Obesity is a national epidemic with approximately 66% of American adults overweight or obese, and more than 30% of Mississippians having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. Only 23% of adults eat the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables and 75% have sedentary lifestyles. Diet and exercise play pivotal roles in preventing chronic diseases. Mississippi In Motion (MIM) is a research based, peer-reviewed curriculum for a 12-week community program designed to promote healthy eating and physical activity, encourage social support, and build self-efficacy. Program objectives are for participants to consume 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables, engage in 30 minutes of physical activity daily, and attend weekly educational sessions. Individuals form teams for social support, participate in a health fair and complete pre- and post-evaluations. MIM has been implemented on two university campuses with students, staff and faculty completing the program (n=283). A six month follow-up survey was sent to the 283 participants with 96 returned (34% response rate). Data were collected from pre-evaluations, post-evaluations and follow-up surveys, in addition to anthropometric data. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. In 12 weeks, body weight decreased from 83.52 kg±20.96 SD to 81.92 kg±20.61 SD (p<.001) and BMI decreased from 29.40 kg/m2±6.79 SD to 28.84 kg/m2±6.69 SD (p<.001). Physical activity levels increased as well as fruit, vegetable, and water intakes (p<.001). Independent t-tests determined that six months after program completion, individuals (n=96) continued to consume fruits and vegetables similar to amounts reported in the post-evaluations; however, participants had not maintained physical activity behaviors when compared to post-evaluations. These results indicate MIM was successful with improving eating habits that continued six months after participants completed the program but should emphasize physical activity maintenance. Seventy-eight percent reported they were willing to participate in MIM again if offered on campus. Universities are in a unique situation to develop long-term strategies to promote healthy eating and physical activity behaviors among students, faculty and staff. Mississippi leads the nation in obesity and MIM is having a positive impact on improving health status in Mississippi.

Thesis (MDram (Drama))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to study the themes of identity and belonging in the films of Mira Nair. Three films form the basis of this study namely Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala and Monsoon Wedding. The approach is thematic, i.e using the film to explore different socio-political themes of identity rather than looking at the methodology she uses as a filmmaker. The analysis of each of the three films looks at a particular form of identity namely national, cultural or personal identity, and makes reference to Nair’s own comments on the films as well as academic articles on the films, her work and issues such as identity, nostalgia, home, belonging, marginalization, immigrants, street children and the like, in order to interrogate Nair’s exploration of the particular ideas within these films. It examines the films as if it were a work of literature, and looks at how it deals with these issues within a filmic context. What symbols does she use to show us we are dealing with cultural identity? Which character is symbolic of the modernist movement? Finally it examines the potential effect of these films on the society from which they derive, and comes to some conclusions about the effect these films may have in challenging, shaping and/or influencing ideas about nostalgia, home, identity, and so on. The discussions of the films show that she has been superbly able to exploit all the advantages of her chosen medium to bring her remarkable visual inventiveness and artistry into play in order to communicate this to an international audience and to make them think about the issues at hand. The filmmaker is finally established not only as simply a creator of film, but ultimately as a thinker and poet. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om die temas van identiteit en ‘n gevoel van behoort in die films van Mira Nair te bestudeer. Drie films vorm die basis van die studie naamlik Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala en Monsoon Wedding. Die aanslag is tematies van aard, m.a.w. dit gebruik die films om die verskillende sosio-ekonomise temas van identiteit te identifiseer en ontleed, eerder as om die metodologie van haar as filmmaker te bestudeer. Die analise van elke van die drie films kyk na ‘n spesifieke vorm van identiteit, naamlik nasionale, kulturele of persoonlike identiteit en maak verwysing na kommentaar deur Nair haarself, sowel as akademiese artikels oor die films, haar werk en kwessies van identiteit, nostalgie, die konsep van ‘n tuiste, ‘n gevoel van behoort, marginalisasie, immigrante, straat kinders en dies meer. Die doel is om sodoende Nair se idees oor identiteit binne hierdie films te bevraagteken en ontleed. Die tesis ondersoek die films asof dit ‘n literere werk is, en neem in ag die maniere waarop dit na hierdie kwessies kyk binne ‘n filmiese konteks. Daar word byvoorbeeld gekyk na watter simbole sy gebruik wanneer sy verwys na kulturele identiteit. Watter karakter is die simbool vir die modernistiese beweging, ens. Uitendelik bevraagteken die tesis the potensiële effek van hierdie films op die omgewing en omstandighede waaruit dit ontstaan het, en kom tot sekere gevolgtrekkings met betrekking tot die mate waarin hierdie films kwessies van tuiste, nostalgie, identiteit ens beinvloed en/of vorm en bevraagteken. Die besprekings dui daarop dat sy baie bevoeg is om al die voordele van haar verkose medium tesame met haar indrukwekkende visuele verbeelding te gebruik om aan ‘n internasionale gehoor die kwessies te kommunikeer en hul te dwing om aktief te dink oor die kwessies aan hand. Uiteindelik word die filmmaker Nair nie slegs as ‘n skepper van film beskryf nie, maar ook as ‘n denker en digter.