More than sense of place? Exploring the emotional dimension of rural tourism experiences

It is widely suggested that participation in rural tourism is underpinned by a sense of rural place or “rurality”. However, although nature and the countryside have long been recognised as a source of spiritual or emotional fulfilment, few have explored the extent to which tourism, itself often claimed to be a sacred experience, offers an emotional/spiritual dimension in the rural context. This paper addresses that literature gap. Using in-depth interviews with rural tourists in the English Lake District, it explores the extent to which, within respondents’ individual understanding of spirituality, a relationship exists between sense of place and deeper, emotional experiences and, especially, whether participation in rural tourism may induce spiritual or emotional responses. The research revealed that all respondents felt a strong attachment to the Lake District; similarly, and irrespective of their openness to spirituality, engaging in rural tourism activities resulted in highly emotive experiences for all respondents, the description/interpretation of such experiences being determined by individual “beliefs”. However, sense of place was not a prerequisite to emotional or spiritual experiences. Being in and engaging with the landscape � effectively becoming part of it � especially through physical activity is fundamental to emotional responses

Evaluation of Interdisciplinary Terrorism Preparedness Programs: A Pilot Focus Group Study

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.ingentaconnect.comMany terrorism preparedness trainings occur throughout the United States, yet few qualitatively examine trainees' needs and interests, reactions to training, or suggestions for training improvement. Eleven posttraining focus groups were conducted with 31 training participants at six sites. Participants were stratified by health profession discipline, and discipline-specific moderators conducted each session to better understand and probe for feedback. One additional moderator attended all sessions to increase consistency in methods across sessions. Focus group participants assessed changes in their perceptions, knowledge, and beliefs about terrorism preparedness. Participants reported perceiving terrorism as a potential threat but less likely than natural disasters. All-hazards crossover training for responding to terrorism and natural disasters was requested. The training was viewed positively, including the enrollment process, training content, and reference materials. Participants reported increased confidence in abilities to recognize a terrorist event. Participants stated they would like the training repeated annually with more first responders in attendance. Participants from rural areas had unique training needs based on limited resources and multiple roles of staff. While most participants wanted a longer, multispecialty conference with in-depth, discipline-specific breakout sessions, physicians requested shorter, separate training. Multispecialty training methods were successful and appreciated. This pilot study may serve as a template for qualitative evaluation of terrorism preparedness conferences for health professionals

The effects of progressive resistance training combined with a whey-protein drink and vitamin D supplementation on glycaemic control, body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in older adults with type 2 diabetes: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background - While physical activity, energy restriction and weight loss are the cornerstone of type 2 diabetes management, less emphasis is placed on optimizing skeletal muscle mass. As muscle is the largest mass of insulin-sensitive tissue and the predominant reservoir for glucose disposal, there is a need to develop safe and effective evidence-based, lifestyle management strategies that optimize muscle mass as well as improve glycaemic control and cardiometabolic risk factors in people with this disease, particularly older adults who experience accelerated muscle loss. Methods/Design - Using a two-arm randomized controlled trial, this 6-month study builds upon the community-based progressive resistance training (PRT) programme Lift for Life® to evaluate whether ingestion of a whey-protein drink combined with vitamin D supplementation can enhance the effects of PRT on glycaemic control, body composition and cardiometabolic health in older adults with type 2 diabetes. Approximately 200 adults aged 50 to 75 years with type 2 diabetes, treated with either diet alone or oral hypoglycaemic agents (not insulin), will be recruited. All participants will be asked to participate in a structured, supervised PRT programme based on the Lift for Life® programme structure, and randomly allocated to receive a whey-protein drink (20 g daily of whey-protein plus 20 g after each PRT session) plus vitamin D supplements (2000 IU/day), or no additional powder and supplements. The primary outcome measures to be collected at baseline, 3 and 6 months will be glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment). Secondary outcomes will include changes in: muscle mass, size and intramuscular fat; fat mass; muscle strength and function; blood pressure; levels of lipids, adipokines and inflammatory markers, serum insulin-like growth factor-1 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D; renal function; diabetes medication; health-related quality of life, and cognitive function. Discussion - The findings from this study will provide new evidence on whether increased dietary protein achieved through the ingestion of a whey-protein drink combined with vitamin D supplementation can enhance the effects of PRT on glycaemic control, muscle mass and size, and cardiometabolic risk factors in older adults with type 2 diabetes

How and why weight stigma drives the obesity 'epidemic' and harms health.

BACKGROUND:In an era when obesity prevalence is high throughout much of the world, there is a correspondingly pervasive and strong culture of weight stigma. For example, representative studies show that some forms of weight discrimination are more prevalent even than discrimination based on race or ethnicity. DISCUSSION:In this Opinion article, we review compelling evidence that weight stigma is harmful to health, over and above objective body mass index. Weight stigma is prospectively related to heightened mortality and other chronic diseases and conditions. Most ironically, it actually begets heightened risk of obesity through multiple obesogenic pathways. Weight stigma is particularly prevalent and detrimental in healthcare settings, with documented high levels of 'anti-fat' bias in healthcare providers, patients with obesity receiving poorer care and having worse outcomes, and medical students with obesity reporting high levels of alcohol and substance use to cope with internalized weight stigma. In terms of solutions, the most effective and ethical approaches should be aimed at changing the behaviors and attitudes of those who stigmatize, rather than towards the targets of weight stigma. Medical training must address weight bias, training healthcare professionals about how it is perpetuated and on its potentially harmful effects on their patients. CONCLUSION:Weight stigma is likely to drive weight gain and poor health and thus should be eradicated. This effort can begin by training compassionate and knowledgeable healthcare providers who will deliver better care and ultimately lessen the negative effects of weight stigma

Classroom in your pocket

This is a report on the work-in-progress of a project aiming to contribute to building a science and environmentally literate citizenry, by supporting teaching and learning located in the local environment. Social constructivist theory and authentic pedagogical approaches provide project educators with frameworks for approaching learning and teaching that immerse and engage students in science in their middle years of schooling. Project research demonstrates that multi-age groups of students can conduct fieldwork that could make a meaningful contribution to community biodiversity monitoring. The LEP (Local Ecostudy Project) aims to develop more student-directed approaches that support students as they frame their own inquiries into their local environment. Our project incorporates the use of mobile devices and collaborative technologies to provide students with tools and the capabilities to use these to maximize the learning potential of their access to the local community and their environment. Mobile mentors, mobile monitors, mobile learners.7 page(s