Seasonal changes in physical activity during school recess and lunchtime among Australian children

This study examined how children’s physical activity levels during recess and lunchtime and the contribution of recess and lunchtime to daily physical activity differed across seasons. Three hundred and twenty-six children aged 8–11 years from Australia participated. Physical activity was measured every 15-seconds using hip-mounted ActiGraph accelerometers for 7 consecutive days during the winter (n = 246), spring (n = 211), summer (n = 161) and autumn terms (n = 139). Data were collected 2012–2013. Time spent in light- (LPA) moderate- (MPA), vigorous- (VPA), and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) during recess and lunchtime were calculated. Longitudinal data were analysed using multilevel analyses and adjusted for potential confounders. The results showed that compared to winter, children engaged in significantly less MVPA and VPA in spring and summer during lunchtime (p < 0.05). No significant changes were observed during recess. The contribution of lunchtime to VPA and MVPA significantly decreased in spring and summer compared to winter (p < 0.05). Children’s lunchtime physical activity levels decreased between winter and spring and summer, with greater declines observed in VPA. Strategies to increase physical activity levels in every season are needed during lunchtime, with a greater emphasis on warmer months.     

Demand for Live Theater with Market Segmentation and Seasonality

Using performance level box-office receipts from the PacificConservatory of the Performing Arts over eight years, we analyzeperformance-level demand for live theater. The disaggregated data allowsus to estimate demand at a particular venue and to characterize theseasonality of demand for live theater. We examine whether the supply ofshows matches the differentiated tastes of theater-goers at each of thethree locations and the sensitivity of demand to critical reviews andprior attendance.     

The Indian monsoon

We, in the monsoonal regions of the world are concerned about the variation of rainfall in space and time and a major aim of monsoon meteorology is to predict these variations. Understanding the basic system responsible for the monsoon and the factors that lead to its variation is a prerequisite for developing models to generate these predictions. In this article, I discuss the basic system responsible for the monsoon — the wind and the rains. Sulochana Gadgil is an honorary Professor at the Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science. Her main research interests are monsoon dynamics, the coupling of the tropical cloud systems to the oceans. She has also worked with agricultural scientists and farmers to identify farming strategies which are tailored to the rainfall variability experienced over the region. She is interested in evolutionary biology as well and has worked on mathematical models of interactive populations. She enjoys many facets of nature including clouds, birds, butterflies, flowering trees and elephants.