Individual Lifestyle Changes Research Articles

Finally, some hope. Communicating systemic aspects of climate‐change mitigation

AbstractClimate communication, including from museums, often advocates individual lifestyle changes, and while these are necessary, the biggest emissions reductions will come from the systemic transition to renewable energy sources. The importance of this systemic change and its attainability has been under‐communicated in the public discourse, although bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have increased their focus on it. We tested a message focusing on systemic aspects and actions that individuals can do to accelerate the renewable energy transition against a message advocating lifestyle change and a neutral message on the science of climate change. The neutral message elicited the highest levels of negative emotions, whereas the systemic message elicited higher levels of hope. These higher hope levels mediated increased behavioral intentions for doing the suggested system‐aimed actions and for making lifestyle changes. Our results suggest that museums and climate communicators should prominently feature systemic aspects of climate change mitigation.

Networked sustainable lifestyle activism: growth and limits of zero waste movement in urban China

ABSTRACT How do citizens express environmentalism and lead sustainable change in an authoritarian country like China, where contentious political civic actions have limited saliency? Can we re-imagine what forms of citizen action build ’environmental movement’ in this socio-political context? Based on 41 in-depth interviews and seven months of participant observations in China’s zero waste community, this article proposes networked sustainable lifestyle activism as an important form of environmental movement in China’s socio-political context. Drawing on lifestyle movement (Haenfler et al. 2012) and sustainable materialism (Schlosberg 2019) theories, I analyze the growth, characteristics, and limitations of the zero waste movement in China. It consists of sustainable lifestyle activism that adopts lifestyle change for broader sustainability, pursues anti-consumerism authentic identity and well-being as a site of change, and grows through social media and informal networks. Meanwhile, the movement goes beyond individual lifestyle change as networks of secondhand material flow and collective, non-contentious environmental actions. Difficulties to promote widespread, thorough sustainable lifestyle change and constrained political engagement are important factors that limit the movement’s effects. My research contributes to the literature on new environmental movements, theoretical discussion of environmental movements in China, and empirical understanding of civic environmental actions in this socio-political context.

I Am More than HIV: A Qualitative Exploration of Factors That Can Strengthen Resilience Among HIV-Positive Gay Men in Australia

IntroductionHIV-positive gay men continue to experience stigma related to sexual orientation and HIV status. Although resilience toward such stressors can be achieved, limited Australian research exists that examines how resilience is strengthened toward these dual stigmas.MethodsA total of 20 men from Melbourne, Australia, participated in semi-structured interviews between March and October 2019 to explore ways in which they manage such stigmas.ResultsReflexive thematic analysis identified two primary themes: (1) “intrapersonal control,” which relates to individual mind set and lifestyle changes that participants utilized to strengthen resilience; (2) “systemic change,” which includes participants’ needs for better public health messaging. Findings show resilience was enhanced when proactive approaches to sexual orientation, HIV health appraisal, lifestyle changes, and social support were made. Further, outdated HIV awareness campaigns and a lack of current messaging regarding HIV transmission in the wider community were identified as inhibiting resilience development and promoting stigma among gay men.ConclusionThe results from this study show ways that Australian gay men strengthen their resilience through both intrapersonal (e.g., self-awareness, reappraisal, and self-efficacy) and external resources (e.g., education and public awareness) and how health care providers and social policy makers could better support the men to achieve this.Social-Policy ImplicationsFindings suggest that targeted public health responses are required to compliment the advances made in biomedicine and viral suppression.

University Student Food Insecurity as a Form of Structural Violence

Studies of college student food insecurity emphasize the personal characteristics of students and their individual health outcomes, reflecting trends in public health to encourage individual lifestyle changes. More recent work in public health diverges from this focus to encourage conceptualizing health issues not as individual failings but rather as failures of larger systems that are necessary to support health and well-being, implicating the availability of grocery stores, adequate wages, and other contextual barriers to healthy eating. We argue that college student food insecurity should not be conceptualized in terms of the factors affecting individual students but in terms of how the institutional context of the university both creates the conditions under which some students are more likely to be food insecure and also neglects to address these structural failures. Using the framework of structural violence to examine specific ways that these failures occur and are made invisible in the case of college student hunger, we examine recent changes in universities. Unfortunately, these efforts support the focus on individual efforts and success, which contribute to higher rates of food insecurity for students than the general population.

Promoting the transfer of pro-environmental behaviours between home and workplaces

Promoting individual lifestyle changes towards pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs) has been one of the key strategies for tackling the climate crisis adopted by governments. Messaging to promote PEBs has been used in different contexts – most notably home and workplace settings; however, the message phrasing, opportunities, and motivations for adopting these behaviours can differ between locations. In this study, from a sample of working people, we investigate the sources and themes of PEB messages they remember. We then classify these based on their underlying motivations (egoistic, altruistic or biospheric). We compare these messaging prompts to those PEBs actually tried by participants and the factors leading to their successful or failed adoptions related to institutional or societal norms. Finally we explore what motivates and supports the transfer of adopted contextual PEBs between home and work. Our results highlight that messaging triggering a diversity of motivations may lead to the greatest adoption rates. For transfer of actions to be successful between contexts, both infrastructure and behavioural norms need to receive support for PEB changes to become habitual and ubiquitous.

Exploring the Relationship Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Age-Related Hearing Loss: A Literature Review

Introduction: By 2050, the international prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is expected to triple, resulting in immense healthcare costs and personal effect. In recent years, researchers have identified age-related hearing loss (ARHL) as one of the most prevalent causes in older adults to be associated with the predisposition for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD. However, the relationship between the two remains unclear. Several plausible mechanisms explaining this hearing-cognition relationship have been suggested, such as social isolation, auditory activation, and neurobiological factors. This review seeks to investigate the literature examining the relationship between ARHL and dementia, how ARHL as a modifiable risk factor plays a role in the severity of cognitive decline in the AD and MCI population, and advocate for why further research on this topic is essential to help create a cognitively healthier and more informed older adult population. Methods: A comprehensive literature review of fifteen peer-reviewed articles was conducted using a predetermined protocol and inclusion criteria, such as keywords and databases. The search was limited to published articles in the English language from 2010 – present. Results: No associations were found between brain cortical thickness and those with AD and ARHL in comparison to those with SCD where an association was present. A moderate correlation was found between neurobiological factors such as ApoE4 to explain the relationship between AD and ARHL. The use of active hearing aids did not contribute to a cognitive benefit in those with moderate AD and ARHL compared to the use of placebo hearing aids, or after the secondary activation of hearing aids in the placebo group. Discussion: The literature shows inconclusive results about the mechanism linking ARHL and AD. The pattern of findings did not show consistent results between studies supporting a particular domain to explain the mechanism behind this relationship. Conclusion: Through conducting this review, a greater understanding and awareness about the role of ARHL as a risk factor of MCI and AD is provided. Ultimately, this is important in individual lifestyle changes to prevent the onset of ARHL, and subsequently dementia in order to live healthier and with higher quality as they age.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on allied health programs at the University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC): an analytical case study

The overall mission of community colleges encompasses several key components and principles, such as being cost-effective, accessible, serving as a pathway to four-year institutions, and preparing students for the workforce entry-level positions. However, 1,167 community colleges in the United States of America have been facing one of the worst threats to humanity in the 21st century, the coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 is a communicable sickness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (World Health Organization, 2022).1 The viral outbreak took the entire world by surprise with paralytic consequences on health, economy, and education. Millions of people lost their lives related to the COVID-19 infection. Worldwide, individual and public lifestyle changes, such as wearing facemasks, travel bans, and quarantines became mandatory due to the fast virus outbreak. Actions were taken worldwide to contain and slow down the spread of the virus and its adverse effects. On March 13, 2020, US President Trump declared a national coronavirus emergency.2 People were mandated to stay and work from home in isolation. In the United States, specifically in the academic sector, instantaneous unscheduled closures of schools were implemented. Faculty and students were forced to stay at home and convert to remote learning. Reviewing the impact of COVID-19 on community college faculty and students, we conducted a literature search of hundreds of publications on the impact of COVID-19 and its effects on health and education, and surveyed several students, faculty, and staff in our division. We found multiple publications on the consequences of the pandemic on education, healthcare providers, university staff, and students. This article presents the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the faculty and students in the division of Nursing, Allied Health, Life, and Physical Sciences (NAHLPS) at an inner-city HBCU Community College.

Quality of life, perceived stress and nutrition of patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A descriptive study

Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and common functional bowel disorder that currently has no definite treatment. Depending on the type and severity of the individual's symptoms, medication, diet, and/or lifestyle changes are recommended. Aims: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the quality of life, perceived stress levels, and nutrition of individuals diagnosed with IBS. Subjects and Methods: Between March 2020 and March 2021, 340 patients with IBS volunteered for this study. The demographic information questionnaire, Irritable Bowel Syndrome Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) scale, Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14), and Food Frequency Questionnaire were applied via an online form. Results: From the 340 patients, 230 were eligible. Out of them, 27% followed a special diet for IBS. When the IBS-QOL scores of men were compared according to their educational status, the scores of those with a high school or higher education level (109.7±32.8) were found to be higher than those with a lower education level than high school (95.4±17.5) (p=0.008), while the educational status of women did not affect the IBS-QOL scores (p>0.05). The mean IBS-QOL score of men was 44.8 ± 20.1 and lower than women (50.9±21.7) (p=0.030). The mean IBS-QOL score of women following an IBS-specific diet was 57.6 ± 22.6 and higher than women who did not follow an IBS-specific diet (48.2±20.9) (p=0.023). The IBS-QOL scores of women with gluten or lactose intolerance were lower than women without any intolerances (p=0.004). The mean IBS-QOL score for women with lactose intolerance was higher than those with gluten intolerance (p=0.004). When the IBS-QOL scores were evaluated according to the frequency of food consumption, no significant differences were found in the food groups (p>0.05). In this study, no significant correlation was found between IBS-QOL scores and PSS-14 scores (p>0.05). Conclusions: The prediction equations developed for healthy populations are not accurate enough to determine the energy requirements in SCD. Keywords: Irritable bowel syndrome, nutrition, stress, quality of life, patients.

Current global efforts are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Human activities have caused global temperatures to increase by 1.25°C, and the current emissions trajectory suggests that we will exceed 1.5°C in less than 10 years. Though the growth rate of global carbon dioxide emissions has slowed and many countries have strengthened their emissions targets, current midcentury net zero goals are insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial temperatures. The primary barriers to the achievement of a 1.5°C-compatible pathway are not geophysical but rather reflect inertia in our political and technological systems. Both political and corporate leadership are needed to overcome this inertia, supported by increased societal recognition of the need for system-level and individual lifestyle changes. The available evidence does not yet indicate that the world has seriously committed to achieving the 1.5°C goal.

(Water) bottles and (street) barricades: the politicisation of lifestyle-centred action in youth climate strike participation

ABSTRACT In resisting climate change, to what extent can lifestyle forms of activism be considered to be political? What are their determinants and to what extent do they differ from the determinants of other forms of action? What role do generational factors play? Does the centrality of lifestyle changes for young participants translate into a disaffection towards more traditional forms of action? This article explores the forms of action adopted by participants in two Fridays For Future (FFF) strikes, focusing on the repertoires of action of (young) climate justice protesters. We draw on protest survey data covering the FFF demonstrations held in 15 European countries in March and September 2019. Starting from a sharp generational contrast between the importance given to individual lifestyle changes in addressing the climate emergency, we investigate whether this results in significant generational differences in the choice of the repertoires of action. Challenging the vision of young people as ‘disaffected citizens’, it is demonstrated that young protesters do not participate less in claim-based action than older cohorts. Furthermore, a process of politicisation can be seen to be unfolding that leads to increased commitment in both lifestyle and political forms of participation – at least among active milieus.

Effects of Psychological Well-Being and Depression on Menopausal Symptoms in Middle-Aged South Korean Women and the Necessity of Exercise.

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data on the health by examining the effects of psychological well-being and depression on menopausal symptoms and the necessity of exercise in middle-aged women. This study is a cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire. The respondent's consent was obtained prior to data collection, and the investigation period runs from November 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021. The final analysis included 150 as respondents to the study. The tool developed by Yang was used for psychological well-being, the Korean integrated CES-D tool was used for depression, and the Menopause Symptom Index was used for menopausal symptoms. The differences and levels of psychological well-being, depression, and menopausal symptoms according to demographic and sociological characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA. The correlation between psychological well-being, depression, and menopausal symptoms was analyzed by Pearson's correlation, and the effect on menopausal symptoms was analyzed by multiple regression. Because of this study, significant results were found in marital status, religion, economic level, regular exercise, hobbies, personality, and subjective health in the difference in psychological well-being according to general characteristics. In depression, significant results were found in marital status, education level, monthly income, living status, regular exercise, hobbies, stress, personality, and subjective health status. Moreover, age, frequent exercise, hobby, and subjective health all had a significant impact on menopausal symptoms. According to the findings of the regression analysis, the factors influencing menopausal symptoms were, in that order, depression and psychological well-being. Among the factors that showed significant results for menopausal symptoms, exercise is recommended as a factor that can alleviate menopausal symptoms due to individual lifestyle changes, so it is expected to contribute to reducing menopausal symptoms and improving quality of life.

Multimodal preventive trial for Alzheimer’s disease (MIND‐ADMINI): Pilot trial progress and results

AbstractBackgroundInterventions simultaneously targeting multiple risk factors are most likely to prevent neurocognitive disorders. This was demonstrated in the 2‐year Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER). However, the feasibility and effects of multimodal interventions in individuals at an early symptomatic disease stage (prodromal AD) are unclear. The objective of the MIND‐AD trial was to evaluate the feasibility of an adapted FINGER‐based multimodal lifestyle intervention, with or without medical food, among individuals with prodromal AD.MethodsMIND‐ADMINI is a multinational proof‐of‐concept 6‐month randomized controlled trial (RCT, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03249688), with four trial sites (Sweden, Finland, Germany, France). The target population is individuals with prodromal AD using the International Working Group‐1 criteria and vascular and/or lifestyle‐related risk factors. The parallel‐group RCT includes three arms: 1) multimodal lifestyle/vascular intervention (diet, exercise, cognitive training and social stimulation, vascular/metabolic risk management); 2) multimodal lifestyle/vascular intervention+medical food (Fortasyn Connect); 3) regular health advice/care (control group). Primary outcomes: feasibility and adherence. Secondary outcomes: adherence to the individual intervention domains and healthy lifestyle changes,ResultsScreening began September 2017 and was completed May 2019 in all four countries. Altogether, 93 participants were randomized, and the 6‐month intervention was completed December 2019. Electronic data entry and processing was completed December 2020 (delays due to Covid‐19). The mean (SD) age of the entire sample was 72.9 years, education level was 12.8 years, and MMSE score 27.6 points. Vascular and lifestyle‐related risk factors were expected based on the inclusion criteria. Impaired fasting glucose (≥ 6,1 mmol/L) was seen in 29%, and 40% were overweight, with BMI ≥25 and, 12% had BMI ≥30. The intervention proceeded as planned and the preliminary results and participant experiences are positive, supporting the feasibility. Detailed results will be presented, and lessons learned will be discussed.ConclusionsFor the first time, MIND‐AD tests the feasibility of and adherence to a multimodal lifestyle intervention, alone or combined with medical food, among individuals with prodromal AD. The positive intervention experiences are important for this patient group currently lacking effective treatments. The trial also offers a model for pharmacological/non‐pharmacological combination therapies and informs larger efficacy prevention trials.

Increases in Household Food Waste in Canada as a Result of COVID-19: An Exploratory Study

The era of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a variety of individual lifestyle and behavioural changes, and could, therefore, potentially involve a shift towards more sustainable food systems. This research was conducted through an online survey of cross-sectional design. We surveyed 8272 Canadians in August of 2020. Participants answered questions about socio-demographic food waste amounts in kilograms, and food-waste-management behaviours. In this exploratory study, we assessed the relationships between socio-demographic variables, and self-reported food-waste behaviours through two-tailed significance testing. Results indicated that Canadian households self-reported an insignificant decrease in food waste during the pandemic. Respondents reported allowing food to expire, not utilizing leftovers, and not finishing meals. Understanding food-waste behaviour changes is key to designing effective mitigation strategies to reduce household food waste and to minimize the environmental consequences with which food waste is associated.

Climate change or what? Prognostic framing by Fridays for Future protesters

ABSTRACT Since August 2018, Greta Thunberg and Fridays for Future have captured the attention of the world by mobilizing millions of young students as well as adults to join their climate strikes. The movement has stressed the urgency of global warming and urged politicians to listen to science and take action. The collective action framing has thus been broad and inclusive, but correspondingly vague in terms of its demands. It is therefore pertinent to explore what climate strikers believe should be done to address climate change. By analysing responses to an open survey question posed to participants in the climate strikes in March and September 2019 from Stockholm, Malmö, Vienna, Berlin, Warsaw, Florence and Brussels, this article uses a mixed-methods approach to investigate prognostic framing in the European climate movement. Distinguishing between two dimensions of projected change—its character and its main agents—this study re-conceptualizes the common distinction between institutionalist and anti-institutionalist approaches as a split between top-down and bottom-up as well as the system change and system development types of prognostic framing. While top-down change within the current system is identified as the most common prognostic frame, considerable numbers of survey respondents instead stress individual lifestyle changes. A bottom-up change of the system to address global warming is somewhat surprisingly more likely to be articulated by middle-aged respondents than by youths. The latter frame also receives disproportionate support from the most left-leaning participants, which demonstrates the continued relevance of the left–right dimension in green politics.

Individual level lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic – A Finnish population-based study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic containment measures may affect lifestyle. We aimed to examine the changes in key lifestyle factors based on the data from same individuals before (2017) and during (2020) the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe study is based on the FinHealth 2017 Study representing the Finnish adult population, and its follow-up questionnaire conducted in autumn 2020. A total of 4814 individuals aged 25 and older at baseline answered the same questions on lifestyle in both years. Regular leisure-time physical activity (LPA), daily use of vegetables and/or fruits, experience of adequate sleep, daily use of nicotine products and high-risk use of alcohol, were dichotomized (yes/no) for the analysis. Weighted prevalence (no/favorable/unfavorable change) for three age groups (25-49, 50-69, 70+ years) was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression, sampling design and non-response acknowledged.ResultsIn general, the prevalence of total changes observed varied 6 − 27% between lifestyle factors. The changes were both unfavorable and favorable for health. About 14% (95% CI 11,17) and 12% (95% CI 9,16) of older women and men, respectively, had LPA in 2017 but not in 2020. Corresponding prevalence for favorable change in LPA were smaller, 6% (95% CI 4,8) in older women and 7% (95% CI 4,9) in men. In older women, the results concerning daily use of vegetables and fruits were parallel. In contrast, in older women the changes observed in the experience of adequate sleep were mainly favorable. In all age groups, high-risk use of alcohol slightly decreased especially in men but the changes in use of nicotine products were minor.ConclusionsThe results highlight unfavorable changes in LPA and vegetable consumption especially in older women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the unfavorable changes may be explained by aging, but the pandemic containment measures may have accelerated them indicating the need for health promotion actions among the elderly.Key messages The lifestyle changes observed during COVID-19 pandemic were complex, varying by sex and age groups and being both favorable and unfavorable for health.Special attention should be given to promotion of physical activity in the elderly during and after the pandemic.

Reducing the risk of stroke: looking beyond lifestyle changes

Public health campaigns have led to more widespread awareness of the signs of stroke, but what can be done to raise awareness of stroke prevention interventions? Bakita Kasadha explores the actions that can be taken beyond individual lifestyle changes, and discusses the extent to which risk factors can be ‘modifiable’.

PENYULUHAN PENYAKIT DIABETES DAN PELATIHAN ALAT UKUR GLUKOSA SEDERHANA BAGI GURU MTS WIHDATUL ULUM DESA BONTOKASSI KECAMATAN PARANGLOE GOWA

Diabetes mellitus is one of the diseases caused because the individual's lifestyle changes and is not in accordance with the healthy lifestyle produced. Besides that, it is also due to a factor that is a cause that cannot be ignored. Knowledge of the wider community in rural areas is minimal because it is the cause of public ignorance about diabetes mellitus. The target of this service activity is the father / mother teacher of Mts WihdatulUlumBontokassi village, Gowa. The method used to achieve the target in this service activity added socialization of service activities by giving questionnaires to assess the level of knowledge of the target, transfer of reasoned drug use with the lecture method and discussion, use of blood test equipment, control, use of gout, administration of blood examination equipment to be used in the school environment, and publication of activities in journals or print media. As a result of this service activity, the target of the teacher / teacher in this service has increased knowledge about diabetes and how to use self-supporting equipment has been very good than before.

The Complementarity of Improving Quality of Life and Reducing Environmental Footprints in Urban Spaces: The Argument for ‘Hedonistic Sustainability’

In recent decades, the phenomena of urbanization and globalization have transformed cities into of technology, innovation, wealth and human capital. Cities have become spaces of high environmental destruction, and concurrently, frontrunner of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. The urban landscape consists of a complex network of actors, requiring an integrative and adaptive approach to be taken when considering sustainability and environmental soundness. Much of the sustainability discourse focuses on functionality, sacrifice, and often, individual lifestyle changes. This paper seeks to challenge that perspective by proposing that a collectivistic approach with implications of prosperity can optimize urban adaptation, remediation, and expansion amidst the agglomerations threat of climate change.

Understanding Motivations: Exploring Adolescents Perceptions and Experiences of Physical Activity-Nutrition Program

The increasing rate of obesity among children and youth is a major health concern for the Canadian population. Although exercise-based intervention programs have shown significant improvements in clinical markers, maintenance and management of these improvements are often stunted or reversed due to barriers relating to negative attitudes and lack of motivation towards exercise. The Self-Determination Theory suggests a shift in motivation towards physical activity, from lack thereof to autonomous, can occur within supportive environments. It is thus crucial to explore the perceptions and experiences of overweight adolescents enrolled in fitness-nutrition programs. This research attempts to go beyond the biophysical markers of health to provide insight on individual experiences that affect attitudes towards exercise and making healthy choices. In-depth interviews were conducted with adolescents (aged 12-16years) to discuss their experience(s) in a referral-based fitness-nutrition program. Results from this study revealed that participants' attitude and perception of exercise shifted from apprehension to full engagement/enjoyment and were associated with individuals gaining self-confidence. These attitudes further translated to individual lifestyle changes outside of the program, illustrating the shift in motivation from external to internal. These results suggest that a potential key to enhancing physical activity and making healthy choice among overweight adolescents lie in shifting individual attitudes from a motivation to autonomous motivation in pressure-free supportive environments.

Type 2 diabetes among Asian Americans: Prevalence and prevention.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing problem among Asian Americans. Based on the Centers for Disease Control, the age-adjusted prevalence of T2DM for Asian Americans is 9%, placing them at "moderate risk". However differential patterns of disease burden emerge when examining disaggregated data across Asian American ethnic groups; with Filipino, Pacific Islander, Japanese, and South Asian groups consistently described as having the highest prevalence of T2DM. Disentangling and strengthening prevalence data is vital for on-going prevention efforts. The strongest evidence currently available to guide the prevention of T2DM in the United States comes from a large multicenter randomized clinical control trial called the Diabetes Prevention Program, which targets individual lifestyle behavior changes. It has been translated and adopted for some Asian American groups, and shows promise. However stronger study designs and attention to several key methodological considerations will improve the science. Increased attention has also been directed toward population level downstream prevention efforts. Building an infrastructure that includes both individual and population approaches is needed to prevent T2DM among Asian American populations, and is essential for reducing health disparities.