title: Helping Families Change Childhood Obesity

authors: Thomson, Alison

subjects: childhood obesity

abstract: The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate and is implicated in the onset of serious and life threatening health problems of both a physical and psychological nature.  The current research comprised of three main components.  Firstly, the reliability of a readiness to change questionnaire was examined, which had been completed by parents of obese children enrolled in the Bodywise childhood obesity programme.  Secondly, an analysis of outcome data from 36 families who completed the above programme was also undertaken in order to determine if the data identified their stage of change, as defined by the questionnaire  Thirdly, four semi-structured interviews were conducted with families involved with the Bodywise programme.  These parents provided information related to their experiences of lifestyle change, including what initiated change, what assisted change, and what barriers to change they had encountered.  Findings revealed that in accordance with the transtheoretical model the readiness to change questionnaire was a reasonably reliable instrument for indentifying parents' readiness to change their child's eating patterns and physical activity levels.  Analysis of the outcome data from the 36 families revealed individuals in the action stage of change for both eating and physical activity made more rapid change at the outset of the programme than individuals in earlier stages of change.  In addition, information derived from the interviews with families identified several promoters and barriers to change, many of which were similar across families.  Until now no studies have examined the application of the transtheoretical model to an intervention for childhood obesity.  Previous research has shown support for the model's use with other health problems.  Overall this study lends support for the utility of the transtheoretical model in childhood obesity intervention.

text: Helping Families Change Childhood Obesity The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate and is implicated in the onset of serious and life threatening health problems of both a physical and psychological nature.  The current research comprised of three main components.  Firstly, the reliability of a readiness to change questionnaire was examined, which had been completed by parents of obese children enrolled in the Bodywise childhood obesity programme.  Secondly, an analysis of outcome data from 36 families who completed the above programme was also undertaken in order to determine if the data identified their stage of change, as defined by the questionnaire  Thirdly, four semi-structured interviews were conducted with families involved with the Bodywise programme.  These parents provided information related to their experiences of lifestyle change, including what initiated change, what assisted change, and what barriers to change they had encountered.  Findings revealed that in accordance with the transtheoretical model the readiness to change questionnaire was a reasonably reliable instrument for indentifying parents' readiness to change their child's eating patterns and physical activity levels.  Analysis of the outcome data from the 36 families revealed individuals in the action stage of change for both eating and physical activity made more rapid change at the outset of the programme than individuals in earlier stages of change.  In addition, information derived from the interviews with families identified several promoters and barriers to change, many of which were similar across families.  Until now no studies have examined the application of the transtheoretical model to an intervention for childhood obesity.  Previous research has shown support for the model's use with other health problems.  Overall this study lends support for the utility of the transtheoretical model in childhood obesity intervention.

year: 2008

title: Buildings as dangerous spaces: mobilities of emotion and affect in disaster relocation

authors: Adams-Hutcheson, Gail

abstract: Disasters are something Mimi Sheller has been recently working with, e.g. her keynote at the last Mobilities Symposium was entitled mobility in a disconnected world, moving people, information and aid after disasters.
Disasters imply multitudes of varying mobilities and assemblages at different scales. Earthquakes also disrupt moorings, such as: pipes, roads, bridges, telephone and power cables, sewerage, gas lines and so on as well as buildings. Earthquakes roll and buckle the earth creating lasting and momentary upheavals, in turn causing inanimate objects, such as buildings to: jump, shudder, roll, collapse, lean, sway, bend, break and crack.
This paper is linked to my PhD project on people who relocated out of Christchurch to Hamilton following the devastating 2010/2011 earthquakes and aftershocks
In Christchurch, not only the ground moved through seismic motion, but people moved through internal/external migration (relocation) and they told moving stories imbued with emotion. 
I consider today the recentring of the corporeal body as an affective vehicle through which place and movement are sensed, particularly paying attention to embodied vibrations and how these are experienced at different times and in different spaces

text: Buildings as dangerous spaces: mobilities of emotion and affect in disaster relocation Disasters are something Mimi Sheller has been recently working with, e.g. her keynote at the last Mobilities Symposium was entitled mobility in a disconnected world, moving people, information and aid after disasters.
Disasters imply multitudes of varying mobilities and assemblages at different scales. Earthquakes also disrupt moorings, such as: pipes, roads, bridges, telephone and power cables, sewerage, gas lines and so on as well as buildings. Earthquakes roll and buckle the earth creating lasting and momentary upheavals, in turn causing inanimate objects, such as buildings to: jump, shudder, roll, collapse, lean, sway, bend, break and crack.
This paper is linked to my PhD project on people who relocated out of Christchurch to Hamilton following the devastating 2010/2011 earthquakes and aftershocks
In Christchurch, not only the ground moved through seismic motion, but people moved through internal/external migration (relocation) and they told moving stories imbued with emotion. 
I consider today the recentring of the corporeal body as an affective vehicle through which place and movement are sensed, particularly paying attention to embodied vibrations and how these are experienced at different times and in different spaces

year: 2016

title: Māori transitions into tertiary education

authors: Amundsen, Diana Leigh

subjects: Maori

abstract: This thesis critically examines Māori transitions into tertiary education. The research explored the lived transition experiences of 20 Māori tertiary education students in the Bay of Plenty region. Historical and contemporary factors in Aotearoa influencing effective Māori student transitions into tertiary education were investigated. Data were collected and analysed through repeated semistructured interviews and focus groups over the 2016-2018 period with 20 Māori students enrolled in a wānanga, a polytechnic and a university. Participants experienced their transition as a journey, continuously evolving their identities and agency in relation to the tertiary education environments and social structures they encountered.
The findings suggest that transitions to tertiary education for Māori students involve a reciprocal interplay of identity, agency and structure which support or constrain transition experiences. Effective transition experiences were underpinned by processes of continuity enabling identity growth. Support was central to how well participants perceived their transition—racism and lack of support were significant barriers; suitable support was a significant enabler.
An over-riding theme from this research related to the interplay of power relations and Māori identity. How effectively participants developed a sense of belonging (or alienation) and identity growth linked to the tertiary education environments they encountered during their transition. Within wānanga, participants felt their Māori cultural identity was highly valued; within polytechnics, there was a sense that Māori culture is included but more could be done; within universities, a need for more inclusive practices to support Māori learner requirements was identified.
Lastly, this research was conducted by a Pākehā researcher working across kaupapa Māori spaces within interpretive and critical paradigms. Unexpected moments of struggle, discomfort and vulnerability opened up new and deeper understanding of implications for Pākehā educators and researchers engaging across Māori research spaces. This thesis argues for Pākehā to use their privilege to foster more equitable social structures. Equitable social structures would be beneficial for Māori transitions into tertiary education environments.

text: Māori transitions into tertiary education This thesis critically examines Māori transitions into tertiary education. The research explored the lived transition experiences of 20 Māori tertiary education students in the Bay of Plenty region. Historical and contemporary factors in Aotearoa influencing effective Māori student transitions into tertiary education were investigated. Data were collected and analysed through repeated semistructured interviews and focus groups over the 2016-2018 period with 20 Māori students enrolled in a wānanga, a polytechnic and a university. Participants experienced their transition as a journey, continuously evolving their identities and agency in relation to the tertiary education environments and social structures they encountered.
The findings suggest that transitions to tertiary education for Māori students involve a reciprocal interplay of identity, agency and structure which support or constrain transition experiences. Effective transition experiences were underpinned by processes of continuity enabling identity growth. Support was central to how well participants perceived their transition—racism and lack of support were significant barriers; suitable support was a significant enabler.
An over-riding theme from this research related to the interplay of power relations and Māori identity. How effectively participants developed a sense of belonging (or alienation) and identity growth linked to the tertiary education environments they encountered during their transition. Within wānanga, participants felt their Māori cultural identity was highly valued; within polytechnics, there was a sense that Māori culture is included but more could be done; within universities, a need for more inclusive practices to support Māori learner requirements was identified.
Lastly, this research was conducted by a Pākehā researcher working across kaupapa Māori spaces within interpretive and critical paradigms. Unexpected moments of struggle, discomfort and vulnerability opened up new and deeper understanding of implications for Pākehā educators and researchers engaging across Māori research spaces. This thesis argues for Pākehā to use their privilege to foster more equitable social structures. Equitable social structures would be beneficial for Māori transitions into tertiary education environments.

year: 2019