Master of Public Health - MPH / Background: Obesity in South Africa is a critical public health issue. Previously considered a problem of the affluent, obesity is now reported among all populations in South Africa regardless of age, race, gender or geographical location. Although a body of literature suggests that sociocultural, environmental and behavioural factors are likely to explain the increasing levels of obesity in South Africa, few studies have examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and obesity. As such, there is dearth of evidence showing how socioeconomic status influences obesity in the country. Given the multiplicity of challenges associated with controlling obesity, understanding the link between socioeconomic status and obesity is critical for informing and developing effective prevention programmes. This study therefore examines the nexus between socioeconomic status and obesity by using Khayelitsha as a case study area. Goal and objectives: Guided by the conceptual framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the overall goal of this study is to determine how education status and income level influence dietary and weight control behaviours in relation to obesity. The objectives are to 1) examine the role of social factors on food consumption behaviour; 2) investigate the influence of income levels on food consumption; 3) explore the relationship between education levels and food choices and 4) provide recommendations for policy review. Methods: This research is embedded within a larger study conducted by researchers from the Institute for Social Development on factors that influence food choices and eating habits of residents in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain. The epistemological position forming the basis of this research was guided by the concepts of positivist and interpretivist paradigms, as both perspectives were deemed relevant for achieving the study objectives. Moreover, the study combined both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to analyze the gathered data. Results: The study identified cereals, bread, pasta, milk products, processed meat, fried chicken, fish and oil fat, soft drinks, fruit and vegetables as the main kinds of food consumed by residents in Khayelitsha. However, among these food groups, fruit and vegetables consumption was found to be low. In general, cost was identified as the main barrier for the frequent consumption of fruit and vegetables. The study also discovered a positive relationship between education and eating habits, with most educated individuals’ demonstrating high intentions to consume healthy foods compared to people with lower education. However, in contrast to the hypothesis of this study, the impact of education on dietary behaviour was found to be insignificant. Similarly, the impact of education on weight control behaviour was found to be insignificant although the relationship between these two variables was equally found to be positive. With regards to the association between income and food choices the study discovered an overall positive relationship between the two variables. However, the general effect of income on food choice was not statistically significant. Cost of food and low family income were found to be key barriers to the purchase and consumption of healthy foods. Conclusion and recommendations: This study has demonstrated that education and income status correlate positively with dietary lifestyle as well as weight management practices. However, contrary to the hypotheses outlined in this study, neither education nor income status was found to significantly impact on dietary and weight control behaviours. In general, other factors such as culture, price of foods, television advertisement and perception of weight status were found to also contribute to respondent’s dietary lifestyle and weight management practices. Given these findings, a multidisciplinary approach involving the promotion of proper dietary patterns as well as physical activity are recommended. Specifically, the strategies should focus on 1) the development of policy measures that regulate the high cost of healthy foods, 2) the roll-out of food voucher interventions that promote frequent consumption of fruit and vegetables and 3) the promotion of physical exercises in religious and health centers.

CDPs are an overlooked component of the metropolitan region, and add to the understanding of the region as a whole. Large CDPs that remain unincorporated have other forms of governance, either public or private. CDPs are equivalent to incorporated places in many ways, but have distinctive differences based on state and region. Large CDPs have reasons for not incorporating. A subset of these CDPs that are similar to Boomburbs are examined. Implications for planners regarding CDP existence are discussed. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

The aim of this research is to develop the understanding of food waste behavior by analyzing student’s intention to reduce household food waste. The determinants Attitude, Subjective Norm and Perceived Behavioral Control (scope of Theory of Planned Behavior), as well as the Anticipated Emotions were therefore investigated. Data from a sample of 209 students at Uppsala University, Campus Gotland (Sweden) were collected with a web-based survey and used to identify the relevant factors. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that Attitude and Perceived Behavioral Control has a significant positive relation to the students’ Intention to reduce food waste. Subjective Norm and Anticipated Emotions did not reach statistical significance and could therefore not be used to draw conclusions. As a limitation, it must be considered that the focus is purely on the intention and the actual behavior was not part of the research. In addition, a missing universal definition of food waste leaves space for interpretation. What food (parts) is seen as edible depends on individual perception. People have different perceptions of what is edible. The findings of the research are helpful to recommend strategies on how to increase the intention to waste less food. Therefore it contributes to address the global issue of food waste. It outlines the factors that appear to drive the largest change in altering the intention to reduce food wastage.

Studier utförda i icke digitaliserade kontexter visar att konsumenter överväger marknadsföring av högengagemangsprodukter kognitivt, och att köpintention av dessa produkter påverkas av argumentens kvalitet. Vidare visas att konsumenter vid lågengagemangsprodukter överväger marknadsföring emotionellt, och att köpintention av produkter som förknippas med lågt engagemang därför påverkas av källans trovärdighet. Studier utförda på sociala medier visar däremot att konsumenters köpintentioner påverkas av emotionella stimuli, oavsett produkttyp. Det visar följaktligen att vad som påverkar konsumenters köpintentioner av olika produkter bör skilja sig mellan icke digitaliserade kontexter och sociala medier. I denna studie undersöks därför vad som påverkar köpintention av dessa produkttyper genom marknadsföring på sociala medier, mer specifikt via influencer marketing. Studien har genom 8 semistrukturerade intervjuer undersökt vilka karaktärsdrag hos en influencer samt vilka dimensioner i dennes inlägg som påverkar konsumenters köpintentioner av låg- respektive högengagemangsprodukter när dessa marknadsförs på Instagram. Det visades att vad som främst påverkar köpintention av båda produkttyperna är dimensioner i bilden; kvalitet, miljö, sammanhang och genuinitet. Vidare är tillgänglighet en dimension i texten som påverkar konsumenternas köpintention av båda produkttyperna, det vill säga att företaget ska finnas taggat i inlägget och därmed göra det enkelt för konsumenten att ta sig vidare för eventuell informationssökning eller köp. Övriga dimensioner och karaktärsdrag skiljer sig mellan produkttyperna. Gällande lågengagemangsprodukter har inga fler dimensioner i inlägget någon betydelse och inte heller vilken influencer som marknadsför produkten. Däremot vid högengagemangsprodukter, bör influencern besitta karaktärsdragen trovärdighet, som beskrivs genom matchning och kompetens, samt attraktivitet. Texten bör även innehålla personlig information från influencern gällande dennes användning av produkten. Utöver karaktärsdrag och dimensioner visades konsumentens inställning till produkten påverka köpintentioner av båda produkttyperna. Inställningen till produkten innebär; egen preferens, behov och varumärke. Slutligen kan utläsas att det krävs mer av en influencer och dennes inlägg för att påverka konsumenter till köpintention vid marknadsföring av högengagemangsprodukter, då fler dimensioner och karaktärsdrag visades viktiga vid marknadsföring av denna produkttyp

This study discusses Online Behavioral Advertising (OBA), which fundamentally consists of collected data about a person’s online behavior. The phenomena are made possible via the use of cookies on webpages and social media, which the user needs to accept to access the platform. The saved information is then used by firms to present targeted advertising, so called Online Behavioral Advertising. The feeling of being watched over/controlled on the internet might seem intrusive, which studies show may have a negative effect on consumers purchase intentions. How the effect varies between different personalities has not been studied before. Previous studies have focused on studying correlation between personalities and purchase intention and correlation between OBA and purchase intention. Little light has been shed on the effects of OBA for different personalities, to complete previous studies this study aims to find out more by using an acknowledged personality model named Big Five. This study uses a quantitative research approach, a web survey has been constructed to collect data and enable the composed hypotheses to be tested. The collected data is being analyzed in SPSS into descriptive statistics and Spearman rank correlation between the personality dimensions of the Big Five and the effect of OBA on purchase intention. The results show that previous theories about the effect of OBA on purchase intention can be verified. The descriptive statistics also show a significant higher effect of OBA on men than women. Furthermore, Spearman rank correlation shows that the effect varies between the personality dimensions of Big Five. A positive correlation was found between the dimensions Openness and Extraversion and OBA's effect, which means that persons scoring higher in these dimensions also has a higher effect of OBA on purchase intention. A negative correlation was found between the dimension Conscientiousness and OBA's effect, which means that persons scoring higher in this dimension is not significantly affected by OBA.

The increased global consumption has a severe effect on the environment. In order to reduce the environmental impact, there is a need for more environmentally friendly consumption choices. Several studies have confirmed that consumers have a positive attitude towards environmentally friendly products, but that the attitude is, in most cases, not put in to practice. To increase the degree of explanation behind the gap between Swedish consumers intention and behavior regarding the consumption of organic fruits, this study used Ajzen’s (1985) theory of planned behavior. The purpose of this bachelor thesis was to examine if attitude, social norms and experinced behavior control can explain the consumption behavior regarding organic fruits in Sweden. An online-survey with several Likert items was conducted in order to gather data. The respondents were asked about their age, income, education, attitudes, social norms and their experienced behavior control. A correlation test and a multiple regression analysis was conducted in order to see how the determinants of intention correlated with the behavior and how well they could influence the behavior. The results showed that attitude was the determinant that had the strongest correlation (0.522) and contributed the most to the behavior of buying organic fruits. Subjective norm (0.294) and perceived behavior control (0.245) had not as strong correlation as attitude and subjective norm could only influence the behavior to a minimal level. However, it was found that perceived behavior control could influence the behavior. The total rate of explanation for all determinants of intention on the behavior was R2 = 0.568 (56.8%). The conclusions that were made from this study were, firstly, that attitude can influence most of the behavior regarding consumption of organic fruits among Swedish consumers. Secondly, subjective norm can to a minimal degree influence the behavior regarding consumption of organic fruits among Swedish consumers. Thirdly, perceived behavior control can to a minimal degree influence behavior regarding consumption of organic fruits among Swedish consumers. Furthermore, there is a need for more studies who includes behavioral data and more added variables to the TpB model in order to deepen the knowledge about environmentally friendly consumption behaviors.

Research into energy demand in office buildings has tended to focus on building fabric or systems, or the organisation as a whole, rather than the actions or motivations of individual building occupants. This study applies an attitude-behaviour approach used more frequently with household or travel behaviours to energy demand behaviours by individual occupants in office settings. The approach is extended to include contextual factors such as behavioural control, organisational expectations and social influences. Comparisons are drawn between the office and home settings. The study took place in the offices of two local authorities, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council, and included a questionnaire survey (n=819), semi-structured interviews (n=9), and building surveys (n=5). Behaviours examined included switching off lights, computers and computer monitors. Lighting behaviours were reported to be carried out more frequently than computer monitor behaviours in both the office and household settings. Analysis of behaviours identified that they needed to be considered at a specific level, according to the equipment (lighting, computer monitors), setting (office, home), and triggers (finishing a task, leaving a room). The physical context of the behaviour was particularly important. Different levels of individual control over energy affected the performance of behaviours. No evidence was found to support the notion of spillover that enacting one energy demand behaviour might lead to the enactment of further energy demand behaviours, including for similar behaviours performed in different settings (e.g. the office and the home). Organisational, social and psychological/attitudinal influences on individual behaviour were also examined. Structural Equation Modelling examined influences proposed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Values-Beliefs-Norms Theory. Neither theory provided a strong explanation of the collected data. However, support was found for the Perceived Behavioural Control construct, while moral and value-led constructs had a small influence on behaviour. This thesis provides recommendations for practitioners and policy makers seeking to reduce individual-level energy demand in office settings, and for future research into energy use in organisational settings. Recommendations include promoting energy saving as an aspect of professionalism, characterising energy demand behaviours specifically by setting and equipment, and recognising the importance of the social aspects of shared office environments.

O presente trabalho se propõe à análise do uso dos espaços públicos na cidade contemporânea, discutido a partir de desdobramentos de processos socioespaciais de produção e transformação da cidade. Este estudo tem como objeto a capital do estado do Tocantins, Palmas, cidade planejada e efetivamente ocupada no contexto do Brasil a partir de 1990. Tal contexto nos remete a investigar uma capital planejada considerando as nuances inerentes à essa condição , de projeto com feições modernistas, mas corporificada em um contexto social, político, econômico e cultural transformado, influenciado pelos paradigmas da vida contemporânea em suas diversas formas, em um ambiente de convergência de pessoas e culturas de todo Brasil. Para tanto, a dissertação buscou dialogar acerca das subjetividades contemporâneas na perspectiva crítica de que tais dimensões operaram importantes transformações nas formas do uso e apropriação do espaço público, logo, da vida urbana. Esse contexto urbano transformado em nome do consumo, do medo e das formas intolerantes dos afetos, têm favorecido o avanço de formas de vida privadas e segregadoras. Para explorar o caso Palmas nesse sentido, investigou-se a trajetória de formação socioespacial da capital, de um espaço desigual e fragmentado e, em última instância observaramse as configurações e as transformações espaciais (especialmente as privatizações do espaço) do espaço projetado. A abordagem dos usos e apropriações do espaço público (stricto sensu) despontam no trabalho de campo como dimensão empírico-analítica revelando o peso das interações sociais que se realizam no espaço de algumas quadras palmenses. A construção de tais aportes da pesquisa, possibilitou analisar as dinâmicas socioespaciais de modo mais amplo, incluindo perspectivas dos processos históricos, subjetivos, espaciais e sociais. / This thesis proposes to analyze the use of public spaces in the contemporary city, discussed from socio-spatial unfoldings processes of production and transformation of the city. This study has as its object the capital of the state of Tocantins, Palmas, a planned city, effectively occupied in the context of brazilian 1990`s. This context leads to investigate a planned capital - considering the inherent nuances to this condition -, from the project with modernist features, but embodied in a transformed social, political, economic and cultural context, influenced by the paradigms of contemporary life in its various forms, in an environment of convergence of people and cultures from all Brazil. For this, the dissertation sought to discuss contemporary subjectivities in the critical perspective that such dimensions have undergone important transformations in the forms of use and appropriation of public space, and thus of urban life. Such urban context transformed on behalf of consumption, fear and intolerant forms of affection, have supported the improvement of private and segregating ways of life. In this sense, in order to explore the Palmas case, the socio-spatial formation trajectory of the capital was investigated, of an unequal and fragmented space, and, moreover, observing the configurational and spatial transformations (especially the privatization of space) of the planned space. The approach of the uses and appropriations of the public space (stricto sensu) emerges in the field work as an empirical-analytical dimension revealing the weight of the social interactions that take place in some Palmas spaces. The construction of such research contributions made it possible to analyze broadly the socio-spatial dynamics, including perspectives of historical, subjective, spatial and social processes.

O presente trabalho se propõe à análise do uso dos espaços públicos na cidade contemporânea, discutido a partir de desdobramentos de processos socioespaciais de produção e transformação da cidade. Este estudo tem como objeto a capital do estado do Tocantins, Palmas, cidade planejada e efetivamente ocupada no contexto do Brasil a partir de 1990. Tal contexto nos remete a investigar uma capital planejada considerando as nuances inerentes à essa condição , de projeto com feições modernistas, mas corporificada em um contexto social, político, econômico e cultural transformado, influenciado pelos paradigmas da vida contemporânea em suas diversas formas, em um ambiente de convergência de pessoas e culturas de todo Brasil. Para tanto, a dissertação buscou dialogar acerca das subjetividades contemporâneas na perspectiva crítica de que tais dimensões operaram importantes transformações nas formas do uso e apropriação do espaço público, logo, da vida urbana. Esse contexto urbano transformado em nome do consumo, do medo e das formas intolerantes dos afetos, têm favorecido o avanço de formas de vida privadas e segregadoras. Para explorar o caso Palmas nesse sentido, investigou-se a trajetória de formação socioespacial da capital, de um espaço desigual e fragmentado e, em última instância observaramse as configurações e as transformações espaciais (especialmente as privatizações do espaço) do espaço projetado. A abordagem dos usos e apropriações do espaço público (stricto sensu) despontam no trabalho de campo como dimensão empírico-analítica revelando o peso das interações sociais que se realizam no espaço de algumas quadras palmenses. A construção de tais aportes da pesquisa, possibilitou analisar as dinâmicas socioespaciais de modo mais amplo, incluindo perspectivas dos processos históricos, subjetivos, espaciais e sociais. / This thesis proposes to analyze the use of public spaces in the contemporary city, discussed from socio-spatial unfoldings processes of production and transformation of the city. This study has as its object the capital of the state of Tocantins, Palmas, a planned city, effectively occupied in the context of brazilian 1990`s. This context leads to investigate a planned capital - considering the inherent nuances to this condition -, from the project with modernist features, but embodied in a transformed social, political, economic and cultural context, influenced by the paradigms of contemporary life in its various forms, in an environment of convergence of people and cultures from all Brazil. For this, the dissertation sought to discuss contemporary subjectivities in the critical perspective that such dimensions have undergone important transformations in the forms of use and appropriation of public space, and thus of urban life. Such urban context transformed on behalf of consumption, fear and intolerant forms of affection, have supported the improvement of private and segregating ways of life. In this sense, in order to explore the Palmas case, the socio-spatial formation trajectory of the capital was investigated, of an unequal and fragmented space, and, moreover, observing the configurational and spatial transformations (especially the privatization of space) of the planned space. The approach of the uses and appropriations of the public space (stricto sensu) emerges in the field work as an empirical-analytical dimension revealing the weight of the social interactions that take place in some Palmas spaces. The construction of such research contributions made it possible to analyze broadly the socio-spatial dynamics, including perspectives of historical, subjective, spatial and social processes.

Fotboll fitness är fotboll som hälsofrämjande aktivitet med mer fokus på glädje och gemenskap än taktik och skicklighet. Syftet med studien var att undersöka de bakomliggande motiven till ett deltagande i aktiviteten fotboll fitness. I studien deltog 12 intervjupersoner, tre kvinnor och nio män i åldrarna 25-70 (M=46.6, SD=12). Alla deltagare hade varit aktiva i fotboll fitness minst en månad innan påbörjad studie samt alla hade tidigare spelat fotboll. En semistrukturerad intervjuguide användes. Resultatet klassificerades in i tre huvudteman av motiv för deltagande; gemenskap, positiva effekter av fotboll fitness samt upplägget för fotboll fitness. Gemenskap betyder att deltagarna upplever den sociala tillhörigheten som en av anledningarna till att de deltar i fotboll fitness. Under temat positiva effekter av fotboll fitness berättade deltagarna om att både psykologiska och fysiologiska hälsoeffekter var motiv för deltagande. Även det ostrukturerade upplägget var något som, enligt deltagarna, främjade deltagande i aktiviteten. Baserat på resultatet från föreliggande studie rekommenderas en aktivitet som främjar gemenskap, lyfter de positiva effekter av aktiviteten samt har ett liknande upplägg då detta visat på motivation till deltagande. / Football fitness is an activity developed in Denmark and is football in small teams with focus on joy and community instead of tactics and skill. The purpose of the study was to investigate the underlying motives for a participation in football fitness. The study included 12 interviewees, three women and nine men aged 25-70 (M= 46.6, SD= 12). All participants had been active in football fitness at least one month before starting the study and all participants were former football players. A semi-structured interview guide was used. The result shows that three core motives for participation; relationships, positive effects of football fitness as well as structure of football fitness. Relationships mean that one motive for participation was the experience of social belonging. Furthermore, positive effects of football fitness mean that the participants valued physical activity beneficial in both physiologically and psychologically. The structure of the activity when it comes to rules and the positive climate is the third motive for participation in football fitness. Based on the results of the present study, it is recommended that an activity promoting the community, highlighting the positive effects of the activiy, and also have a similar approach will demonstrating motivation for participation.