Psychological effects of rapid weight loss and attitudes towards eating among professional jockeys

We examined the psychological effects of rapid weight loss among a sample of 41 professional jockeys (mean age 30.9 years, s = 7.0). Participants completed the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) and the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) to establish the relationships between rapid weight loss, mood, and attitudes towards eating. These instruments were administered on three occasions: at the jockeys' minimal weight (achieved through rapid weight loss), their optimal riding weight (when they were not excessively restricting their weight and felt healthy), and their relaxed weight (when there were no forthcoming light rides or no rides at all). It was hypothesized that when riding at minimal weight, jockeys would record a more negative mood profile compared with scores recorded at optimal or relaxed weights. The same trend was expected for eating attitudes. These hypotheses were supported as jockeys reported significantly more negative mood profiles and eating attitudes at minimal weight. The EAT-26 scores indicated the presence of disordered attitudes towards eating at this weight. These results suggest that jockeys' endeavours to reach the minimum weight limit stipulated by governing bodies are likely to jeopardize their psychological well-being. Dialogue surrounding the appropriateness of current weight regulations is therefore encouraged.     

CENTRAL AGENCY RENEWAL AND EDUCATIONAL GOAL SETTING

The infrequently used label mishshamshim baKodesh may well capture the essential life-style most needed, and authentic, for bureaus of education; central agencies for Jewish education in communities whose variant demographics and structure mandate a caveat for generalizations.     

The Rôle of Television in the Teaching of Modern Languages

Black author James Baldwin has observed, ‘People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them. This perceptive comment invites teachers to explore the experiences of their students as the content of classroom instruction. Unfortunately, most history instructors have ignored this approach. This omission is particularly lamentable in regard to black students. The ability of a teacher to stimulate reflection on issues of significance to young blacks is clearly dependent upon his or her skill in identifying the universal concerns of the Afro-American community. One instructional resource that might help a history instructor accomplish this goal is popular music. However, the lyrics of black singers are rarely introduced in the classroom. One critic has capsuled the shortsightedness of this instructional omission by noting, ‘Black music has been the vanguard reflection of black feeling and the continuous repository of black consciousness’. His words warrant serious consideration by history teachers.