Section A·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, April 26, 2000
iayhawks.com
KU students get paid to burn fat
Participants trade treadmill time exercise for cash
By Katie Hollar
writer@kanson.com
Kansas campus editor
By Katie Hollar
Erica Butler works out almost every day.
It's not for fun — it's her job. Butler, a Wichita sophomore, is one of 45 KU students participating in a study conducted by Dennis Jacobsen, lecturer of health, sport and exercise science.
Butler and the other participants earn $2,000 for their involvement in the study.
Jacobsen said his primary goal was to show the impact of long-term aerobic exercise. So he designed an experiment using exercise as his only factor.
"It's a very, very simple study," he said. "Here, the only thing we've changed is that we added exercise. Whatever changes has to do with the exercise."
The experiment began in the fall of 1996 at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where Jacobsen was working at the time. More than 100 people will have participated in the study when it concludes in May 2001.
The study's subjects are students who did not exercise and were moderately overweight. Jacobsen's tailored workout regimen requires five 45-minute sessions each week. Participants work out at a special room in Robinson Center and must log their hours daily.
say they're going to do," Jacobsen said. "They have to do it. If they're here, it counts. If they're not, it doesn't."
"People don't always do what they
The routine is purely aerobic, with about 80 percent treadmill exercise and 20 percent miscellaneous activity. Jacobsen said. No weight-lifting is allowed — it's not an aerobic exercise.
In addition, participants cannot diet. They do receive four weeks of supervised meals at Ekdahl Dining Commons, but Jacobsen said students were encouraged to eat whatever they felt like.
Results have varied so far, Jacobsen said. Some long-term benefits he has found include weight loss, fat loss, leaner body tissue and decreased cardiovascular risks.
But most importantly, he said, all participants had at least maintained
At a cost of $2.1 million, Jacobsen's study is financed by the National Institute of Health. Direct costs include exercise equipment, some supervised materials for participants and their bonuses.
their pre-study weights.
The $2,000 enticed Butler to participate.
But she said finding treadmill time could be difficult between part-time work and 17 hours of classes.
"I did it for the money," she said.
"It's something I should do anyway. It seemed like something I could commit to."
Butler has not lost any weight, but she said she had more muscle mass and could handle faster speeds on the treadmill.
"I think it's just different for every one," she said. "I would do it again."
Gay couples granted rights by Vermont
The Associated Press
MONTPELIER. Vt. Lawmakers gave final approval yesterday to legislation making Vermont the first state to grant gay couples nearly all of the rights and benefits of marriage.
The state House voted 79-68 for the "civil unions" bill, which was approved by the Senate last week. Democratic Gov. Howard Dean said he would sign it, possibly as soon as tomorrow.
Three homosexual couples and their lawyers, who sued in 1997
when they were denied marriage licenses, watched in the crowded House chamber as the final roll was called.
ing what they called civil unions.
The bill came about after the Vermont Supreme Court unanimously ruled in December that gay couples were being unconstitutionally denied the rights and benefits of marriage.
The court gave the Legislature time to decide whether to let gays marry or to create some kind of domestic partnership. Lawmakers opted for a parallel system for homosexuals, creating what they called civil unions After the bill takes effect July 1, couples will be able to go to their town clerks for licenses. Then they will have their unions certified by a justice of the peace, judge or member of the clergy.
Breakups will be handled in Family Court, just as divorces are, although they will be called dissolutions.
The more than 300 benefits that the state confers on married couples now will apply to same-sex couples, including the ability to make medical decisions on
behalf of partners,inherit from each other without hefty taxes and protection from having to testify against each another.
But there are responsibilities as well. For example, same-sex partners will have to assume each other's debt and pay child support.
Civil unions will not entitle couples to benefits bestowed by the federal government in areas such as Social Security and immigration. And most states probably will not recognize civil unions.
University of Kansas Millennium Series presents
"Year 2000: Global Issues"
Jeane Kirkpatrick
Scholar, diplomat, syndicated columnist,political scientist, & Former US Ambassador to the United Nations
Wednesday, April 26, 2000
Lied Center, Free & Open to the Public 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.
Hosted by the Hall Center, 864.4798
Kansas and Burge Unions • 864-4640 www.jayhawks.com