In Britain, as elsewhere, over the past two or three decades there has been growing concern over the extent to which sport and physical activity are becoming increasingly rare features of contemporary youth lifestyles. One corollary of this growing concern with youth lifestyles has been the widespread acceptance of a number of common sense assumptions about the nature of young people's sporting and leisure lives. Notwithstanding these concerns, Coalter (2004: 79) has noted recently that, at present, much of the existing research on young people, sport and leisure has consistently failed to explain adequately or provide 'any clear understanding of sport's (and physical activity's) place in participants' lifestyles'. The central objective of this sociological study, therefore, was to enhance our understanding of the place of sport and physical activity in the lives of a sample of 15-16-year-olds, and of the relationships between various aspects of their lives. More specifically, the thesis reports upon data generated by questionnaires completed by 1,010 15-16-year-olds who attended six secondary schools in the north-west of England and one secondary school in the north-east of Wales, as well as focus groups conducted with a sub-sample of 153 of these young people. The findings revealed that for many 15-16-year-olds, participation in sport and particularly 'lifestyle activities', was an integral aspect of both their school and leisure lives. In school physical education (PE) and extra-curricular PE, young people's participation - which was significantly related to sex and school attended - was largely dominated by competitive team-based sports that are typically gendered and stereotypical. The data also indicated that although there were no significant school- or age-related differences in participation in leisure-sport and physical activity overall, more males than females participated in sport and physical activity in their leisure time. Males were also the more frequent weekly participants and spent more time doing so than females. In addition, the data revealed that the leisure-sport and physical activity repertoires of 15-16-year-olds were characterized by involvement in more informally organized sports and highly-individualized recreational 'lifestyle activities', as well as a small number of team sports that were played competitively. It was also clear that participation in leisure-sport and physical activity was part of young people's quest for generating sociability and excitement in the company of friends and because it enabled them to do what they wanted, when they wanted and with whom they wanted. For many young people, however, and particularly the more frequent participants, playing sport and doing physical activity was just one component in their generally busy and wide-ranging leisure lives, which did not prevent them from engaging simultaneously in more sedentary activities (such as prolonged TV viewing and playing computer games) and commercially-oriented leisure activities, as well as consuming legal and illegal drugs. In this regard, it is argued that it is only possible to understand adequately where sport and physical activity fit into the multi-dimensional lives of 15-16-year-olds by examining those lives 'in the round', and by locating young people within the various networks of relationships to which they have belonged in the past, and which they continue to form in the present.

Bakgrund: Personer med schizofreni har lägre livslängd, drabbas av fler livsstilssjukdomar och är mindre fysiskt aktiva än befolkningen i övrigt. Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka vad personer med schizofreni har för uppfattning och kunskap om fysisk aktivitet samt att undersöka upplevelsen av fysisk aktivitets påverkan på den egna hälsan. Metod: Studien är en explorativ kvalitativ studie med sex respondenter som deltog i en intervju. Kvalitativ innehållsanalys användes för att bearbeta materialet. Resultat: Resultatet visade att kunskap om fysisk aktivitets goda effekter på hälsan fanns bland respondenterna. Fysisk aktivitet upplevdes emellertid både som positivt och negativt för den egna hälsan. Det fanns en rädsla för negativa fysiska och psykiska reaktioner som kunde hindra respondenterna från att vara fysiskt aktiva. Konklusion: Kunskap om den fysiska aktivitetens goda effekter kan krocka med upplevelsen av att själv vara fysiskt aktiv. Fokus bör ligga på individuella kartläggningar som rör vilka förutsättningar som kan underlätta fysisk aktivitet för individer med diagnosen schizofreni. Personal som arbetar nära målgruppen har en nyckelroll då vetskap om de individuella förutsättningarna hos målgruppen är avgörande i motivationsarbetet och kan bidra till ökad fysisk aktivitet. / Background: Persons with schizophrenia have shorter life span, suffer from more lifestyle related illnesses and are less physical active compared to the population in general. Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate perception and knowledge about physical activity among people with schizophrenia and also to investigate the experience of physical activities influence on the participators own health. Method: The study was an explorative qualitative study, six persons participated in interviews. Qualitative content analysis was used to process the material. Result: The result showed that knowledge about physical activity’s positive effect was known among the respondents, however physical activity was experienced both as positive and negative for their health. An experience was that physical activity was related to symptoms of illness. Conclusion: The knowledge of physical activities positive effects sometimes collide with the experience of being physical active. Focus on individually mapping to understand pre-conditions can help individuals with schizophrenia to be more physically active. The staff working close to this target-group has a key role because knowledge about the personal premises are important in getting persons with schizophrenia motivated to be physical active.

Abstract Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cancer in women worldwide and mortality from this cancer is high, because early diagnosis is difficult (Sankaranarayanan et al. 2006). Thus, identification of modifiable factors contributing to its aetiology is important in reducing the burden of a very fatal form of women’s cancer. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate the association between diet and ovarian cancer risk within the context of a framework ‘from nutrients to lifestyle’. The study examined dietary and lifestyle factors that had not previously been investigated comprehensively in four main areas: nutrients (retinol, beta-carotene, vitamins E, C, and B), foods (fruit, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meat and liver), diet patterns and lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, and body-mass-index). The study used the data from two population-based case-control studies of women aged 18-79 years conducted in Australia 10 years apart; the Survey of Women’s Health (SWH, 1990-1993) involves 683 cases and 777 controls, and the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study (AOCS, 2002-2005) includes 1329 cases and 1397 controls. Cases were recruited from gynaecological oncology treatment centres and controls were selected at random from the electoral roll. Detailed information on non-dietary risk factors was obtained using a questionnaire and dietary information was obtained via a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (adjusting for age, parity, oral contraceptive use, education, and energy intake) for ovarian cancer risk were estimated separately for each study with logistic regression modelling and weighted pooled risk estimates for the two studies were calculated using fixed-effects models. Principal components analysis of around 40 food groups was performed to identify dietary patterns in each study separately. There was an increased risk of ovarian cancer associated with retinol intake in both studies (combined OR for the highest vs. lowest quartile =1.42, 95%CI 1.19-1.69), while intake of beta-carotene was inversely related to cancer risk (combined OR=0.80, 95%CI 0.67-0.96). The associations between retinol and beta-carotene and risk appeared to be independent. Liver was also associated with an increased risk; however this association seemed to be explained by the high levels of retinol in liver. Dairy products and eggs are other good sources of retinol, but no clear relations were seen and additional adjustment for saturated fat further attenuated the associations. High vitamin E intake (combined OR=0.73, 95%CI 0.61-0.87) was associated with a decreased risk, but no overall association was seen for vitamin C (combined OR=1.06, 95%CI 0.89-1.27). It is noteworthy that vitamin C seemed to be more beneficial for current smokers than for never/past smokers. For the B vitamins, a significant inverse association was apparent only for niacin intake (combined OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.58-0.82). While there was no association between cancer risk and sources of niacin such as total meat and red meat, other niacin-rich foods such as poultry (combined OR=0.77, 95%CI 0.66-0.89) and fish (combined OR=0.83, 95%CI 0.71-0.97) were significantly inversely associated with risk. In contrast to poultry and fish, high consumption of processed meat was associated with a 24% increase in risk (combined OR=1.24, 95%CI 1.06-1.45). Total fruit (combined OR=0.75, 95%CI 0.60-0.94) and total vegetables (combined OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.52-0.92), specifically cruciferous vegetables (combined OR=0.79, 95%CI 0.63-0.98) and green leafy vegetables (combined OR=0.79, 95%CI 0.67-0.94), were associated with a modestly decreased risk, whereas the inverse association between red/yellow vegetables and risk did not quite reach statistical significance (combined OR=0.84, 95%CI 0.64-1.08). High fruit intake was, like vitamin C intake, somewhat more beneficial for current/past smokers than for never smokers. Exclusion of women who took dietary supplements did not substantially change the observed associations between nutrients and risk. Three major eating patterns were identified: ‘snacks and alcohol’, ‘fruit and vegetable’, and ‘meat and fat’. Significant inverse associations between the snacks and alcohol pattern and risk were attenuated after further adjustment for white/red wine intake in both studies; it thus appeared that the observed association was at least partly due to wine intake. A significant association between the fruit and vegetable pattern and risk was seen only in the more recent study. A diet characterized by high meat and fat was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer, although the observed association was stronger in the SWH There was no evidence that the associations between diet pattern and cancer risk varied by women’s lifestyle. Although there was some variation in the analyses stratified by the histologic subtype of ovarian cancer, no consistent patterns of variation were observed for either study. These findings provide additional evidence that a healthy diet defined by high intake of fruit, vegetables, particularly cruciferous and green leafy vegetables, white meat and fish and low in meat and fat, especially processed meats might be beneficial against ovarian cancer.

Background: Despite a declining trend in the incidence of gastric cancer (GC), it is still a major global public health concern of the 21st century. It afflicts one million people and kills 750,000 annually. It is believed that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the gastric carcinogenesis. However geographic variation and immigrant studies highlight the role of environmental factors. Objective: To evaluate the association of GC with the environmental factors of diet, helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, lifestyle and occupation as well as family history in Iran. Methodology: A population based case-control study was conducted in the Northwest of Iran where one of the highest incidence rates of the world has been reported. Two hundred and seventeen cases of GC and 394 age and gender matched controls were recruited. Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire which elicited information on demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, family and medical history, lifestyle (smoking, alcohol drinking and substance abuse) and occupation. Ten milliliters of each subject???s blood was collected for blood grouping and to investigate presence of IgG antibodies against H. pylori using an ELISA kit which had been locally validated for this study. Results: Diet and H. pylori infection were found to be the most important determinants of GC in this study. High intake of allium vegetables and fruit, especially citrus fruit, appears to play a protective role. In addition to the consumption of fruit and vegetables, consumption of fresh fish was also inversely associated with GC. On the other, hand consumption of red meat and dairy products were positively associated with the risk of GC. Other dietary practices were also found to be important factors in the etiology of GC. People who had a preference for higher salt intake and drinking strong and hot tea were at higher risk. Finally, H. pylori infection was found to increase the risk of GC. Conclusion: This study has provided important and original information about the etiology of gastric cancer particularly in the Iranian context. These findings could be used in planning preventive strategies for this malignancy, which is a major health problem in Iran.

Abstract Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cancer in women worldwide and mortality from this cancer is high, because early diagnosis is difficult (Sankaranarayanan et al. 2006). Thus, identification of modifiable factors contributing to its aetiology is important in reducing the burden of a very fatal form of women’s cancer. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate the association between diet and ovarian cancer risk within the context of a framework ‘from nutrients to lifestyle’. The study examined dietary and lifestyle factors that had not previously been investigated comprehensively in four main areas: nutrients (retinol, beta-carotene, vitamins E, C, and B), foods (fruit, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meat and liver), diet patterns and lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, and body-mass-index). The study used the data from two population-based case-control studies of women aged 18-79 years conducted in Australia 10 years apart; the Survey of Women’s Health (SWH, 1990-1993) involves 683 cases and 777 controls, and the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study (AOCS, 2002-2005) includes 1329 cases and 1397 controls. Cases were recruited from gynaecological oncology treatment centres and controls were selected at random from the electoral roll. Detailed information on non-dietary risk factors was obtained using a questionnaire and dietary information was obtained via a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (adjusting for age, parity, oral contraceptive use, education, and energy intake) for ovarian cancer risk were estimated separately for each study with logistic regression modelling and weighted pooled risk estimates for the two studies were calculated using fixed-effects models. Principal components analysis of around 40 food groups was performed to identify dietary patterns in each study separately. There was an increased risk of ovarian cancer associated with retinol intake in both studies (combined OR for the highest vs. lowest quartile =1.42, 95%CI 1.19-1.69), while intake of beta-carotene was inversely related to cancer risk (combined OR=0.80, 95%CI 0.67-0.96). The associations between retinol and beta-carotene and risk appeared to be independent. Liver was also associated with an increased risk; however this association seemed to be explained by the high levels of retinol in liver. Dairy products and eggs are other good sources of retinol, but no clear relations were seen and additional adjustment for saturated fat further attenuated the associations. High vitamin E intake (combined OR=0.73, 95%CI 0.61-0.87) was associated with a decreased risk, but no overall association was seen for vitamin C (combined OR=1.06, 95%CI 0.89-1.27). It is noteworthy that vitamin C seemed to be more beneficial for current smokers than for never/past smokers. For the B vitamins, a significant inverse association was apparent only for niacin intake (combined OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.58-0.82). While there was no association between cancer risk and sources of niacin such as total meat and red meat, other niacin-rich foods such as poultry (combined OR=0.77, 95%CI 0.66-0.89) and fish (combined OR=0.83, 95%CI 0.71-0.97) were significantly inversely associated with risk. In contrast to poultry and fish, high consumption of processed meat was associated with a 24% increase in risk (combined OR=1.24, 95%CI 1.06-1.45). Total fruit (combined OR=0.75, 95%CI 0.60-0.94) and total vegetables (combined OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.52-0.92), specifically cruciferous vegetables (combined OR=0.79, 95%CI 0.63-0.98) and green leafy vegetables (combined OR=0.79, 95%CI 0.67-0.94), were associated with a modestly decreased risk, whereas the inverse association between red/yellow vegetables and risk did not quite reach statistical significance (combined OR=0.84, 95%CI 0.64-1.08). High fruit intake was, like vitamin C intake, somewhat more beneficial for current/past smokers than for never smokers. Exclusion of women who took dietary supplements did not substantially change the observed associations between nutrients and risk. Three major eating patterns were identified: ‘snacks and alcohol’, ‘fruit and vegetable’, and ‘meat and fat’. Significant inverse associations between the snacks and alcohol pattern and risk were attenuated after further adjustment for white/red wine intake in both studies; it thus appeared that the observed association was at least partly due to wine intake. A significant association between the fruit and vegetable pattern and risk was seen only in the more recent study. A diet characterized by high meat and fat was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer, although the observed association was stronger in the SWH There was no evidence that the associations between diet pattern and cancer risk varied by women’s lifestyle. Although there was some variation in the analyses stratified by the histologic subtype of ovarian cancer, no consistent patterns of variation were observed for either study. These findings provide additional evidence that a healthy diet defined by high intake of fruit, vegetables, particularly cruciferous and green leafy vegetables, white meat and fish and low in meat and fat, especially processed meats might be beneficial against ovarian cancer.

Abstract Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cancer in women worldwide and mortality from this cancer is high, because early diagnosis is difficult (Sankaranarayanan et al. 2006). Thus, identification of modifiable factors contributing to its aetiology is important in reducing the burden of a very fatal form of women’s cancer. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate the association between diet and ovarian cancer risk within the context of a framework ‘from nutrients to lifestyle’. The study examined dietary and lifestyle factors that had not previously been investigated comprehensively in four main areas: nutrients (retinol, beta-carotene, vitamins E, C, and B), foods (fruit, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meat and liver), diet patterns and lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, and body-mass-index). The study used the data from two population-based case-control studies of women aged 18-79 years conducted in Australia 10 years apart; the Survey of Women’s Health (SWH, 1990-1993) involves 683 cases and 777 controls, and the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study (AOCS, 2002-2005) includes 1329 cases and 1397 controls. Cases were recruited from gynaecological oncology treatment centres and controls were selected at random from the electoral roll. Detailed information on non-dietary risk factors was obtained using a questionnaire and dietary information was obtained via a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (adjusting for age, parity, oral contraceptive use, education, and energy intake) for ovarian cancer risk were estimated separately for each study with logistic regression modelling and weighted pooled risk estimates for the two studies were calculated using fixed-effects models. Principal components analysis of around 40 food groups was performed to identify dietary patterns in each study separately. There was an increased risk of ovarian cancer associated with retinol intake in both studies (combined OR for the highest vs. lowest quartile =1.42, 95%CI 1.19-1.69), while intake of beta-carotene was inversely related to cancer risk (combined OR=0.80, 95%CI 0.67-0.96). The associations between retinol and beta-carotene and risk appeared to be independent. Liver was also associated with an increased risk; however this association seemed to be explained by the high levels of retinol in liver. Dairy products and eggs are other good sources of retinol, but no clear relations were seen and additional adjustment for saturated fat further attenuated the associations. High vitamin E intake (combined OR=0.73, 95%CI 0.61-0.87) was associated with a decreased risk, but no overall association was seen for vitamin C (combined OR=1.06, 95%CI 0.89-1.27). It is noteworthy that vitamin C seemed to be more beneficial for current smokers than for never/past smokers. For the B vitamins, a significant inverse association was apparent only for niacin intake (combined OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.58-0.82). While there was no association between cancer risk and sources of niacin such as total meat and red meat, other niacin-rich foods such as poultry (combined OR=0.77, 95%CI 0.66-0.89) and fish (combined OR=0.83, 95%CI 0.71-0.97) were significantly inversely associated with risk. In contrast to poultry and fish, high consumption of processed meat was associated with a 24% increase in risk (combined OR=1.24, 95%CI 1.06-1.45). Total fruit (combined OR=0.75, 95%CI 0.60-0.94) and total vegetables (combined OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.52-0.92), specifically cruciferous vegetables (combined OR=0.79, 95%CI 0.63-0.98) and green leafy vegetables (combined OR=0.79, 95%CI 0.67-0.94), were associated with a modestly decreased risk, whereas the inverse association between red/yellow vegetables and risk did not quite reach statistical significance (combined OR=0.84, 95%CI 0.64-1.08). High fruit intake was, like vitamin C intake, somewhat more beneficial for current/past smokers than for never smokers. Exclusion of women who took dietary supplements did not substantially change the observed associations between nutrients and risk. Three major eating patterns were identified: ‘snacks and alcohol’, ‘fruit and vegetable’, and ‘meat and fat’. Significant inverse associations between the snacks and alcohol pattern and risk were attenuated after further adjustment for white/red wine intake in both studies; it thus appeared that the observed association was at least partly due to wine intake. A significant association between the fruit and vegetable pattern and risk was seen only in the more recent study. A diet characterized by high meat and fat was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer, although the observed association was stronger in the SWH There was no evidence that the associations between diet pattern and cancer risk varied by women’s lifestyle. Although there was some variation in the analyses stratified by the histologic subtype of ovarian cancer, no consistent patterns of variation were observed for either study. These findings provide additional evidence that a healthy diet defined by high intake of fruit, vegetables, particularly cruciferous and green leafy vegetables, white meat and fish and low in meat and fat, especially processed meats might be beneficial against ovarian cancer.

New Zealand is currently in the midst of a diabetes epidemic and it has become clear that the increasing prevalence of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are inextricably linked to this escalating health crisis. Extensive research has long made clear that people of all ages can enhance their health by incorporating moderate levels of physical activity as part of their normal daily routine and physical activity is now recognised as a major therapeutic modality for type 2 diabetes. Despite such evidence, most people in the western world do not engage in sufficient regular physical activity and there remains a paucity of evidence that elucidates effective methods of achieving the required behaviour change over time. This study set out to demonstrate meaningful correlations between the psychosocial constructs optimism, exercise self-efficacy, goal-directness, stage of change, anxiety and depression, the biochemical measures HbA1c and BMI and also the behavioural outcomes of general physical activity and physical exercise participation, all within a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic population. Participants (n=30, newly diagnosed adults with type 2 diabetes; mean age 61.46 years; BMI 31.43 Kg/m²[range 18.8-50.95 Kg/m²]) were recruited from attendees of the Christchurch Diabetes Centre's education seminars. The recruitment strategy was designed to search out diabetic patients as near as practicable to the point in time when they first became cognisant of their disease state. A battery of instruments was assembled into a researcher-administered retrospective questionnaire and this was completed with all subjects at baseline and again at six month follow-up. Additional data comprised subject's demographics and selected bio-chemical measures (subject height, weight, and blood Haemoglobin A1c). Descriptive, correlational and qualitative statistics were evaluated. The level of physical activity reported was significantly less than is required to facilitate the biochemical and psychological changes that are generally considered necessary to support optimal health. On average, study participants did not perform their planned physical activity tasks as well as they might have, despite being relatively optimistic and goal-directed at baseline. Many participants clearly indicated an inadequate understanding of exercise modalities and the intensity, duration and frequency of physical activity required to support optimal health. Generally, participants tended to overestimate their physical activity levels. Exercise self-efficacy emerged as an especially important psychological construct, and one that appeared to be among those central to the participants' relationships with physical activity and exercise. The study group demonstrated a relatively high prevalence of low level anxiety and depression, and even at these sub-clinical levels, anxiety and depression were significantly inversely related to optimism, goal-directness, goal-attainment, exercise self-efficacy and stage of change. The study findings illuminate the wide contextual variability among patients who are suffering from the same chronic condition. Further, the implications of conducting detailed pre-assessments of patients' personal characteristics and their psychological profiles, in order to guide intervention tailoring, are also outlined and discussed. Areas for future research are highlighted. In conclusion, meso and macro-level policy implications are discussed, with reference to an array of the broader determinants of health.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2007. / Title from PDF of title page. Document formatted into pages; contains 206 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, August 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.P.H.M. (Primary Health Care Management))--Mahidol University, 2004.