Thesis (M. Sc.)--York University, 2000. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology and Health Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 16-23). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ59170.

The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a reliable and valid measure to assess coping responses to weight-related discrepancy in women. The decision to create such a measure stemmed from the difficulties individuals have with initiation and consistent regulation of weight-related behavior. When salient, perceived discrepancies with one’s weight or body can be emotionally laden, producing negative affective responses and discontent, labeled here as dissatisfaction. The individual must then find ways to cope. However, not all coping responses are equal, and are theorized to have varied impacts on future regulation of weight loss efforts. The present research addressed these issues by developing a theoretically-based measure, labeled the WEIGHT-COPE. The WEIGHT-COPE originally sought to capture healthy and unhealthy problem-focused coping efforts to lose weight, as well as approach and avoidance coping efforts theorized as more distal influences on problem-focused efforts. The WEIGHT-COPE and other relevant measures were completed by 470 females ages 18-35 years. Results of an exploratory factor analysis revealed a 38-item measure consisting of eight coping factors: Exercise/Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, Cutting Calories/Appetite Suppression, Supplement Use, Monitor/Planning, Disengage/Denial, Camouflage, and Acceptance/Positive Reframing. All factors were internally consistent ( = 0.71 to 0.89), and converged with other pertinent measures of weight satisfaction, weight controllability/changeability, social physique anxiety, self-esteem, weight loss efficacy, physical activity level, dietary intake and objectified body consciousness. To test theoretical implications on future self-regulation of weight loss behavior, a structural regression model was run utilizing the WEIGHT-COPE factors. The factors were associated in a theoretically-driven pattern, illustrating that coping responses to weight-related discrepancy have varied impact on weight loss behavior choice. Thus, the present findings provide preliminary support for the WEIGHT-COPE and suggest that individuals cope with weight-related discrepancy in different ways, which may then have various impacts future self-regulation of weight loss behavior. / text

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of physical inactivity among early adolescents and determine if they varied across weight status, gender, and ethnic groups. A population-based sample of 3,636 7th grade students (The CATCH Cohort) participated in an epidemiological study of nutrition, physical activity, and cardiovascular health in 96 schools located in California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas. The weight category distribution of the sample was as follows: 2.1% underweight (BMI < 5th %), 66.5% normal weight (5th [less than or equal to] BMI<85th %), 16.9% at-risk (85th [less than or equal to] BMI<95th %), and 14.5% overweight (BMI[greater than or equal to]95th %). Physical inactivity was a stronger predictor of weight status category than physical activity for the entire sample (excluding underweight students). The model for physical inactivity, based on sedentary minutes, showed positive and negative support having a direct effect upon sedentary minutes, (p<.001). For adolescents with BMI[greater than or equal to]85th %, however, the model for physical inactivity showed only positive support having a direct effect on sedentary minutes (p<0.05). Females with BMI[greater than or equal to]85th % showed positive and negative support having a direct effect (p<.05), and males with BMI[greater than or equal to]85th % showed negative support having a direct effect (p<.01). White adolescents showed positive and negative support having a direct effect (p<.05), and for Hispanic adolescents, positive support had a direct effect (p<.001). This paper concludes that because physical inactivity appears to be a strong predictor of weight status in adolescent populations, interventions should target physical inactivity by influencing self-efficacy and positive and negative support. Furthermore, better measures of physical inactivity beyond TV/video game usage should be developed, and psychosocial variables that are more strongly associated with sedentary behavior than participation in physical activity should be investigated. / text

Volvo Construction Equipment with headquarters in Eskilstuna is the world's oldest and one of the leading companies in the construction industry with products such articulated haulers, wheel loaders, excavators and skid steer loaders. The main purpose of this study is to create a tool for predicting the production cost of welded structures for the company's articulated haulers, which today is world leading on the market. To succeed, the study has been broken down in three problem areas in which the first one is to completely map out today's manufacturing process of the six basic components of the articulated hauler model A40 (A-Stay front, A-Stay rear, short and long rods and front and rear frame) for both manual and robotic welding. Account is taken to each weld in the manufacturing process and all costs incurred. Various types of welding measurements such as thread consumption for both manual and robotic welding, weld length for both manual and robotic welding is taken account to. The weld metal weight, arc time, robot degree length, deposition rate, price per meter, price per kilo and the total cost for each component has been measured and calculated. Next problem area starts from the identification of the manufacturing process and the purpose is to identify the largest cost culprits to lower manufacturing process costs and making the manufacturing process more efficient. As regards the third and final problem area on basis of the results from the two past problem areas regression is used to generate a mathematical formula that is used to predict the production of welded components for the company's articulated haulers. The final tool that is sought was created in form of a software by embedding the mathematical formula obtained from the regression. Now one can easily predict the production cost of welded structures by using the following tool. The only thing you need to do to predict any production cost of a welded structure is to enter the drawing welding weight, item weight, average welding length, proportion of butt weld percentage and the butt weld length for manual and robot welding. / Volvo Construction Equipment med huvudkontor i Eskilstuna är världens äldsta och en av världens ledande företag vad gäller anläggningsmaskiner som exempelvis dumprar, hjullastare, grävmaskiner och kompaktlastare. Syftet med detta arbete är att skapa ett verktyg för att kunna förutse produktionskostnaden för svetsade komponenter för företagets ramstyrda dumprar som idag är världsledande i sin klass. För att lyckas med projektet har man brutit ner syftet i tre problemområden där man först och främst kartlägger hela dagens tillverkningsprocess av de sex grundläggande delarna för dumpermodellen A40 (A-stag, Vågbalk, kort och långt stag samt fram och bakram) för både manuell och robot svetsning. Hänsyn tas till varje svets i tillverkningen och alla kostnader som uppstår. Man utför även olika typer av svetsmätningar som exempelvis trådförbrukning och total svetslängd för både manuell och robotsvetsning. Man beräknar även svetsgodsvikten, bågtidsfaktorn, robotgradlängden, insvetstalet, pris per meter, pris per kilo och totalkostnaden för varje objekt. Vid nästa steg utgår man från kartläggningen av tillverkningsprocessen och man identifierar de största kostnadsbovarna med syfte att sänka tillverkningskostnaderna och göra tillverkningen mer effektiv. Vad gäller tredje och sista steget med utgångspunkt från tidigare resultaten använder man regression för att generera en matematisk formel som man använder för att kunna förutse produktionskostnaden för svetsade komponenter för företagets ramstyrda dumprar. Det slutgiltiga verktyget som eftersöks skapades i form av en mjukvara för datorer genom att bädda in den matematiska formeln man erhöll från regressionen som bygger på resultaten av kartläggningarna. Nu kan man enkelt förutse produktionskostnaden av svetsade komponenter. Det enda man behöver göra för att förutsäga någon produktionskostnad av en svetsad komponent är att mata in ritningens svetsvikt, objektvikt, medelsvetslängd, andelen stumsvets i procent samt längden manuell och robot stum svets för den komponenten man vill förutsäga priset på. Nyckelord: Svetsgodsvikt, Svetsekonomi, Regression.

Blood pressure (BP) measurement reliability, year-to-year BP tracking, distinguishing characteristics of upper quintile (UQ) vs lower four quintiles' (LQ) systolic BP (SBP) tracking and the relationships of fat distribution and body composition to SBP were examined in 57 youth. Subjects were measured on two occasions approximately one year apart. Longitudinal measures included auscultatory BPs, height, weight, body circumferences, skeletal widths, bioelectrical impedance and skinfolds. Inter-trial reliability of right/left arm averaged BP (RLBP) exceeded that of either limb alone; tracking magnitude was likewise greater with RLBP. Greater total body mass and fatness as well as larger anthropometric dimensions distinguished UQ from LQ SBP trackers. Fat distribution and SBP were not consistently associated with each other across study years. Irrespective of gender differences, fatness and fat free mass per unit height2 were independently related to within year SBP, yet only initial fatness was independently predictive of future SBP.

For adolescents, body weight can be a complicated and sometimes difficult issue. Though the majority of adolescents report being aware of normative gendered body ideals, how adolescents incorporate or reject these ideals into their own weight-control decisions or sense of self can vary dramatically, largely in reaction to their social experiences with body ideals in the local, immediate contexts of their daily lives. The role of one such local context - schools - has remained largely unexplored in existing literature. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and multi-level modeling, I investigate the role high school weight cultures play in the development of adolescents’ weight-loss behaviors, overweight self-perceptions, and self-esteem. I employ social comparison theories, specifically the idea of who may serve as a likely target for social comparison - general others, similar others, or high status others - to develop hypotheses about which aspects of the school context may be associated with various aspects of adolescents’ body weight. Overall, my results indicate that there is a strong relationship between adolescents’ weight-loss behavior, self-perception and self-esteem and the weight-related culture in the school. For example, adolescent boys, on average, are significantly less likely to report perceiving themselves as overweight or engaging in weight-loss behaviors when they attend schools where there are many overweight boys in the student body. I also find that there is some variation within the school in terms of which peers are most salient to adolescents’ behaviors and self-perceptions. Both boys and girls are particularly impacted by the values and behaviors of similar others, when similarity is defined by same-sex adolescents of a similar body size. For example, on average, overweight adolescent girls are significantly more likely to report engaging in weight-loss behaviors when a higher proportion of overweight girls in their school also are engaged in weight-loss behaviors. The same pattern is found among adolescent boys. Overall, these findings suggest that meso-level social contexts - like schools - may be particularly important to how individuals incorporate macro-level beliefs or values - like gendered body ideals - into their own behaviors and self-concepts. / text

Over two thirds of adults in the United States are affected by overweight or obesity. Weight management, which requires multi-component, intensive interventions targeting dietary and physical activity behaviors, should be offered as part of routine primary care services. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of evidence to guide the implementation of feasible and effective strategies within primary care settings. This DNP Project utilized a cross-sectional descriptive needs-assessment to survey obese patients' perceptions and preferences regarding weight and the primary care provider role in weight management. The findings from the needs assessment were used to inform the development of a feasible, patient-centered, weight management program.

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The analyses in this dissertation were designed to 1) extend the knowledge of characteristics associated with and predictive of energy intake plausibility (under or overreported energy intake), and 2) extend previous research in a sub-sample of this study population of baseline short-term weight loss predictors to evaluate within the full sample whether baseline psychosocial, behavioral and dietary predictors of weight loss varied by energy intake plausibility. Subjects were 155 overweight or obese perimenopausal women participating in a 4mo lifestyle weight loss program. Based on self-reported intake from 3-d dietary records, women were categorized as energy underreporters (n=71), accurate energy reporters (n=27), or energy overreporters (n=57), using the cut-off values for energy plausibility defined by Goldberg. All subjects completed a comprehensive behavioral and psychosocial battery assessing diet and weight history, life status, weight loss readiness, psychology, eating behavior, physical activity, and self-image. Results from logistic regression models showed that y of education, weight loss aspirations, exercise perceived competence, social support to exercise, and measures of body image were the best predictors of energy underreporting. Dietary carbohydrate and fat intake, health related quality of life, and profile of mood states (anger) were the best predictors of energy overreporting. Baseline predictors of successful weight loss did vary by energy plausibility group, with unique predictors for energy underreporters including fewer previous dieting attempts and exercise perceived obstacles, and energy overreporters including higher TEE, more negative mood status and higher perceived hunger. Overall, more successful weight loss was also associated with higher baseline fruit and vegetable intake. Validation of these findings will help lead to establish factors to account or adjust for bias from energy misreporting, reduce health or disease risk underestimation and improve understanding of nutrition, health and disease relationships. Further, identification of successful weight loss predictors unique to energy under- and overreporters will enhance weight loss profiling and tailoring of interventions to optimize success.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine weight and lifestyle among persons with schizophrenia from their perspectives. Two specific research questions are addressed: 1: What are the perceptions of persons with schizophrenia related to their weight? 2: What are the experiences of persons with schizophrenia in maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Methods A qualitative, constructivist research design is used to guide the study. Unstructured interviews are the method of data collection and analysis is done using constant comparison. A purposive sample of 18 participants was obtained from an Outpatient Psychiatric Unit. Findings Three themes, Normal Life Thrown a Curve Ball, Weight Management as Complex, and Today’s Experiences Shape Tomorrow’s Outcomes, were identified by the participants. Weight management was seen as a complex and difficult phenomenon; however, participants were optimistic about their ability to achieve a healthy weight in the future. Individual strategies, support and education were identified as essential weight management components. Conclusions The perceptions identified in this study further our understanding of the complexity of weight management, and can be used to design future weight loss interventions better tailored to this population. / Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2009-05-05 14:46:05.704