A healthy diet is related to a low risk of chronic diseases. A large body of research is devoted to improving social welfare by promoting healthy eating. This dissertation addresses the relation of food and health by analyzing the money and time inputs in food, the food poverty measurement, and a corresponding health outcome. The second chapter extends the current food poverty measure in headcount and proposes a set of Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) indices, which is commonly used in development literature, in food poverty to allow for a more comprehensive understanding in food poverty evaluation. The counter-factual analysis on removing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) component from the food expenditure shows that the original metrics underestimate the reduction to food expenditure poverty associated with ARRA, whereas the FGT indices indicate a slightly larger impact of ARRA in alleviating food poverty. The third chapter uses the same FGT indices in food poverty measurement but focuses on the sensitivity of these measurements to a different spatial and temporary food price. We use linear regression to estimate the local level of food poverty thresholds. The results show the spatial and temporal-specific thresholds are higher than the national threshold. The West region shows the most severe poverty situation, indicating the importance of considering spatial and temporal variations in measuring food expenditure poverty. The decompositions of food expenditures show that both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and money spent on protein play an essential role in reducing food expenditure poverty. The fourth chapter combines the two datasets used in the previous two chapters to investigate the connection between the resources (money and time) devoted to food and a corresponding health outcome (Healthy Eating Index, HEI). Two-Sample-2-Stage-Least-Square (TS2SLS) model is used to account for the two different datasets in predicting the time spent on food-related activities. After obtaining the time input, a Three-Stage-Least-Square (3SLS) model shows the time input improves the HEI for Non-SNAP households, who are more constrained by time. The decomposition of the impact of education on the HEI shows the indirect impact account for 22% of the total impact. This analysis breaks down the impact of the characteristics on HEI through different channels, thus offers more comprehensive policy recommendations. / Doctor of Philosophy / A healthy diet is related to a low risk of chronic diseases. A large body of research is devoted to improving social welfare by promoting healthy eating. This dissertation is a series of studies on food and health regarding the money and time input on food, the food poverty measurement, and the corresponding health outcome. The second chapter extends the current food poverty measure in headcount and proposes a set of distributional metrics: depth and severity, which measures how far away households are away from the targeted threshold and how severe the food poverty is respectively. These distributional metrics allow for a more comprehensive understanding of food poverty evaluation. We also analyzed the change of the metrics when removing part of the food expenditure funding source. The analysis shows the original metrics tend to underestimate the reduction to food expenditure poverty and indicates a slightly larger impact of removed funding source in alleviating food poverty. The third chapter uses the same distributional food poverty metrics, but focuses on the sensitivity of these measurements to different spatial and temporal food prices. We use linear regression in estimating the local food poverty thresholds. The results show the spatial and temporal-specific thresholds are higher than the national threshold. The West region shows the most severe poverty situation, indicating the importance of considering spatial and temporal variations in measuring food expenditure poverty. The forth chapter combines the two datasets used in the previous two chapters to investigate the connection between the resources (money and time) spent on food and a corresponding health outcome. A special econometrics model is used to predict the time spent on food-related activities with two datasets. After obtaining the time input, a system of equations model shows the time input improves the healthy eating for households who are more constrained by time. The decomposition of the impact of education on healthy eating shows the indirect impact account for 22% of the total impact. This analysis breaks down the impact of the characteristics on HEI through different channels, thus offers more comprehensive policy recommendations.

This study investigates second language (L2) acquisition of word orders and markers of collectivity in Chinese and Thai. One of the differences between Chinese and Thai is that Chinese nominal phrases appear with a “numeral + classifier + noun” word order while Thai phrases appear as “noun + numeral + classifier”. Another difference is that men, the Chinese collective marker, cannot be used with nouns referring to animals or indefinite nouns, while phûak, the Thai collective marker, can do so. Based on the cross-linguistic differences, an empirical study was conducted to answer whether Thai learners of Chinese and Chinese learners of Thai would be able to acquire target language (TL) structures that are different from those in their native language (L1) and whether they could reject incorrect TL structures. One hundred and forty-four participants were recruited to complete an acceptability judgment task and a self-paced reading task. It is found that both Chinese and Thai learners could perform native-like in their acceptance of TL word orders since early stages of acquisition. However, it took them until an advanced level to be able to completely reject incorrect TL word orders that resembled structures in their L1. Thai learners also faced difficulty rejecting the use of men with animal and indefinite nouns in their L2 Chinese. In contrast, Chinese learners tended to be successful in their acquisition of phûak. The results are interpreted in terms of roles of positive evidence and form-function transparency. In general, L2 learners tend to acquire a TL structure earlier when they can receive positive evidence in TL input and when a form-function connection of the structure is transparent. Nonetheless, these factors do not have an absolute effect on acquisition outcome since some learners may be able to use a probabilistic learning strategy to successfully acquire L2 knowledge even when positive evidence is unavailable.

The aim of the dissertation thesis is to develop a methodology of the compilation of symmetric Time Input-Output tables under the conditions of the Czech Republic. The following aim is to create an input-output model which is based on the compiled symmetric Time Input-Output tables. For the practical applications of this model it is crucial to link the created Input-Output model with the Semi-Dynamic Input-Output model. Semi-Dynamic Input-Output model in the conception of the submitted dissertation thesis takes into account several multiplier effects and presents more comprehensive tool for the use of the Input-Output analyses in this way. The first chapter focuses on the development of the issues linked to the Input-Output tables and analyses on the territory of the Czech Republic and in the world as well. The second chapter which is also theoretical is focused on mapping of different kinds of Input-Output analyses which are done in the world using Physical, Time or Hybrid Input-Output tables. The third chapter is a purely methodological because here it is described the methodology of the compilation of symmetric Time Input-Output tables as well as methodological approach to the various sensitivity analyses. The fourth chapter focuses on the creation Semi-Dynamic Input-Output model and on the formal linking with the Input-Output model based on the Time Input-Output tables. The last fifth chapter is focused analytically. Methods described in the third chapter are applied on the official published data on the Czech economy. The analytical chapter is perceived in the submitted dissertation thesis as a tool for the sensitivity analysis in the sense of validation of the quality of the compiled Time Input-Output tables.