Thinking beyond health to motivate dietary change: piloting a vegan healthy eating program for obesity management

This pilot study assessed the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of a novel approach to facilitating dietary change and weight loss in obese adults by presenting vegan environmental, health and farm animal treatment information in a 6 week, group-based, educational nutrition program (called a vegan healthy eating program). Twenty-nine (29) medically stable, obese adults were recruited from 3 ambulatory care clinics at UCSF and enrolled using partial randomization into one of two serially occurring intervention groups (Group 1 n=14, followed by Group 2 n=15). A delayed intervention control group (n=9) was used, consisting of participants enrolled in Group 2 who were available for collection of baseline measures prior to the start of Group 1s intervention. All intervention participants provided data immediately following their vegan healthy eating program (2 months post baseline) and again at 3 and 9 months post baseline. 10% of initial contacts (29 patients) met inclusion and exclusion criteria and were enrolled; 25 participants were retained at 3 months, 20 at 9 months. Mean intervention session satisfaction as measured by anonymous surveys using a 1-7 Likert scale (1=extremely unsatisfied, 7=extremely satisfied) was 6.2 (SD=1.1). Statistically significant reductions in calories from animal products, percent fat, cholesterol and increases in the recommended food score, fruits and vegetable servings were observed within the intervention group only, at all timepoints. Mean weight change was +2.8 lbs (3.0, n=8, p=0.035) in control participants after 4.3 weeks, and -3.4 lbs (5.0, n=25, p=0.002), -5.9 lbs (7.7, n=25, p=0.001), and -8.8 lbs (14.2, n=20, p=0.012) after 7.3, 15.6 and 41.7 weeks in intervention participants, respectively. In conclusion, this vegan healthy eating program demonstrated good feasibility, high satisfaction, and facilitated a shift towards a plant-based diet and modest, progressive short-term weight loss among intervention participants

How religion influences the use of social media : the impact of the online user’s religiosity on perceived online privacy and the use of technology in Saudi Arabia.

Religion has a significant effect on people’s lives. It impacts human behaviour, thoughts, morale standards, attitudes and values. The literature shows that religiosity has an effect also on consumer behaviour. However, the concept of religiosity has been under-researched due to the sensitivity of religion (Swimberghe, Flurry, & Parker, 2011). According to Vitell (2009) there is still a need to develop a vigorous theoretical understanding of the impact of religiosity on the consumer behaviour. This thesis contributes to that knowledge by developing a model to explain the effect of the religiosity of the online user on their use of social media. Current research does not fully explain the specifics of religious influences on online user behaviours. This thesis main goal is to build a model that can measure the effect of intrinsic religiosity on the use of social media. The proposed model uses the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) along with Privacy concern to measure the effect of religiosity on the use of social media. This thesis empirically tests the proposed model linking religiosity, privacy concerns, technology acceptance and the use of social media. Allport and Ross' (1967) religious orientation scale (ROS) is used to measure the intrinsic religiosity. Xu et al's., (2011a) model of privacy concern is used to measure privacy concerns when using social media. Venkatesh, Thong and Xu's (2012) unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) is used to measure the user acceptance of social media. Using partial least square structural equation modelling, intrinsic religiosity (ROS), and privacy concerns along with technology acceptance are shown to influence the use of social media. The results show that religion has an indirect effect on the use of social media through privacy concerns and technology acceptance. The results also show that the model can predict the effect of intrinsic religiosity on the use of social media to share and disclose information. The implications from this study are significant both for policy and practice for social media companies as well as users. Information from this study will help social media companies to maximize users’ involvement with social media. It will also benefit the industry and the literature by providing a sound model that can measure the impact of religion on the behaviour of users

Forgotten Laxdæla poetry : a study and an edition of Tyrfingur Finnsson's Vísur uppá Laxdæla sögu

The paper discusses the metre and the diction of a previously unpublished small poem about characters of Laxdæla saga, composed in 18th century. The stanzas are ostensibly in skaldic dróttkvætt; the analysis shows it to be an imitation of the classical metre, yet a remarkably successful one, implying an extraordinarily good grasp of dróttkvætt poetics on the part of a poet composing several hundred years after the end of the classical dróttkvætt period