Self-reported Perceptions of Weight and Eating Behavior of School Children in Sunderland, England

The main aim of this study was to determine the self-reported perceptions of weight and eating behaviors of school-age children in Sunderland in the North East of England. The results presented are derived from data collected by a Health-Related Behaviour Survey developed by Schools and Students Health Education Unit at Exeter University, and this study is based on analysis of the data set collected for Sunderland. A total of 12,213 pupils from nine secondary schools completed the questionnaire biennially from 1996 to 2012. The sample included 12 and 13 year olds and 14 and 15 year olds. Various health and social issues related to perceptions of weight and eating behaviors were determined. Trends related to these issues were identified according to age and gender of respondents, and differences between the groups were highlighted. From the analysis, some interesting findings relating to eating patterns and weight perception amongst young people were ascertained. Females of both age groups reported a greater desire to lose weight than their male counterparts. The percentage of school children who reported having breakfast at home has increased progressively, as have those having lunch at school. The percentage of school children purchasing lunch from takeaway outlets has dramatically decreased. This is pleasing since health policy of limiting take out provision is high on government agenda and these trends can be used by policy makers to focus on continuing to improve school meals. The findings partly support other national data but also contradict the widely held beliefs around food and obesity in the North East of England

Choral Ensembles: Choirs in 3-D

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents Choral Ensembles: Choirs in 3-Dhttps://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1637/thumbnail.jp

KSU Choral Ensembles Fall Concert

The combined choral ensemble area presents their 2019 fall concert.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/2255/thumbnail.jp

Choral Ensemble

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents: Choral Ensembles.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1561/thumbnail.jp

Statistical modelling of individual animal movement: an overview of key methods and a discussion of practical challenges

With the influx of complex and detailed tracking data gathered from electronic tracking devices, the analysis of animal movement data has recently emerged as a cottage industry among biostatisticians. New approaches of ever greater complexity are continue to be added to the literature. In this paper, we review what we believe to be some of the most popular and most useful classes of statistical models used to analyse individual animal movement data. Specifically, we consider discrete-time hidden Markov models, more general state-space models and diffusion processes. We argue that these models should be core components in the toolbox for quantitative researchers working on stochastic modelling of individual animal movement. The paper concludes by offering some general observations on the direction of statistical analysis of animal movement. There is a trend in movement ecology towards what are arguably overly complex modelling approaches which are inaccessible to ecologists, unwieldy with large data sets or not based on mainstream statistical practice. Additionally, some analysis methods developed within the ecological community ignore fundamental properties of movement data, potentially leading to misleading conclusions about animal movement. Corresponding approaches, e.g. based on Lévy walk-type models, continue to be popular despite having been largely discredited. We contend that there is a need for an appropriate balance between the extremes of either being overly complex or being overly simplistic, whereby the discipline relies on models of intermediate complexity that are usable by general ecologists, but grounded in well-developed statistical practice and efficient to fit to large data sets

School of Music Holiday Concert

The Kennesaw State University School of Music presents its 2019 Holiday Concert.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/2277/thumbnail.jp

Holiday Concert

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents: Holiday Concert.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1575/thumbnail.jp