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ii ACKNOWLEGMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without the support and copious contributions of numerous people and institutions. The quality of this research was significantly enhanced by the kindly contributions of my thesis committee. First and foremost, I express gratitude to my thesis committee supervisor, Dr. Tanya Peckmann for her direction, supervision, devotion, and patience (during the countless hours spent reading and revising my work). As a teacher and an advisor, you have provided invaluable experiences and opportunities that have helped to shape my career, and I have grown so much as a scholar, teacher, and a professional under your tutelage. I also wish to thank the supporting members of my thesis committee, Dr. Michelle Patriquin and Dr. Claudia Garrido-Varas for their expertise and feedback. During my time at Saint Mary's University, Michelle has become both a mentor and a friend. So often I pushed forward with revived motivation after our impromptu discussions; you have been a valuable and positive resource throughout my degree. Thank you is also extended to Dr. Claudia Garrido-Varas, who was able to provide unique insight into this research based on her practical experience as a forensic advisor in Thailand during the 2004 'Boxing Day' tsunami. Thank you, Claudia, for agreeing to serve on my committee, and for taking the time to review my work while abroad. generous with her time over the years, guiding me through statistical analyses and interpretation on more than one occasion, and patiently answering my constant barrage of questions. Susan, your assistance has immeasurably enriched my research. Finally, thank you to my family and friends for their unwavering support, encouragement, and willingness to lend an ear or share a drink.

Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the secular trends of weight, stature, and BMI values in a Nova Scotian sample from 1946 to 1999, with particular focus on how these trends may relate to nutrition and the evolving obesity epidemic. Methods: Data were collected from investigative (autopsy) records of 1645 individuals (1287 males, 358 females) of European descent at the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service. Secular trends were evaluated by linear regression of weight, stature, and BMI with respect to the year of birth. Further analysis of this sample was based on five time periods (birth cohorts), in order to determine whether dramatic shifts in diet and nutrition affected weight, stature, and BMI. Results: Overall, the results of this study demonstrate positive secular trends in weight, stature, and BMI from 1946 to 1999 in the Nova Scotian sample. Subsequent analysis among different time periods shows a secular increase in the weight of Nova Scotian males from 1946 to 1979, and a subsequent decrease in weight in after 1980. For Nova Scotian females, the results show a secular increase in weight from 1946 to 1989, and a subsequent decrease in weight after 1990. Such secular increases in weight coincide with the global nutrition transition, while recent decreasing median weight values may reflect economic growth and urbanization in Nova Scotia. Conclusions: Overall, the results of the present study indicate that temporal trends in nutrition may have contributed to positive secular changes in weight, stature, and BMI in Nova Scotia, Canada between 1946 and 1999.