Berklee College of Music Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores

Berklee College of Music is a private music college with an acceptance rate of 58%. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, Berklee College of Music is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. The college has a history of success in historical and contemporary music education—its alumni have received more than 250 Grammy Awards. In 2016, Berklee College of Music merged with The Boston Conservatory (now known as Boston Conservatory at Berklee) and the two became known as Berklee. While the schools have merged, each school has an independent admissions and audition process. Undergraduate students at Berklee College of Music can choose to pursue either a professional diploma or bachelor of music degree in 12 majors, including composition, music production and engineering, and music therapy. Berklee also offers master’s programs at its international campus in Valencia, Spain in contemporary studio performance, scoring for film, television and video games, and global entertainment and music. Classes at Berklee are supported by an 11-to-1 student/faculty ratio. Campus life is active, and students operate the nation’s only all-ages, student-run night club where students and community members can perform. Berklee students can also participate on  Emerson College  varsity athletic teams which compete in the NCAA Division III Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Considering applying to Berklee College of Music? Here are the admissions statistics you should know. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Berklee College of Music had an acceptance rate of 58%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 58 were admitted, making Berklees admissions process competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 4,395 Percent Admitted 58% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 40% SAT Scores and Requirements Berklee College of Music does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission. Applicants can choose to include SAT or ACT scores as supplemental material, but they are not required. Requirements Although not required for admission, applicants to Berklee College of Music may submit SAT scores as supplemental admissions material. ACT Scores and Requirements Berklee College of Music does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission. Applicants can choose to include SAT or ACT scores as supplemental material, but they are not required. Requirements Although not required for admission, applicants to Berklee College of Music may submit ACT scores as supplemental admissions material. GPA The Berklee College of Music admissions office indicates that while there is no minimum GPA for admission, applicants with a GPA of 2.5 or below will not likely be considered strong candidates for admission. Admissions Chances Berklee College of Music, which accepts just over 50% of applicants, has a selective admissions process. Most successful applicants have above average high school GPAs and a  rigorous high school course schedule including AP, IB, and Honors courses. Berklee applicants are not required to submit an application essay or standardized test scores, but all applicants must participate in an interview and audition. Applicants may also submit supplemental materials such as resumes, letters of recommendation, recordings, and SAT or ACT scores. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. If You Like Berklee College of Music, You May Also Like These Schools Applicants looking for a designated music school, or a college with a strong music program might consider New York University,  Yale University, The Juilliard School, and  New England Conservatory of Music. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Berklee College of Musics Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Leadership Failures And Challenges Of Leadership Development

â€Å"Leaders are not born, they are made.† This quote can be seen at numerous officer training programs throughout the United States armed forces. Reflecting back on my officer training up to present, I can agree with that quote. Early in my training process with ROTC, many of my mentors told me that most of my leadership development would take place when I fail at something. Though I knew their advice held some merit, I did not fully grasp what they meant. Even now, I still am learning from their mentorship. As the topic of leadership development is explored, we will examine leadership failures, successes, and challenges that have played significant roles in my leadership development. One of my most challenging tasks was being appointed the†¦show more content†¦As I progressed through my first semester, it became readily apparent that this style of assignment management was not sustainable. I was sacrificing sleep, friendships, and various other areas with in my per sonal life. However, as I moved into my sophomore year, I was able to develop some person boundaries and better manage my time. I learned to properly prioritize my tasks and homework assignments. Doing this allowed me to sleep more and workout. During my junior year, stress management transformed from a failure to a challenge. Specifically, I challenged myself to plan obligation so effectively that I could pursue hobbies and travel more. I was successful in that endeavor. It was also during this time period where I learned to say â€Å"no.† When classmates would ask for my assistance or my boss would ask me to accept additional responsibility, I would make sure I could sustain my current production levels without being them being drastically impacted. Sometimes, that meant telling people â€Å"no.† While in my senior year, I was finally able to properly find healthy and sustainable ways to manage my stress. A leader needs to be able to take care of themselves in order to carry out the mission and take care of their followers. That being said, individual leadership development is as critical as group leadership development. Another area which I have noticed significant growth in over the past three years concernsShow MoreRelatedLeadership Analysis : Joan Gallos Compiles A Collection Of Authors That Examines The Integral Parts Of Leadership Essay1122 Words   |  5 Pagesthat examines the integral parts of leadership. Gallos constructed the work to assist leaders with leadership development. The book is divided into five parts that seek to equip leaders with tools and information to enhance a leader’s success. The five-part arrangement consist: Framing the issue, leadership preparation, anticipating challenges, making it happen, and sustaining the leader. 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Notably, ethical leadership is quite important duringRead MoreThe Challenging Task of Leadership in the Nursing Profession1442 Words   |  6 PagesNursing Leadership: Leadership is generally a challenging task across various work settings including the nursing profession. Actually, being a nurse leader is challenging when examining issues and situations that are unique to the healthcare sector. The complexity of leadership in nursing is attributed to the fact that nurse leaders are not only responsible for issues that are specific to their respective department but also mandated with the task of coordinating interactions between departmentsRead MoreTransactional Approach For Transactional Leadership1140 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom a transactional approach; employees perform a job and are rewarded based on how or what they do. Leadership has been hindered by this approach. While transactional leadership has a place within certain organizations, there is definitely a need to broaden organizational leadership approaches to attend to different organizations. My organization led and operated on a strictly transactional basis. Employees were expected t o write tickets and respond to collisions and based on the number of ticketsRead MoreThe Theories And Applications For Different Levels Of Employees973 Words   |  4 Pagesis facing is failure by employees to make good decisions, confront negative news, and make a substantial business case for fast action, and then the HR methods that may have influenced those decisions. The HR procedures should be taken into accounts which include rewards procedures, training procedures, performance management methods, and the hiring system. Objective The chief objective of the research is to identify the trials encountered by the HRD and how to solve those challenges. We will findRead MoreChapter 4 Frank Essay examples661 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿ Leadership Case Study Name: Institution: Leadership Case Study Case Problem A: Frank Won’t Accept â€Å"We can’t† for an answer Key issues/summary: Frank is a business development manager in a firm charged with the mandate of providing the government with business improvement solutions. The company is currently faced with the challenge of acquiring more contracts from the government considering the expiry of the existing contracts. Frank refuses to accept the loss of contract and the inability

Making April free essay sample

Making April Runaway World Making Aprils debut EP, Runaway World, is an amazing collection of fantastic lyrics, instrumentals and vocals. With a combination of beautiful, softer love songs to upbeat melodies, they use a myriad of instruments including piano and violin in addition to the standard rock band instruments to create a piano-pop sound that is unique compared to everything else on the market today. Making April are a New York State-based band that have had their music featured on MTVs Laguna Beach and were in myspace.coms top 10 unsigned artists at one point in time. All this attention is not undeserved, though; the ten-track EP is nothing short of incredible. The lyrics are deep and emotional, and combine feelings of sadness and bitterness with hints of happiness at the same time. For example, one of the most beautiful lines on the album is, â€Å"Cause then and there/with the wind in your hair/Heaven was jealous to merely look fair/against you. We will write a custom essay sample on Making April or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † This line is from the opening track These are the Nights, and is just one of the many sensory descriptions found in the songs. These entrancing lyrics are joined with strong vocals that have a wide range of ability. This combination is powerful and creates a sound that is both alluring and captivating to every person, whether they are a music lover or non-lover. All in all, Runaway World is a fantastic album that shows the potential of unsigned bands that can write songs and present them in a way that creates a magical sound, unforgettable to anyone who listens to them.

CHapter 12 test history Flashcard

CHapter 12 test history

How American Music Has Changed Over The Past 50 Ye Essays

How American Music Has Changed Over The Past 50 Ye Essays How American Music Has Changed Over The Past 50 Years How American Music Has Changed Over The Past 50 Years People have often wondered if music has always been around. Well, to answer that question I did some research to find out where our music originated. Our first reliable music records came from the Greeks and the Romans. Americans musical history is very short when compared to Japan, India, Africa, and China. We don't know much about our history until about 590-604 A.D. when people began to write music down, the first music that was written down was songs sung in churches. Another often asked question I decided to research is why people write music. I got a lot of different answers for this question. A few of them are: to witness their religious faith to other people; to express themselves; to have fun, they enjoy writing music! After that I researched different kinds of music. How many kinds are there in America? Thousands! There are so many the list would go on and on. Some of the more popular kinds are: rock, jazz, religious, alternative, and also classical. What is popular and what is not has changed a lot over the years, I doubt anyone in 590 A.D. ever even thought of rock music! Then I asked myself how does music effect people. I got the answer that music affects everyone differently, however certain kinds of music can change how people feel. For example heavy metal music will make you feel differently than classical music will make you feel. Music varies greatly around the world, mostly because it has a lot to do with culture. Africa's culture is very different from ours, so is their music. Americans have always liked music but it has become increasingly popular with young people over the last 50 years. Some older people look down on this, but I think music gives teens a sense of who they are, the kind of music you listen to shows who you are. Music is made with many different kinds of instruments and/or your voice. Some of those instruments are: guitars, violins, flutes, drums, and many new electrical instruments. People use music for many different things, like for instance dancing. Many people love to dance, but without music you couldn't dance. Or for in church it wouldn't be fun if you couldn't sing. So now you know about music but I have one more question will music ever die. My answer? No! I don't think it will ever die. Certain kinds of music will die but the concept of music will never end. It survived this long, right!

COLLEGE PAPER

COLLEGE PAPER Essay writing is a type of academic skill that is being acquired during your period of studies. The most important aspect of academic essay writing is college paper writing and trying to avoid underestimating of this particular skill. Why is that? While essay writing looks like a general capability, it makes your whole brain work. First of all, you are developing your left parencephalon, the left brain hemisphere that is responsible for building all types of logical chains. Second, you will develop your knowledge of English orthography. Third, you will be able to express your imagination and thoughts into clear linguistic patterns and so on. As you see the meaning of college paper writing is definitely cannot be underestimated as you will for sure benefit from it. While some people may disagree, but right college paper writing skill will definitely help you to obtain the job you want. When you find yourself being in short deadline and additional academic essay writing assistance is required, you may use college paper writing service to help you to get through. Professional writers who have years of experience will write a paper for you and you will have good example of what college paper guidelines and rules are as well.

Topics Discussed in Class - My Participation in Class Assignment - 2

Topics Discussed in Class - My Participation in Class - Assignment Example I had no idea that understanding the change in trends, economic environment, political and legal environment is significantly important for marketing. In economies where the culture varies, the marketers have to come up with new and innovative strategies to increase demand. The marketing strategies are built on the basis of understanding the economic environment of a society which comprise of factors like demographics, culture, political & legal environment and the technological advancements to which the people have adapted to. Globalization has increased competition and the barriers have been removed. This in turn has brought changes in the institutional environment and has brought a significant effect on the marketers and their strategies (Griffith, 2010). In this globalizing world the marketer must make an attempt to understand the laws and regulation of the economies they are engaging in business with. They must respect the culture of the people so that effective marketing can be done. Understanding the people must be the primary objective of the marketer. The political condition and stability of an economy may be subject to change. This may change a few laws and regulations of the economy. The stability of the company may be tested under these varying conditions. I studied that the management and the marketers design their strategies in accordance to the political stability/instability in an economy. Sovereignty, political risk, taxes etc. are major concerns for the investors and hence are also of significant importance to the marketers while forming strategies (Shenkar, 2004). The political risk in the economy, the hikes in taxes expected if any and the jurisdiction are part of the economic environments. A socio economic society is dominated by the social norms and cultures which have been developed by the residents of the society (Shenkar, 2004). This gave me knowledge of interrelation of the entire factor and their growing significant importance as the world is becoming a global village. Hofstede proposed various theories to signify the importance of culture. He also identified certain traits of the individuals of the society. He argued that it is very important that the varying culture of the economies must be studied. Hofstede’s dimension of cultural relationship is based on five factors which are power distance, individualist, masculine & feminine cultures, uncertainty avoidance and long term orientation. The study of this model gives a clear understanding and classification of culture. The understanding that was developed by the marketers was that culture is the biggest factor which determines the success or failure of the product. This model is related to nature and time and the significant impact of globalizing has increased its use (De Mooij & Hofstede, 2002). While studying this concept I developed an understanding that Market segmentation is the process of grouping various customers into segments which have similar needs. The responses of the individuals are also similar in this segment. The responses of the segments vary with the changing situation. The segmentation can be carried out on the basis of Demographics, Psychographics, Geographical location etc. similarly targeting is dividing the market into various groups and classes. Positioning is the process of developing an image of the product for the customer (Viswanathan & Dickson,

MEDIA MARKET Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

MEDIA MARKET - Essay Example Which particular group of viewers? Earlier, you mention doing an analysis by age - but this chart does not offer an analysis by age - it is an analysis by weekly reach. I have named the table and changed †this very particular group of viewers in different groups of viewers Your conclusion that ‘the % of people watching BBC1 is relatively low and is about 12%’ must be a misinterpretation of the data. I went in to Mediatel to check, and I attach a report from Mediatel which shows that in 2014, BBC1 actually had the highest share of all the major terrestrial channels with 21.7%. Indeed, I believe if you were to break down the total non-terrestrial share of 46.9% (which adds together all the satellite and cable channels), you would find BBC1 still to be the leader. It may be that you mean that BBC1 only reaches 12% of the 16-24 target group, which sounds right to me, but you don’t say so. By the way, you should illustrate the performance of these demographic groups as a chart or graph. There must be some misunderstanding because I checked once again the share of BBC1 annually. The data is copied from the spreadshit and I checked once again to find out that 21,7 is the share of the channel for all ages. The two statements "Moreover, it is considered that the average age of the BBC1 viewer is 59 years†Ã‚  and "Considering the fact that the average age of BBC1 viewers is between 56 and 59†Ã‚  cannot logically (or indeed mathematically) both be true. I corrected the first statement –the average age is 57,5 so these statements do not contradict each other. I  think  you slightly misunderstand the data  about  seasonal viewership. The simple fact is that in the UK in the summer, the days are longer and the nights shorter. This means in general people watch TV less in the evening and in primetime in particular. There are also the summer holidays to take into account. You are right to say that young

How to Write a Case Study Essay Example for Free

How to Write a Case Study Essay Wetting Balance TestingSolderability Testing Analysis Components -PWB- Assemblywww. standsgroup. com Requisite OrganizationFree research and information from the RO International Institute. www. requisite. org Novi Team BuildingIdealna zabava za zaposlene. Novo u Srbiji Bumper Ballswww. vekoldmc. com Business School Ads †¢ Case Study Business †¢ Business Case Study †¢ Swot Analysis Strategic †¢ Personal Swot Analysis †¢ Swot Analysis When writing a case study analysis, you must first have a good understanding of the case study. Before you begin the steps below, read the case carefully, taking notes all the while. It may be necessary to read the case several times to fully grasp the issues facing the company or industry. Once you are comfortable with the information, begin the step-by-step instructions offered below to write a case study analysis. Time Required: Varies Heres How: 1. Investigate and Analyze the Company’s History and Growth. A company’s past can greatly affect the present and future state of the organization. To begin your case study analysis, investigate the company’s founding, critical incidents, structure, and growth. ( Erwin) 2. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses Within the Company. Using the information you gathered in step one, continue your case study analysis by examining and making a list of the value creation functions of the company. For example, the company may be weak in product development, but strong in marketing. ( Ria) 3. Gather Information on the External Environment. The third step in a case study analysis involves identifying opportunities and threats within the company’s external environment. Special items to note include competition within the industry, bargaining powers, and the threat of substitute products. ( Vince) 4. Analyze Your Findings. Using the information in steps two and three, you will need to create an evaluation for this portion of your case study analysis. Compare the strengths and weaknesses within the company to the external threats and opportunities. Determine if the company is in a strong competitive position and decide if it can continue at its current pace successfully. ( Rod) 5. Identify Corporate Level Strategy. To identify a company’s corporate level strategy for your case study analysis, you will need to identify and evaluate the company’s mission, goals, and corporate strategy. Analyze the company’s line of business and its subsidiaries and acquisitions. You will also want to debate the pros and cons of the company strategy. ( Joyce) 6. Identify Business Level Strategy. Thus far, your case study analysis has identified the company’s corporate level strategy. To perform a complete analysis, you will need to identify the company’s business level strategy. (Note: if it is a single business, the corporate strategy and the business level strategy will be the same. ) For this part of the case study analysis, you should identify and analyze each company’s competitive strategy,  marketing strategy, costs, and general focus. ( Kristy). 7. Analyze Implementations. This portion of the case study analysis requires that you identify and analyze the structure and control systems that the company is using to implement its business strategies. Evaluate organizational change, levels of hierarchy, employee rewards, conflicts, and other issues that are important to the company you are analyzing. (Result pros cons c/o Mark) (Computations c/o Ira) 8. Make Recommendations. The final part of your case study analysis should include your recommendations for the company. Every recommendation you make should be based on and supported by the context of your case study analysis. (All Tips: 1. Know the case backwards and forwards before you begin your case study analysis. 2. Give yourself enough time to write the case study analysis. You dont want to rush through it. 3. Be honest in your evaluations. Dont let personal issues and opinions cloud your judgement. 4. Be analytical, not descriptive. 5. Proofread your work! What You Need †¢ A case study †¢ Instructions from your professor †¢ Writing tools †¢ Quiet time.

The Imagery of Othello Essay -- Othello essays

The Imagery of Othello Talks  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In the tragedy Othello the Bard of Avon uses imagery to talk between the lines, to set moods, to create a more dramatic impact on the mind of the audience, and for other reasons. Let’s consider imagery in this essay.    A surprising, zoo-like variety of animal injury occur throughout the play. Kenneth Muir, in the Introduction to William Shakespeare: Othello,   explains the conversion of Othello through his increased use of animal imagery:    Those who have written on the imagery of the play have shown how the hold Iago has over Othello is illustrated by the language Shakespeare puts into their mouths. Both characters use a great deal of animal imagery, and it is interesting to note its distribution. Iago’s occurs mostly in the first three Acts of the play: he mentions, for example, ass, daws, flies, ram, jennet, guinea-hen, baboon, wild-cat, snipe, goats, monkeys, monster and wolves. Othello, on the other hand, who makes no use of animal imagery in the first two Acts of the play, catches the trick from Iago in Acts III and IV. The fondness of both characters for mentioning repulsive animals and insects is one way by which Shakespeare shows the corruption of the Moor’s mind by his subordinate. (21-22)    Just how strong a force is the imagery in this drama? Is it more powerful than the chorus in ancient Greek tragedy? H. S. Wilson in his book of literary criticism, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, discusses the influence of the imagery of the play:    It has indeed been suggested that the logic of events in the play and of Othello’s relation to them implies Othello’s damnation, and that the implication is pressed home with particular power in the imagery.... ...enhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare: The Pattern in His Carpet. N.p.: n.p., 1970.    Heilman, Robert B. â€Å"Wit and Witchcraft: an Approach to Othello.† Shakespeare: Modern Essays in Criticism. Ed. Leonard F. Dean. Rev. Ed. Rpt. from The Sewanee Review, LXIV, 1 (Winter 1956), 1-4, 8-10; and Arizona Quarterly (Spring 1956), pp.5-16.    Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.    Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.      

Factors That Could Influence A Child Or Young Person’s Development

A2. A personal factor that may influence a Childs development would be being born with or later developing a brain tumour. Brain tumours can often lead to epilepsy, speech and communication difficulties, and even physical disabilities. A child that has epilepsy can be affected emotionally through embarrassment caused by having a seizure and the effects the seizure has on the child’s body i.e. They may lose control of their bladder. A night time seizure makes it difficult for the child to pay attention during lessons the next day, due to fatigue. An absent seizure (looking vacant/day dreaming) may disrupt their ability to process and remember information temporary. This can lead to difficulties with their reading, writing and maths. The child may get frustrated and annoyed as anything learned just prior to an absent seizure has to be repeated, due to short term memory loss. Other affects;Anti-seizure medications also may cause problems with mental processing and can cause fatig ue or hyperactivity, especially when trying to get the dosage right for the child’s needs. Children who can appear to be seizure-free may be experiencing epileptic discharges in the brain (epilepsy type waves occurring when there is no physical sign of a seizure). However a child may show signs by being restless, distracted easily, and not being able to focus on the task at hand. Behavioural disturbances: – Fear, stress, embarrassment, frustration and even outbursts of anger. Having a buddy system in place and peer support may help build low self esteem. Being consistent and using clear direct instruction, repetition and praise and encouragement all helps.Another personal factor is asthma which is a chronic illness that can start in infancy. It can affect a child’s physical development they may not grow as tall as their peers due to having to take their preventative inhaler that contains steroids. Also having frequent time away from school can impede on their so cial skills as well as falling behind on lessons. An asthma attack can be brief or it can last for several days. An attack can be very scary  and exhausting.Although asthma is not curable, it can be controlled by taking medication and by avoiding contact with environmental â€Å"triggers† for asthma. Triggers that can induce an asthma attack are;  allergens (substances to which people are allergic), such as pollens, foods, dust, mould, or animal dander irritants in the air, such as dirt, cigarette smoke, gases and air pollution odours in the household, such as household cleaners, perfumes, paints, varnishes, fabric softeners, laundry detergents and cooking fumes respiratory infections, such as colds, and flu  exerciseEmotional stress such as excessive fear or excitement weather conditions – very cold, windy or sudden changes in the weather medications, such as aspirin or certain cough medicinesThis illness can cause behavioural and emotional effects in a child. T hey could experience lower self esteem due to not taking a part in sport activities, fear of trying for fear of an asthma attack. This can then have an impact on peer relationships, not being able to share fully in reached goals, or share in group camaraderie. Loneliness can occur possibly even depression.External Factor The external factors, which surround the child as opposed to being of the child can influence the child’s development in different ways, for example, the family environment can be a huge influence on the child’s development. A break-up of the parents can be massively disruptive for children, this may cause them to become withdrawn, or lose interest in school and education. Loss of focus and inability to concentrate, outbursts of emotion, lack of sleep. Not being able to cope emotionally because of all the changes at home. i.e.Home routine disrupted arguments, loss of one parent in the household can cause grief, insecurity, fear, anger, self blame. Not being able to express their feelings verbally. Which can lead to unpredictable behaviour, isolating themselves from people, having angry outbursts, and even self harming? All can affect a child in areas of their development especially socially, emotional, communication and even  intellectually.Another external factor is poverty and deprivation, lack of food will cause lethargy and inability to concentrate at school. It may affect the child’s growth and health. Low self esteem due to not having the latest fashion in clothes, ill fitting clothes, bullying due to the way they look. Not having books, the latest gadgets and games etc will impede on their fine motor skills and hand eye co-ordination especially in their early years. Socially older children may make the wrong choices and even turn to crime to get what they don’t have. There may be low expectations due to their parents being uneducated or not being good role models.

Pup 301

Parul Singh PUP 301 5th February 2013 Putting Greenways in My life The article â€Å"Putting Greenways First† talks about how cities in America are trying to â€Å"Go Green† by investing in more parks, the planting of trees, and creating overall green neighborhoods and streets. These will encourage citizens to spend more time exercising outside rather than being cooped up inside in front of their television. In the 21st century, a lot of land is cut down and built on to serve as neighborhoods, shopping malls, government buildings and grocery stores as urbanization occurs due to high pressure of immigrants and population increase every year.These cities, such as Mumbai, often have little trees due to large population and no land to support the population. Though urban planners and locals alike have become more aware of the environmental issues affecting global warming, there has been a steady rise in different approaches to make cities beautiful, healthy and better place s to live in. The term â€Å"Greenway† comes to mind, as it is one of the first steps to making a city more environmentally friendly. Greenways are pedestrian streets like sidewalks, but instead of it being only concrete there is a high emphasis on vegetation.This creates both a visually attractive and comfortable setting for people to enjoy taking walks in contrast to taking the car. As the article suggests, low-density suburban sprawl may directly influence obesity rates in cities. Encouraging citizens to walk to school or use their bike by creating an attractive and pleasant environment may be one of the many solutions to lower obesity rates. As we see more development in our life, we can argue that the environment becomes more contaminated.There are around 20 billion tons of CO2 and other poisonous gases, like methane gas, that are absorbed by the atmosphere every year. This poisonous environment kills around 14 thousand people all over the world, for example if exposed t o methane gas, it causes dizziness, headache and nausea. This confirms that to achieve a healthy lifestyle at which people are not only wealthy but also healthy and safe, we need to find ways to protect our environment. Building a green city is thus a very sustainable strategy. I was born in India (Pune) and lived in Thailand (Bangkok) for all my life.These are developing equatorial countries where a lot of people live in the cities. So living in the cities of India and Thailand, I have always felt like there is not much greenery and the pollution in these cities is high. And every year whenever I go back to Pune, I always see there are more and more buildings; the land that is in the processes of being cleared. These cities are not growing sustainably or in a â€Å"green† way because India for example, has to put money in education, health care, and other thing in order to decrease the increasing population.America, on other hand prioritizes green way because they have alrea dy put a lot of effort and money on building schools and hospitals for its citizens. The issue in Phoenix and in Bangkok is that both places are hot. There are less outdoor events because of the heat. For example, people prefer playing tennis indoors than outdoors during summers, because they need to take extra precautions like putting sunscreen on their body to protect themselves from sun burns or carry extra water to keep themselves from getting dehydrated.In Bangkok, it is so humid that when you go outside for five minutes, people always take a shower. It is very time consuming to live in a place as hot as Bangkok or Phoenix because as it is really hot, people waste their time taking a shower twice or even three times a day, and this in turn wastes a lot of water. I went to Beijing, China in 2010, and I was shocked to see how well planned the city was despite the fact that it was still a developing city, with high population and very bad pollution. Approximately, Beijing city has around 40,000 trees.The trees are planted along the road and there is a pedestrian road, beside which goes into small green parks. The trees that are planted are all the same size, and during winter, the polythene sheets are wrapped around and thick ropes around the sheet protect the bark of the trees. I thought that it was a great way of making a city green, given the thought that it is not technically green because of the pollution. After reading the article, I thought that the ideas and examples given by Arendt in the article are solely based on America.Most American cities, compared to cities in developing countries, have a lower population per mile. People here like to settle in the suburbs of the city because they have bigger houses, more space where they can have their own gardens, which is a good idea considering the downtown of the city is noisier, polluted and has little vegetation. The article gave out a lot of examples of American cities where the planners are making ar eas of green parks, so people can spend quality time outdoors.They are also making public transports better, so people walk to the nearest train station or bus station. They have a lot of parks with walkways, where people can spend some time walking or jogging. This will make them fit and healthy. There are ideas like car-pooling, which is when two or more people share the same car to arrive at the same destination, so more than one person can travel in a car. It is seen as a sustainable way to travel, reducing carbon emissions and hence reducing people’s carbon footprint.In conclusion, I realized that the whole concept of greenways might be able to work in some cities, which are in Colorado or Florida, because of the climatic conditions, space to build parks and less population. But it would not work in developing countries because there is a lot of population ratio to little space. But measures can still be taken to create a more environmentally friendly atmosphere, for exa mple – some companies in London are making their building’s roof top green by planting trees in order to have a green and sustainable environment, in order to decrease the carbon footprint.In some countries, the government does not think of environment as their number one priority, mainly because they do not have enough money to reinforce ideas such as greenways. On the other hand, in cities like Phoenix, we are able to plant more trees and build parks which can provide a lot of shade and have a little sprinkling water which can make people come out of their houses more often. Greenways give sustainable solutions to various cities with climatic traits.

Quantitative Analysis Of The Griffith University Hotel Tourism Essays

Quantitative Analysis Of The Griffith University Hotel Tourism Essays Quantitative Analysis Of The Griffith University Hotel Tourism Essay Quantitative Analysis Of The Griffith University Hotel Tourism Essay The Griffith University Hotel wished to measure the bing installations at the City Hotel. The study aims to carry on quantitative analysis to measure the importance and public presentation of bing installations. In making this, the hotel will happen out which sort of installations are over-resourced and which need to be improved. In this study, statistical procedure is worked through by quantitative analysis and questionnaire study. Statistical informations are collected from respondents including concern and pleasance travellers. Quantitative analysis is a sort of research method based on numerical and statistical informations. It aims to place the results of research and guarantee it is dependable ( Carlson et al. , 2009 ) . During the research procedure, a big group of people are selected as respondents to reply certain inquiries. And so, replies are given as primary resources. In this study, concern and pleasance travellers are chosen to reply the inquiries to place the importance and public presentation of bing hotel installations. Meanwhile, during the statistical research by utilizing Excel, p-value for t-test and standard divergences are calculated based on the importance and public presentation of hotel installations. In this research, there are 17 hotel installations in entire in conformity with the importance and public presentation tabular array provided by Excel. Generally, concern and pleasance travellers feel same about the hotel installations. Most significantly, there are three important insta llations in the City Hotel including in-room overseas telegram telecasting, in-room broadband connexion, and free day-to-day newspaper. Finally, there are besides three highest public presentation installations including household eating house, tennis tribunals and express check-out. Research inquiries What are the five most of import, five least of import, five best public presentation and five worst public presentations installations in the City Hotel? Which installation is over-resourced and which needs to be improved? Which installation has the most of import difference between concern and pleasance travellers in conformity with the term of importance? Research method The research of the study is conducted by importance and public presentation analysis. The type of analysis is widely used and gives prescriptions to efficaciously advance the direction of client satisfaction ( Rood and Dziadkowiec, 2010 ) . Meanwhile, it is besides a tool to develop selling schemes. In the cordial reception industry, importance and public presentation analysis is viewed as a important research method. The purposes of the research method are to place and measure the importance and public presentation of bing hotel installations in conformity with customersaa‚Â ¬a„? satisfaction. It is focused on two groups of people, including concern and pleasance travellers. In making this, the director of the City Hotel will cognize which installations are over-resourced and which need to be improved. It gives recommendations for future direction and operations. Therefore, importance and public presentation analysis is an efficient and effectual manner to cover with s uch issues. There are four stairss when carry oning the importance and public presentation analysis. First, place the two groups of people including concern and pleasance travellers. Second, calculate relevant informations for concern and pleasance travellers by utilizing Excel. Third, make a spread secret plan in conformity with the concern and pleasance travellers means. Finally, happen out the five most and least importance, highest and lowest public presentation bing installations from measuring the p-value for t-test. And so, place any differences of importance and public presentation between concern and pleasance travellers. Consequences The tabular array below indicates the mean and standard divergence in conformity with the importance and public presentation of bing installations in City Hotel. It is obvious that there are five most of import installations in the City Hotel, including in-room overseas telegram telecasting ( m=4.24, SD=1.01 ) , in-room broadband connexion ( m=4.03, SD=1.17 ) , free day-to-day newspaper ( m=3.75, SD=1.43 ) , a-la-carte eating house ( m=3.74, SD=1.39 ) , and express check-out ( m=3.62, SD=1.53 ) . On the other manus, there are besides five least of import installations including tennis tribunals ( m=2.26, SD=1.59 ) , mini-bar ( m=2.75, SD=1.65 ) , wireless broadband connexion throughout hotel ( m=2.92, SD=1.65 ) , express check-in ( m=3.21, SD=1.64 ) , and tour engagement service ( m=3.25, SD=1.60 ) . Meanwhile, there are five highest public presentation installations which are household eating house ( m=3.96, SD=0.75 ) , tennis tribunals ( m=3.93, SD=0.73 ) , express check-out ( m=3. 89, SD=0.71 ) , express check-out ( m=3.89, SD=0.71 ) , and in-room wage films ( m=3.85, SD=0.71 ) . And eventually, there are five lowest public presentation installations which are express check-in ( m=3.66, SD=0.65 ) , in-room broadband connexion ( m=3.69, SD=0.69 ) , wireless broadband connexion throughout hotel ( m=3.69, SD=0.69 ) , room service ( m=3.69, SD=0.68 ) , and a-la-carte eating house ( m=3.69, SD=0.65 ) . Table 1, Overall importance mean and SD Facility Overall Importance Mean Overall Importance SD Overall Performance Mean Overall Performance SD In-room broadband connexion 4.03 1.17 3.69 0.69 Wireless broadband connexion throughout hotel 2.92 1.65 3.69 0.69 Room service 3.49 1.53 3.69 0.68 A-la-carte eating house 3.74 1.39 3.69 0.65 Family eating house 3.26 1.61 3.96 0.75 Mini-bar 2.75 1.65 3.83 0.76 Swiming pool 3.36 1.54 3.83 0.71 Secondary school 3.31 1.68 3.77 0.68 Tennis tribunals 2.26 1.59 3.93 0.73 In-room wage films 3.41 1.60 3.85 0.71 In-room overseas telegram telecasting ( foxtel ) 4.24 1.01 3.79 0.68 Express check-in 3.21 1.64 3.66 0.65 Express check-out 3.62 1.53 3.89 0.71 Valet parking 3.39 1.61 3.71 0.69 Free day-to-day newspaper 3.75 1.43 3.70 0.70 Games room 3.37 1.58 3.84 0.74 Tour engagement service 3.25 1.60 3.89 0.76 Figure 1, Scatter secret plan of the importance-performance The figure above is the spread secret plan based on the importance and public presentation of hotel installations. There are four sections in this spread secret plan, including A, B, C, and D. Part A means over-resourced so that the installations in this portion are non of import but have a high public presentation. Although such installations have good public presentation, clients will non see them as an indispensable factor to their satisfaction. Most significantly, the tennis tribunals are viewed as the most over-resourced installation in the City Hotel. Part B means good public presentation and good importance. The installations in this portion have good public presentation and are of import to customersaa‚Â ¬a„? satisfaction. And so, express check-in is an first-class service in the City Hotel. Part C has low public presentation and low importance. The installations in this portion are non of import to clients and have low public presentation. The radio broadband is useless to clients. The installation may be eliminated to cut down the hotelaa‚Â ¬a„?s operation cost. Part D means high importance but low public presentation. The installations in this portion need more attending. The in-room broadband connexion should be earnestly considered and improved consequently. Table 3, T-test ( P lt ; 0.05: there is a important difference ) in-room broadband connexion radio broadband connexion throughout hotel room service a-la-carte eating house household eating house mini-bar swimming pool secondary school tennis tribunals in-room wage films in-room overseas telegram telecasting ( foxtel ) express check-in express check-out gentleman parking free day-to-day newspaper games room circuit engagement service Business 4.16 2.99 3.62 3.84 3.09 2.77 3.29 3.03 2.19 3.28 4.24 3.05 3.77 3.47 3.97 3.16 3.00 Pleasure 3.86 2.84 3.34 3.61 3.48 2.73 3.45 3.55 2.35 3.56 4.24 3.41 3.43 3.29 3.49 3.62 3.56 T-test ( P-value ) 0.033 0.456 0.130 0.197 0.049 0.834 0.385 0.010 0.413 0.155 0.972 0.073 0.074 0.388 0.006 0.017 0.004 P lt ; 0.05 Bacillus Phosphorus Phosphorus Bacillus Phosphorus Phosphorus The tabular array above indicates the results of T-test on the City Hotel installations. It is obvious that there are differences between concern travellers and pleasance travellers. The information for free day-to-day newspaper and in-room broadband connexion are 0.006 and 0.033 severally. It means that concern travellers and pleasance travellers have different attitude on the same installations. In room broadband connexion and free day-to-day newspaper are considered more of import by concern travellers ( M=4.16 A ; M=3.97 ) than pleasance travellers ( M=3.85 A ; M=3.49 ) . On the other manus, some installations are more of import for pleasance travellers than concern travellers. Tour booking service ( T=0.004 ) , games room ( T=0.017 ) , secondary school ( T=0.010 ) , and household eating house ( T=0.049 ) are considered more of import by pleasance travellers because they are more often used than concern travellers. Decision In decision, the study gives the importance and public presentation of bing installations in the City Hotel. There are five most of import installations in the City Hotel, including in-room overseas telegram telecasting, in-room broadband connexion, free day-to-day newspaper, a-la-carte eating house, and express check-out. They need to keep because they have appropriate importance and public presentation. Meanwhile, there are besides five least of import installations including tennis tribunals, mini-bar, radio broadband connexion, express check-in, and tour engagement service. There are besides five lowest public presentation installations which are express check-in, in-room broadband connexion, radio broadband connexion, room service, and a-la-carte eating house. Such installations need to be improved for future operations and public presentation in order to run into customersaa‚Â ¬a„? satisfaction. And so, there are five highest public presentation installations which are household eating house, tennis tribunals, express check-out, express check-out, and in-room wage films. Such sorts of installations are over-resourced so that they need non future betterment. The City Hotel can cut disbursals on the installations to cut down costs. Meanwhile, concern travellers and pleasance travellers have different penchant on same installations. In room broadband connexion and free day-to-day newspaper are considered more of import by concern travellers. Tour booking service, games room, secondary school, and household eating house are considered more of import by pleasance travellers. The City Hotel should place and measure the different penchant on certain installations in order to run into the overall client satisfaction.

The Importance of the Central Limit Theorem

The Importance of the Central Limit Theorem The central limit theorem is a result from probability theory. This theorem shows up in a number of places in the field of statistics. Although the central limit theorem can seem abstract and devoid of any application, this theorem is actually quite important to the practice of statistics. So what exactly is the importance of the central limit theorem? It all has to do with the distribution of our population. This theorem allows you to simplify problems in statistics by allowing you to work with a distribution that is approximately normal. Statement of the Theorem The statement of the central limit theorem can seem quite technical but can be understood if we think through the following steps. We begin with a simple random sample with n individuals from a population of interest. From this sample, we can easily form a sample mean that corresponds to the mean of what measurement we are curious about in our population. A sampling distribution for the sample mean is produced by repeatedly selecting simple random samples from the same population and of the same size, and then computing the sample mean for each of these samples. These samples are to be thought of as being independent of one another. The central limit theorem concerns the sampling distribution of the sample means. We may ask about the overall shape of the sampling distribution. The central limit theorem says that this sampling distribution is approximately normal- commonly known as a bell curve. This approximation improves as we increase the size of the simple random samples that are used to produce the sampling distribution. There is a very surprising feature concerning the central limit theorem. The astonishing fact is that this theorem says that a normal distribution arises regardless of the initial distribution. Even if our population has a skewed distribution, which occurs when we examine things such as incomes or people’s weights, a sampling distribution for a sample with a sufficiently large sample size will be normal. Central Limit Theorem in Practice The unexpected appearance of a normal distribution from a population distribution that is skewed (even quite heavily skewed) has some very important applications in statistical practice. Many practices in statistics, such as those involving hypothesis testing or confidence intervals, make some assumptions concerning the population that the data was obtained from. One assumption that is initially made in a statistics course is that the populations that we work with are normally distributed. The assumption that data is from a normal distribution simplifies matters  but seems a little unrealistic. Just a little work with some real-world data shows that outliers, ​skewness, multiple peaks and asymmetry show up quite routinely. We can get around the problem of data from a population that is not normal. The use of an appropriate sample size and the central limit theorem help us to get around the problem of data from populations that are not normal. Thus, even though we might not know the shape of the distribution where our data comes from, the central limit theorem says that we can treat the sampling distribution as if it were normal. Of course, in order for the conclusions of the theorem to hold, we do need a sample size that is large enough. Exploratory data analysis can help us to determine how large of a sample is necessary for a given situation.

Perma-Wood, Interlock, and Lumon Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Perma-Wood, Interlock, and Lumon - Assignment Example Perma-Wood has capitalized on renovation, repair and construction of wooden and glass structures targeting local customers who are either renovating or building new houses. Although the company has expressed its intention to go global, it has remained a local company since its launch 32 years ago. The organization had branded itself as a â€Å"client-oriented† organization that has remained and their service is based on the motto â€Å"our people† that is designed to mean that the organization’s employees are all geared towards â€Å"customer service† (PermaWood.com, 2013). The organization has used media industry to market its products in the famous â€Å"Steven and Chris† television program. In its marketing strategy, the company has featured quality production for its clients by the use of some its beautiful works in the media advertisement. Since the establishment of the â€Å"Wood First Movement† in Canada, the market has gained a lot of new entrants and competition has greatly increased in the wood services industry (Veniez, 2013). One of the major competitors of Perma-wood is the Black Forest Wood Company that has become a market leader in the industry. The organization has capitalized on unique quality products including the use of glass materials that has attracted most its customers and consequently generated a higher demand. This seems to be the main strategy that this company has utilized to resist competition and to survive in the industry. Although the force of competition in the market is still growing, the company seems to be moving forward through customer satisfaction strategy. A SWOT analysis of the Perma wood indicates that the organization has numerous strengths that has seen it survive in the market. Its quality driven services, customer-satisfaction and good worker relations has assisted the organization to remain a strong investor. However, the organization has exhibited a lot of weakness in its innovation and international strategies that hindered the organization from expanding its market. These weaknesses have made the organization vulnerable to the severe force of competition that has threatened to push the organization out of the market. The only way the organization can survive in this market industry is by capitalizing on the opportunities that have been brought about by the establishment of the â€Å"wood first† movement. This movement advocates wood use in construction be increased, a trend that promises more customers in the wood industry (Veniez, 2013). In conclusion, Permawood is a company that has remained competitive in the market through good customer and employee relationship. Although the organization seems to have streamlined its internal environment, there is evidence that the external market forces such a competition are threatening the organization. To survive in this market, the organization has to capitalize on the high demand trends that are e xpected in the near future in this industry. References Veniez, D., (2013). Wood First Should Make Way For Canada First. Business Canada. Retrieved from: PermaWood.com, (2013). Permawood: About Us. Retrieved from: Lumon Incorporation

Qualitative & Quantitative Designs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualitative & Quantitative Designs - Essay Example Both research designs are suitable for establishing how lack of communication is increasingly becoming a business problem within non-profit organizations. However, each approach has inherent strengths and weaknesses that make them suitable or not to solve the business problem. Establishing the issue of miscommunication in non-profit organizations can be successful due to the strengths associated with the qualitative research design. Such a design gives insight and explores the significance of miscommunication as a business problem. For example, the article uses the grounded theory approach, which is a qualitative research design. It is evident that qualitative research design is holistic as it approaches the issue right from its stem to its effect on business performance. It involves interviewing and reviewing the records held by the non-profit organization. The results are supported by the data obtained from interviews and observations. However, the method is quite broad. It covers a wide area and even includes items that have not been affected by the business problem. It takes a lot of time to research the issue at hand because the researcher had to formulate, test, and establish propositions until the problem is established. On the other hand, the quantitative research design successfully establishes the problem and dissects is cause and effect relationship. In addition, the method allows relationships to be tested, hence it is objective. The method is time saving or reductionistic as it only test items that are affected. The aspects of business performance affected by miscommunication include high staff turnover and reduced corporate social responsibility functions. The method tests theories and employs statistical analysis of figures. However, the method is limited by the fact that it generalizes items in an attempt to establish the cause and effect relationship. It might not be

Managing for the future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing for the future - Essay Example This fact can be analyzed by looking at the magazines who printed its success. "FT Global 500" by Financial Times, "The World's 2000 Biggest Public Companies" by Forbes magazine and by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (Developing Telecoms | China Mobile | Sponsors Directory, 2012). According to its official website, Limited China Mobile Limited(2012), it has more than 34 subsidiaries like China Mobile Communication Company Limited (â€Å"CMC") , ZONG, China Mobile Group Guangdong Company Limited ("Guangdong Mobile"), Jiangsu Mobile and Hong Kong Mobile etc. The board of directors of China Mobile Ltd consists of Executive Directors and Independent Non-Executive Directors. The executive directors are seven in number whereas the Independent Non-Executive Directors are three in number (China Mobile Limited - About China Mobile > Board of Directors, 2012). 1.1 Milestones from 2006-2012 2006 marks some of the most important changes which came in the company. China Mobile Limited was f ormerly named as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited. The change in the company’s name came in the year 2006. This year also marks the privatization of China Resources Peoples Telephone Company Ltd. The privatization benefitted the company allot and gave a boost to its annual profits. In 2006, News Corp. and STAR Group Ltd. formed wireless media tactical association with China Mobile Ltd (China Mobile Limited - About China Mobile > Milestones, 2012). According to the company’s official website the year 2009 marks a share subscription agreement with the company Far EasTone. This increased the annual company profit (China Mobile Limited - About China Mobile > Milestones, 2012). Guangdong Mobile and SPD bank signed a share subscription agreement in the year 2010. This agreement increased the interest of both the subsidiaries of the company. It further strengthened the company’s e-commerce and mobile finance businesses (China Mobile Limited - About China Mobile > Miles tones, 2012). 2012 marks a lot of success news for the company. The company got a lot of awards for its performance and expansion. "Grand Award Winners -- Investor Relations" and three "iNova Awards 2012" serve as the most honorable achievements of the company. Moreover, the company is nominated for the Top favorite China Corporate Brand voted by China Consumer" and it was included in the Financial Times magazine again. It is the company which keeps it head high by coming up for the Millward Brown and Financial Times' "BRANDZâ„ ¢ Top 100" list for the seventh year uninterruptedly (China Mobile Limited - Media Centre > News Highlights, 2012). 1.2 What about the future? From the year 2006-2012, the company has been the most successful company in the wireless mobile services business. It has seen many success stories and good times. It is important for the company to maintain its reputation and image for the future as well. Be it Apple Inc. or Samsung, all the companies have been at the top because they keep on inventing new things for the future. They try to plan for the future and implement the strategies accordingly. China Mobile Limited has a lot of competition in the age of wireless technology. To remain the best it has to innovate and plan for its future. A company’s success lies in the people who work for it. The company’s biggest assets are people (Zolezzi, 2004. pp.41). 1.3 Management, Marketing and Understanding the Key Stakeholders Marketing is a tool to sell the product or service. It

Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity

Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity Obesity in the UK – individual problem or national plague? Introduction: Levels of obesity are on the rise in the UK and following calls from doctors and other health professionals, the government has pledged to fight obesity with promises to help British society to fight the problem on a number of levels. Predictions are that in 2010 almost one third of adults will be obese (Lean et al., 2006), and the obesity epidemic, which is running out of control could bankrupt the health service (Haslam et al., 2006) adding to the calls for something to be done about the problem. Tony Blair has offered to provide money for prevention and fighting the existing symptoms of obesity. Obesity is arguably the greatest challenge to public health in Britain today and there is a need for effective action. One of the major warning signs is the rising levels of obesity among children and there is a growing recognition that if the problem is not tackled with some degree of urgency in this group the long term health of the nation will suffer. While there are now a number of wel l established potential treatments for obesity in the UK, it has been suggested that measures for enhancing self esteem would be particularly important in those groups identified as being at risk from later eating disorders and obesity (Button et al., 1997, p.46). The issue of health in general concerns the nation, with the government, consumers and businesses sharing the burden of addressing health related issues. The National Audit Office has estimated that obesity accounts for eighteen million days of sickness absence and 30 000 premature deaths each year (Bourn, 2001). Obesity has physical and psychological causes and symptoms but the nature of the psychological mechanisms involved in adjusting to obesity are unclear (Ryden et al., 2001). There are a number of health problems associated with obesity, with mortality rising exponentially with increasing body weight (Wilding, 1997).Despite the growing level of the problem, questions have been asked in respect of whether Britons really need this help at a national level and if they realise that obesity is a problem for individuals and the nation as a whole. The purpose of this study is to assess the views of Britons on the obesity issue. Levels of psychological well being, the locus of control and self esteem will be measured in relation to being overweight. Differences between men and women will be considered. In addition two different age groups will be investigated – under thirties will be compared with over thirties to ascertain similarities and differences. There is also an investigation into the effects, if any, of ethnicity on obesity. The main focus of interest will be to determine if there is a difference in self perception between those who consider themselves to be overweight and those who do not. In order to investigate the issue the body mass index will be calculated for all participants and compared with the perceptions they have of themselves in terms of being overweight. It is hypothesised that men will have higher levels of self esteem and will score more highly on measures of psychological well being than women. Previous studies have suggested that there are no significant differences between men and women in terms of locus of control in respect of weight (Furnham and Greaves, 1994). In order to investigate if this finding is still valid, the study will test the above variables taking into consideration differences in age and weight. Methodology: The sample will consist of a selection of individuals attending Weight Watchers meetings and sessions at the local gym. There will be sixty participants consisting of men and women aged over eighteen. Materials: A questionnaire will be designed to examine the variables discussed above and any relationship between them. The questionnaire will be divided into four parts:  · Part One – will ask questions about gender, age group (under thirties and over thirties), weight, height and will ask participants to declare whether o nt they believe themselves to be overweight;  · Part Two – will ask questions in respect of self esteem;  · Part Three – will ask questions in respect of locus of control;  · Part Four – will ask questions about psychological well being. In order to measure the effects of the various variables the following instruments will be used: Rotters Internal-External Locos of Control Scale (Rotter, 1996), Radloffs CES-D Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977) and Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (SES) (Rosenberg, 1965). Procedure: Half of the questionnaires will be given to those attending Weight Watchers sessions and the other half will be administered to those attending the local gym. Participants will be informed of the nature and purpose of the study and will be given assurances tat all information given will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be used for any other purpose. It will be stressed that participation in the study is voluntary and participants are free to withdraw at any time. Participants will also be free to omit any questions which they do not want to answer. Written consent will be obtained before participants take part in the study. Contact details will be given to the researcher in case of follow up queries. Analysis of Data: Data collected will be analysed using quantitative statistical analysis in the form of TTests. Discussion: The obesity epidemic in the UK continues to run out of control, with none of the measures that have been taken showing any sighs of halting the problem much less reversing the trend (Haslam, 2006, p.640). A number of areas have been identified which need to be addressed. There is the recognition that mental health problems in the context of low self esteem are associated with eating disorders. Mental well being is affected in the context of the workplace, with obese people often facing some degree of discrimination in their professional and social lives. There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that the problem is more widespread in some ethnic groups than in others. Many of the medical problems and complications associated with obesity are found in adults, but the increasing prevalence of obesity or the tendency to become obese in children, is also a worrying trend, further strengthening suggestions that prevention rather than cure is the key to tackling the problem in th e long term. While prevention in terms of maintaining weight loss and preventing people from putting on weight in the first place is the ideal, maintaining weight loss has been a major limitation of many of the approaches so far adopted (Wliding, 1997,p.998). Self Esteem: Although there is a general consensus that there are a number of factors at work in the context of eating disorders, self image has frequently been thought of as having a high profile role in the nature of these disorders (Button et al., 1997, p.39). Research in this area has been to a large degree unclear as those who have typically participated in the research have been those who have been in the process of seeking help and may therefore not be representative of the obese population in general (Ryden et al., 2001, p.186). It has often been suggested that a low self image is present and can be a contributory factor in causing individuals to develop eating disorders. Dyken and Gerrard gathered considerable empirical evidence to suggest that patients with eating disorders had slower levels of self esteem than their counterparts who are of normal weight (Dyken and Gerrard, 1986). A great deal of the research has been speculative in nature with very little evidence to suggest a causal l ink between low self esteem and the onset of eating disorders. As discussed above, it has been documented that obese individuals face discrimination on a number of levels. This can lead to their accepting these negative perceptions which can reduce self esteem even further and can lead to mental health problems (Ryden et al., 2001). Studies carried out in Sweden have supported this idea, with individuals who were obese experiencing significantly psychological distress than not only their healthy counterparts, but than those who had been involved in various forms of accidents or who were chronically ill (Sullivan et al., 1993). Studies carried out by Button found that girls aged 11-12 who had low levels of self esteem were, indeed more likely to have developed an eating disorder than their counterparts when they took part in a follow up study some years later when they were aged 15-16. These girls also displayed a range of other psychological problems (Button, 1990 cited in Button et al., 1997). Dieting usually results in weight loss and the lower the calorie intake, the more weight will be lost. Weight is usually regained and there is evidence that cognitive behaviour therapy may be a more successful approach, particularly if it is coupled with physical exercise. This may have more long term success, making it an effective approach with children and adolescents as good behaviour patterns in terms of adopting a healthy lifestyle can be developed and maintained (Wilding, 1997). In order to investigate the area of self esteem further Button and colleagues investigated rates of self esteem in a much larger sample of girls aged 15-16. Those who were identified as having eating disorders did display lower levels of self esteem than their counterparts, and the area in which they had the lowest levels of self esteem was in respect of their external appearance, cited as an area of low self esteem by 75% of the respondents who were problematic eaters (Button et al., 1997). Gender Differences: Eating disorders have been viewed as largely affecting women, with relatively few studies having been carried out in respect of men who have problems with weight and weight control. Since the 1990s there have been increasing numbers of males being identified as having eating disorders (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004, p.368). Research has begun to focus on whether there are gender differences associated with eating disorders. It has been suggested that men who develop eating disorders have higher levels of the personality traits associated with these disorders as overall rates are less for men than they are for women. Research has shown that men had less of a preoccupation with ideal body size and the drive for thinness than females (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004). Mental Health: Eating disorders in general, and obesity in particular have been attributed to underlying psychological problems such as depression or an inability to cope with certain aspects of life (Leon and Roth, 1977). This has led to the increasing adoption of cognitive therapy methods, providing training in better ways to deal with the difficulties in ones life which can lead to obsessive eating behaviour. Ryden and colleagues have proposed that the coping mechanisms which individual shave at their disposal can have an enormous impact on whether or not they will become obese (Ryden et al., 2001). The Extent of the Problem: The body mass index has been increasing in a number of countries and in the UK the National Audit Office have found that in the period from 1984 to 1993 rates of obesity doubled for both men and women (National Audit Office, 1994) and have been on the rise ever since. Not only are the rates of obesity continuing to rise, with 17% of men and 21% of women currently obese in the UK, but they are rising at a faster rate than in the past, with people being fatter than they were in the past (Clark, 2006, 123). Obesity levels are rising faster in the UK than elsewhere (While, 2002, p.438). There are also some quite startling differences, with women in the UK who are the heaviest weighing up to twice as much as their counterparts of the same height who are not overweight. Despite an increasing awareness about obesity and the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, the obesity problem continues to rise, being attributed to a complex interplay between a number of environmental factors. In the ir work in respect of eating disorders and self esteem Button and colleagues found that the rates of partial eating disorders were quite high at about 8% (Button et al.,1997). Obesity is starting to overtake smoking in the UK as the greatest preventable cause of illness and premature death (Haslam, 2006, p.641). Obesity has been strongly linked with poverty and with a lack of available public information, with many individuals realising that high fat products were unhealthy but they were unable to judge which products were high in fat and by how much (Vlad, 2003p. 1308). Psychological Well Being: Eating disorders in general have been linked to overall psychological well being. This means that in addition to the nations physical health, obesity must be addressed in the context of the effect it is having on the nations psychological well being. Button et al. found that those who had been identified as having eating disorders scored low on the self esteem scale but also had higher scores on the anxiety scale than their counterparts. The authors pointed out that their work which involved school students, was carried out close to examinations which may account for increases in levels of anxiety, and they could therefore not suggest a causal link without further follow up work (Button et al., 1997). Button and colleagues used a questionnaire in order to elicit further information in respect of self esteem in their subjects. When girls expressed general dissatisfaction with themselves, this was most often referred to in the context of physical appearance, with those identified as having eating disorders being more likely to make globally negative comments about themselves (Button et al., 1997, p.45). The same research found that family was an important factor in negative perceptions and low self esteem with a significant number of those identified as having eating disorders reporting that their family lives were characterised by arguments and an inability to communicate. The growing recognition that obesity has a psychological component, with low self esteem being recognised as an important factor, has led to suggestions that support needs to be given to people who are obese rather than ridiculing them (Mayor, 2004). Causes of Obesity: If obesity is to be successfully tackled in the UK and elsewhere, a sound understanding of the root causes must be established. The spiralling levels of obesity in the UK and elsewhere over the past thirty years have prompted suggestions that it is the environment which is playing the largest part in the problem as genes could not have changed to such a degree in such a short space of time (Clark, 2006, p.124), although there is recognition that there is a genetic component (Barth, 2002, p.119), with research from twin studies suggesting that the tendency to become obese is inherited. Not only are people eating more than they did a generation ago, but there have been a number of changes to the types of activities in which people are engaged. There has been a steady decline in the need for active working at home or in the workplace and an associated increase in sedentary jobs and occupations. In real terms physical activity has been seen as having shifted from something which people w ere paid to do, to something which people must now pay for in the form of joining a gym or similar pastimes. Considerable criticism has been levelled at the food production industry which produces high calories foods which are being eaten as snacks, taking daily calorie allowances above the recommended allowances. There has been an attempt to address this problem in the form of a number of initiatives such as those to increase physical activity to two hours per week in schools and the promotion of fruit and vegetables in schools, but there is little evidence of widespread success. Research carried out by Skidmore and Yarnell has suggested that the majority of obese adults were not overweight as children. This is suggestive of the fact that obesity comes about as the result of excess calorie intake over a period of many years. Education for healthy eating and living is therefore seen as vital in preventing future obesity and the associated health risks (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Environmental factors: Despite the identification of a genetic component, it has been argued that obesity can be largely prevented, with lack of physical activity and chronic consumption of excess calories, being the main preventable causes of obesity (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p. 819). It has been suggested that the environment provides a number of opportunities for the over consumption which leads to excessive weight gain. This has led to the conclusion that the obesity epidemic can only be effectively targeted if there are major changes in the environment and the ways in which people interact with it in respect of food and eating (Clark, 2006). Effects of Obesity: Obesity affects people of all ages including children and has damaging effects on all organs in the body. Long term consequences include diabetes and hypertension which can ultimately lead to strokes and coronary heart disease (Barth, 2002, p.119). The effects of obesity in relation to mortality can be marked. Research carried out has found that the risk of diabetes in men who were very overweight increased to a risk of being forty two times more likely than those who were not overweight and women and children have been identified by research as the groups most affected by obesity (Bhate, 2007, p.173). The governments proposed intervention has come about due to the realisation that many individuals are not able to make enough proactive changes to prevent excess weight gain and are simply reacting to their environment, one in which people eat larger portions, are more prone to snacking and are taking less exercise than their counterparts from a generation ago. Food is seen to be attached to a range of emotions, with eating being associated with celebration as well as a comfort when one is depressed. Because of the huge impact which the environment appears to be having on obesity, it has been argued that education alone will be insufficient in dealing with the problem, and environmental changes are urgently needed (Lean et al., 2006). Attempts to tackle the obesity problem have themselves brought difficult issues in terms of adverse outcomes such as the rise in eating disorders as more and more people battle with their weight. It has been suggested that long term monitoring of approa ches to treating obesity is required in order to deal with these associated problems (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Obesity as a Disorder: There is a growing recognition that obesity comes about as a result of an addiction to food, and, as with all addictions those who suffer require help and advice. It would appear that many of those who are obese eat not when they are hungry but in the context of a wider social agenda, fuelled by the constant availability of food. Once the cycle of weight gain begins it becomes cyclical in its nature and is compounded by lack of exercise, which leads to greater levels of weight gain. Many commentators have suggested that the failure of traditional approaches to tackling obesity point to the fact that a more successful approach may be to take the view of obesity being a disability which is characterised by a range of adverse consequences. Like other addictions, obesity requires treatment and support. The benefits of effective treatment cannot be overstated as even a small weight loss can reduce health risk for obese individuals (Goldstein, 1992). Addressing the Obesity Issue: The problem of obesity is placing a strain on public resources in the National Health Service as well as endangering the nations health. Action is therefore required at the national level as it has been argued that many of the factors operating at the environmental level such as the availability if fast food and the lack of exercise cannot be dealt with at the level of the individual and must therefore be addressed through a number of public health initiatives. Guidelines for prevention and treatment have been introduced in the United States and the United Kingdom, but it has been suggested that their implementation may take a number of years due to their complex nature and the number of organisations involved in the process (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). It has been suggested that the issue can only really be addressed through changes in the environment which will enable individuals to make more healthy lifestyle choices. Suggestions include making public transport more appealing and parks more inviting in order that individuals will want to take some moderate exercise and will not have to make considerable effort and choice in order to achieve this end. Eating healthy food should become the norm as these foods should be more prominently displayed in shops and other food outlets. While it is recognised that prevention would be the best ideal outcome in respect of obesity, until there is some success with preventative measures, the goal should be to help patients to deal with some of the physical and psychological costs of the problem and to ensure that any treatment given does not compound the problems that obese individuals already have. Prevention: Prevention is more important and easier to achieve than weight loss, with research showing that one third of obese patients will not lose weight by any medical means. It is therefore necessary to focus on preventing obesity in the first place, and enabling individuals to maintain their current weight. The principles of losing weight and maintaining weight loss are well known, but an effective evidence base of effective measures for preventing obesity does not currently exist (Haslam, 2006, p.641). The promotion of healthy eating and regular physical exercise is essential for both the prevention of future obesity and for treating individuals who are already overweight or obese. It has been suggested that obesity management should be included as an important part of health service planning with increasing numbers of staff trained in dealing with the problem. Research has shown that not only is considerable weight loss achievable through a programme of diet and exercise, but that this c an also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, which is becoming more common due to the increasing obesity problem (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Goals of Obesity Management: With the recognition that obesity is having a major effect on the health of the nation comes the realisation that something must be done to tackle the problem. The basic goal of obesity management is for individuals to reduce their weight in a way which is safe and not overly restrictive in terms of diet, which can lead to harmful adverse effects. Current recommendations from the World Health Organisation are that individuals should attempt to lose around 10% of their body weight (World Health Organisation, 1997), but for many individuals, particularly those who are unhealthy or physically inactive, this may not be realistic and it may be more reasonable to suggest not gaining any further weight as a realistic goal. Obesity in Children: One of the major areas of concern in respect of the obesity debate is the increasing prevalence of obesity in children. The government has set targets for the reduction of obesity in this age group but it has been suggested that the targets for reduction of the problem by 2010 are unlikely to be met because of confusion which exist among professional in respect of how to effectively tackle the problem. Even if preventative measures in respect of obesity were immediately successful, there would still be an epidemic of diabetes and related complications in the next two decades, because so many young people are already in the clinically â€Å"latent† phase of the disease, before clinical complications present (Haslam, 2006, p.641). As noted above one of the main problem areas is the issue of obesity in children, and many food preference choices are made in childhood, largely as a result of parental influence (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). In March 2005, the Health secretary John Reid, when announcing the governments three year strategy in respect of obesity, said that improving childrens eating habits is central to making Britain a healthier nation. The issue of childhood obesity is of concern due to the short term and long term effects. Most of the recommendations in this strategy concerned ways of tackling the problem of obesity in children. The Audit Commission has poi nted out that little progress has been made in the area o childhood obesity and if present trends continue, the next generation will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (The Audit Commission, 2003, cited in Cole, 2006). The British Medical Association has recommended a series of preventative measures for schools, including provision of healthy food in schools and the development of a curriculum pertaining to healthy eating. Advertising of unhealthy foodstuffs particularly aimed at children has largely been banned, and there have been calls for the Food Standards Agency to develop new standards in nutritional content, food labelling and marketing. It has been shown that there is a correlation between socioeconomic status and poor diet, so it has been suggested that efforts should be particularly concentrated on less well off parents to enable them to make better choices for their children (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Reilly and colleagues have investigated a number of risk factors for obesity in children. A number of factors have been identified but the causal links are largely unclear. One of the factors identified is the level of parental obesity, but it is unclear whether this is the result of a genetic component or the shared environment of the parents and their children (Reilly et al., 2005). Their study provides evidence for the early intervention in childhood obesity. Traditional methods have tended to focus on preventative measures in childhood and adolescence, an approach which Reilly has suggested is not beginning early enough and would go some way to explaining why these interventions have been largely unsuccessful. These authors have suggested that future preventative strategies should focus on short periods in early infancy, early childhood or even in utero. Self Perception: The effects on physical health of being obese are well documented, but recent years have seen an increasing focus on the psychological effects. Attention has increasingly focused on how having a body weight that deviates from that regarded as normal, may affect the way in which people evaluate themselves. There is some support in the literature that satisfaction of physiological, love and belonging, and self esteem needs are related to eating behaviour or weight management (Timmerman and Acton, 2001). A variety of theoretical perspectives suggest that overweight people should have lower levels of self esteem than their peers, but data in this respect have been inconsistent with reviewers unable to agree on a consensus of opinion (Pokrajac- Bulian, 2005). Obese individuals do tend to suffer from low levels of self esteem, and the lives of children can be made exceedingly difficult as they suffer considerable rebuke from their peers (While, 2002). The relationship between self esteem and health behaviours has had mixed results, suggesting that there may be additional factors to be taken into consideration, suggesting the need for further research in this area. Evidence indicates that in addition to low self esteem, those who are overweight suffer feelings of stigmatisation, indulge in binge eating and have a lower quality of life than their peers who do not have weight problems (Clark, 2006, p.123). It is more likely that those who have weight problems will experience depression and associated illnesses with one fifth of obese patents reporting having at least one period of clinical depression which required treatment. Obesity is associated with a number of problems in respect of self perception. It has been shown that diets which improve weight loss are often ineffective in the long term with individuals regaining the weight. This has been shown to led to binge eating (Polivy and Herman, 1995), which can further damage self confidence and self esteem. This can lead to further eating disorders with research showing that females who had dieted were eight times more likely to develop eating disorders than their counterparts who had not dieted (Patton et al., 1990, cited in British Dietetic Association, 1997, p.95). Research has also shown that there is a positive correlation between high levels of self esteem in women and prolonged weight loss and maintenance. This has important implications in the context of developing self esteem as it is women who are most at risk from the effects of obesity. Emotional Eating: Eating in response to emotions has been identified as a possible cause of the consumption of excess calories (Timmerman and Acton, 2001, p.691). These negative emotions can occur when basic needs as defined by Maslows hierarchy of needs are not satisfied and can cause stress to an individual. An individuals ability to care for himself or herself is based on the availability of a number of resources internal and external to the individual. Self esteem has been identified as part of a persons internal resource base, and if the basic needs of love and so on are met continually over time, this will be well developed and built upon. This means that in times of stress an individual can call on this bank of resources to deal with stress in a way which is not detrimental to overall well being. If needs are consistently not met the individual is unable to build up a bank of resources and may experience a decreased ability to deal with stressful situations which can in turn lead to emotional e ating and the risk of obesity and associated health problems associated with this. Whose responsibility? While it is now recognised that obesity is a problem for the country as a whole, questions have been asked about who should take responsibility. The increased levels of obesity have raised questions in respect of who should take responsibility for the nations health. This has caused ideas about corporate social responsibility to impact on the debate at a number of levels including the economy, the food industry and public perception of the food industry (Bhate, 2007). Research carried out by Bhate sought to investigate who was perceived by the public as having responsibility for the problem of obesity. There was a clear finding that consumers thought that the public should take responsibility for growing levels of obesity. Individuals were aware when they were eating unhealthy foods that there were certain health risks associated with these and may feel personally responsible for their actions (Bhate, 2007, p.174). Individuals did feel that there was not enough information given in respect of some foods and that this was the responsibility of manufacturers who should be put under pressure for adequate labelling by the government. Education and Training: As mentioned above, one of the danger areas in respect of obesity, is the fact that the problem is so widespread in children. Education is vital, not only in addressing and preventing the obesity, but in tackling the prejudice that is associated w Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity Obesity in the UK – individual problem or national plague? Introduction: Levels of obesity are on the rise in the UK and following calls from doctors and other health professionals, the government has pledged to fight obesity with promises to help British society to fight the problem on a number of levels. Predictions are that in 2010 almost one third of adults will be obese (Lean et al., 2006), and the obesity epidemic, which is running out of control could bankrupt the health service (Haslam et al., 2006) adding to the calls for something to be done about the problem. Tony Blair has offered to provide money for prevention and fighting the existing symptoms of obesity. Obesity is arguably the greatest challenge to public health in Britain today and there is a need for effective action. One of the major warning signs is the rising levels of obesity among children and there is a growing recognition that if the problem is not tackled with some degree of urgency in this group the long term health of the nation will suffer. While there are now a number of wel l established potential treatments for obesity in the UK, it has been suggested that measures for enhancing self esteem would be particularly important in those groups identified as being at risk from later eating disorders and obesity (Button et al., 1997, p.46). The issue of health in general concerns the nation, with the government, consumers and businesses sharing the burden of addressing health related issues. The National Audit Office has estimated that obesity accounts for eighteen million days of sickness absence and 30 000 premature deaths each year (Bourn, 2001). Obesity has physical and psychological causes and symptoms but the nature of the psychological mechanisms involved in adjusting to obesity are unclear (Ryden et al., 2001). There are a number of health problems associated with obesity, with mortality rising exponentially with increasing body weight (Wilding, 1997).Despite the growing level of the problem, questions have been asked in respect of whether Britons really need this help at a national level and if they realise that obesity is a problem for individuals and the nation as a whole. The purpose of this study is to assess the views of Britons on the obesity issue. Levels of psychological well being, the locus of control and self esteem will be measured in relation to being overweight. Differences between men and women will be considered. In addition two different age groups will be investigated – under thirties will be compared with over thirties to ascertain similarities and differences. There is also an investigation into the effects, if any, of ethnicity on obesity. The main focus of interest will be to determine if there is a difference in self perception between those who consider themselves to be overweight and those who do not. In order to investigate the issue the body mass index will be calculated for all participants and compared with the perceptions they have of themselves in terms of being overweight. It is hypothesised that men will have higher levels of self esteem and will score more highly on measures of psychological well being than women. Previous studies have suggested that there are no significant differences between men and women in terms of locus of control in respect of weight (Furnham and Greaves, 1994). In order to investigate if this finding is still valid, the study will test the above variables taking into consideration differences in age and weight. Methodology: The sample will consist of a selection of individuals attending Weight Watchers meetings and sessions at the local gym. There will be sixty participants consisting of men and women aged over eighteen. Materials: A questionnaire will be designed to examine the variables discussed above and any relationship between them. The questionnaire will be divided into four parts:  · Part One – will ask questions about gender, age group (under thirties and over thirties), weight, height and will ask participants to declare whether o nt they believe themselves to be overweight;  · Part Two – will ask questions in respect of self esteem;  · Part Three – will ask questions in respect of locus of control;  · Part Four – will ask questions about psychological well being. In order to measure the effects of the various variables the following instruments will be used: Rotters Internal-External Locos of Control Scale (Rotter, 1996), Radloffs CES-D Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977) and Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (SES) (Rosenberg, 1965). Procedure: Half of the questionnaires will be given to those attending Weight Watchers sessions and the other half will be administered to those attending the local gym. Participants will be informed of the nature and purpose of the study and will be given assurances tat all information given will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be used for any other purpose. It will be stressed that participation in the study is voluntary and participants are free to withdraw at any time. Participants will also be free to omit any questions which they do not want to answer. Written consent will be obtained before participants take part in the study. Contact details will be given to the researcher in case of follow up queries. Analysis of Data: Data collected will be analysed using quantitative statistical analysis in the form of TTests. Discussion: The obesity epidemic in the UK continues to run out of control, with none of the measures that have been taken showing any sighs of halting the problem much less reversing the trend (Haslam, 2006, p.640). A number of areas have been identified which need to be addressed. There is the recognition that mental health problems in the context of low self esteem are associated with eating disorders. Mental well being is affected in the context of the workplace, with obese people often facing some degree of discrimination in their professional and social lives. There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that the problem is more widespread in some ethnic groups than in others. Many of the medical problems and complications associated with obesity are found in adults, but the increasing prevalence of obesity or the tendency to become obese in children, is also a worrying trend, further strengthening suggestions that prevention rather than cure is the key to tackling the problem in th e long term. While prevention in terms of maintaining weight loss and preventing people from putting on weight in the first place is the ideal, maintaining weight loss has been a major limitation of many of the approaches so far adopted (Wliding, 1997,p.998). Self Esteem: Although there is a general consensus that there are a number of factors at work in the context of eating disorders, self image has frequently been thought of as having a high profile role in the nature of these disorders (Button et al., 1997, p.39). Research in this area has been to a large degree unclear as those who have typically participated in the research have been those who have been in the process of seeking help and may therefore not be representative of the obese population in general (Ryden et al., 2001, p.186). It has often been suggested that a low self image is present and can be a contributory factor in causing individuals to develop eating disorders. Dyken and Gerrard gathered considerable empirical evidence to suggest that patients with eating disorders had slower levels of self esteem than their counterparts who are of normal weight (Dyken and Gerrard, 1986). A great deal of the research has been speculative in nature with very little evidence to suggest a causal l ink between low self esteem and the onset of eating disorders. As discussed above, it has been documented that obese individuals face discrimination on a number of levels. This can lead to their accepting these negative perceptions which can reduce self esteem even further and can lead to mental health problems (Ryden et al., 2001). Studies carried out in Sweden have supported this idea, with individuals who were obese experiencing significantly psychological distress than not only their healthy counterparts, but than those who had been involved in various forms of accidents or who were chronically ill (Sullivan et al., 1993). Studies carried out by Button found that girls aged 11-12 who had low levels of self esteem were, indeed more likely to have developed an eating disorder than their counterparts when they took part in a follow up study some years later when they were aged 15-16. These girls also displayed a range of other psychological problems (Button, 1990 cited in Button et al., 1997). Dieting usually results in weight loss and the lower the calorie intake, the more weight will be lost. Weight is usually regained and there is evidence that cognitive behaviour therapy may be a more successful approach, particularly if it is coupled with physical exercise. This may have more long term success, making it an effective approach with children and adolescents as good behaviour patterns in terms of adopting a healthy lifestyle can be developed and maintained (Wilding, 1997). In order to investigate the area of self esteem further Button and colleagues investigated rates of self esteem in a much larger sample of girls aged 15-16. Those who were identified as having eating disorders did display lower levels of self esteem than their counterparts, and the area in which they had the lowest levels of self esteem was in respect of their external appearance, cited as an area of low self esteem by 75% of the respondents who were problematic eaters (Button et al., 1997). Gender Differences: Eating disorders have been viewed as largely affecting women, with relatively few studies having been carried out in respect of men who have problems with weight and weight control. Since the 1990s there have been increasing numbers of males being identified as having eating disorders (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004, p.368). Research has begun to focus on whether there are gender differences associated with eating disorders. It has been suggested that men who develop eating disorders have higher levels of the personality traits associated with these disorders as overall rates are less for men than they are for women. Research has shown that men had less of a preoccupation with ideal body size and the drive for thinness than females (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004). Mental Health: Eating disorders in general, and obesity in particular have been attributed to underlying psychological problems such as depression or an inability to cope with certain aspects of life (Leon and Roth, 1977). This has led to the increasing adoption of cognitive therapy methods, providing training in better ways to deal with the difficulties in ones life which can lead to obsessive eating behaviour. Ryden and colleagues have proposed that the coping mechanisms which individual shave at their disposal can have an enormous impact on whether or not they will become obese (Ryden et al., 2001). The Extent of the Problem: The body mass index has been increasing in a number of countries and in the UK the National Audit Office have found that in the period from 1984 to 1993 rates of obesity doubled for both men and women (National Audit Office, 1994) and have been on the rise ever since. Not only are the rates of obesity continuing to rise, with 17% of men and 21% of women currently obese in the UK, but they are rising at a faster rate than in the past, with people being fatter than they were in the past (Clark, 2006, 123). Obesity levels are rising faster in the UK than elsewhere (While, 2002, p.438). There are also some quite startling differences, with women in the UK who are the heaviest weighing up to twice as much as their counterparts of the same height who are not overweight. Despite an increasing awareness about obesity and the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, the obesity problem continues to rise, being attributed to a complex interplay between a number of environmental factors. In the ir work in respect of eating disorders and self esteem Button and colleagues found that the rates of partial eating disorders were quite high at about 8% (Button et al.,1997). Obesity is starting to overtake smoking in the UK as the greatest preventable cause of illness and premature death (Haslam, 2006, p.641). Obesity has been strongly linked with poverty and with a lack of available public information, with many individuals realising that high fat products were unhealthy but they were unable to judge which products were high in fat and by how much (Vlad, 2003p. 1308). Psychological Well Being: Eating disorders in general have been linked to overall psychological well being. This means that in addition to the nations physical health, obesity must be addressed in the context of the effect it is having on the nations psychological well being. Button et al. found that those who had been identified as having eating disorders scored low on the self esteem scale but also had higher scores on the anxiety scale than their counterparts. The authors pointed out that their work which involved school students, was carried out close to examinations which may account for increases in levels of anxiety, and they could therefore not suggest a causal link without further follow up work (Button et al., 1997). Button and colleagues used a questionnaire in order to elicit further information in respect of self esteem in their subjects. When girls expressed general dissatisfaction with themselves, this was most often referred to in the context of physical appearance, with those identified as having eating disorders being more likely to make globally negative comments about themselves (Button et al., 1997, p.45). The same research found that family was an important factor in negative perceptions and low self esteem with a significant number of those identified as having eating disorders reporting that their family lives were characterised by arguments and an inability to communicate. The growing recognition that obesity has a psychological component, with low self esteem being recognised as an important factor, has led to suggestions that support needs to be given to people who are obese rather than ridiculing them (Mayor, 2004). Causes of Obesity: If obesity is to be successfully tackled in the UK and elsewhere, a sound understanding of the root causes must be established. The spiralling levels of obesity in the UK and elsewhere over the past thirty years have prompted suggestions that it is the environment which is playing the largest part in the problem as genes could not have changed to such a degree in such a short space of time (Clark, 2006, p.124), although there is recognition that there is a genetic component (Barth, 2002, p.119), with research from twin studies suggesting that the tendency to become obese is inherited. Not only are people eating more than they did a generation ago, but there have been a number of changes to the types of activities in which people are engaged. There has been a steady decline in the need for active working at home or in the workplace and an associated increase in sedentary jobs and occupations. In real terms physical activity has been seen as having shifted from something which people w ere paid to do, to something which people must now pay for in the form of joining a gym or similar pastimes. Considerable criticism has been levelled at the food production industry which produces high calories foods which are being eaten as snacks, taking daily calorie allowances above the recommended allowances. There has been an attempt to address this problem in the form of a number of initiatives such as those to increase physical activity to two hours per week in schools and the promotion of fruit and vegetables in schools, but there is little evidence of widespread success. Research carried out by Skidmore and Yarnell has suggested that the majority of obese adults were not overweight as children. This is suggestive of the fact that obesity comes about as the result of excess calorie intake over a period of many years. Education for healthy eating and living is therefore seen as vital in preventing future obesity and the associated health risks (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Environmental factors: Despite the identification of a genetic component, it has been argued that obesity can be largely prevented, with lack of physical activity and chronic consumption of excess calories, being the main preventable causes of obesity (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p. 819). It has been suggested that the environment provides a number of opportunities for the over consumption which leads to excessive weight gain. This has led to the conclusion that the obesity epidemic can only be effectively targeted if there are major changes in the environment and the ways in which people interact with it in respect of food and eating (Clark, 2006). Effects of Obesity: Obesity affects people of all ages including children and has damaging effects on all organs in the body. Long term consequences include diabetes and hypertension which can ultimately lead to strokes and coronary heart disease (Barth, 2002, p.119). The effects of obesity in relation to mortality can be marked. Research carried out has found that the risk of diabetes in men who were very overweight increased to a risk of being forty two times more likely than those who were not overweight and women and children have been identified by research as the groups most affected by obesity (Bhate, 2007, p.173). The governments proposed intervention has come about due to the realisation that many individuals are not able to make enough proactive changes to prevent excess weight gain and are simply reacting to their environment, one in which people eat larger portions, are more prone to snacking and are taking less exercise than their counterparts from a generation ago. Food is seen to be attached to a range of emotions, with eating being associated with celebration as well as a comfort when one is depressed. Because of the huge impact which the environment appears to be having on obesity, it has been argued that education alone will be insufficient in dealing with the problem, and environmental changes are urgently needed (Lean et al., 2006). Attempts to tackle the obesity problem have themselves brought difficult issues in terms of adverse outcomes such as the rise in eating disorders as more and more people battle with their weight. It has been suggested that long term monitoring of approa ches to treating obesity is required in order to deal with these associated problems (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Obesity as a Disorder: There is a growing recognition that obesity comes about as a result of an addiction to food, and, as with all addictions those who suffer require help and advice. It would appear that many of those who are obese eat not when they are hungry but in the context of a wider social agenda, fuelled by the constant availability of food. Once the cycle of weight gain begins it becomes cyclical in its nature and is compounded by lack of exercise, which leads to greater levels of weight gain. Many commentators have suggested that the failure of traditional approaches to tackling obesity point to the fact that a more successful approach may be to take the view of obesity being a disability which is characterised by a range of adverse consequences. Like other addictions, obesity requires treatment and support. The benefits of effective treatment cannot be overstated as even a small weight loss can reduce health risk for obese individuals (Goldstein, 1992). Addressing the Obesity Issue: The problem of obesity is placing a strain on public resources in the National Health Service as well as endangering the nations health. Action is therefore required at the national level as it has been argued that many of the factors operating at the environmental level such as the availability if fast food and the lack of exercise cannot be dealt with at the level of the individual and must therefore be addressed through a number of public health initiatives. Guidelines for prevention and treatment have been introduced in the United States and the United Kingdom, but it has been suggested that their implementation may take a number of years due to their complex nature and the number of organisations involved in the process (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). It has been suggested that the issue can only really be addressed through changes in the environment which will enable individuals to make more healthy lifestyle choices. Suggestions include making public transport more appealing and parks more inviting in order that individuals will want to take some moderate exercise and will not have to make considerable effort and choice in order to achieve this end. Eating healthy food should become the norm as these foods should be more prominently displayed in shops and other food outlets. While it is recognised that prevention would be the best ideal outcome in respect of obesity, until there is some success with preventative measures, the goal should be to help patients to deal with some of the physical and psychological costs of the problem and to ensure that any treatment given does not compound the problems that obese individuals already have. Prevention: Prevention is more important and easier to achieve than weight loss, with research showing that one third of obese patients will not lose weight by any medical means. It is therefore necessary to focus on preventing obesity in the first place, and enabling individuals to maintain their current weight. The principles of losing weight and maintaining weight loss are well known, but an effective evidence base of effective measures for preventing obesity does not currently exist (Haslam, 2006, p.641). The promotion of healthy eating and regular physical exercise is essential for both the prevention of future obesity and for treating individuals who are already overweight or obese. It has been suggested that obesity management should be included as an important part of health service planning with increasing numbers of staff trained in dealing with the problem. Research has shown that not only is considerable weight loss achievable through a programme of diet and exercise, but that this c an also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, which is becoming more common due to the increasing obesity problem (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Goals of Obesity Management: With the recognition that obesity is having a major effect on the health of the nation comes the realisation that something must be done to tackle the problem. The basic goal of obesity management is for individuals to reduce their weight in a way which is safe and not overly restrictive in terms of diet, which can lead to harmful adverse effects. Current recommendations from the World Health Organisation are that individuals should attempt to lose around 10% of their body weight (World Health Organisation, 1997), but for many individuals, particularly those who are unhealthy or physically inactive, this may not be realistic and it may be more reasonable to suggest not gaining any further weight as a realistic goal. Obesity in Children: One of the major areas of concern in respect of the obesity debate is the increasing prevalence of obesity in children. The government has set targets for the reduction of obesity in this age group but it has been suggested that the targets for reduction of the problem by 2010 are unlikely to be met because of confusion which exist among professional in respect of how to effectively tackle the problem. Even if preventative measures in respect of obesity were immediately successful, there would still be an epidemic of diabetes and related complications in the next two decades, because so many young people are already in the clinically â€Å"latent† phase of the disease, before clinical complications present (Haslam, 2006, p.641). As noted above one of the main problem areas is the issue of obesity in children, and many food preference choices are made in childhood, largely as a result of parental influence (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). In March 2005, the Health secretary John Reid, when announcing the governments three year strategy in respect of obesity, said that improving childrens eating habits is central to making Britain a healthier nation. The issue of childhood obesity is of concern due to the short term and long term effects. Most of the recommendations in this strategy concerned ways of tackling the problem of obesity in children. The Audit Commission has poi nted out that little progress has been made in the area o childhood obesity and if present trends continue, the next generation will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (The Audit Commission, 2003, cited in Cole, 2006). The British Medical Association has recommended a series of preventative measures for schools, including provision of healthy food in schools and the development of a curriculum pertaining to healthy eating. Advertising of unhealthy foodstuffs particularly aimed at children has largely been banned, and there have been calls for the Food Standards Agency to develop new standards in nutritional content, food labelling and marketing. It has been shown that there is a correlation between socioeconomic status and poor diet, so it has been suggested that efforts should be particularly concentrated on less well off parents to enable them to make better choices for their children (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Reilly and colleagues have investigated a number of risk factors for obesity in children. A number of factors have been identified but the causal links are largely unclear. One of the factors identified is the level of parental obesity, but it is unclear whether this is the result of a genetic component or the shared environment of the parents and their children (Reilly et al., 2005). Their study provides evidence for the early intervention in childhood obesity. Traditional methods have tended to focus on preventative measures in childhood and adolescence, an approach which Reilly has suggested is not beginning early enough and would go some way to explaining why these interventions have been largely unsuccessful. These authors have suggested that future preventative strategies should focus on short periods in early infancy, early childhood or even in utero. Self Perception: The effects on physical health of being obese are well documented, but recent years have seen an increasing focus on the psychological effects. Attention has increasingly focused on how having a body weight that deviates from that regarded as normal, may affect the way in which people evaluate themselves. There is some support in the literature that satisfaction of physiological, love and belonging, and self esteem needs are related to eating behaviour or weight management (Timmerman and Acton, 2001). A variety of theoretical perspectives suggest that overweight people should have lower levels of self esteem than their peers, but data in this respect have been inconsistent with reviewers unable to agree on a consensus of opinion (Pokrajac- Bulian, 2005). Obese individuals do tend to suffer from low levels of self esteem, and the lives of children can be made exceedingly difficult as they suffer considerable rebuke from their peers (While, 2002). The relationship between self esteem and health behaviours has had mixed results, suggesting that there may be additional factors to be taken into consideration, suggesting the need for further research in this area. Evidence indicates that in addition to low self esteem, those who are overweight suffer feelings of stigmatisation, indulge in binge eating and have a lower quality of life than their peers who do not have weight problems (Clark, 2006, p.123). It is more likely that those who have weight problems will experience depression and associated illnesses with one fifth of obese patents reporting having at least one period of clinical depression which required treatment. Obesity is associated with a number of problems in respect of self perception. It has been shown that diets which improve weight loss are often ineffective in the long term with individuals regaining the weight. This has been shown to led to binge eating (Polivy and Herman, 1995), which can further damage self confidence and self esteem. This can lead to further eating disorders with research showing that females who had dieted were eight times more likely to develop eating disorders than their counterparts who had not dieted (Patton et al., 1990, cited in British Dietetic Association, 1997, p.95). Research has also shown that there is a positive correlation between high levels of self esteem in women and prolonged weight loss and maintenance. This has important implications in the context of developing self esteem as it is women who are most at risk from the effects of obesity. Emotional Eating: Eating in response to emotions has been identified as a possible cause of the consumption of excess calories (Timmerman and Acton, 2001, p.691). These negative emotions can occur when basic needs as defined by Maslows hierarchy of needs are not satisfied and can cause stress to an individual. An individuals ability to care for himself or herself is based on the availability of a number of resources internal and external to the individual. Self esteem has been identified as part of a persons internal resource base, and if the basic needs of love and so on are met continually over time, this will be well developed and built upon. This means that in times of stress an individual can call on this bank of resources to deal with stress in a way which is not detrimental to overall well being. If needs are consistently not met the individual is unable to build up a bank of resources and may experience a decreased ability to deal with stressful situations which can in turn lead to emotional e ating and the risk of obesity and associated health problems associated with this. Whose responsibility? While it is now recognised that obesity is a problem for the country as a whole, questions have been asked about who should take responsibility. The increased levels of obesity have raised questions in respect of who should take responsibility for the nations health. This has caused ideas about corporate social responsibility to impact on the debate at a number of levels including the economy, the food industry and public perception of the food industry (Bhate, 2007). Research carried out by Bhate sought to investigate who was perceived by the public as having responsibility for the problem of obesity. There was a clear finding that consumers thought that the public should take responsibility for growing levels of obesity. Individuals were aware when they were eating unhealthy foods that there were certain health risks associated with these and may feel personally responsible for their actions (Bhate, 2007, p.174). Individuals did feel that there was not enough information given in respect of some foods and that this was the responsibility of manufacturers who should be put under pressure for adequate labelling by the government. Education and Training: As mentioned above, one of the danger areas in respect of obesity, is the fact that the problem is so widespread in children. Education is vital, not only in addressing and preventing the obesity, but in tackling the prejudice that is associated w