Impact of Fast Fashion on Sustainability

Impact of Fast Fashion on Sustainability Impact of fast fashion in the development of sustainable materials. Introduction Fast fashion is ever increasing which puts a strain on the promotion of sustainable materials. This paper will outline the effects of fast fashion and the development of eco materials and other ways that can be maintained within sustainable system, within the fashion industry, and also by looking at slow fashion company People Tree (Sailsbury, 2011), and Swedish mega company H&M and their sustainable outlook within their brand (The H&M Group, 2016). The documentary ‘The True Cost’ is referenced, as it shows every aspect in the production process, that everyone should watch as fashion consumers. From farmers to designers, they all make their statement why sustainability is in need for ethical and environmental reasons (The True Cost, 2015). Most sustainable fabrics are often made from natural materials that use less water and contain fewer chemicals, these are the materials which need to be made more aware of, they take longer to make but are worth our sacrifice (Shen, 2014). Most retailers have a fast fashion strategy, make it, sell it, buy it and then dispose of it. However, this is causing major backlash on our environment and the people who produce it (The H&M Group, 2016).   The impact of fast fashion is what’s going to be left to our future, as we rely on things being instant to us. What would happen if things that took a little longer would not just benefit us, but a whole generation? These days we use up more natural resources on things that can be cut down on, and produce more hazardous waste that our planet simply cannot retain (Joy , et al., 2012). Contextualisation Fast fashion is a term that has come about from high street retailers, such as Topshop, H&M and the Spanish retail giant Zara, creating and producing their own versions of luxury fashion goods. These imitations of luxury items form the basis for their trends for each season, and are produced on a mass scale to sustain the ‘deeply held desires among young consumers’  (Joy , et al., 2012). The industry works at such a fast speed and to such a huge scale that the time period from the luxury products being shown on the catwalk to being imitated and produced by the various high street retailers and ending up in our hands, is very little and in turn puts a huge strain and pressure on every part of the industry (Joy , et al., 2012). As these garments are being made at a ridiculously fast rate, the quality of fabrication and production has been compromised and thus the products become more disposable as new stock is always being made available to the consumer. This is the core concept of fast fashion and its function in the fashion system (Claudio, 2007). With this the environmental footprint of each piece clothing grows and grows as high street stores continue to ramp up the rate of production with the aim of flooding the market with more and more trend focussed disposable products (Black, 2012, p. 216). The beginning of the garments, start with the actual materials used. The most used fabric is cotton, that uses ‘a quarter of pesticides used in the US’ (Claudio, 2007). Not to mention the amount of water and energy used to wash and dry it, the environmental waste impact, and this is before it has been shipped to another country for the actual making process. There are efforts to make these more sustainable by using organic cotton, which the pesticides have been removed and are made using ‘nontoxic farming methods’ (Black, 2012, p. 216).Modified (GM) cotton farming sparks a huge debate, as an environmental and an ethical impact. There are 50 million cotton farmers in the world today and most of them live in developing countries such as India. These farmers rely on GM cotton as a super crop, however they are under huge amounts of ‘consumer pressure’, which has had some major backlash and resulted in debts from these farmers, which led to their suicides as a result of unpaid loans to these GM cotton seed manufactures, who are based in the US   (Black, 2012, p. 192). There are other sustainable materials that can be used, and is more sufficient, and doesn’t cause environmental and social devastation. Organic and sustainable fabrics are available which reduce energy and water consumption whilst keeping down co2 emissions, these fabrics are left out by the big fast fashion brands, as they take longer to make and are carefully traced from seed to product   (Shen, 2014). Fast Fashion consumers It’s all for the consumer and our need of wanting the latest styles and brands. Clothing and fashion become two different ideals. Clothing answers more to what we need, wool jumper to keep warm, whereas fashion is a style and can be disposed of when the next trend comes along (Black, 2012). Some fashion brands try and initiate some kind of sustainable intent into their brands, for example Topshop released a sustainable line called reclaim, launched by eco line From Somewhere (Quiros, 2015). However, as purchasers acknowledge the environmental attempt, they still stick to the same style and quality (Hill & Lee, 2015).   Fast fashion allows our desires of luxury clothes to come true and sustainability is not something style conscious consumers link to fashion  (Joy , et al., 2012, p. 276).   Sustainability is not promoted enough in magazines and by big fashion labels, and with a hefty price point it’s no wonder young consumers don’t buy into the trend  (Claudio, 2007). During the World War 2, the phrase ‘make do and mend’ came into effect as people would recycle or made to measure for another family member  (Strasser, 2000). Sustainability, as mentioned before is what consumers need to do to conquer fast fashion. It can be explained by ‘making a current generation’s needs, without compromising those of a future generations’ (Joy , et al., 2012). Brands that promote sustainable fashion should target the needs and wants of this generations style, size and quality. This is hard as, within these brands that do promote these environmental friendly materials, not a lot of information is given on their impact and the amount of style options available are limiting (Hill & Lee, 2015). Slow fashion comes with sustainability, this is a process were they support and empower workers, promote up recycling, renewable and eco-friendly raw materials (Henninger, et al., 2016). The industry is developing ‘eco fashion’ to help overcome the high demand, according to ‘The International Standards Organisation (ISO) they will develop labels that can examine clothing to meet the criteria of environmental friendly and sourced (Claudio, 2007). This will allow the identification of sustainably sourced and manufactured garments to be recognised within a brand. Consumers treat ethical fabrics as less refined than organic food, however they both share the same working and environmental qualities (Black, 2012). Materials that impact sustainability To look at fast fashion and sustainability you have to go back to the main materials that holds all our fashion wants and desires together. The two most common fabrics used worldwide are cotton and polyester (Lee, 2009). Polyester is a manmade fibre that along with other synthetic materials, is time consuming and produces vast amounts of sub sense like ‘crude oil, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter and acid gases’ (Claudio, 2007). Most polyester and anything blended with it lets out and by gas that has a toxic effect on the repertory system, liver and skin (Lee, 2009). Cotton is used in more than half of the total fibre of all clothing used today and produces huge amounts of chemical and water waste thanks to its new genetically modified fibres.(The True Cost, 2015). GM cotton farming, as mentioned before is a pesticide used to kill insects, such as the bollworm, which destroys the cotton plant (Black, 2012). Cotton is a natural fibre, but is inundated with these modifications that keep the cost low and the produce high (Claudio, 2007). The death of many Indian farmer’s deaths have been linked to production of GM cotton seeds, edosulfan is a chemical, that when absorbed into the skin is life threatening (Lee, 2009). Other materials have been used to encourage the ethical process of sustainable fabrics, however when looking into these fabrics you have to take the energy use for production into consideration and the pollution it in turn gives off (Makko & Koskennurmi Sivonen, 2013). Even in the dyeing process a raw material can take anywhere between 80 – 800 litres of water (Lee, 2009). To conquer this the Regulation, Evaluation, Authentication, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), have made a legislation within the European Union to make ‘manufactures and producers to identify and verify the chemicals used in their products’ (Claudio, 2007). Sustainable fabrics. Going back to traditional methods of processing fabric is eco-friendlier compared to the waste just from dying the fabrics alone, but it is harder to cater to the mass market, however it gives one more of an appreciation to the design and process of the fabric (Henninger, et al., 2016). Designer brands tend to use local handcrafted methods more as this gives the items more durability, style and quality, and also effects the economic and social side to sustainability (Joy , et al., 2012). This works for traditional methods that use animal by products such as wool, leather and silk, but this costs more than making cheaper manmade fabrics that can mimic these materials (The True Cost, 2015). Another method to help sustainable fabrics make an impact is upcycling/recycling. Old clothes, bottles and other manufacturing castoffs, can all be included in sustainable fabrics, also high street giant Marks and Spencer’s created a suit line all made from recycled materials (Shen, 2014). As mentioned before Topshop has a sustainable extension line, ‘Reclaim’ which is made by upcycling other garments, from vintage buttons to a simple cotton t-shirt and leftover stock (Quiros, 2015). We all have clothes that get left behind and are of a good quality and durability that we can swap with friends or others giving that item a new lease of life (Lee, 2009). Donating and buying from charity/thrift shops is an easy way to help sustainable materials get the long use out of them and, even if they are made in a fast fashion environment and by donating these garments to third world countries that resale them on market stalls or give them to local people who need clothes that they can endure (Black, 2012).   In New York, there is a family that runs Trans- America Trading Company, that take all the unused clothes and divided them into loads of categories like, size and fibre content and recycle them into all sorts of things, from upholstery stuffing to industrial rags (Claudio, 2007). When it comes to luxury garments, consumers tend to make more ‘investment purchases’ and as these are made from good quality and they tend to be more of a better quality, making it more durable (Henninger, et al., 2016). Although some charities and countries are being inundated with masses of clothes from the US and European consumers who’s excessive purchasing is increasing all the time, as production costs from fast fashion get cheaper (The True Cost, 2015). In order to overcome these materials that are of an environmental hazard, new fabrics are being created that are sustainable and offer unique selling points to consumers (Henninger, et al., 2016). Designers need to realise and understand that protecting the environment can have a more beneficial economic effect, thus making and souring sustainable materials (Whitfield, 2009) Organic cotton is of course the obvious material that should be promoted more even if you have to pay more for it. Organic cotton is free from hazardous pesticides that harm the environment and cause sever health conditions (Lee, 2009). For a garment to be 100% organic cotton it has to not be genetically modified (GM), which accounts for 30% of all cotton grown, to make sure this is correct, you have to look out for The Soil Association’s label that ensures environmental and social criteria   (Black, 2012). Linen a natural material made from flax, which is plant based. Linen is much harder to iron than cotton which makes it consume more energy, but in terms of water use and harmful toxins, which makes it have much smaller ‘environmental profile’ than organic cotton (Chapman & Hollins, 2010). Made from wood pulp, Tencel. This material is made from the eucalyptus tree, which uses no harmful pesticides and very little water. This material is also biodegradable, and its absorbency level is very high making it easy to dye (Black, 2012) Inego is a polymer which is a plant based fibre, made by a corn by-product, that can be spun and weaved together into other materials. Versace has been known to use this fabric in their collections (Claudio, 2007). Salmon skin has been used in accessories, shoes and bikinis. This material is valuable and flexible and is less toxic in the tanning process than leather, and can be used as a by-product (Whitfield, 2009). At this point consumers are fully aware of the environmental and social awareness in the fashion industry. Yet why do consumers ignore this and but fast fashion appeal? (Park & Kim, 2016). To address the issues of how a brand can be sustainable they should keep in mind the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ effect that looks at sustainability in 3 ways, ‘environmental, economic and social sustainability’ (Park & Kim, 2016). An example of a high street store that adheres to the TBL effect and continues to develop its sustainability within its brand is H&M, the Swedish multinational retail store (Black, 2012). They have their own sustainable program ‘Conscious Action’, this initiative makes consumers donate unwanted clothes to any H&M store in return for a 15% off coupon to spend ion their stores. This system is made to create more jobs in less developed countries, use more recycled and environmental friendly fabrics and to educate consumers to be more ethical to carry out this sustainable concept (Shen, 2014).They also work closely with the suppliers and include information, so that it can be tracked along the whole process (Black, 2012). Every year H&M release a report on how they can promote sustainability and be a Fairtrade company. As H&M, is a massive successful retailer with more than 5 other sister brands. They have really paved the way for being a sustainable high street store. In the report they outline how they are continuously trying to develop new technologies to help recycle garments, they want to find a way to make renewable blended fibres and a way to capture carbon, by investing in start-up companies such as, Swedish company Sellpy who help people sell their unwanted clothes. Normal retailers work in a linear model, they create the product, the customer buys it and then throws it away. H&M work in a circular way, by products staying in the system longer and then recycled into a new product (The H&M Group, 2016). People Tree is a slow fashion brand, which means that it produces fewer garments for each season and takes away all the harsh realities fast fashion promotes. They design beautifully made garments that can be traced right from the source, and lead the way for sustainable production whilst having decreasing environmental change. People tree products can be found in high street stores such as Topshop, Asos and Selfridges, they are nowhere near as big as H&M, yet they are a perfect example of how a smaller company can be a representative for sustainable fashion, not only by being more involved in every aspect of production but by being able to tell the story of the brand through all their efforts to reach this environmental accomplishment (Sailsbury, 2011). it is one of the first sustainable companies to be recognised by the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) (Black, 2012). Evaluation Fashion is everywhere. To the person in front or behind you, we constantly are looking at brands and styles, but we never really know what we are looking at, who made it and where is it from, thanks to fast fashion and its ever changing ways, we are all getting lazy and not appreciating what we are wearing (Chapman & Hollins, 2010). When it comes to fast fashion and its harsh outputs not only into the environment but also the horrendous social side, like the Indian cotton farmers committing suicide for not being able to pay their fees to the organisations who create GM cotton seeds, or the water and co2 consumption being made just by washing and dyeing cotton and other materials (Black, 2012). Our needs and wants are putting the environment under too much pressure. We need to cultivate our usage and encourage other stores that make an impact on this planet not just to the climate but to the people who make these garments under horrendous conditions whilst getting paid an unfairly amount, that’s why we need to promote sustainable materials, so that big fast fashion high street stores recognise their potential (Joy , et al., 2012). Sustainable fashion helps create and reach out to a wider consumer base, which ‘promotes their responsibility for society and environment’ (Shen, 2014).Natural fibres use much less energy than their synthetic counterpart but some use a bit more water, however when using these materials, it is more beneficial because they are made in a Fairtrade surrounding (Chapman & Hollins, 2010). Like the H&M report, we should also look towards recycling as a renewable source, as it is something we can already do by clearing out our wardrobes and sending these unwanted clothes to H&M stores or places where they buy these second hand clothes (The H&M Group, 2016). We need to change our shopping habits. But as long as we appreciate our purchases more and buy things that last long, it would be more of an immediate effect rather than waiting for these mega stores to re think their environmental footprint. People Tree, is a nice representative of a slow fashion brand that from the start has promoted fair and equal trade on all its garments. They can source where, who and what the product has gone through to end up in our hands (Sailsbury, 2011).Slow fashion is considered a high price for quality rather than quantity (Henninger, et al., 2016), when fast fashion is all about that bargain with more amounts, that don’t last and are of a bad quality (Abeles, 2014). Bibliography Abeles, T. P., 2014. Fast Fashion and the Future. On The Horizon, 22(2), pp. 157-160. Black, S., 2012. The Sustainable Fashion Hnadbook. London: Thames & Hudson. Chapman, D. A. & Hollins, O. R. &. C., 2010. Enviromental footprint of different textiles and comparison of cotton and linen (flax) fabric, Aylesbury, UK: Oakdene Hollind research and consulting. Claudio, L., 2007. Waste Couture : Enviromental Impact of the Clothing Industry. Enviromental Health Perspectives, 115(9). Craik, J., 2003. The Face of Fashion: Cultural Studies in Fashion. Brisbane, Australia: Routledge. Henninger, C. E., Alevizou, P. J. & Oates, C. J., 2016. What is Sustainable Fashion. Journel of Marketing and Management : An International Journel, 20(4), pp. 400-416. Hill, J. & Lee, H.-H., 2015. Sustainable Brand Extensions of Fast Fashion Retailers. Journel of Fashion Marketing and Management , 19(2), pp. 205-222. Joy , A. et al., 2012. Fast Fashion, Sustainability, and the Ethical Appeal of Luxury Brands. Fashion Theory, 16(3), pp. 273-296. Knox, K., 2011. Culture to Catwalk. Lonon: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Lee, M., 2009. Moral Fibres : whats the most sutainable fabric?. Ecologist, Volume 1, p. 39. Makko, M. & Koskennurmi Sivonen, R., 2013. Designing Sustainable Fashion: Possibilities and Challenges. Research Journel of Textile and Apparel, 12(1), pp. 13-22. Minney, S., 2016. Slow Fashion Aesthetics meets Ethics. Oxford: New International Publications Ltd. Park, H. & Kim, Y.-K., 2016. An empiricle test of a tripple bottom line of consumer-centric sustainability: the case of fast fashion. Fashion and Textiles, 3(25). Quiros, C., 2015. Topshop Launches First-Ever Sustainable Fashion Line. Paste Magazine, 15 July. Sailsbury, P., 2011. Green Business: People Tree. The Ecologist, 6 April. Shen, B., 2014. Sustainable Fashion Supply Chain: A Lesson from H&M. Sustainability, 11 10, pp. 6236-6249. Strasser, S., 2000. Waste and Want: a socal history of trash. New York : Holt Publishers. The H&M Group, 2016. Sustainability Report 2016, Stockholm : The H&M Group. The True Cost. 2015. [Film] Directed by Andrew Morgan. USA: Life Is My Movie Entertainment Company. Whitfield, J., 2009. Sustainable F ashion. Nature, Volume 459, p. 915.

Twilight 2. OPEN BOOK

The next day was better†¦ and worse. It was better because it wasn't raining yet, though the clouds were dense and opaque. It was easier because I knew what to expect of my day. Mike came to sit by me in English, and walked me to my next class, with Chess Club Eric glaring at him all the while; that was nattering. People didn't look at me quite as much as they had yesterday. I sat with a big group at lunch that included Mike, Eric, Jessica, and several other people whose names and faces I now remembered. I began to feel like I was treading water, instead of drowning in it. It was worse because I was tired; I still couldn't sleep with the wind echoing around the house. It was worse because Mr. Varner called on me in Trig when my hand wasn't raised and I had the wrong answer. It was miserable because I had to play volleyball, and the one time I didn't cringe out of the way of the ball, I hit my teammate in the head with it. And it was worse because Edward Cullen wasn't in school at all. All morning I was dreading lunch, fearing his bizarre glares. Part of me wanted to confront him and demand to know what his problem was. While I was lying sleepless in my bed, I even imagined what I would say. But I knew myself too well to think I would really have the guts to do it. I made the Cowardly Lion look like the terminator. But when I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica – trying to keep my eyes from sweeping the place for him, and failing entirely – I saw that his four siblings of sorts were sitting together at the same table, and he was not with them. Mike intercepted us and steered us to his table. Jessica seemed elated by the attention, and her friends quickly joined us. But as I tried to listen to their easy chatter, I was terribly uncomfortable, waiting nervously for the moment he would arrive. I hoped that he would simply ignore me when he came, and prove my suspicions false. He didn't come, and as time passed I grew more and more tense. I walked to Biology with more confidence when, by the end of lunch, he still hadn't showed. Mike, who was taking on the qualities of a golden retriever, walked faithfully by my side to class. I held my breath at the door, but Edward Cullen wasn't there, either. I exhaled and went to my seat. Mike followed, talking about an upcoming trip to the beach. He lingered by my desk till the bell rang. Then he smiled at me wistfully and went to sit by a girl with braces and a bad perm. It looked like I was going to have to do something about Mike, and it wouldn't be easy. In a town like this, where everyone lived on top of everyone else, diplomacy was essential. I had never been enormously tactful; I had no practice dealing with overly friendly boys. I was relieved that I had the desk to myself, that Edward was absent. I told myself that repeatedly. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicion that I was the reason he wasn't there. It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly. It was impossible. And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true. When the school day was finally done, and the blush was fading out of my cheeks from the volleyball incident, I changed quickly back into my jeans and navy blue sweater. I hurried from the girls' locker room, pleased to find that I had successfully evaded my retriever friend for the moment. I walked swiftly out to the parking lot. It was crowded now with fleeing students. I got in my truck and dug through my bag to make sure I had what I needed. Last night I'd discovered that Charlie couldn't cook much besides fried eggs and bacon. So I requested that I be assigned kitchen detail for the duration of my stay. He was willing enough to hand over the keys to the banquet hall. I also found out that he had no food in the house. So I had my shopping list and the cash from the jar in the cupboard labeled FOOD, MONEY, and I was on my way to the Thriftway. I gunned my deafening engine to life, ignoring the heads that turned in my direction, and backed carefully into a place in the line of cars that were waiting to exit the parking lot. As I waited, trying to pretend that the earsplitting rumble was coming from someone else's car, I saw the two Cullens and the Hale twins getting into their car. It was the shiny new Volvo. Of course. I hadn't noticed their clothes before – I'd been too mesmerized by their faces. Now that I looked, it was obvious that they were all dressed exceptionally well; simply, but in clothes that subtly hinted at designer origins. With their remarkable good looks, the style with which they carried themselves, they could have worn dishrags and pulled it off. It seemed excessive for them to have both looks and money. But as far as I could tell, life worked that way most of the time. It didn't look as if it bought them any acceptance here. No, I didn't fully believe that. The isolation must be their desire; I couldn't imagine any door that wouldn't be opened by that degree of beauty. They looked at my noisy truck as I passed them, just like everyone else. I kept my eyes straight forward and was relieved when I finally was free of the school grounds. The Thriftway was not far from the school, just a few streets south, off the highway. It was nice to be inside the supermarket; it felt normal. I did the shopping at home, and I fell into the pattern of the familiar task gladly. The store was big enough inside that I couldn't hear the tapping of the rain on the roof to remind me where I was. When I got home, I unloaded all the groceries, stuffing them in wherever I could find an open space. I hoped Charlie wouldn't mind. I wrapped potatoes in foil and stuck them in the oven to bake, covered a steak in marinade and balanced it on top of a carton of eggs in the fridge. When I was finished with that, I took my book bag upstairs. Before starting my homework, I changed into a pair of dry sweats, pulled my damp hair up into a pony-tail, and checked my e-mail for the first time. I had three messages. â€Å"Bella,† my mom wrote†¦ Write me as soon as you get in. Tell me how your flight was. Is it raining? I miss you already. I'm almost finished packing for Florida, but I can't find my pink blouse. Do you know where I put it? Phil says hi. Mom. I sighed and went to the next. It was sent eight hours after the first. â€Å"Bella,† she wrote†¦ Why haven't you e-mailed me yet? What are you waiting for? Mom. The last was from this morning. Isabella, If I haven't heard from you by 5:30 p.m. today I'm calling Charlie. I checked the clock. I still had an hour, but my mom was well known for jumping the gun. Mom, Calm down. I'm writing right now. Don't do anything rash.Bella. I sent that, and began again. Mom, Everything is great. Of course it's raining. I was waiting for something to write about. School isn't bad, just a little repetitive. I met some nice kids who sit by me at lunch. Your blouse is at the dry cleaners – you were supposed to pick it up Friday. Charlie bought me a truck, can you believe it? I love it. It's old, but really sturdy, which is good, you know, for me. I miss you, too. I'll write again soon, but I'm not going to check my e-mail every five minutes. Relax, breathe. I love you. Bella. I had decided to read Wuthering Heights – the novel we were currently studying in English – yet again for the fun of it, and that's what I was doing when Charlie came home. I'd lost track of the time, and I hurried downstairs to take the potatoes out and put the steak in to broil. â€Å"Bella?† my father called out when he heard me on the stairs. Who else? I thought to myself. â€Å"Hey, Dad, welcome home.† â€Å"Thanks.† He hung up his gun belt and stepped out of his boots as I bustled about the kitchen. As far as I was aware, he'd never shot the gun on the job. But he kept it ready. When I came here as a child, he would always remove the bullets as soon as he walked in the door. I guess he considered me old enough now not to shoot myself by accident, and not depressed enough to shoot myself on purpose. â€Å"What's for dinner?† he asked warily. My mother was an imaginative cook, and her experiments weren't always edible. I was surprised, and sad, that he seemed to remember that far back. â€Å"Steak and potatoes,† I answered, and he looked relieved. He seemed to feel awkward standing in the kitchen doing nothing; he lumbered into the living room to watch TV while I worked. We were both more comfortable that way. I made a salad while the steaks cooked, and set the table. I called him in when dinner was ready, and he sniffed appreciatively as he walked into the room. â€Å"Smells good, Bell.† â€Å"Thanks.† We ate in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't uncomfortable. Neither of us was bothered by the quiet. In some ways, we were well suited for living together. â€Å"So, how did you like school? Have you made any friends?† he asked as he was taking seconds. â€Å"Well, I have a few classes with a girl named Jessica. I sit with her friends at lunch. And there's this boy, Mike, who's very friendly.Everybody seems pretty nice.† With one outstanding exception. â€Å"That must be Mike Newton. Nice kid – nice family. His dad owns the sporting goods store just outside of town. He makes a good living off all the backpackers who come through here.† â€Å"Do you know the Cullen family?† I asked hesitantly. â€Å"Dr. Cullen's family? Sure. Dr. Cullen's a great man.† â€Å"They†¦ the kids†¦ are a little different. They don't seem to fit in very well at school.† Charlie surprised me by looking angry. â€Å"People in this town,† he muttered. â€Å"Dr. Cullen is a brilliant surgeon who could probably work in any hospital in the world, make ten times the salary he gets here,† he continued, getting louder. â€Å"We're lucky to have him – lucky that his wife wanted to live in a small town. He's an asset to the community, and all of those kids are well behaved and polite. I had my doubts, when they first moved in, with all those adopted teenagers. I thought we might have some problems with them. But they're all very mature – I haven't had one speck of trouble from any of them. That's more than I can say for the children of some folks who have lived in this town for generations. And they stick together the way a family should – camping trips every other weekend†¦ Just because they're newcomers, people have to talk.† It was the longest speech I'd ever heard Charlie make. He must feel strongly about whatever people were saying. I backpedaled. â€Å"They seemed nice enough to me. I just noticed they kept to themselves. They're all very attractive,† I added, trying to be more complimentary. â€Å"You should see the doctor,† Charlie said, laughing. â€Å"It's a good thing he's happily married. A lot of the nurses at the hospital have a hard time concentrating on their work with him around.† We lapsed back into silence as we finished eating. He cleared the table while I started on the dishes. He went back to the TV, and after I finished washing the dishes by hand – no dishwasher – I went upstairs unwillingly to work on my math homework. I could feel a tradition in the making.That night it was finally quiet. I fell asleep quickly, exhausted. The rest of the week was uneventful. I got used to the routine of my classes. By Friday I was able to recognize, if not name, almost all the students at school. In Gym, the kids on my team learned not to pass me the ball and to step quickly in front of me if the other team tried to take advantage of my weakness. I happily stayed out of their way. Edward Cullen didn't come back to school. Every day, I watched anxiously until the rest of the Cullens entered the cafeteria without him. Then I could relax and join in the lunchtime conversation. Mostly it centered around a trip to the La Push Ocean Park in two weeks that Mike was putting together. I was invited, and I had agreed to go, more out of politeness than desire. Beaches should be hot and dry. By Friday I was perfectly comfortable entering my Biology class, no longer worried that Edward would be there. For all I knew, he had dropped out of school. I tried not to think about him, but I couldn't totally suppress the worry that I was responsible for his continued absence, ridiculous as it seemed. My first weekend in Forks passed without incident. Charlie, unused to spending time in the usually empty house, worked most of the weekend. I cleaned the house, got ahead on my homework, and wrote my mom more bogusly cheerful e-mail. I did drive to the library Saturday, but it was so poorly stocked that I didn't bother to get a card; I would have to make a date to visit Olympia or Seattle soon and find a good bookstore. I wondered idly what kind of gas mileage the truck got†¦ and shuddered at the thought. The rain stayed soft over the weekend, quiet, so I was able to sleep well. People greeted me in the parking lot Monday morning. I didn't know all their names, but I waved back and smiled at everyone. It was colder this morning, but happily not raining. In English, Mike took his accustomed seat by my side. We had a pop quiz on Wuthering Heights. It was straightforward, very easy. All in all, I was feeling a lot more comfortable than I had thought I would feel by this point. More comfortable than I had ever expected to feel here. When we walked out of class, the air was full of swirling bits of white. I could hear people shouting excitedly to each other. The wind bit at my cheeks, my nose. â€Å"Wow,† Mike said. â€Å"It's snowing.† I looked at the little cotton fluffs that were building up along the sidewalk and swirling erratically past my face. â€Å"Ew.† Snow. There went my good day. He looked surprised. â€Å"Don't you like snow?† â€Å"No. That means it's too cold for rain.† Obviously. â€Å"Besides, I thought it was supposed to come down in flakes – you know, each one unique and all that. These just look like the ends of Q-tips.† â€Å"Haven't you ever seen snow fall before?† he asked incredulously. â€Å"Sure I have.† I paused. â€Å"On TV.† Mike laughed. And then a big, squishy ball of dripping snow smacked into the back of his head. We both turned to see where it came from. I had my suspicions about Eric, who was walking away, his back toward us – in the wrong direction for his next class. Mike appatently had the same notion. He bent over and began scraping together a pile of the white mush. â€Å"I'll see you at lunch, okay?† I kept walking as I spoke. â€Å"Once people start throwing wet stuff, I go inside.† He just nodded, his eyes on Eric's retreating figure. Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the new year. I kept my mouth shut. Sure, it was drier than rain – until it melted in your socks. I walked alertly to the cafeteria with Jessica after Spanish. Mush balls were flying everywhere. I kept a binder in my hands, ready to use it as a shield if necessary. Jessica thought I was hilarious, but something in my expression kept her from lobbing a snowball at me herself. Mike caught up to us as we walked in the doors, laughing, with ice melting the spikes in his hair. He and Jessica were talking animatedly about the snow fight as we got in line to buy food. I glanced toward that table in the corner out of habit. And then I froze where I stood. There were five people at the table. Jessica pulled on my arm. â€Å"Hello? Bella? What do you want?† I looked down; my ears were hot. I had no reason to feel self-conscious, I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything wrong. â€Å"What's with Bella?† Mike asked Jessica. â€Å"Nothing,† I answered. â€Å"I'll just get a soda today.† I caught up to the end of the line. â€Å"Aren't you hungry?† Jessica asked. â€Å"Actually, I feel a little sick,† I said, my eyes still on the floor. I waited for them to get their food, and then followed them to a table, my eyes on my feet. I sipped my soda slowly, my stomach churning. Twice Mike asked, with unnecessary concern, how I was feeling. I told him it was nothing, but I was wondering if I should play it up and escape to the nurse's office for the next hour. Ridiculous. I shouldn't have to run away. I decided to permit myself one glance at the Cullen family's table. If he was glaring at me, I would skip Biology, like the coward I was. I kept my head down and glanced up under my lashes. None of them were looking this way. I lifted my head a little. They were laughing. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett all had their hair entirely saturated with melting snow. Alice and Rosalie were leaning away as Emmett shook his dripping hair toward them. They were enjoying the snowy day, just like everyone else – only they looked more like a scene from a movie than the rest of us. But, aside from the laughter and playfulness, there was something different, and I couldn't quite pinpoint what that difference was. I examined Edward the most carefully. His skin was less pale, I decided – flushed from the snow fight maybe – the circles under his eyes much less noticeable. But there was something more. I pondered, staring, trying to isolate the change. â€Å"Bella, what are you staring at?† Jessica intruded, her eyes following my stare. At that precise moment, his eyes flashed over to meet mine. I dropped my head, letting my hair fall to conceal my face. I was sure, though, in the instant our eyes met, that he didn't look harsh or unfriendly as he had the last time I'd seen him. He looked merely curious again, unsatisfied in some way. â€Å"Edward Cullen is staring at you,† Jessica giggled in my ear. â€Å"He doesn't look angry, does he?† I couldn't help asking. â€Å"No,† she said, sounding confused by my question. â€Å"Should he be?† â€Å"I don't think he likes me,† I confided. I still felt queasy. I put my head down on my arm. â€Å"The Cullens don't like anybody†¦ well, they don't notice anybody enough to like them. But he's still staring at you.† â€Å"Stop looking at him,† I hissed. She snickered, but she looked away. I raised my head enough to make sure that she did, contemplating violence if she resisted. Mike interrupted us then – he was planning an epic battle of the blizzard in the parking lot after school and wanted us to join. Jessica agreed enthusiastically. The way she looked at Mike left little doubt that she would be up for anything he suggested. I kept silent. I would have to hide in the gym until the parking lot cleared. For the rest of the lunch hour I very carefully kept my eyes at my own table. I decided to honor the bargain I'd made with myself. Since he didn't look angry, I would go to Biology. My stomach did frightened little flips at the thought of sitting next to him again. I didn't really want to walk to class with Mike as usual – he seemed to be a popular target for the snowball snipers – but when we went to the door, everyone besides me groaned in unison. It was raining, washing all traces of the snow away in clear, icy ribbons down the side of the walkway. I pulled my hood up, secretly pleased. I would be free to go straight home after Gym. Mike kept up a string of complaints on the way to building four. Once inside the classroom, I saw with relief that my table was still empty. Mr. Banner was walking around the room, distributing one microscope and box of slides to each table. Class didn't start for a few minutes, and the room buzzed with conversation. I kept my eyes away from the door, doodling idly on the cover of my notebook. I heard very clearly when the chair next to me moved, but my eyes stayed carefully focused on the pattern I was drawing. â€Å"Hello,† said a quiet, musical voice. I looked up, stunned that he was speaking to me. He was sitting as far away from me as the desk allowed, but his chair was angled toward me. His hair was dripping wet, disheveled – even so, he looked like he'd just finished shooting a commercial for hair gel. His dazzling face was friendly, open, a slight smile on his flawless lips. But his eyes were careful. â€Å"My name is Edward Cullen,† he continued. â€Å"I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week. You must be Bella Swan.† My mind was spinning with confusion. Had I made up the whole thing? He was perfectly polite now. I had to speak; he was waiting. But I couldn't think of anything conventional to say. â€Å"H-how do you know my name?† I stammered. He laughed a soft, enchanting laugh. â€Å"Oh, I think everyone knows your name. The whole town's been waiting for you to arrive.† I grimaced. I knew it was something like that. â€Å"No,† I persisted stupidly. â€Å"I meant, why did you call me Bella?† He seemed confused. â€Å"Do you prefer Isabella?† â€Å"No, I like Bella,† I said. â€Å"But I think Charlie – I mean my dad – must call me Isabella behind my back – that's what everyone here seems to know me as,† I tried to explain, feeling like an utter moron. â€Å"Oh.† He let it drop. I looked away awkwardly. Thankfully, Mr. Banner started class at that moment. I tried to concentrate as he explained the lab we would be doing today. The slides in the box were out of order. Working as lab partners, we had to separate the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they represented and label them accordingly. We weren't supposed to use our books. In twenty minutes, he would be coming around to see who had it right. â€Å"Get started,† he commanded. â€Å"Ladies first, partner?† Edward asked. I looked up to see him smiling a crooked smile so beautiful that I could only stare at him like an idiot. â€Å"Or I could start, if you wish.† The smile faded; he was obviously wondering if I was mentally competent. â€Å"No,† I said, flushing. â€Å"I'll go ahead.† I was showing off, just a little. I'd already done this lab, and I knew what I was looking for. It should be easy. I snapped the first slide into place under the microscope and adjusted it quickly to the 40X objective. I studied the slide briefly. My assessment was confident. â€Å"Prophase.† â€Å"Do you mind if I look?† he asked as I began to remove the slide. His hand caught mine, to stop me, as he asked. His fingers were ice-cold, like he'd been holding them in a snowdrift before class. But that wasn't why I jerked my hand away so quickly. When he touched me, it stung my hand as if an electric current had passed through us. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he muttered, pulling his hand back immediately. However, he continued to reach for the microscope. I watched him, still staggered, as he examined the slide for an even shorter time than I had. â€Å"Prophase,† he agreed, writing it neatly in the first space on our worksheet. He swiftly switched out the first slide for the second, and then glanced at it cursorily. â€Å"Anaphase,† he murmured, writing it down as he spoke. I kept my voice indifferent. â€Å"May I?† He smirked and pushed the microscope to me. I looked through the eyepiece eagerly, only to be disappointed. Dang it, he was right. â€Å"Slide three?† I held out my hand without looking at him. He handed it to me; it seemed like he was being careful not to touch my skin again. I took the most fleeting look I could manage. â€Å"Interphase.† I passed him the microscope before he could ask for it. He took a swift peek, and then wrote it down. I would have written it while he looked, but his clear, elegant script intimidated me. I didn't want to spoil the page with my clumsy scrawl. We were finished before anyone else was close. I could see Mike and his partner comparing two slides again and again, and another group had their book open under the table. Which left me with nothing to do but try to not look at him†¦ unsuccessfully. I glanced up, and he was staring at me, that same inexplicable look of frustration in his eyes. Suddenly I identified that subtle difference in his face. â€Å"Did you get contacts?† I blurted out unthinkingly. He seemed puzzled by my unexpected question. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Oh,† I mumbled. â€Å"I thought there was something different about your eyes.† He shrugged, and looked away. In fact, I was sure there was something different. I vividly remembered the flat black color of his eyes the last time he'd glared at me – the color was striking against the background of his pale skin and his auburn hair. Today, his eyes were a completely different color: a strange ocher, darker than butterscotch, but with the same golden tone. I didn't understand how that could be, unless he was lying for some reason about the contacts. Or maybe Forks was making me crazy in the literal sense of the word. I looked down. His hands were clenched into hard fists again. Mr. Banner came to our table then, to see why we weren't working. He looked over our shoulders to glance at the completed lab, and then stared more intently to check the answers. â€Å"So, Edward, didn't you think Isabella should get a chance with the microscope?† Mr. Banner asked. â€Å"Bella,† Edward corrected automatically. â€Å"Actually, she identified three of the five.† Mr. Banner looked at me now; his expression was skeptical. â€Å"Have you done this lab before?† he asked. I smiled sheepishly. â€Å"Not with onion root.† â€Å"Whitefish blastula?† â€Å"Yeah.† Mr. Banner nodded. â€Å"Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well,† he said after a moment, â€Å"I guess it's good you two are lab partners.† He mumbled something else as he walked away. After he left, I began doodling on my notebook again. â€Å"It's too bad about the snow, isn't it?† Edward asked. I had the feeling that he was forcing himself to make small talk with me. Paranoia swept over me again. It was like he had heard my conversation with Jessica at lunch and was trying to prove me wrong. â€Å"Not really,† I answered honestly, instead of pretending to be normal like everyone else. I was still trying to dislodge the stupid feeling of suspicion, and I couldn't concentrate. â€Å"You don't like the cold.† It wasn't a question. â€Å"Or the wet.† â€Å"Forks must be a difficult place for you to live,† he mused. â€Å"You have no idea,† I muttered darkly. He looked fascinated by what I said, for some reason I couldn't imagine. His face was such a distraction that I tried not to look at it any more than courtesy absolutely demanded. â€Å"Why did you come here, then?† No one had asked me that – not straight out like he did, demanding. â€Å"It's†¦ complicated.† â€Å"I think I can keep up,† he pressed. I paused for a long moment, and then made the mistake of meeting his gaze. His dark gold eyes confused me, and I answered without thinking. â€Å"My mother got remarried,† I said. â€Å"That doesn't sound so complex,† he disagreed, but he was suddenly sympathetic. â€Å"When did that happen?† â€Å"Last September.† My voice sounded sad, even to me. â€Å"And you don't like him,† Edward surmised, his tone still kind. â€Å"No, Phil is fine. Too young, maybe, but nice enough.† â€Å"Why didn't you stay with them?† I couldn't fathom his interest, but he continued to stare at me with penetrating eyes, as if my dull life's story was somehow vitally important. â€Å"Phil travels a lot. He plays ball for a living.† I half-smiled. â€Å"Have I heard of him?† he asked, smiling in response. â€Å"Probably not. He doesn't play well. Strictly minor league. He moves around a lot.† â€Å"And your mother sent you here so that she could travel with him.† He said it as an assumption again, not a question. My chin raised a fraction. â€Å"No, she did not send me here. I sent myself.† His eyebrows knit together. â€Å"I don't understand,† he admitted, and he seemed unnecessarily frustrated by that fact. I sighed. Why was I explaining this to him? He continued to stare at me with obvious curiosity. â€Å"She stayed with me at first, but she missed him. It made her unhappy†¦ so I decided it was time to spend some quality time with Charlie.† My voice was glum by the time I finished. â€Å"But now you're unhappy,† he pointed out. â€Å"And?† I challenged. â€Å"That doesn't seem fair.† He shrugged, but his eyes were still intense. I laughed without humor. â€Å"Hasn't anyone ever told you? Life isn't fair.† â€Å"I believe I have heard that somewhere before,† he agreed dryly. â€Å"So that's all,† I insisted, wondering why he was still staring at me that way. His gaze became appraising. â€Å"You put on a good show,† he said slowly. â€Å"But I'd be willing to bet that you're suffering more than you let anyone see.† I grimaced at him, resisting the impulse to stick out my tongue like a five-year-old, and looked away. â€Å"Am I wrong?† I tried to ignore him. â€Å"I didn't think so,† he murmured smugly. â€Å"Why does it matter to you?† I asked, irritated. I kept my eyes away, watching the teacher make his rounds. â€Å"That's a very good question,† he muttered, so quietly that I wondered if he was talking to himself. However, after a few seconds of silence, I decided that was the only answer I was going to get. I sighed, scowling at the blackboard. â€Å"Am I annoying you?† he asked. He sounded amused. I glanced at him without thinking†¦ and told the truth again. â€Å"Not exactly. I'm more annoyed at myself. My face is so easy to read – my mother always calls me her open book.† I frowned. â€Å"On the contrary, I find you very difficult to read.† Despite everything that I'd said and he'd guessed, he sounded like he meant it. â€Å"You must be a good reader then,† I replied. â€Å"Usually.† He smiled widely, flashing a set of perfect, ultrawhite teeth. Mr. Banner called the class to order then, and I turned with relief to listen. I was in disbelief that I'd just explained my dreary life to this bizarre, beautiful boy who may or may not despise me. He'd seemed engrossed in our conversation, but now I could see, from the corner of my eye, that he was leaning away from me again, his hands gripping the edge of the table with unmistakable tension. I tried to appear attentive as Mr. Banner illustrated, with transparencies on the overhead projector, what I had seen without difficulty through the microscope. But my thoughts were unmanageable. When the bell finally rang, Edward rushed as swiftly and as gracefully from the room as he had last Monday. And, like last Monday, I stared after him in amazement. Mike skipped quickly to my side and picked up my books for me. I imagined him with a wagging tail. â€Å"That was awful,† he groaned. â€Å"They all looked exactly the same. You're lucky you had Cullen for a partner.† â€Å"I didn't have any trouble with it,† I said, stung by his assumption. I regretted the snub instantly. â€Å"I've done the lab before, though,† I added before he could get his feelings hurt. â€Å"Cullen seemed friendly enough today,† he commented as we shrugged into our raincoats. He didn't seem pleased about it. I tried to sound indifferent. â€Å"I wonder what was with him last Monday.† I couldn't concentrate on Mike's chatter as we walked to Gym, and RE. didn't do much to hold my attention, either. Mike was on my team today. He chivalrously covered my position as well as his own, so my woolgathering was only interrupted when it was my turn to serve; my team ducked warily out of the way every time I was up. The rain was just a mist as I walked to the parking lot, but I was happier when I was in the dry cab. I got the heater running, for once not caring about the mind-numbing roar of the engine. I unzipped my jacket, put the hood down, and fluffed my damp hair out so the heater could dry it on the way home. I looked around me to make sure it was clear. That's when I noticed the still, white figure. Edward Cullen was leaning against the front door of the Volvo, three cars down from me, and staring intently in my direction. I swiftly looked away and threw the truck into reverse, almost hitting a rusty Toyota Corolla in my haste. Lucky for the Toyota, I stomped on the brake in time. It was just the sort of car that my truck would make scrap metal of. I took a deep breath, still looking out the other side of my car, and cautiously pulled out again, with greater success. I stared straight ahead as I passed the Volvo, but from a peripheral peek, I would swear I saw him laughing.

Childhood Obesity and Ways to Prevent It Essay

It would be a gross understatement to say that childhood obesity has become a serious problem in America over the last several years. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated childhood obesity is the fastest growing health crisis in the United States. Over the past thirty years, the rate of obesity has more than tripled for children aged 6 to 11 and more than doubled for adolescents aged 12 to 19. It’s been approximated that more than 33% of youths aged 2 to 19 are overweight or obese. Being an obese child has an enormous impact on physical, mental, and emotional health along with social and overall development. Research has shown obese youths have a higher risk of chronic conditions such as asthma, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, bone/joint problems, sleep apnea, and even certain types of cancer. Equally important is the emerging health concern of metabolic syndrome among American youths, which is a major risk factor for cardiov ascular disease and type 2 diabetes. There are many ways one could prevent obesity. Longer physical education classes and healthier food choices at schools would be very beneficial. It is typical that a parent will do the food shopping for the home so it is important to make healthy, wholesome selections when food shopping. It is also typical for the parent to be the one to take the kids through the drive-thru window, buy them sugary snacks at the store, and super size their meals. It is obvious, then, that the home environment is the first place to set the foundation for proper nutrition. This topic interests me because being from Louisiana I know a lot of obese or over weight children because Louisiana happens to be the second fattest state in the country. Also being a kinesiology major it makes me very interested in exercise and ways to make people more fit and healthy. In the article, it states that the authors work in the Department of Nursing. The article was published at the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland  that proves that the article was written by researchers in the medical field. Since that is all I could find about the authors I could not say that this article is fully credible. The purpose of this article is to review the factors that contribute to the development of childhood obesity, its consequences, and the interventions for managing the problem. The authors found that childhood obesity is associated with the presence of genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors, while its consequences are connected with cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory diseases. Certain psychosocial and endocrine disorders were also observed. According to the authors, â€Å"management of the problem can be achieved with targeted interventions in the presence of the family, school and community environment.† (Koukourikos et al) This quote explains ways that obesity can be prevented and whom can help to prevent it. The authors came to the conclusion that childhood obesity is directly connected with the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle, a change in healthy eating habits, and reduced physical activity. After reading this article, I feel that I gained a lot of knowledge about childhood obesity as a whole. The article was helpful because it talked not only about obesity but also many of the effects it has on children and briefly talks about what would have to be done to reduce the obesity rates. The University of Southern California website stated that Donna Spruijt-Metz’s research focuses on childhood obesity and has her Ph.D. in Adolescent Health and Medical Ethics. She is also the Director, Responsible Conduct Research for the Keck School of Medicine, and the Associate Editor for Pediatric Obesity. This makes Donna Spruijt-Metz extremely qualified to be writing this article. She states that childhood obesity has become an epidemic on a worldwide scale. This article gives an overview of the progress made in childhood and adolescent obesity research in the last decade. The author talks about current definitions of childhood and  adolescent overweight and obesity. She states the three major obesity-related behaviors and genetic components of childhood obesity. She has done research on how the environment has influences on childhood and adolescent obesity. Lastly, she briefly explains the progress in interventions to prevent and treat childhood and adolescent obesity. The author concludes with recommendations for future research, including the need for large-scale, high-dose, and long-term interventions that take into account the complex nature of the problem. This article was informational and helpful explaining why children are becoming more and more obese. Also, the author explained on how to prevent obesity so this article was helpful for my research topic. On an â€Å"About the Authors† webpage, it stated that Leah M. Frerichs works in the College of Public Health department at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. UNMC is one of the top centers for cardiovascular disease research along with several other diseases. Ozgur Araz also work at UNMC in the public health department as an assistant professor. He has his PhD in industrial engineering and has written thirteen other medical articles. Terry T-K Huang is the professor and chair of the department of health promotion, social, and behavioral health at UNMC. He has his PhD is preventive medicine. With this being said, all three of the authors sound very qualified for this article on obesity and how to prevent it because of their medically inclined backgrounds. The authors of this article do research at a couple different places, which includes the Erasmus Medical Center, the TNO Child Health Center, the EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, and the University of Twente. Their research has several studies dealing with children and what contributes to their health and weight. All of these centers deal with health and children, which makes these authors well certified to write an article on my topic. two interventions aim to support parents of preschool children to realize healthy child nutrition and activity behaviors of their young child. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of the two overweight prevention interventions with regard to child health behaviors and child Body Mass Index. Methods/design A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among parents and their preschool children who attend one of 51 participating YHC teams. The teams were randomly allocated to one of the two intervention groups, or to the control group (care as usual). The ‘BBOFT+’ intervention focuses on effective child rearing by parents from birth onwards by enlarging parental skills concerning healthy behavioral life-style habits. Parents who are allocated to the ‘E-health4Uth Healthy toddler’ intervention group, at the child age of circa 18 and 24 months old, are invited to complete an online E-health module providing tailored health education regarding hea lthy child nutrition and activity behaviors. The E-health messages are discussed and reinforced during the subsequent regularly scheduled visits by YHC professionals, and were repeated after 4 weeks. The primary outcome measures at child age 3 years are: overweight inducing/reducing behaviors, (for ‘BBOFT+† only) healthy sleep, Body Mass Index and prevalence of overweight and obesity. Secondary outcome measures are attitudes and other cognitive characteristics of the parents regarding the overweight-related behaviors of their child, parenting styles and practices, and health-related quality of life of the children. Discussion We hypothesize that the use of the additional interventions will result in a healthier lifestyle of preschool children and an improved BMI and less development of overweight and obesity compared to usual care.

Ideals Of The American Revolution - 1100 Words

Neither the framing nor the ratification of the Constitution were counter-revolutionary and neither contradicts the ideals of the American Revolution, rather, the Constitution corresponds and complies with a doctrine of fair governance as elucidated by the Declaration of Independence and thus allows for the system of checks and balances imperative to a final product that can guarantee a unified egalitarian republic. However, in order to prove this point, it must be conceded that the so-called â€Å"ideals of the American Revolution† can be no better embodied by one defining document than the Declaration of Independence because, in essence, it acts as the singular mission statement behind the Revolutionary War itself. Logically then its text is paramount to the framework that determines whether or not something is or is not in accordance with the ideals of the Revolutionary War because if an ideal contradicts the Declaration, then it, by definition, must contradict the ideals of the Revolutionary War. The Constitution fulfills the criteria of a fair and just system of governance as described by the Declaration of Independence, which means that the Constitution lives up to the ideals of the American Revolutionary War. This is evidenced by, but is not limited to, the numerous protections of two preeminent criteria of fair governance as described by the Declaration of Independence. The first protection is the protection of the â€Å"all men [having the right to] life, liberty andShow MoreRelatedFrench Revolution: the Solution to Class Inequality1141 Words   |  5 PagesThe French Revolution was one of the most important events that occurred in the history of France. 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It is believed that American R evolution was the most important chapter in human history just because it was their action that made the ideals of liberty, equality, and justice to materialize. The American Revolution had a very big significance worldwide as it changed the world not by removing and altering of power in any of the states but by the appearance of the newRead MoreThe Role of Freemasons in the American Revolution Essay1176 Words   |  5 Pageshistorians were asking questions for years before, the 2004 film National Treasure sparked new interest in the Mason’s role in the American Revolution. The study of Revolutionary era freemasonry truly began in the early 20th century with authors such Sidney Morse and Bernard Fay. These authors believed that the Freemasons were the driving force behind the Revolution, making connections between Masons and important historical leaders and events. But revisionist historians such as Margaret C. JacobRead MoreThe Justification Of The Whiskey Rebellion1430 Wor ds   |  6 Pagescitizens of their rights, the American republic modeled the very government that they had once rebelled against. The government’s response to the Whiskey Rebellion was a departure from the spirit of the American Revolution. Desperate to solidify the power of the majority, political leaders (especially Alexander Hamilton) relied on fear and oppression to assert its dominance over the states. By valuing the unity of the nation over the life and stability of the minority, the American government undid muchRead MoreThe Unprecedented Success Of Revolution1594 Words   |  7 PagesCivilization HU-103 May 7, 2017 The Unprecedented Success of Revolution No one has ever changed the world by doing what the world has told them to do. In fact, many of our recent inventions, rights, political systems, and comforts have come into existence through the sweats and tears of revolution, an often chaotic and transformative event that attempts to change a nation, society, or world. And though it can be argued that revolution results in the bloodshed of masses, it is imperative to understand