title: Dietary intakes differ by body composition goals: An observational study of professional rugby union players in New Zealand

authors: Black, Katherine E.

abstract: Preseason in rugby union is a period of intensive training where players undergo conditioning to prepare for the competitive season. In some cases, this includes modifying body composition through weight gain or fat loss. This study aimed to describe the macronutrient intakes of professional rugby union players during pre-season training. It was hypothesized that players required to gain weight would have a higher energy, carbohydrate and protein intake compared to those needing to lose weight. Twenty-three professional rugby players completed 3 days of dietary assessment and their sum of eight skinfolds were assessed. Players were divided into three groups by the team coaches and medical staff: weight gain, weight maintain and weight loss. Mean energy intakes were 3,875 ± 907 kcal·d⁻¹ (15,965 ± 3,737 kJ·d⁻¹) (weight gain 4,532 ± 804 kcal·d⁻¹; weight maintain 3,825 ± 803 kcal·d⁻¹; weight loss 3,066 ± 407 kcal·d⁻¹) and carbohydrate intakes were 3.7 ± 1.2 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ (weight gain 4.8 ± 0.9 g.kg⁻¹·d⁻¹; weight maintain 2.8 ± 0.7 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹; weight loss 2. 6 ± 0.7 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹). The energy and carbohydrate intakes are similar to published intakes among rugby union players. There were significant differences in energy intake and the percent of energy from protein between the weight gain and the weight loss group.

text: Dietary intakes differ by body composition goals: An observational study of professional rugby union players in New Zealand Preseason in rugby union is a period of intensive training where players undergo conditioning to prepare for the competitive season. In some cases, this includes modifying body composition through weight gain or fat loss. This study aimed to describe the macronutrient intakes of professional rugby union players during pre-season training. It was hypothesized that players required to gain weight would have a higher energy, carbohydrate and protein intake compared to those needing to lose weight. Twenty-three professional rugby players completed 3 days of dietary assessment and their sum of eight skinfolds were assessed. Players were divided into three groups by the team coaches and medical staff: weight gain, weight maintain and weight loss. Mean energy intakes were 3,875 ± 907 kcal·d⁻¹ (15,965 ± 3,737 kJ·d⁻¹) (weight gain 4,532 ± 804 kcal·d⁻¹; weight maintain 3,825 ± 803 kcal·d⁻¹; weight loss 3,066 ± 407 kcal·d⁻¹) and carbohydrate intakes were 3.7 ± 1.2 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ (weight gain 4.8 ± 0.9 g.kg⁻¹·d⁻¹; weight maintain 2.8 ± 0.7 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹; weight loss 2. 6 ± 0.7 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹). The energy and carbohydrate intakes are similar to published intakes among rugby union players. There were significant differences in energy intake and the percent of energy from protein between the weight gain and the weight loss group.

year: 2019

title: Invigorating the Church for Mission.  Action Research with Local Parishes

authors: Prebble, Edward Howard

subjects: Action Research

abstract: By drawing together the insights of Action Researchers and a personal theological/spiritual conviction of the total and limitless Love of God I present a bridge between the discourse of faith, worship and spirituality on the one hand, and the discourse of management/organisation studies on the other.  This bridge is akin to the steering platform on a metaphoric double-hulled canoe. I have brought the collective wisdom of each hull to the setting of the direction of my thesis and my guidance to its destination.

An open, inclusive, and questioning epistemological approach implied by the integration of those diverse ontological assumptions was applied to a research project with members of five Anglican parishes who wanted to explore how they could bring about change among themselves and how they could connect more effectively with their neighbouring communities.  I crafted a participatory action process described as ethnographic pastoral inquiry. Key characteristics of this process include a deliberate inclusion of spiritual considerations, a high degree of mutual trust, an unhurried pace, a willingness to change on the part of the facilitator and the target group, and an openness to the unexpected.  The working groups in the five parishes were facilitated to identify several new initiatives of community-facing work.  

Reflections on the research project led to advocating for Missional Viability as the recommended organising principle for local parishes.  If a parish is missionally viable its members can commit to reflect more adequately the Christian principles from which the Church as a whole takes its direction.  Three components of missional viability were identified:
a.	An functional relationship with an observable community of people outside of its worshipping members
b.	A well-developed (or rediscovered) sense of the congregation’s mission, 
c.	A commitment to a deepening of spirituality among its members and others with whom they have contact.
By emphasising spirituality as a dimension of the research process itself rather than simply an insight emerging from but still incidental to the central point of a research project, I make a contribution to the elaboration of the field of intentional action research genres. I argue that an overt acknowledgement of spirituality should be an integral aspect of the holistic approach typically advocated by Action Research theorists.  At the same time, the project reported here gives strong support to the view that in the study of churches and other religious organisations the methods associated with Action Research are particularly compatible with theological foundations of religious orientations to ‘being in the world’.  The project draws on the emancipatory or salvific power of research as organisations are regarded as partners in the inquiry. The findings become material for their members to use in discerning their own sense of vision and direction, thereby assisting them in finding strength to take the necessary risks involved in bringing about change.

text: Invigorating the Church for Mission.  Action Research with Local Parishes By drawing together the insights of Action Researchers and a personal theological/spiritual conviction of the total and limitless Love of God I present a bridge between the discourse of faith, worship and spirituality on the one hand, and the discourse of management/organisation studies on the other.  This bridge is akin to the steering platform on a metaphoric double-hulled canoe. I have brought the collective wisdom of each hull to the setting of the direction of my thesis and my guidance to its destination.

An open, inclusive, and questioning epistemological approach implied by the integration of those diverse ontological assumptions was applied to a research project with members of five Anglican parishes who wanted to explore how they could bring about change among themselves and how they could connect more effectively with their neighbouring communities.  I crafted a participatory action process described as ethnographic pastoral inquiry. Key characteristics of this process include a deliberate inclusion of spiritual considerations, a high degree of mutual trust, an unhurried pace, a willingness to change on the part of the facilitator and the target group, and an openness to the unexpected.  The working groups in the five parishes were facilitated to identify several new initiatives of community-facing work.  

Reflections on the research project led to advocating for Missional Viability as the recommended organising principle for local parishes.  If a parish is missionally viable its members can commit to reflect more adequately the Christian principles from which the Church as a whole takes its direction.  Three components of missional viability were identified:
a.	An functional relationship with an observable community of people outside of its worshipping members
b.	A well-developed (or rediscovered) sense of the congregation’s mission, 
c.	A commitment to a deepening of spirituality among its members and others with whom they have contact.
By emphasising spirituality as a dimension of the research process itself rather than simply an insight emerging from but still incidental to the central point of a research project, I make a contribution to the elaboration of the field of intentional action research genres. I argue that an overt acknowledgement of spirituality should be an integral aspect of the holistic approach typically advocated by Action Research theorists.  At the same time, the project reported here gives strong support to the view that in the study of churches and other religious organisations the methods associated with Action Research are particularly compatible with theological foundations of religious orientations to ‘being in the world’.  The project draws on the emancipatory or salvific power of research as organisations are regarded as partners in the inquiry. The findings become material for their members to use in discerning their own sense of vision and direction, thereby assisting them in finding strength to take the necessary risks involved in bringing about change.

year: 2012

title: Proposing a Kaupapa Tuku Iho informed Māori model for practice to enhance cultural competence and foster kaimahi flourishing within health and social service providers

authors: Winiata, Rangimarie

subjects: Kaupapa Tuku Iho

abstract: Kaupapa Tuku Iho are Māori values that have been used across various social institutions to inform culturally competent practices with those accessing services. This thesis set out to promote the use Kaupapa Tuku Iho to not only enhance cultural competence and culturally appropriate services, but to take a step further and explore factors that foster the flourishing of kaimahi (workers) who deliver those services. There is research that suggests kaimahi in health and social services are overworked, burdened by stressed and approaching a state of compassion fatigue. This is detrimental for those both delivering and accessing services. This study will explore factors that foster kaimahi flourishing and enable kaimahi to practice Kaupapa Tuku Iho, along with factors that stand as barriers to achieving flourishing and culturally competent practice.
Furthermore, I have developed Ngā Kākano, which is a values-based model informed by Kaupapa Tuku Iho that aims to foster kaimahi flourishing and achieve culturally competent practice within health and social service providers. Ngā Kākano has been aligned to various psychological disciplines, including Community Psychology, Industrial-Organisational Psychology and Indigenous Psychology.
Data concerning the exploration of barriers and enablers kaimahi experienced was collected using a Kaupapa Māori research approach consisting of focus group structures combined with Wānanga as a Kaupapa Māori research methodology. The data was analysed using processes of thematic analysis, where themes were identified and presented in association with the relevant stages of Ngā Kākano.
	The findings of this study saw the organisation stood as a prominent barrier to kaimahi practising Kaupapa Tuku Iho and achieving flourishing. This reflected a need for the organisation to make improvements to support kaimahi in all necessary forms that enable them to achieve flourishing as reflected in positive states of being. It became apparent that most kaimahi were able to achieve flourishing through the practice of Kaupapa Tuku Iho between, amongst and across all kaimahi throughout the organisation irrespective of direct support from the organisation.

text: Proposing a Kaupapa Tuku Iho informed Māori model for practice to enhance cultural competence and foster kaimahi flourishing within health and social service providers Kaupapa Tuku Iho are Māori values that have been used across various social institutions to inform culturally competent practices with those accessing services. This thesis set out to promote the use Kaupapa Tuku Iho to not only enhance cultural competence and culturally appropriate services, but to take a step further and explore factors that foster the flourishing of kaimahi (workers) who deliver those services. There is research that suggests kaimahi in health and social services are overworked, burdened by stressed and approaching a state of compassion fatigue. This is detrimental for those both delivering and accessing services. This study will explore factors that foster kaimahi flourishing and enable kaimahi to practice Kaupapa Tuku Iho, along with factors that stand as barriers to achieving flourishing and culturally competent practice.
Furthermore, I have developed Ngā Kākano, which is a values-based model informed by Kaupapa Tuku Iho that aims to foster kaimahi flourishing and achieve culturally competent practice within health and social service providers. Ngā Kākano has been aligned to various psychological disciplines, including Community Psychology, Industrial-Organisational Psychology and Indigenous Psychology.
Data concerning the exploration of barriers and enablers kaimahi experienced was collected using a Kaupapa Māori research approach consisting of focus group structures combined with Wānanga as a Kaupapa Māori research methodology. The data was analysed using processes of thematic analysis, where themes were identified and presented in association with the relevant stages of Ngā Kākano.
	The findings of this study saw the organisation stood as a prominent barrier to kaimahi practising Kaupapa Tuku Iho and achieving flourishing. This reflected a need for the organisation to make improvements to support kaimahi in all necessary forms that enable them to achieve flourishing as reflected in positive states of being. It became apparent that most kaimahi were able to achieve flourishing through the practice of Kaupapa Tuku Iho between, amongst and across all kaimahi throughout the organisation irrespective of direct support from the organisation.

year: 2022