BtN: Episode 37 Transcript 15/02/11
On this week's Behind the News:
• Growing problem: Why obesity in kids is causing concern.
• Driven to distraction: Should hands-free mobile phones be banned from cars?
• And pictures from above: We learn more about satellites.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News.
Also on the show today, Tash gets hooked on fishing and finds out it's more than just a hobby.
But first to a shocking report about kids health.
Teen Obesity
Reporter: Kirsty Bennett
INTRO: It's no secret that eating fruit and veg and exercising is the key to a healthy body.
But it seems like lots of Aussie kids just aren't getting the message.
A new study has come out that shows obesity could end the lives of teens much sooner.
Here's Kirsty
KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: A war between junk food and fruit and veg is on. In the computer world and in the real world, it seems like fruit and veg just can't
compete. A national survey of 12,000 Aussie teenagers has found that kids aren't taking good care of their health. It's the biggest piece of research that's been done on teens for about 25 years.
And it found that the Aussie diet is a recipe for disaster. One in four kids are overweight or obese. They drink four or more cups of sweet drinks a week. Half of them have a TV in their bedroom and most have at least three in their house, so let's put in some TV snacks. So to get rid of all this, they need to exercise, but according to
the study that isn't happening. So when this is all mixed together the result isn't pretty.
Health experts warn that this mix could lead to health problems like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Heart disease is the biggest killer in Australia, so what is it?
Your heart works like a pump, moving blood around the body. The heart itself needs a blood supply but if the arteries supplying it get blocked, then you're in trouble. Too much bad food can cause them to get blocked up with stuff called plaque. This
narrows the arteries and makes it harder for the blood and oxygen to flow to the heart muscle. Without oxygen, part of the heart muscle begins to die and that can lead to a heart attack.
Experts have looked at the diet and lifestyle habits of kids in the new survey. And they reckon that it all points to one thing: that this generation could die earlier. So how did kids get to this point?
There are a few things involved. Kids used to walk to school every day, but now, many are driven. And more time's spent playing with technology than playing a sport. The average Aussie kid watches around a dozen junk food ads a day and according to the new survey, half said they'd tried a new food in the past month because of an ad.
A quarter said they sometimes bought fast food because of a special offer like a free toy. So, who's responsible for tackling the weight problem?
JOSH, STUDENT: My family and my friends could give me advice.
KUSINI, STUDENT: Myself, my parents, my family.
MARISA, STUDENT: Because so I learn what I should put in my lunchbox so when I get older I know what to feed my family.
REPORTER: Some people think the government should step in and ban junk food ads from TV at times when kids might be watching. But it's not like governments aren't doing anything. They've spent millions on a whole load of different schemes to tackle obesity ranging from breakfast clubs in poor communities to taking parents around supermarkets to teach them about healthy eating. In school, there have been some changes too like offering healthier options in canteens. But when pies and pizzas are available, they're usually the most popular things with kids.
So perhaps it's time for you to choose the healthy option, otherwise it could be game over.
Presenter: After that I think we need a very healthy quiz!
Quiz 1
Which of the following foods contains the most vitamin C?
Capsicum Oranges Strawberries
Answer: Capsicum
Particularly red capsicum which actually contains around 4 times more vitamin C than strawberries and oranges.
OK, let's get on with some more of the week's news now in the wire.
The Wire
After 18 days of massive protests in Egypt, Hosni Mubarak has stepped down as president.
The military is now in charge, and will govern for six months or until elections take place.
But some protesters said they still weren't happy with the plan.
**********
Back home and a special health reform deal has been signed.
After an 8 hour meeting yesterday, state and territory leaders told Prime Minister Julia Gillard they would support a plan to change the way hospitals are funded.
In the future state governments and the federal government will put money into one national funding pool to pay for the health system.
The funds will then be paid out to the states and territories depending on how many medical procedures they perform.
The deal also means the Federal Government will give another 16 billion dollars to hospitals over 10 years.
Disaster Insurance
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: Both Queensland and Victoria are still cleaning up after big flooding disasters there but something is making some people very angry as they start to rebuild.
When the waters in both states swept through thousands of homes most owners relied on the thought that their homes were insured so they'd be able to afford to start again.
But when they went to claim many found that there was bad news in store.
Let's find out more about insurance and why it always pays to read the small print.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: What do David Beckham's feet, Jennifer Lopez's bottom, Heidi Klum's legs and Fernando Alonso's thumbs all have in common?
They've all been insured against damage; some for tens of millions of dollars!
But it's not just stars who take out insurance; there is a good chance your parents have some too; although probably on something more normal, like your house.
And it's just this type of insurance that's been hitting the headlines over the last few weeks.
Before we look at that though, let's work out exactly what insurance is.
Say you have something that would be expensive for you to replace if it was damaged - like your laptop.
You can insure it!
First, they'll ask what you want it insured against.
KID: Well I want it to be replaced if I drop it and break it and if I get caught in the rain and it gets wet.
Then they calculate the premium, which is the amount they'll charge you each month to keep your laptop insured.
The insurance company decides how likely it is that you could damage your laptop, so if things happen to them a lot, you'll end up paying more money on your premium.
Finally, you sign your policy and now your laptop is protected!
If something goes wrong, you just make a claim and as long as it's covered in your policy, you'll get the money to buy a new one!
But what if something goes wrong that isn't listed?
KID: My computer has been water damaged. I dropped a glass of water on it.
INSURANCE: Sorry, you're not covered. Your policy says that you're only covered if it get's rained on.
Unfortunately, a similar situation is happening in Queensland after the flooding there last month.
IPSWICH RESIDENT: We're all in the same boat. It's all different companies - people thinking they're insured but they ring up and find out they're not.
The problem comes from the definition insurance companies use for a flood.
They break it up into two main types. There is flash flooding, which is caused by rapidly falling rain and there is riverine flooding, when rivers rise as lots of water flows down them.
Unfortunately, many homes were only covered for flash flooding. But the majority of damage in Queensland was through riverine flooding, meaning thousands would get no help.
IPSWICH RESIDENT: A flood is a flood no matter where it comes from. Either the river rises or it comes out of the sky it's still a flood.
IPSWICH RESIDENT: You hear on the radio about the flood that we had. We didn't have a flood, we just had a river rising.
Victorians have also been hit after the flooding there.
Many are now calling for just one definition of a flood, so it doesn't matter how the flooding happens, if it's listed then you're covered.
But insurance companies say the definitions have always been available to their customers, many just don't bother checking.
JULIA GILLARD: My message to insurance companies, is to show the same spirit as the people of QLD have been showing, as they've pulled together in these very
difficult circumstances.
The fight between flood victims and insurance groups will go on for a while, but hopefully the headlines surrounding this issue will warn others to check before the next disaster strikes.
Mobile Driving
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
INTRO: Using a mobile phone while driving is against the law and now politicians are thinking about banning hands-free devices too to make our roads safer.
But for some businesses taking calls from customers on the road is part of their job.
So what would it mean for them if a ban was in place?
Tash went to find out
NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Lots of people depend on using mobiles phones to run their business, like Simon.
He's an electrician so he's always on the run.
And customers rely on him to answer their call, otherwise they'll go elsewhere!
SIMON, ELECTRICIAN: It's okay when you're at a job, but you're often in a van and it's your office sort of during the day, so that's the time to make calls back to people or sometimes receive calls.
But this electrician's mobile office could soon be about to short-circuit.
Transport experts from around the country want to cut down the number of deaths on our roads over the next 10 years.
So they've come up with a road safety report and part of that suggests going further than the current ban on mobile phones. They want hands free devices banned too!
A hands-free device can be something like this bluetooth piece.
You don't need to physically hold your phone, it uses wireless technology in your car or through an ear piece!
They're supposed to stop drivers from touching their phone while driving, but the report says hands-free kits can still lead to accidents.
Each State and Territory has different laws when it comes to using mobiles in the car.
Some won't even allow you to touch your phone to answer a call; it needs to be on a special mount.
Well, I thought I'd test the hands-free theory out for myself by heading to a driving training centre.
And I had driving instructor Marg watching over me!
But let's see if I was distracted when I got a call on the hands-free.
REPORTER: So Marg, how did I go?
MARG PEARCE, DRIVING INSTRUCTOR: Well you certainly did so much better when you weren't on the mobile phone. When the phone rang, it was definitely a distraction. I noticed you had your hands inside the steering wheel a lot more and also you were also considerably slower going through the cones and of course you almost collected a couple of the cones. So definitely much better without the phone.
Some people argue that there are many distractions in a car and that hands-free mobile phones are being unfairly targeted.
REPORTER: There's putting on make-up, having a sip of coffee, changing the CD and really annoying people in the back!
REPORTER: Can you guys keep it down!
Some question that if there was to be a ban on hands-free kits, then why wouldn't these distractions be taken into account too?
Well, that's because with driving, there always has to be some risk involved.
It's not possible to take out all the danger, otherwise speed limits might as well come down to walking pace.
So, there's often a balancing act between making roads safer and being realistic about how people use their cars.
A ban on hands-free kits would be hard for people like Simon who rely on it so much and experts also think it would be hard for police to check if people are following the rules.
The first step could be to encourage drivers to stop using them voluntarily.
But there are lots of different points of view, so it could be some time before they make a final call.
Presenter: OK that's an issue that's given you a lot to think about. Let's make it our poll this week.
Online Poll
The question is:
Should drivers be banned from using hands free mobile phones?
To vote just head to our website.
Satellites
Reporter: Kirsty Bennett
INTRO: In the program so far, we've talked about mobile phones and about people coping with extreme weather events.
Well, both of these things rely on satellite technology.
Think back to Cyclone Yasi and you might remember the constant use of satellite weather pictures to show people where the storm was heading.
So satellites are really useful but how do they work?
Kirsty investigates.
KIRSTY BENNETT, REPORTER: On the ground, this is how people saw Cyclone Yasi. But before the winds came, all eyes were fixed on a different type of picture. The view from above undoubtedly helped many people to prepare for the storm and survive it. So how do we get these sky-high pictures?
Well, it's all thanks to satellites. There are thousands of them orbiting the Earth and they do different things. Some receive and send out signals so we can talk on the phone and watch TV. Even shows like BtN go through a satellite at some stage before it hits your TV screens.
NATHAN BAZLEY, PRESENTER: Hi I'm Nathan welcome to Behind the News.
REPORTER: They can help us to navigate our way around in the car.
At the end of the road turn left.
REPORTER: And that same technology can be a vital tool in tracking down someone who might be lost at sea.
There are spy satellites too but not many people know what they're looking at because it's top secret!
And as we saw they can give us great pics of what the weather is like where you are now and what weather systems might be just around the corner.
So let's look at some of these different satellites. They can be found in different orbits around Earth. Some sit around 300 kilometres from the Earth's surface. It might sound far, but it's just like travelling from Sydney to Canberra. They move constantly around different parts of the earth, taking pictures and sending information. There are also some even further away called "geostationary" satellites. Their movement matches the earth's rotation, which means they actually appear to stay in the same place, which is in line above the equator. These are used for communications, like satellite TV and mobile phones.
So if you had a big satellite dish like this one that picks up TV signals, it has to be on an angle, so this pointy part could get in touch with the geostationary satellite about 36000 kilometres away in space.
So how do we get satellites up there in the first place?
Satellites are shot up into orbit by a rocket. Once it gets to a certain distance, speed and trajectory the rocket releases the satellite so it orbits the earth in the correct position. It depends on absolute precision.
The weather bureau is one organisation that has come to rely on satellites. They use ones that are about 850 kilometres above the Earth, so they can get high quality pictures like this. And remember those geostationary satellites? They use them too to get a wider picture of the Earth and the weather patterns. Being able to track the directions of extreme weather events means they are in a better position now to make accurate forecasts. And as we've seen in recent weeks, it can mean the difference between life and death.
PAUL, SENIOR METEOROLOGIST: So we've taken or got a picture every hour from the satellite we join them together into a loop and then we can see in this case
tropical cyclone Yasi passing across the Queensland coast.
REPORTER: As people find more uses for satellites, more are being sent into orbit meaning space could one day resemble a busy car park.
Presenter: OK, let's see how closely you were listening to that story. Here's a quiz
Quiz 2
The question is:
How high up is a geostationary satellite?
3,600 kms 36,000 kms 360,000 kms
Answer: 36,000 kms
That's about a tenth of the way to the moon.
Now from space to sport. Here's the score.
The Score
To cricket first where Australia have shown some shaky form in a warm-up match against India in preparation for their world cup campaign next week.
After dismissing India for a modest total of 215, Australia started off well cruising to 1 for 118 courtesy of a solid 57 from skipper Ricky Ponting in his first match back after a broken finger.
But from there things went pear-shaped quickly and the Aussies soon found themselves all out for 176.
The team will be hoping for better fortunes in their first match against Zimbabwe if they are to defend their title.
***********
To soccer now where Brisbane Roar has claimed the W-League championship with a 2-1 victory over reigning champions Sydney FC.
The scores were level at half-time, but substitute Lisa De Vanna scored the winner midway through the second half.
***********
And finally we have what could easily be the goal of the year in the English premier league.
Wayne Rooney pulled off this bicycle kick in Manchester United's 2 - 1 win over Man city over the weekend.
And not surprisingly the commentators thought it was pretty good.
The goal kept Manchester United four points clear at the top of the table.
Fishing
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
INTRO: It's one of the most popular participation sports in Australia but you're unlikely to find it on the back pages of a newspaper.
And you'd be hard pressed to name the current world champion.
So why is it the sport of fishing so often goes under the radar?
We sent Tash to find out.
NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: They're world champions, leaders of their field, top of their sporting tree.
But hang on! Who's this guy?
He's an American called Mike Iaconelli and he's one of the best in the world in the sport of fishing!
Five million Aussies regularly go fishing. That's more than who play most other sports like rugby and football.
Like many kids, James enjoys fishing on weekends with his dad.
REPORTER: So what do you like about fishing so much?
JAMES: When you catch a big snapper and it goes zzz and you almost get pulled off of the boat!
In the past and even for some communities now, fishing has been an important way to get food.
For others it's a sport, or just something to do for fun with your mates.
JAMES: I was fishing with my friends and this big snapped was on both of my
friends' line and then I said 'why can't I catch a big snapper' and as soon as I said that this big snapper came on and it went zzz and it took me 15 minutes to wind up!
James caught the fish on a boat, but there are stacks of different types of fishing you can do.
There's land-based fishing, like at a jetty or rocks.
Off-shore fishing, that's usually on big boats in the ocean. Often the fish are bigger so the rod and line need to be extra strong.
And there's fly fishing. That's pretty popular in Tasmania where they catch trout.
The rod is light-weight and flexible and it takes a lot of skill to master it.
Fishing can also be a seriously competitive sport, especially in places like the United States.
Guys like Mike Iaconelli, who you met before, can earn around a million dollars a year!
The rules vary in each tournament.
Sometimes it's about who catches and tags the most fish, in others it's about who can catch the heaviest fish.
But even if you're fishing for fun there are lots of rules and regulations you need to follow.
In some states in Australia, adults need to buy a permit to fish in certain places.
And when you catch a fish, you need to make sure that it's big enough, otherwise you have to release it back into the water.
That's where these size charts come in. You may have seen them down at the beach.
There are also limits on how many fish you can take.
The idea is to make sure we're not taking out the young little fish, before they've had a chance to breed.
That helps the sustainability of our fish population.
So as long everyone sticks to the rules, then kids like James can enjoy successful fishing trips for many years to come.
But if fishing's going to gain more popularity as a glamorous sport, it's going to have to compete against other sports that are hooking kids in!
JAMES: I want to be a football player!
Closer
Don't forget to log onto our website and get more info about any of our stories. You can send us your comments and tell us what you think in our poll.
We'll see you next time.
