Suchergebnisse

A reading program utilizing five components—a shortcut to phonemic awareness, Adapted Dolch words, Bridge lists and the Bridging process, reading comprehension, and American Sign Language development/language experience stories—was administered to 48 elementary school students at a residential school for the deaf. Data analyses reveal dramatic gains in students' reading levels and academic behavior, teachers' growth in reflective sign skills, and students' and teachers' overall growth in ASL skills, resulting in a more organized, consistent approach to linguistic input and usage.

Purpose. Little is known about obesity-related health issues among American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations. Approach. A large cohort of AIAN people was assembled to evaluate factors associated with health. Setting. The study was conducted in Alaska and on the Navajo Nation. Participants. A total of 11,293 AIAN people were included. Methods. We present data for body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) and waist circumference (cm) to evaluate obesity-related health factors. Results. Overall, 32.4% of the population were overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2), 47.1% were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), and 21.4% were very obese (BMI, ≥ 35 kg/m2). A waist circumference greater than 102 cm for men and greater than 88 cm for women was observed for 41.7% of men and 78.3% of women. Obese people were more likely to perceive their health as fair/poor than nonobese participants (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.91; 95% CI, 1.71-2.14). Participants younger than 30 years were three times more likely to perceive their health as being fair or poor when their BMI results were 35 or greater compared with those whose BMI results were less than 25 kg/m2. A larger BMI was associated with having multiple medical conditions, fewer hours of vigorous activity, and more hours of television watching. Conclusions. Given the high rates of obesity in AIAN populations and the association of obesity with other health conditions, it is important to reduce obesity among AIAN people.

Purpose. Assessment of self-reported physical activity (PA) and effects on health measures. Design. Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a cohort study. Setting. Education and Research Towards Health study participants from Alaska and the Southwestern United States enrolled from 2004 to 2007. Subjects. Total of 10,372 American Indian and Alaskan Native people (AI/AN) of at least 18 years. Measures. Participants completed computer-assisted, self-administered questionnaires, and anthropometric and health measurements were taken of each participant. Analysis. Analysis of variance, χ2 tests, and multiple linear regressions were used. Results. Almost 23% of participants reported less than 30 minutes per week of moderate or vigorous activities. Half (49%) reported no vigorous activities. Characteristics associated with more time spent performing vigorous activity were male gender, age less than 40 years, higher income and education levels, and living in a rural area. Almost 70 % of Alaskan participants and 36% of Southwest participants engaged in wild food—harvesting activities. Participants with higher levels of activity had significantly better clinical characteristics (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index, and waist circumference). Conclusion. AI/AN people engage in many different physical activities, including traditional harvesting activities. Women had lower levels of PA than men, and participation in vigorous PA was associated with better clinical characteristics. These data can be used to guide health promotion efforts in AI/AN populations.

This book distils the major themes of current debate into one volume edited by international experts. Issues covered include tail docking, pet obesity, isolation vs. group aggression, neutering feral cats and the need to conserve wildlife habitats in the face of wild animal overpopulation.

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW). ; The AGRI committee of the European Parliament requested EFSA to assess the welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems, including organic production, and to update its 2005 scientific opinion about the health and welfare of rabbits kept for meat production. Considering reproducing does, kits and growing rabbits, this scientific opinion focusses on six different housing systems, namely conventional cages, structurally enriched cages, elevated pens, floor pens, outdoor/partially outdoor systems and organic systems. To compare the level of welfare in the different housing systems and rabbit categories, welfare impact scores for 20 welfare consequences identified from the literature were calculated, taking their occurrence, duration and severity into account. Based on the overall welfare impact score (sum of scores for the single welfare consequences), obtained via a 2‐step expert knowledge elicitation process, the welfare of reproducing does is likely (certainty 66–90%) to be lower in conventional cages compared to the five other housing systems. In addition, it is likely to extremely likely (certainty 66–99%) that the welfare of kits is lower in outdoor systems compared to the other systems and that the welfare is higher in elevated pens than in the other systems. Finally, it is likely to extremely likely (certainty 66–99%) that the welfare of growing rabbits is lower in conventional cages compared to the other systems and that the welfare is higher in elevated pens than in the other systems. Ranking of the welfare consequences allowed an analysis of the main welfare consequences within each system and rabbit category. It was concluded that for reproducing does, as well as growing rabbits, welfare consequences related to behavioural restrictions were more prominent in conventional cages, elevated pens and enriched cages, whereas those related to health problems were more important in floor pens, outdoor and organic systems. Housing in organic rabbit farming is diverse, which can result in different welfare consequences, but the overall welfare impact scores suggest that welfare in organic systems is generally good. ; Peer reviewed