Emerging Adults

What are the tasks the Prefrontal Cortex are involved in?

- Calibration of risk and reward - Problem solving: broader in our thinking - Prioritizing: think through future consequences and plan for long-term - Longterm planning - Self evaluation: period of reflection, learning from our mistakes - Regulation of Emotion: work on our entire lives!

How does the body grow during Emerging Adulthood?

- Continue to develop bone density until approx. age 30 - Muscular strength peaks

What are characteristics of emerging adulthood?

- Don't see themselves as adults - Time of Identity exploration > work, love, world views, lifestyle > Experimentation: developing a perspective about the world and how they see themselves in it. - High level of transition > You can have 2 people from completely different lifestyles that still fit in this category > residential status, school attendance > Hallmark (distinctive feature) of this life stage

What is the Frontal lobe?

- Largest of the brain's structures - Includes, "prefrontal cortex", which is the area associated with a set of functions termed the "Executive Suite"

What are changes that occur by the END of emerging adulthood?

- More complex thinking > consider both present and future; abstraction - Appreciation of diverse views > meet more people in this life stage than any other - Emotional regulation > weigh immediate rewards with future consequences - Risk-taking & decision making > increased ability to modulate risk-taking; make decisions about the future

What is the overall health and wellbeing of Emerging Adults?

- Self reported health is high - Rates of disease and disability are low - Peak in substance use, sexually transmitted infections - Psychiatric disorders also peak, but depression increases (40% of 18 to 29 year olds would nee the criteria of a psychiatric disorder)

What does 'window of opportunity' mean?**

- Time of identity and exploration - Incorporating health-related behaviours is a part of self-identity - Important indicator of lasting health-related behaviours *People are generally healthy and willing to learn - actually able to impact their health, setting up behaviours to define a person's health

What are common barriers to food preparation?

- Too busy - Insufficient money - Inadequate cooking skills A defining characteristic of this age group is financial instability. It also tends to be a generation of people inept in the kitchen.

What are the differences between emerging adulthood and young adulthood?

- Young adulthood: age late 20s-40s - More stable - More likely to have achieved key markers of adulthood - Self-identify as adults *Categorized much more by stability

What are the functions of the Executive Suite?

- ability to recognize future consequences - morality - rational & logical decisions - ability to express emotions - Socially acceptable responses

What do the changes in the prefrontal cortex result in?

- more sophisticated learning and emotion regulation, as these pathways are strengthened it becomes less effort to do these things, functions become more second nature - "Executive Suite" functions take less effort and thus, are more likely to happen in emerging adulthood versus adolescence

How does lifestyle influence emerging adults diet?

-35% of males and 42% of females lack time to sit down and eat a meal Eating on the run associated with: ^ sugar sweetened beverage ^ fast food ^ total fat and saturated fat - decrease in fruit and vegetables - At the mercy of what is available to you, when you are hungry (lack of preplanning of meals)

What are markers of transition to adulthood?

1) completed education 2) left parental home 3) full-time work (financial independence) 4) life partner 5) children * do not need to have all these characteristics to be defined as an adult many of these stages are no longer attained at 25 as they used to be

Why is emerging adulthood a new life stage?

1. Attainment of higher education - may be delaying markers of transition, many more people are university educated 2. Residing with their Parents 3. Age of Marriage Average age at first marriage: 1972: men 24.9 women 22.5 2008: men 31.1 women 29.1 4. Age of Parenthood % of mothers that are <24 years of age: 1979: 40.7% 2004: 20.6% - women are waiting longer to have children, as well as other factors

How does living situation influence emerging adults diet?

Compared to students living on campus, those that lived with their parents or rented in apartments/houses had: ^ fast food intake - decrease fruit and vegetables - decrease whole grains Living on campus = better dietary intake Eating with others: ^ fruit and vegetables ^ milk

What area of the brain develops during emerging adulthood?

Frontal lobe, more specifically the Prefrontal Cortex- "Executive Suite"

How does Marketing influence emerging adults diet?

Males aged 16-29 often main target of fast food industry. ex. value pricing as financial instability can be a strong factor in dietary food intake. ex. "fast food late night -> fourth meal"

What is the general dietary intake among emerging adults?

Minimize: - Fast food intake is highest - High consumption of sugar-sweetened and caffeinated beverages - High salty snack foods Nutrient dense foods: - low intake of fruit and vegetables (6% meet requirements) - low milk intake

What changes occur to the prefrontal cortex?

Myelination (insulation around nerves, contributes to signal transmission): more extensive myelination of nerves in this area of the brain = more efficient signal transmission Synaptic pruning: nerve connections are pruned back = more efficient signal transmission among remaining nerve ex. tomato plants

What is emerging adulthood?

Phase of the life span between adolescence and adulthood. Approx. ages 18-25 years A period of time to explore possibilities and define one's self, while feeling caught in between adolescence and adulthood. Theory presented in the journal of the American Psychologist in 2000 by Jeffrey Arnett, PhD "Transitional period leading to adulthood"

How does a significant other influence emerging adults diet?

Women with a partner with health promoting attitudes and beliefs: ^physical activity ^fruits and vegetables - decrease obese/overweight Men with a partner with health promoting attitudes and beliefs: ^physical activity

How does food preparation influence emerging adults diet?

^ fruit and vegetables ^ whole grains - decrease fast food

When does the human brain reach maturity?

mid-20s

How does community apply to emerging adulthood?

norms regarding body image; dietary intake; preventive health

How does interpersonal apply to emerging adulthood?

remain close with parents and siblings; possibly new peer groups; significant other; roommates

How does Public Policy/Society apply to emerging adulthood?

strong influence of media; unemployment rates; housing prices - considered lower income (still financially dependent)

How does Individual apply to emerging adulthood?

time of identity exploration; independence; skill development and self-efficacy ( a lifestyle of being proactive about their health)

How does Organizational/Institutional apply to emerging adulthood?

workplace or school-based environments