The aim of this thesis is to provide an overview of the health of Pacific Islands young people in New Zealand, with a particular emphasis on the effects of their dietary and lifestyle behaviours upon long-term health. This research is based on the observation that noncommunicable, or life-style, diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality for Pacific Islands people in New Zealand, that these diseases are invariably attributable to dietary and lifestyle habits, and that these habits become instilled during the adolescent period. Three main methods were undertaken to achieve this aim. The first constituted a review of literature concerning the health of Pacific Islands people in New Zealand, including a discussion of what health means to Pacific Islands people, along with the main health issues that this population encounters. The importance of food to Pacific Islands people is also considered in this review, along with the influence of diet on Pacific Islands people's disease patterns. Existing studies concerning the dietary habits of Pacific Islands youth are also detailed. The second stage of the research involved conducting research into the health of Pacific Islands young people in Christchurch, based in part on the methodology and findings of these previous studies. As the thesis will show, while Christchurch has the fourth largest Pacific Islands population in New Zealand, this population is considerably smaller than those in other main centres. This means that Pacific Islands people have less health resources and services available to them. This research revealed that Pacific Islands young people in Christchurch, and in New Zealand in general, consume a diet that is high in fat and low in other nutrients. Research into the health of Pacific Islands young people is deemed necessary to help to counter the high incidence of lifestyle related diseases in the adult population. Further, by identifying potential health outlooks for the future generation of Pacific Islands adults, research in Christchurch will be useful in ensuring that services and resources to meet Pacific Islands people's specific health needs.

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Studies were carried out to investigate the development of <I>Tipula oleracea </I>as a pest of winter cereals in north-east Scotland. Oilseed rape was identified as an important contributing factor to the appearance of this species in winter cereals. Laboratory experiments showed that <I>T. oleracea </I>preferred to egg-lay into oilseed rape crops rather than winter cereals. Field surveys established that larvae were present during the winter within the oilseed rape. Further experimentation showed that larvae reared on diets of oilseed rape, out-performed those fed on winter cereals, in terms of growth, successful development, and subsequent fecundity of emerging females. Studies on behaviour showed that adults emerging from within the oilseed rape in June were trapped by the oilseed rape canopy and that 'normal' dispersal was restricted. Flies could, however, move between plant stalks underneath the canopy, suggesting that mating and egg-laying could continue. It was confirmed that <I>T.oleracea, </I>usually had two flight periods in north-east Scotland, in June, and again in August-September. Population studies determined that adult emergence was variable, suggesting a useful survival strategy, should peak emergence coincide with poor conditions for larval survival. Studies on growth established that the life-cycle of <I>T. oleracea </I>was responsive to temperature and field studies showed that two generations could be completed during the summer months within the oilseed rape crop. It was also shown that <I>T. oleracea </I>had a high egg-laying capacity and had no requirement for a larval diapause. The population dynamics of this species are suited to the exploitation of short term habitats, such as those created within one year arable rotations.

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In this study two methods of nutritional assessment were compared by evaluating the attitudes of health professionals concerning usefulness of the procedure and by determining the accuracy of diagnoses and time involved using the methods. The two procedures of assessment were the traditional "eye-ball" or observation method and a written method involving laboratory and anthropometric measurements. Thirty-eight persons, including physicians, nurses, dietitians, a medical school instructor, and students of related disciplines, were the subjects of this study.In addition to being more up to date, the subjects felt the written method was significantly more useful than the traditional method in terms of accuracy, organization, logical order, preciseness, value, understandability, use of form, and completeness. The traditional method was found to be more appealing to the subjects in terms of time saved, ease of use, and simplicity. The traditional method was found to be much quicker to complete but the written method was found to give significantly more correct diagnoses. In conclusion, the written method was found to be significantly more useful due to its logical approach to diagnosing the nutritional status of the hospitalized patients; however, its use would be curtailed due to the amount of time required to complete the procedure unless protocol were established whereby some other member of the health care team could take the responsibility for completing the procedure, thus relieving thephysician of the duty.

The purpose of this study was to examine weight loss methods and to determine if seasonal differences existed in energy and nutrient intakes, supplement use and eating behaviors of high school wrestlers. Weight loss history, food and activity records, supplement use and knowledge and bulimic behavior data were collected from twenty wrestlers during the 1998-99 wrestling season and from eleven wrestlers 3 months post wrestling season.This study found that wrestlers practiced extreme weight control behaviors including fasting, food and fluid restriction resulting in inadequate nutrient intakes. No significant seasonal differences were found in energy balance, nutrient intake or supplement use for this study group. There was a significant difference in bulimic behavior post season as compared to peak season, though no wrestler approached the cutoff score for clinical diagnosis of bulimia nervosa.Given the negative effects of extreme weight loss practices and inadequate nutrient intake on performance, nutrition education remains crucial for high school wrestlers. Further research using instruments to measure restrictive behaviors (as was practiced by subjects in this study) would be beneficial. Additionally future studies are needed to continually assess this population of athletes to gauge if changes in extreme behaviors are occurring. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of restrained eating behavior on dietary calcium intake in adolescents. Research shows that female adolescents have lower calcium intake then males. Research also suggests that dieting has a negative impact on the dietary intake of several nutrients, including calcium.A random sample of adolescents from physical education and health classes at Muncie Central High School, a mid-western urban public school, participated in this study. Subjects completed one 24 hour food record, a modified three-factor eating questionnaire to assess dietary restraint, and demographic sheet.Of the 85 subjects (females n=60; males n=25) who participated in the study, 65% (n=56) did not meet the dietary calcium recommendations of 1300 mg/day. Among females, 75% (n=45) did not meet calcium recommendations. For males, 44% (n=11) did not meet the daily calcium recommendations. Mean calcium intake for females and males respectively was 1121 ± 939 mg/day and 1632 ±1242 mg/day.Seventy-five percent of all subjects had low to average dietary restraint. A greater percentage of females (17%, n=10; 15%, n=9) than males (4%, n=1; 4%, n=1) were found to have high and clinical levels of dietary restraint. Interestingly, the mean calcium intake for those males and females having clinical levels of dietary restraint did meet calcium recommendations (1403 mg/day and 1341 ± 829 mg/day). For females, the mean calcium intake for both low to average and high dietary restraint did not meet calcium requirements. For males, mean calcium intake among all levels of restraint met the recommendations. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

The purpose of this study was to determine if the Atkins diet had an effect on resting metabolic rate. In addition, the study will further explore the effects of the Atkins diet on blood lipids (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides) and glucose as well as body composition. Eighteen healthy women (mean age 42.4 ± 7.4 yrs, mean BMI 33.7± 5.6 kg' m -2) participated in the 6-week diet intervention. Pre- testing and post-testing included collection of: fasting blood lipids, resting metabolic rate and body composition data measured by air displacement plethysmography. Statistical analysis used to compare baseline and post study data included dependant t-tests. A significant decrease from baseline was noted in resting metabolic rate (1518 to 1374 kcals' day -1). Decreases in body mass (91.0 ± 4.0 to 86.6 ± 3.9 kg), fat mass (42.3 ± 3.1 to 38.0 ± 3.1 kg, and BMI (33.7 ± 1.3 to 32.1 ±1.3 kg' m "2) were noted but there was no significant change in fat-free mass (48.6 ± 1.3 to 48.6 ±1.1 kg). The only significant finding from the blood lipid profile was a decrease in triglyceride levels (121 ± 17.9 to 98 ±12.7 mg ' dL-1). In conclusion, this study showed that adherence to the Atkins diet for six weeks did improve body composition; decrease triglycerides and decrease resting metabolic rate. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science