Differential use of each hemisphere of the brain for specif ic tasks is a widespread phenomenon that appears to have arisen in the early history of tetrapod lineage. Despite a high degree of conformity in the development of lateralization among the tetrapods, some variation exists. The mechanisms underlying this variation remain largely unresolved. We exposed f ish from regions of high and low predation pressure to a series of visual experiences, including viewing an empty compartment, a novel object and a live predator. Fish from each region differed in their preferential use of each eye to view the scenes. For example, f ish from high predation regions viewed a live predator by using their right eye, whereas f ish from low predation sites showed no eye preference. These results suggest that the degree of lateralization varies between populations of the same species that have been exposed to different ecological/evolutionary pressures.

We subjected fish from regions of high and low levels of predation pressure in four independent streams to a mild stressor and recorded their opercular beat rates. Fish from low-predation areas showed higher maximum, minimum and mean opercular beat frequencies than fish from high-predation regions. The change in opercular beat frequency (scope) was also significantly greater in fish from low- than in fish from high-predation regions. Under normal activity levels, however, low predation fish showed a reduced opercular beat frequency, which may be indicative of reduced activity levels or metabolic rate. Opercular beat frequency was negatively correlated with standard length as one would expect based on higher metabolic rates in smaller fish. We suggest that these contrasting stress responses are most likely the result of differential exposure to predators in fish from high- and low-predation areas. We argue that reduced stress responses in high-predation areas evolved to prevent excessive energy expenditure by modulating the fright response.

Objective: Strategies are needed to address the shortfall in children's dairy food and Ca intakes. The present review identified interventions targeting an increase in children's dairy food or Ca intakes, and determined characteristics associated with successful intervention. Design: A systematic literature search identified fourteen intervention studies, published in English, between 1990 and 2010. Studies were evaluated for study population, setting and mode of delivery, dietary targets and outcome measures, measures of intervention intensity, intervention description, the use of behaviour change techniques and intervention effectiveness. Setting: Interventions targeting an increase in dairy food or Ca intake. Subjects: Children aged 5-12 years. Results: Ten of the fourteen studies were considered to be effective. Studies focusing on encouraging intake of dairy foods or Ca alone were all effective, compared with 55 % of studies promoting dairy within the context of a healthy diet. Effective interventions tended to be higher in intensity, provide dairy foods and were delivered across a variety of settings to a range of primary targets. The number of behaviour change techniques used did not differentiate effective and ineffective interventions, but the use of taste exposure and prompting practice appeared to be important for effective intervention. Conclusions: Interventions that target an increase in children's dairy food or Ca intake could potentially increase children's dairy food intake by about one serving daily. Research conducted outside the USA is needed. The review has identified some promising strategies likely to be part of effective interventions for improving dairy and Ca intakes in countries where children's intake is insufficient.

Objective: To identify parents' concerns and attitudes towards children's diets, activity habits and weight status. Design: Computer-assisted telephone interviewing administration of a 37-item survey. Data were weighted for parental education level. Descriptive results are presented, and comparisons are made by the age, gender and parental characteristics of the child. Setting: Online research panel of Australian parents. Subjects: A total of 1202 randomly selected parents of children aged 2-16 years, broadly representative of the Australian population. Results: Parents were concerned about their child's education (reported by 35 % of respondents), child's health and well-being (25 %), and violence, drugs and alcohol (20 %). Concern about nutrition was indicated by 14 % of respondents and concern about fitness/exercise was indicated by 3 % of the sample. Factors perceived as making a healthy diet difficult to achieve for their child were child resistance (89 %), the availability of healthy food (72 %), a busy lifestyle (67 %) and the influence of food advertising (63 %). Ninety-two per cent of parents thought that it was realistic for their child to be active for at least 1 h/d, with 75 % of parents feeling that it was realistic for their child to have less than 2 h recreational screen time per d. Despite this, common barriers to achieving the activity guidelines were lack of time, weather and keeping children occupied. Conclusions: Insights into parental concerns from the current study may be useful in guiding development of interventions to improve children's nutrition and physical activity habits by framing messages in a way that are most likely to resonate with parents.

This review identifies studies describing interventions delivered across both the home and school/community setting, which target obesity and weight-related nutrition and physical activity behaviors in children. Fifteen studies, published between 1998 and 2010, were included and evaluated for effectiveness, study quality, nutrition/activity content, behavior change techniques, and theoretical basis, using validated assessment tools/taxonomies. Seven studies were rated as effective. Behavior change techniques used to engage families, and techniques associated with intervention effectiveness were coded. Effective studies used about 10 behavior change techniques, compared with 6.5 in ineffective studies. Effective interventions used techniques including providing general information on behavior-health links, prompting practice of behavior, and planning for social support/social changes. Different behavior change techniques were applied in the home and school setting. The findings of this review provide novel insights into the techniques associated with intervention effectiveness that can inform the development of public health obesity prevention strategies.