Hälsosamma levnadsvanor är en viktig förutsättning för att skapa en positiv hälsoutveckling och kostvanor, fysisk aktivitet och stress är faktorer som påverkar hälsan. Till följd av den senare tidens förändringar i samhället har befolkningens levnadsvanor förändrats till en mer ohälsosam kost, fysisk inaktivitet, och stressen har ökat. De förändrade levnadsvanorna har påverkat folkhälsan, och att satsa på dessa områden i folkhälsoarbetet kan ge betydelsefulla hälsovinster. Landstinget Västmanland driver ett projekt med syftet att främja hälsosamma levnadsvanor. I projektet ingår ”Kom i form gruppen” som är en gruppverksamhet som inriktas på kost, fysisk aktivitet och stress. Syftet var att undersöka deltagarnas upplevelser av deltagandet i ”Kom i form gruppen” och om deltagandet har påverkat deras levnadsvanor. För att besvara syftet användes en kvalitativ metod med intervjuer. Resultatet visar att innehållet på träffarna inte har gett någon ny kunskap. Deltagandet har gett medvetenhet och motivation och upplevelsen om kostvanor har påverkats varierar mellan deltagarna. Deltagarnas motionsvanor har påverkats genom regelbundna motionstillfällen och vardagsmotion. Påverkan på stress har inte skett men de försöker att tänka på att stressa mindre. Tidsbrist och stress upplevs dock som ett hinder för att leva hälsosamt. / Healthy lifestyles are an important condition for creating a positive health and dietary habits, physical activity and stress are factors that affect health. As a result of recent changes in society people's lifestyles have changes through unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and stress has increased. Changing lifestyles have affected public health, and to invest in these areas in public health work can provide significant health benefits. Västmanland County Council operates a project to promote healthy behavior. The project includes "Kom i form gruppen" which is a group that focuses on nutrition, physical activity and stress. The aim was to investigate participants' experiences of participation in "Kom i form gruppen" and if the participation has affected their lifestyles. To answer the purpose, a qualitative approach with interviews used. The result shows that the content of the meetings has not identified any new knowledge. Participation has provided awareness and motivation and appreciation of food habits have been affected varied between participants. The participants' exercise habits have been affected by regular exercise occasions and everyday physical activity. Effect of stress has not been made, but they try to think about to rush less. Lack of time and stress, however, perceived as an impediment to healthy living.

Lifestyle medicine is the use of lifestyle interventions in the prevention, treatment and management of disease. A faith-based community, which is the subject of much health lifestyle research, is the focus of this study. The Seventh-day Adventist church has promoted a healthy lifestyle, including a plant-based diet, since its foundation in 1863. Research shows that Adventists are much healthier and live significantly longer than the general population. Adventist vegetarians are even more healthy, and live about five years longer than non-vegetarians. The present study was designed to investigate how church leaders relate to the Adventist health lifestyle, and to what extent information about the benefits of adopting this lifestyle is communicated to church members in Sweden. Survey interviews with specific health-related lifestyle questions were used to collect the data. 60% of the respondents reported being vegetarian or vegan. Many agreed that pastors should be health educators as much as gospel preachers, but a majority did not have any academic or other education on health. Only a minority stated that they often preach or share the Adventist health message, but most respondents agreed that every church should be a school of health. The educational program for pastors and other church leaders should include adequate training and experience in health and lifestyle medicine from a faith-based perspective. Seventh-day Adventists should be the first to take full advantage of an evidence-based healthy lifestyle and live as examples to others.

This study is an attempt to analyse the newspaper supplements published by the Turkish printed press. An analysis of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the contents of the newspaper supplements selected due to the circulation numbers follows a brief history of the newspaper supplements. The study ends with the interviews made with the editor-in-chiefs of the weekend supplements. What results from these two analyses on different levels is that even though the basic aim of the daily newspaper supplements, mainly the weekend supplements is to increase the advertising revenues of the publishing companies, the content presented to the readers through these supplements also plays an important role in the social-ideological reproduction as the symbol of a specific life style. Therefore, this study also shows that critical political-economic approaches have to be completed with cultural analyses in the media studies.

Background: There is global concern about the impact of lifestyle related diseases which have been on a steady increase in recent years. Poor nutrition, reduced physical activity and cigarette smoking have been documented as the main lifestyle behaviors that result in an increase in prevalence of the three most common occurring chronic diseases of lifestyle namely: diabetes, hypertension and cardiac diseases. Healthcare workers are frontline personnel and are seen as role models by their family, friends and the community they serve. It is therefore important that positive healthy lifestyle behaviors are practiced and encouraged by healthcare workers themselves. Objectives: To develop an initial descriptive profile of hospital employees with regards to their general knowledge, attitudes and practices about healthy lifestyles and to make appropriate recommendations to the hospital management on how the workplace can support the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Methods: The study was conducted at one health institution using the permanently employed staff as the study population. An exploratory descriptive study design was used in context of the precede-proceed planning framework. Self-administered questionnaires and consent forms were distributed in English and isiZulu. Collection boxes were placed in all wards and departments. Data was captured using the SPSS version 13 statistical package. Results: The response rate was 42%. Respondents were classified into the administrative, general staff and health professional categories. There was a significant difference (p=0.03) between the staff body mass index and their weight perception. Knowledge and attitude had mean indices of greater than 70% and the practice indices were lower for all three categories at less than 45%. A significant difference was found between certain staff categories in the knowledge and attitude indices but no significant difference existed in their practices. Conclusion: All categories of staff possessed adequate knowledge and attitudes but this is not transferred into positive health promoting practices. The possibility of workplace health promoting interventions was well supported by staff especially with regards to healthier meal choices at the staff dining room and an onsite gym facility. The main limitations of the study were the non-standardized data collection tool, and the poor response rate, which make the generalization of the study findings difficult. / Thesis (M.PH.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.

"Sustainability is a journey, not a destination" is an adage which certainly holds true for those seeking to live a sustainable lifestyle. Perhaps the essential factor inducing and guiding this movement towards a sustainable consciousness is learning. This study explores a select group of individuals’ continuing journey towards a more sustainable way of life, focusing specifically on clothing sustainability. Mezirow’s transformative learning theory provides the theoretical foundation for this exploration, offering an explanation of the learning process underlying these journeys. According to Mezirow’s critics, however, his theory does not adequately delve into the relationship between transformative learning and social action, such as that taken to promote and support sustainability. This research sought not only to understand the learning process in the context of sustainability and the thoughts and actions of those committed to clothing sustainability, but also to bridge the gap between transformations and social action. Thirty-two individuals participated in Phase One of this two-part study, engaging in an interview and a survey. Seventeen of these individuals, those demonstrating either a steady commitment to a sustainable way of life or a strong desire to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, participated in Phase Two, which included a life-grid interview. A small subset of this group also took part in a journaling exercise. Drawing on these data sources, this thesis provides insight into transformative learning, namely the key introductory points for sustainability during the lifespan, the types of experiences triggering learning for sustainability, the essential role of instrumental learning in transformative learning and social action, and the complexity of the frame of reference. It also provides a greater understanding of social action, identifying the variables of social action, the different layers of barriers participants encountered in putting their learning into action, and the vital importance of a strong support network to both learning and action. Finally, this thesis proposes a model for depicting the relationship between transformative learning and social action.

People with schizophrenia are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and other metabolic abnormalities such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle choices of physical inactivity and diets high in fat and refined carbohydrates are significant contributory factors for obesity and diabetes in people living with schizophrenia, but there is a growing body of research and interest into the additive factor of psychotropic medications on weight gain and diabetes risk. The incidence of diabetes and the morbidity and mortality rates are reported to be approximately 2 to 3 times higher in the population with schizophrenia compared to the general population. This increased vulnerability for health complications is reflected in the profound challenges that are experienced in the population with schizophrenia. My aim for this qualitative research inquiry has been to place into questioning the encounter with diabetes mellitus for people living with schizophrenia. I entered into dialogue with seven participants to explore new possibilities of understanding that emerged between the understandings that we each bring to the conversations. It was also my intent to bring into flux the assumptions of living with two interrelated chronic iv conditions and to increase the understanding of that experience through a reflexive process that illuminates that which may be hidden or obscured. I approached this inquiry mainly drawing on Gadamerian hermeneutics; the main task being the study of ‘texts’ that give evidence to what being human means and the analysis of how different interpretations and understandings are variable depending on their cultural and historical contexts. I expect this work to contribute to the generation of a richer understanding of these co-existing conditions and to create an opportunity and desire for ethical action in diabetes prevention and management for this high-risk population.

The purpose of this thesis is to research the relation between spatial structures and social relations including the cultural ones. This study specifically researches the relation between the construction and the representation of urban space and urban culture in Sakarya Caddesi as an instance of society-space interaction. This research focuses on Sakarya Caddesi where various urban cultural practices such as entertainment, has intensified. It deals with the constitution and representation of this entertainment space and researches how a particular place is constructed materially and imaginarily, how different social actors perceive, interpret and constitute a particular place in different ways. Accordingly, the contestation over the representation and use of place is discussed in this study. In order to comprehend a local place and culture, the issues should be thought in a wider context. Therefore, Sakarya Caddesi which is a part of urban space and the urban practices which occur in this area, are evaluated in global context. This study, discusses the influences of global changes on urban space, urban cultural practices and lifestyles. Discussing Sakarya Caddesi and its culture through discourses, this thesis relates spatial categories with some concepts of cultural politics such as identity.

Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2003.

Three studies were designed to investigate the effects of exercise-based lifestyle interventions including diet change and exercise training on cardiovascular and autonomic responses to various physical and mental challenges in untrained premenopausal women. In Study 1, the effects of different tasks designed to activate the sympathetic nervous system on autonomic control of cardiovascular functioning such as the Stroop colour-word task (Stroop) and lower body negative pressure (LBNP) in 20 untrained premenopausal women (22.6??0.7 years) were determined. In Study 2, a longitudinal exercise intervention strategy was used with 18 untrained premenopausal women (22.5??0.7 years) in order to investigate the effect of 15 weeks of high intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) training on cardiac autonomic responses to mental challenge (Stroop) and LBNP. In Study 3, the effects of HIIE training combined with a Mediterranean-style eating plan and fish oil supplement (Fish oil, Exercise, Mediterranean diet; FEM) on cardiovascular function during mental challenge (Stroop) and physical tasks (handgrip and reactive hyperaemia) were examined in 32 overweight untrained premenopausal women (22.0??0.6 years). In these studies, forearm blood flow (FBF) was assessed using Hokanson Plethysmography with the venous occlusion technique. The surface electrocardiogram and continuous beat-to-beat arterial blood pressure were also monitored. Peak oxygen uptake was assessed using open-circuit spirometry (True Max 2400, ParvoMedics). In addition, body composition was measured using DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; DPX-IQ, Lunar Radiation). Results from Study 1 indicate that FBF response to mental challenge in young females was smaller compared to previously obtained data from age-matched males. Furthermore, this FBF response to mental challenge was negatively correlated to insulin resistance estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) (r = - .52, p < .05). In addition, when cardiopulmonary baroreceptors were unloaded by a mild level of LBNP (-20 mmHg) during Stoop, FBF response to mental challenge (vasodilation) was abolished suggesting a large dependency of vasodilation response during mental challenge on cardiopulmonary baroreflex. After 15 weeks of supervised HIIE training, aerobic fitness improved (p < .05) whereas percent of body fat was significantly decreased (p < .05). In addition, recovery BP following Stroop was significantly reduced. Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was marginally decreased (p = .056). Women who had higher insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) lost less fat than women with lower HOMA-IR (r = .60, p = .088). In addition, change in FBF during Stroop after training was directly related to pretest insulin resistance levels (r = .68, p < .05). Therefore, HIIE training had a normalising effect on FBF response to mental challenge. PEP/LVET ratio at rest and during LBNP was also significantly increased in women with higher HOMA-IR suggesting a reduction in cardiac contractility via a decrease in sympathetic stimulation (r = .62, p = .076, r = .62, p = .75 respectively). In Study 3 results indicated that 12 weeks of the FEM trial significantly reduced percent of body fat (p < .001), fasting insulin (p < .05), interleukin-6 (p < .05) and cortisol (p < .05), and significantly improved aerobic fitness ( ; p < .001). With respect to cardiovascular and cardiac autonomic measures, rate pressure product (RPP) was significantly reduced at rest (p < .05) and during recovery after Stoop (p < .05), suggesting decreased myocardial oxygen consumption. In addition, baseline heart rate determined in the sitting position was significantly reduced (p < .05), while both baseline high frequency power (HF) determined in supine (p < .01) and cardiac baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) determined in the sitting position (p < .05) were increased after the FEM trial. In addition, BRS determined during mental challenge also marginally increased (p = .051). In summary, lifestyle intervention including HIIE training, Mediterranean-style eating plan, and a fish oil supplement significantly enhanced parasympathetic influence of the heart and improved fitness, blood profiles, and body composition.

Lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, cancer, type 2 diabetes are the major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The prevalence of these diseases is high in New Zealand as well. It is believed that promoting a healthy diet and increased physical activity can make beneficial changes and extend the healthy life expectancy. This twelve week study with follow-up at 52 weeks was designed to demonstrate if a diet and physical activity group intervention in the workplace would result in changes in risk factors for antioxidant damage and therefore reduce the risk for lifestyle diseases. The effect of the addition of kiwifruit to the diet on markers of oxidative stress was also measured in a crossover sub study within this study. Fifty two healthy subjects (male 24, female 28, mean age 46), completed the 12 week study with measurements points being at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks. Thirty eight subjects presented for another set of measurements at 52 weeks. The intervention started at week 3 and the kiwifruit crossover treatment was launched between weeks 6 and 12.Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay was utilized to measure the changes in plasma antioxidant activity(AOA) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay to measure the changes in plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), as a marker of lipid peroxidation (LP) at each measurement point. Since almost all participants had a normal range of baseline measurements of plasma AOA and LP (plasma MDA), they were categorized as relatively low and high AOA (1200micromol/L cut off point) and LP groups (1.70mmol/L cut off point), as well as divided into male and female groups. The effect of changed diet and increased physical activity during the 12 week study period resulted in a significant increase (P<0.05) in plasma AOA. The changes were much higher in low AOA group (P=0.005) and in male subjects (P<0.005), while no changes were observed in subjects with already high AOA at baseline. The increased plasma AOA level was maintained and increased even more over the year. No changes were observed in LP (plasma MDA). The effect of kiwifruit on the markers of oxidative stress was modest, the 3-week daily kiwifruit consumption (2-3 kiwifruit per day) resulted in significant increase (P=0.01) in plasma AOA only in female subjects within the low AOA group. However, the precision and validity of the measurements were limited by a possible loss of vitamin C due to storage of the plasma samples rather than analysis when fresh. Given that kiwifruit is particularly high in vitamin C the effect of the addition of kiwifruit to the diet might not have been detected. In this study it was shown that a group diet and physical activity intervention within the workplace can increase the level of plasma antioxidant activity and thereby reduce the risk for oxidative stress and related lifestyle diseases.