies.”
In her review of the latest mar
riage research, Seccombe found that
the benefits of marriage are deep,
far-reaching and true for men and
women, straight and gay, young
and old.
Married people benefit economi
cally from pooled income, have
longer life expectancies, and are less
likely to die from the leading causes
of death, including coronary heart
disease, stroke, pneumonia and can
cer. They also report being happier
than single, cohabiting, separated
or divorced people.
“Certainly not all marriages are
good ones, but many are,” she says.
“And those marriages can increase
your happiness, because you’ve
got a partner to share the psycho
logical load.”
In states where same-sex mar
riage is legal, married gay couples
experience the same advantages,
she says.
"Same-sex couples are fighting
for the right to marry because they,
too, know that marriage matters,"
Seccombe says.
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(Associated Press/Herald & Review, Lisa Morrison) Park director Zach Shields, right, and his crew for the day look for produce such
as tomatoes to harvest from the organic garden at Partnership Park in Decatur, Illinois.
Organic01 Not
CHICAGO ( AP)— Parents who
want to reduce their kids' expo
sure to pesticides may seek out
organic fruits and vegetables, but
they aren't necessarily safer or
more nutritious than conventional
foods, the nation's leading pedia
tricians group says in its first ad
vice on organics.
Science hasn't proven that eat
ing pesticide-free food makes
people any healthier, the Ameri
can Academy of Pediatrics said.
"Theoretically there could be
JLW|
negative effects, especially in young
children with growing brains," but
rigorous scientific evidence is lack
ing, said Dr. Janet Silverstein, a co
author of the academy's new report
and a pediatric endocrinologist at
the U n iv e rsity o f F lo rid a in
Gainesville.
"We just can't say for certain that
organics is better without long-term
controlled studies," she said.
The report was published online
Monday in Pediatrics and echoes a
Stanford University study released
Pediatricians’ report says organics
not proven to be any healthier
than conventional foods
last month. That research concluded
But the pediatricians group says
that while eating organic fruits and higher prices on organic foods might
vegetables can reduce pesticide lead some parents to buy fewer fruits
exposure, the amount measured in and vegetables — not a good strat
conventionally grown produce was egy since both have health benefits
within safety limits.
including reducing risks for obe
Since organic foods tend to be sity, heart disease and some can
costlier, a good strategy for penny- cers.
pinching parents concerned about
Parents should aim to provide
pesticides is to buy only organic their families a diet rich in fruits and
versions of foods with the most vegetables, whether organic or not,
pesticide residue — including along with plenty of whole grains
apples, peaches, strawberries and and low-fat or fat-free dairy prod
celery, Silverstein said.
ucts, the report says.
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