Deck 9: Making Ourselves Sick

Question 1

Triclosan is a chemical that has been added to antibacterial soaps, deodorants, and other products since the 1980s. When it is rinsed down the drain and makes its way to waterways where it is exposed to sunlight, it produces

A)BPAs
B)PCBs
C)dioxins
D)PBTs

Answer 1

dioxins

Question 2

Which of the following is false about the predicted stressful aspects of climate change?

A)Coping with the stressors associated with climate change will require both behavioral and cognitive responses.
B)The harshest and most chronic consequences will be experienced by the members of society who are currently the most advantaged.
C)As temperatures increase and resources become scarcer, violent clashes between individuals, communities, and nations will escalate.
D)The prevalence and severity of stress disorders will increase, as will related problems such as anxiety, grief, depression, substance abuse, and suicide attempts

Answer 2

The harshest and most chronic consequences will be experienced by the members of society who are currently the most advantaged.

Question 3

Which of the following is false about common stressor in the industrialized lifestyle as compared to stressor experienced by our preindustrial ancestors?

A)Humans' bodies respond differently to contemporary stressors than they did to ancestral ones.
B)The industrialized lifestyle is characterized by some chronic stressors that were not present for our ancestors.
C)Humans today are expereincing a mismatch between our pre-industrial physiology and the stressors of industrialized living.
D)Many aspects of the industrialized lifestyle that are stressors to humans are also damaging to ecological systems.

Answer 3

Humans' bodies respond differently to contemporary stressors than they did to ancestral ones.

Question 4

Which of the following does not describe the body's response to stressors?

A)sympathetic nervous system arousal
B)the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol
C)a ""fight or flight"" response
D)decreased blood sugar and improved immune system functioning

Question 5

Which of the following is not among the health risks of chronic stress?

A)increased belly fat storage
B)increased risk of Type 2 diabetes
C)increased risk of depression
D)All of these are health risks associated with chronic stress.

Question 6

The text discusses unhealthy aspects of the industrialized lifestyle. Which of the following is not one of the topics discussed?

A)sleep deprivation
B)social isolation
C)inactivity
D)malnutrition

Question 7

Which of the following is notamong the health risks of sleep deprivation?

A)weight gain
B)increased risk for cancer and heart disease
C)shortened lifespan
D)All of these are risks associated with sleep deprivation.

Question 8

Historical records suggest that prior to the nineteenth century, our ancestors got about ____________ sleep than is typical among industrialized cultures today.

A)20% more
B)5% more
C)10% less
D)20% less

Question 9

Which of the following is false about the effect of artificial light on sleep?

A)Blue wavelengths of light such as from TVs and computer screens, interfere with sleep onset.
B)Disruption of circadian rhythms due to artificial light exposure at night is associated with major depression and other mood disorders
C)The light exposure associated with checking a smartphone at night is not enough to disrupt sleep.
D)Ambient light from streetlamps, headlights, and so on causes sleep disruption.

Question 10

Which of the following is false about light pollution?

A)Living in more light polluted areas is associated with higher rates of breast and prostate cancer.
B)Light pollution existed during pre-industrial eras, but the lights were forms of firelight rather than electric light.
C)Light pollution has been shown to negatively impact feeding and breeding behaviors of nonhuman creatures.
D)Light pollution is so prevalent today that the majority of people in the U.S. and Europe can no longer see the Milky Way when they look at the night sky.

Question 11

In 2013, France introduced legislation requiring shops and offices to be dark during the middle of the night. Which of the following was not among the reasons cited for this law?

A)improved health of humans and other species
B)reduced carbon emissions
C)energy conservation
D)All of these reasons were cited.

Question 12

Which of the following is false about modern day multi-tasking?

A)People tend to overestimate their own ability to multi-task.
B)Multi-tasking results in doing all the tasks less well than if we did them one at a time.
C)There is really no more multi-tasking going on today than there was a decade ago.
D)Our brains are not evolutionarily designed for the type of multi-tasking that is common today.

Question 13

Xenoestrogens are

A)compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in both men's and women's bodies.
B)hormones that occur naturally in both women and men, but in greater proportion in women.
C)Hormones that occur naturally in men and mimic the effects of estrogens in women.
D)compunds that have masculinizing effects in women's bodies.

Question 14

Documented effects of endocrine disruptors include

A)irregular development of the penis
B)abnormal breast development
C)both A and B
D)Neither A nor B

Question 15

According to the Centers for Disease Control, from the late 1990s to 2008, there was a _________ increase in autism spectrum disorders in children.

A)0.02
B)0.09
C)0.29
D)2.9

Question 16

Which of the following is false about infants' and toddlers' exposure to toxicants?

A)Some sippy cups and baby toys contain endocrine disruptors.
B)Although other dairy products are often contaminated, breast milk is free from contamination.
C)Crawling on the floor exposes infants and toddlers to contaminated dust.
D)Exposure can come from common household cleaners.

Question 17

Although lead has been regulated in the U.S. since the 1970s, exposures still occur because it is found in

A)unregulated consumer products such as cosmetics
B)imported toys and other consumer goods
C)the dust, paint, and yards of houses built before the 1970s
D)all of the above

Question 18

Which of the following is not one of the known detrimental effects of lead exposure described in the text?

A)attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders
B)reproductive abnormalities
C)cognitive deficits and developmental delays
D)autism spectrum disorders

Question 19

How much mercury does it take to contaminate a 25-acre lake?

A)only a cup
B)only a tablespoon
C)only a teaspoon
D)only a fraction of a teaspoon

Question 20

A survey of nearly 300 streams in the U.S. found mercury in __________ of the fish sampled.

A)every one
B)two-thirds
C)about half
D)a quarter

Question 21

Which of the following best sums up the toxic effects of mercury in the human body?

A)It causes intellectual deficits and learning disabilities.
B)It causes problems in the functioning of all the major body systems.
C)It causes both cognitive and behavioral disorders.
D)Its effects are isolated and limited to a couple specific body systems.

Question 22

Which of the following is false about pesticides?

A)The properties that render them toxic cause harm to unintended targets.
B)Although they are common in agriculture, they are not very common in U.S. households.
C)They are designed to be toxic and are intentionally released into the environment to kill things.
D)Disinfectants are a type of pesticide.

Question 23

Research on the health risks of pesticides suggests

A)children living where pesticide use is common display cognitive impairments.
B)prenatal exposure is associated with brain atrophy and malformation.
C)Frequent contact with pesticides is associated with deficits in balance, coordination, and reaction time.
D)All of the above

Question 24

Which of the following has not be linked to pesticide exposure in children?

A)behavioral problems including impulsiveness and aggression.
B)psychotic and dissociative disorders
C)deficits in learning, memory, and creativity
D)autism spectrum disorders

Question 25

Research on nonhuman animals suggests that endocrine disruptors may affect aspects of human development relevant to

A)gender identity.
B)sexual orientation.
C)both gender identity and sexual orientation.
D)neither gender identity nor sexual orientation.

Question 26

The term ""technostress"" was coined to describe

A)an inability to cope with growing computer culture.
B)the feeling people have when they are compelled to constantly monitor their devices.
C)the challenge of staying on task in the presence of distractions like social networking sites and instant messaging.
D)the frustration experienced when electronic devices on which we are dependent malfunction.

Question 27

The term ""technostress"" refers to an inability to effectively cope with the burgeoning computer culture. This term was coined

A)in the 1980s
B)before the Internet existed
C)before there were mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets
D)all of the above

Question 28

Which of the following is false regarding today's use of electronic technology?

A)Observational research suggests college students frequently indulge in online distractions while studying.
B)There is no evidence that use of electronic technology is harmful for children or teenagers.
C)These days many people suffer from a compulsion to constantly monitor their electronic devices.
D)No web-based activities, such as email, social networking, and online gaming existed prior to the 1990s.

Question 29

How is sleep deprivation harmful to human health? What does it have to do with ecological problems?

Question 30

Explain how electronic technology is simultaneously an ecological hazard and a human health hazard.

Question 31

What does it mean to say that humans living in industrialized cultures today are simultanously the most active and the least active humans ever? How are overactivity and inactivity threatening human health? How are they each related to the ecological crisis?

Question 32

What is metabolic syndrome and how is it related to industrial food production?

Question 33

How is ecologically responsible production and consumption of meat better for human health than traditional production and consumption?

Question 34

What does it mean to say that ""in many ways, nutrition and waste are inversely related""?

Question 35

Describe some things individuals can do to reduce the mismatch between human biology and the modern lifestyle. How will these changes contribute to ecological sustainability?

Question 36

Describe at least four reasons it is difficult for researchers to pinpoint the effects of potentially toxic substances on human health.

Question 37

Toxicants are sometimes categorized in terms of how they exert their negative health effects. For example, carcinogens are toxicants that cause cancer. Name and describe four other categories.

Question 38

What are endocrine disruptors and where are they found? Describe some of the documented health effects of these compounds.

Question 39

A panel of physicians concluded that climate change represents the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. Why?

Question 40

Of the more than 84,000 synthetic chemicals currently cataloged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency _________ have been subject to mandatory safety testing.

A)about 200
B)A quarter
C)About half
D)Nearly 95%

Question 41

Of the more than 84,000 synthetic chemicals currently cataloged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency _________ have been introduced since 1976, the year the government passed the Toxic Substances Control Act.

A)none
B)only about 200
C)a quarter
D)more than half

Question 42

A survey of parents in California found that daily technology use by children and teenagers predicted

A)psychological distress
B)behavior problems
C)attention difficulties
D)all of the above

Question 43

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends _________ screen time (TV, computer, tablet, smartphone) for children under 2.

A)less than 1 hour per day of
B)no more than 2 hours per day of
C)unlimited
D)no

Question 44

Which of the following is not one of the health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle?

A)sexual dysfunction
B)premature death
C)increased risk of cancer
D)All of the above are health risks associated with sedentary lifestyles.

Question 45

Which of the following is false regarding the sedentary lifestyle common in industrialized cultures?

A)People who workout regularly can spend the majority of their day sitting without suffering any ill effects.
B)Sitting for most of the day is associated with increased risk of heart attack and cancer.
C)People with sedentary lifestyles are likely to die younger than those with active lifestyles.
D)Inactivity has a negative effect on mood, hormones, and metabolism.

Question 46

Why are rates of obesity so high in the industrialized world?

A)The industrialized lifestyle is sedentary.
B)The Western Pattern Diet is nutrient-poor and calorie-rich.
C)Most processed foods are laden with sugar, causing metabolic disruption.
D)All of the above are reasons why people in industrialized cultures are obese.

Question 47

In the nineteenth century, there were ___________ varieties of apples grown in orchards in the U.S., ___________ of which are now extinct.

A)74; 50
B)595; 210
C)3200; 1450
D)7100; 6800

Question 48

Which of the following is false regarding the nutrient density of food in the industrialized world?

A)Thanks to technological innovations in agriculture, whole foods today are more nutritious than they were in the mid-20th century.
B)Most processed foods are nutritionally deficient, making people feel hungrier.
C)Meat is more nutritious when the animals are grass-fed or wild than when they are raised on feedlots.
D)Some of the most nutritious parts of animals are those typically wasted in the Western diet (e.g., organs, bone marrow)

Question 49

Which of the following is false about the link between nutrition and health?

A)Poor nutrition is associated with poor physical health.
B)Most doctors are well-schooled in the effects of poor nutirion on human health.
C)Poor nutrition is associated with poor mental health.
D)Poor nutrition is associated with behavioral problems.

Question 50

What does it mean to say a substance is toxic?

A)It means it poses a potential risk to health.
B)It means it is a synthetic chemical.
C)It means that it interferes with child development.
D)It means that it is radioactive.

Question 51

Which of the following is false about research on the effect of environmental toxicants on human health?

A)Most knowledge about specific impacts of toxic exposures is based on experiments using nonhuman animals.
B)It is not easy to determine exactly how, and to what extent, environmental toxicants affect human health.
C)Research done with humans is typically experimental rather than correlational.
D)Cumulative or interactive effects of toxicants will typically go undetected by researchers.

Question 52

Which of the following is not one of the challenges facing researchers trying to determine the effects of potentially toxic substances on humans?

A)There are no unexposed control groups with which to compare exposed populations.
B)Humans are routinely exposed to multiple substances simultaneously.
C)The effects of toxicants may be influenced by other factors such as nutrition or genetic predisposition.
D)The effects of toxicants are immediate, so researchers may miss the opportunity to observe them.

Question 53

Consider the following statement from your text, ""Industrialized living, which taxes the planet's resources, jeopardizes other species, and disrupts natural systems is rife with stressors that negatively affect our mental and physical wellbeing."" If you were trying to persuade an uninformed friend that this statement is true, what would you say?

Question 54

Humans today are experiencing a mismatch between their preindustrial physiology and the industrialized lifestyle.

Question 55

Junk food truly is addictive.

Question 56

Although junk food is nutritionally deficient, fresh whole foods are just as nutritious today as they ever were.

Question 57

Fruits and vegetables grown in the 1950s were more nutritions than most grown today.

Question 58

Although it may be healthier in other ways, organic produce is no more nutritious than conventionally grown produce.

Question 59

Ecologically sustainable farming produces healthier food than industrial farming does.

Question 60

Conventional medical training involves little to no formal instruction in nutrition

Question 61

Some stressors created by industrialization cannot be fully alleviated.

Question 62

When it comes to toxicants, ""the dose makes the poison.""

Question 63

Chronic exposure to small amounts of toxicants may be more dangerous than temporary exposures to larger amounts.

Question 64

Most knowledge about specific impacts of toxic exposures is based on experiments using nonhuman animals.

Question 65

U.S. law requires that synthetic chemicals be tested for safety before they are put to use.

Question 66

Obesity is the opposite of malnutrition.

Question 67

Many people in the industrialized world are suffering simultaneously from obesity and malnutrition.

Question 68

Moderate amounts of chronic stress can be good for the brain and body.

Question 69

Many aspects of modern living neglect or disrupt humans' basic biological needs and systems.

Question 70

Humans need adequate sleep as vitally as they need adequate water.

Question 71

After just a few days, total sleep deprivation can prove fatal.

Question 72

A large-scale study of college students found that the negative effect of poor sleep on GPA was about the same as the negative effect of binge drinking and marijuana use on GPA.

Question 73

Because people can habituate to constant or recurring sounds, the noises of modern living are not a health concern.

Question 74

The American Psychiatric Association has created a trial diagnostic category for ""Internet Gaming Disorder.""

Question 75

These days some college students are actually texting in their sleep.

Question 76

People in the industrialized world spend the majority of their waking hours sitting.

Question 77

Research suggests that getting a daily workout will buffer the negative effects of sitting the rest of the day.

Question 78

Humans' biological heritage predisposes us to function best when we move frequently at a moderate intensity

Question 79

The overwhelming majority of industrial and consumer chemicals in use today have not been tested for safety.

Question 80

Some toxicants may negatively affect the health of the children or grandchildren of exposed individuals.