Psychosocial and Environmental Determinants of Eating Behaviors,Physical Activity,and Weight Change Among College Students: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify factors that college students perceived as contributing to healthy and unhealthy eating patterns, physical activity (PA) levels, and weight change. Participants: Forty-nine 18- to 22-year-old students at a midwestern university participated. Methods: Six focus groups (3 with each gender) were conducted, and data were analyzed using qualitative software to code and categorize themes and then reduce these to clusters according to commonly practiced methods of qualitative analysis. Results: Eating and PA behaviors appear to be determined by a complex interplay between motivations and self-regulatory skills as well as the unique social and physical environment comprising college life. Moreover, there appear to be gender differences in how these determinants impact behavior. Conclusions: Future research should examine these interactions in the college context in order to further our understanding of potential interventions or environmental modifications that support healthy eating and PA.     

Steps Together: Children’s Experiences of Participation in Club Activities With the Elderly

The amount of time that children and elderly people spend alone has grown in recent years in Finland. Based on sociocultural theory, children’s development and learning occur in close interaction with the surrounding society, place, and time. The aim of this study is to research children’s experiences of participation in club activities for children and the elderly. The qualitative research data were collected by observing activities and interviewing children. The key factors in supporting children’s participation were common interests in rewarding activities. A warm atmosphere and humor during activities were also found to be important elements in creating positive interactions between children and the elderly.     

Subtypes of Problem Gamblers,Sociocultural Factors,and Availability of Gambling

Finnish treatment-seeking gamblers were examined in light of predominant problem gambler subtype models. “Psy science” oriented problem gambler subtypes were found to be considerably influenced by gambling cultures and treatment traditions in the countries from which the mainstream problem gambler research originates. Thus, models that emphasize the psychopathology of the individual might cause some friction when applied to countries like Finland with a quite particular gambling culture and addiction treatment system that traditionally functions on a social work basis. It is suggested that specialists helping problem gamblers should acquire local knowledge with which to complete psychiatrically oriented scientific knowledge.     

The Impact of Extending Working Lives on Youth Employment in Great Britain

ABSTRACT

The article investigates the association between youth and older workers’ employment participation in the United Kingdom using yearly data provided by the Labor Force Survey. Presenting a short state of the art, the paper shows that, with few exceptions, empirical analyses usually assume that increasing the labor market participation of the older workers does not affect negatively youth employment. Nevertheless, testing several variables and three different statistical models, the empirical part of the article nuances this evidence. The association between youth employment participation and older workers’ employment participation tends to be significantly after controlling for public policy outcomes.     

New Deeds for New Needs: Civil Society Action Against Poverty in Sweden

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - The emergence of new types and new levels of poverty in Sweden has spurred civil society organizations to take a more...