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6A Daily News – Tuesday, March 5, 2013 Vitality health & fitness We have terrible trouble translating good intentions into actions By Lynda V. Mapes The Seattle Times (MCT) SEATTLE — Hit the gym, or the couch? Save for retirement, or spend the whole paycheck? Choose the chips, or the rice cakes in the vending machine? Most people are going for the chips, finds David Laibson, a Harvard economist who presented some of his work on how people make choices at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston last week. Laibson's research consistently finds that people have a terrible time turning their good intentions into action. And conventional interventions, such as providing education and even financial incentives, MCT photo A close-up view of some of the healthful vending-machine options that are offered in city-run neighborhood recreation centers in Seattle. don't necessarily help. counted only a 0.1 per- difference between good his experiments also For example, Laibson cent increase in employ- intentions for the future, showed taking even small ees saving in a 401(k) and the reward today. If concrete steps toward a redbluff.mercy.org significantly plan even when study you get the reward today, goal www.redbluff.mercy.org subjects were paid to lis- you give it full weight. A increased the chances of ten to presentations about reward in the future gets meeting it. Even better was to start out in the the benefits. "So finan- half the weight." Community Diabetes Support Group 6:30pm-8pm 3/4 1st Monday Columba 527-5290 In the domain of exer- right place, and have to cial incentives and eduAuxiliary Sole Love Alegria Shoe Sale 10am-3pm 3/6 Wednesday Main hall of hospital 736-1326 Grief Support Group 3pm-5pm 3/7 Thursdays Coyne Center 528-4207 cation don't do it," Laib- cise, this translates into undo it in order to fail. Community Basic Life Support 6pm-10pm 3/12 2nd Tuesday Columba 529-8026 Consider the 401(k) people eagerly paying son said. Diabetes Education 1pm-3pm 3/20 Wednesday Columba 529-8026 In another study, he money for memberships savings plan choice again. Diabetes Education 1pm-3pm 3/27 Wednesday Columba 529-8026 5:30pm-9:30pm 3/13 Wednesday Columba 529-8026 Waterbirth Class gave subjects the choice they will rarely use. "If Laibson found that by Weekend Childbirth Class 5pm-10pm 3/15 Friday Columba 529-8026 between eating a piece of you ask me how many putting the study subjects 8am-4pm 3/16 Saturday Columba 529-8026 fruit and chocolate. He times I will exercise in in a retirement plan on an Sees Easter Candy Sales 10am-3pm 3/27 Wednesday Main hall of hospital 736-1326 St. Elizabeth Community Hospital introduces relief from vein pain and varicose veins, our new learned if the subjects the coming year I will opt-out basis, such that the outpatient procedure. Call our Community Relations Department to learn more as the seminar were promised the food say 364 times. Just not employees had to sign a will launch the last week of March. 529-8038 or email ContactSECH@dignityhealth.org www.redbluff.mercy.org form to drop out, suddenly in a week, they would today. "The story with our participation rates of those choose the fruit. But if it was a reward to be deliv- diet, our savings, our not already enrolled ered the same day, they exercise is we have terri- zoomed above 90 percent invariably chose the ble follow-through. So — and stayed there. Even two years later, rates were what do we do?" chocolate. The good news is that above 88 percent. "It "The problem is the Discount makes all the difference if For Fitting Of Hearing you start out in the right of Aids Only. place," Laibson said. In another experiment, study subjects were mailed letters encouraging them to have March 12th-27th HEARING AID SALE FREE Hearing Tests 15 Days Only! $ Beltone True gives you benefits like no other hearing aid 1000 OFF A Pair of True 17 Open Digital Hearing Aids Call Today for an Appointment! 2526 Sister Mary Columba Dr., Red Bluff 530-529-1888 *$1000 off the list price of two digital aids. Announcing Practice Closure Michele Martin, DPM Office Closing February 28, 2013 527-2523 Medical Records Request P.O. Box 609 Cottonwood Ca 96022 colonoscopy screenings. Just 33 percent of those who received the letter made an appointment. But the researchers found that if they included a sticky note with blanks for a date and time to be filled in by the subject, screening appointments increased to 37 percent. "Not a huge difference, but all we did was add a few drops of ink to the mailer and it drove participation up by about 10 percent. "Using nudges, we can transform good intentions into taking actions." Which gets us back to the vending machine. Seattle City Councilmember Richard Conlin said he is optimistic that if customers see better choices they will make them. He uses a little of this psychology on himself, keeping salad mix and cut up vegetables in the refrigerator to make it easier to be good when he comes home tired and late from work. "That is the hardest part, not doing whatever is quickest," said Conlin, who admitted his downfall is the tasty cheese tucked away in the fridge — no doubt behind the vegetables. Conlin has introduced a bill that would replace half the junk food in vending machines in city offices and buildings with healthier choices, such as nonfat milk instead of soda. The bill will be voted on in committee Wednesday and by the full council March 4. "It is important that people have the option to make healthy choices," said Conlin. MOULE'S TEHAMA COUNTY GLASS SIDEVIEW MIRRORS Installed for all makes & models 515 Sycamore St., Red Bluff • 529-0260