Moral Fiber: Breakfast as a Symbol of ‘a Good Start’ in an Australian Obesity Intervention

What are the symbolic meanings of breakfast in the context of one of Australia’s largest childhood obesity intervention programs? Utilizing a range of theoretical insights into the morality of food and eating and the anthropology of food, we trace how breakfast is packaged and promoted to families in an Australian community as a ‘healthy start’ to the day. Through ethnographic and historic investigation, we argue that eating breakfast and certain types of breakfast foods are symbolic of a classed, healthy lifestyle pattern, embodying parental knowledge and bodily regulation to routinely structure daily life. In communities where poverty and unemployment are harsh realities, well-intentioned programs that encourage people to eat a healthy breakfast are encoded with an assemblage of moral values—of knowledge, foods, families, and times and spaces—that are often difficult to reconcile with the wider sociocultural context in which many people live.     

Introduction:

No abstract available for this article.     

Anatomy of the Alzheimer's Respite Care Program (ARCP)

The Alzheimer's Respite Care Program is an innovative project designed to serve caregivers of Alzheimer's clients. This unique model offers both in-home and instilutionally based respite care. Two community organizations which offer Adult Day Care respite forged a partnership to coordinate and expand their continuum of care, bringing many of the benefits of a day care setting into the home. This paper compares the original project conceptualization with its current design today. Factors affecting this evolution are explored together with program modifications incorporated to more appropriately respond to local needs. Key marketing strategies are discussed coupled with a presentation of program successes and recommendations for the future.     

Late adolescent female smoking

Although there have been intense efforts to reduce the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the past three decades, smoking continues to be a critical public health problem. An area of particular concern is the increasing number of young women who are smoking. Gender specific research usually does not examine factors affecting smoking behaviours. Information on late adolescent female smoking is not readily found in the literature. The aims of this study were to explore the smoking patterns and processes of late adolescent females and to explore factors which may or may not be helpful in assisting them to stop smoking. A qualitative ethnographic approach was used to uncover the perceptions of 25 adolescent girls of their behaviour. Data were collected using tape-recorded semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire. Items for the questionnaire were derived from the Manitoba Youth Smoking Survey and from the Fagerstrorn Nicotine Tolerance Scale. Qualitative analysis resulted in four stories about smoking: the start story, the smoking story, the quit story, and the looking to the future story. Although many of the findings are congruent with the existing literature, much of the data reflected the purposive nature of smoking in late adolescent girls. Study findings support the need for holistic approaches to health promotion to ameliorate factors affecting smoking behaviour.     

动脉粥样硬化患者血浆内皮素和一氧化氮水平的观察

目的研究血浆内皮素(ET)和一氧化氮(NO)在颈动脉粥样硬化(AS)中的作用.方法用颈动脉超声检测患者顼AS情况,同时测定血浆ET和NO水平.结果颈AS阳性患者血浆ET水平明显升高,NO水平较阴性患者明显降低.结论AS病变可引起血管内皮依赖性舒张功能障碍,NO降低,ET增高是导致或加重AS的重要因素之一.