1. Positive body image is a pathway between nature contact and life satisfaction across 58 nationsViren Swami, Martin Voracek, Stefan Stieger, Toivo Aavik, Hamed Abdollahpour Ranjbar, Sulaiman Olanrewaju Adebayo, Reza Afhami, Oli Ahmed, Annie Aimé, Marwan Akel, Mirjam Koprivnik, Vita Poštuvan, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Time spent in nature benefits human mental and physical well-being. However, much of the variance in out- comes of nature contact remains unexplained, suggesting that new mechanistic pathways need to be considered. Here, we tested a novel conceptual model linking nature contact with life satisfaction via pathways involving positive experiences of living in and experiencing the world through the physical self. Using data from the Body Image in Nature Survey (BINS; N = 50,363), representing respondents from 58 nations and speaking 36 different languages, we find that nature contact is associated with greater self-compassion and greater perceived resto- ration in nature, which in turn are associated with more positive body image. In addition, more positive body image is associated with greater life satisfaction. These associations were robust to sensitivity tests, generalised to all gender identities and age groups, and held individually in almost all national groups and languages. Although replications are needed, we propose that the materialities of natural environments help to link bodily experiences to the production and experience of well-being, a process that is largely stable across national groups.
Ključne besede: body image, connectedness to nature, perceived restoration, nature contact, life satisfaction, self-compassion
Objavljeno v RUP: 10.07.2026; Ogledov: 590; Prenosov: 68
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3. Effects of dance-based exercise on health indicators in cancer patients : a systematic review and meta-analysisSara Zgonc, Aleksandra Ilić, Matej Plevnik, Žiga Kozinc, Saša Jovanović, 2026, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: Introduction:Dance-based exercise has been increasingly explored as a complementary intervention in oncology, with potential benefits for physical, psychological, and social health. However, evidence remains inconsistent, and the overall strength of evidence has not been clearly established. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of dance-based exercise on health indicators in individuals with cancer. Methods:A systematic search of the literature was conducted in April 2025. Randomized controlled trials investigating dance-based interventions in adults with cancer were included. Outcomes of interest were quality of life, depression, and stress. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Where outcome measures were comparable, random-effects meta-analyses were performed using standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals. Results:Meta-analytic results indicated that dance-based exercise significantly improved physical aspects of quality of life (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.61, 95% CI [0.07, 1.15], P = .03). A positive but non-significant trend was observed for the social/family component of quality of life (SMD = 0.87, 95% CI [−0.21, 1.95], P = .11). Heterogeneity across studies was high for both analyses. For depression and stress, pooled results did not reach statistical significance, although several individual trials reported improvements, particularly among participants with higher baseline stress levels. Evidence was very low to low quality. Conclusions:Overall, findings suggest that dance-based exercise represents a feasible and beneficial complementary intervention that can enhance selected dimensions of quality of life among cancer patients. Further research employing standardized intervention protocols and consistent outcome measures is needed to better characterize the magnitude and specificity of effects across psychological and physical health domains.
Ključne besede: cancer, dance interventions, quality of life, physical activities, stress, depression
Objavljeno v RUP: 30.06.2026; Ogledov: 555; Prenosov: 14
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4. Physical activity, body appreciation, and perceived stress in relation to life satisfaction among university studentsVojko Vučković, Tanja Kajtna, Klemen Širok, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Physical Activity, Body Appreciation, and Perceived Stress in Relation to Life Satisfaction Among University Students by Vojko Vučković 1,*ORCID,Tanja Kajtna 1ORCID andKlemen Širok 2ORCID 1 Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 2 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, 6310 Izola, Slovenia * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Healthcare 2026, 14(11), 1572; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14111572 Submission received: 31 March 2026 / Revised: 29 May 2026 / Accepted: 2 June 2026 / Published: 4 June 2026 (This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Activity and Sports in Enhancing Psychological Well-Being and Quality of Life) Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Versions Notes Abstract Background: University students experience increased psychological distress during academic transitions, yet modifiable lifestyle determinants of their subjective well-being remain incompletely understood within integrated analytical frameworks. Methods: A cross-sectional survey (N = 194 undergraduates; 52.6% women; M age = 21.9 years) used validated instruments: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Body Appreciation Scale-2 Short Form (BAS-2SF), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and single-item measures of financial security and screen time. Physical activity (PA) was log-transformed (MET_log). Multiple simultaneous regression and structural equation modelling (SEM) were conducted. Results: Perceived stress was the strongest negative predictor of life satisfaction (B = −0.561, p < 0.001), while financial security was a significant positive predictor (B = +0.171, p = 0.023). SEM showed that body appreciation was associated with life satisfaction primarily through lower perceived stress (indirect effect = 0.107; consistent with indirect-only association pattern), while PA showed a significant direct association with life satisfaction (β = +0.143, p = 0.030), independent of the stress pathway. The indirect effect of PA via stress was not significant in the SEM. Model fit was acceptable (CFI = 0.951; RMSEA = 0.067). Conclusions: Perceived stress was statistically associated with the relationship between body appreciation and subjective well-being, while PA showed a direct statistical association with well-being that was independent of the stress pathway. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, these findings suggest that university health promotion programmes may consider integrating positive body image and stress management components alongside PA promotion to support student psychological well-being.
Ključne besede: physical activity, life satisfaction, perceived stress, body appreciation, university students, structural equation modelling, well-being
Objavljeno v RUP: 07.06.2026; Ogledov: 770; Prenosov: 24
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5. Integrating Happiness Research into Endpoint Indicators of Social Life Cycle AnalysisStefan Mann, Melf-Hinrich Ehlers, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Endpoint indicators for social life cycle analysis (S-LCA) are still less consolidated than those for environmental LCA. There is a broad consensus that human well-being should be the overarching goal of social sustainability and therefore also of S-LCA. However, to date the two major databases for S-LCA are restricted to a multiplication of working hours with a quality- or risk-adjusted factor. This paper aims to evaluate the congruence between this technical pragmatism and well-established findings of happiness research. The analysis starts with the argument that evidence and consequentiality are necessary criteria for any variables used. It is then shown that some of the variables such as poverty are not consequential, while the unit of working hours lacks any evidence about a relationship with subjective well-being. The analysis concludes that a simple pointbased endpoint indicator would be more appropriate for S-LCA than the current hour-based indicator.
Ključne besede: social sustainability, life cycle analysis, indicators, endpoint
Objavljeno v RUP: 18.12.2025; Ogledov: 782; Prenosov: 11
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6. The Impact of Demographic Dynamics on Household Saving in Pre-COVID-19 South AfricaAfamefuna Emmanuel Nwogbo, Joel Hinaunye Eita, Sivan Chetty, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This paper examines the effect of demographic dynamics on household saving in pre-COVID-19 South Africa, across all nine provinces of South Africa. The study used panel autoregressive distributed lag (PARDL) and Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality methods. The results revealed a longrun relationship between demographic dynamics and household saving in South Africa, showing that the White working age population had a significant effect on South Africa’s household saving in both the long-run and short-run, while the Black and Coloured working age population groups significantly impacted household saving only in the long-run. However, the Asian/Indian working age population had no effect on household saving in either the long run or short run. The Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality analysis revealed a bidirectional causality running between Asian/Indian, Black, and Coloured population groups and household saving, while a unidirectional causality was found running from the White population group to household saving.
Ključne besede: demographics, working age population, aged/elderly population, life-cycle hypothesis, household saving, panel ARDL, Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality
Objavljeno v RUP: 18.12.2025; Ogledov: 736; Prenosov: 12
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7. BIM-based framework for estimating service life duration of wood construction elements under environmental exposureRichard Acquah, Jonas Niklewski, Anna Malgorzata Sandak, Jakub Michal Sandak, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: As the construction industry adopts more data-driven and sustainable practices, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is increasingly used for energy analysis, lifecycle management, and maintenance planning. However, its integration with service life performance analysis especially for wood, a material susceptible to environmental degradation remains limited. This study presents a BIM-based framework that incorporates wood-specific parameters such as environmental exposure, material properties, and design detailing to estimate the service life of wood construction elements. The framework is structured using ISO 15,686–4 principles and implemented through custom Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) property sets. A Revit plugin developed in C# integrates the model into the BIM environment. A case study of a wooden playhouse is used as a proof-of-concept to demonstrates the framework’s ability to evaluate the impact of design, material, and environmental factors on service life. The results confirm that the framework supports service life prediction and enhances decision-making for wood-based construction. Twenty-one-month observations align with predicted results. However, long-term (2–9 year) predictions remain unvalidated, requiring extended monitoring. By integration of the service life prediction for fungal decay into BIM it offers a practical and scalable tool to support service life–informed design and planning for wood structures.
Ključne besede: service life prediction, wood material durability, environmental exposure, wood 28 construction, sustainable construction, building information modelling (BIM)
Objavljeno v RUP: 24.11.2025; Ogledov: 1098; Prenosov: 46
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8. The social construction of environmental reality : an analysis of life cycle assessment in the food industryPedja Ašanin Gole, Karolina Babič, Vida Sruk, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This article offers a critical sociological-philosophical-communicological review of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method in the context of the food industry. While LCA has been established as a standardized tool for quantifying environmental impacts, this study analyses it not merely as a technical method but as an epistemological construct that actively shapes societal understanding of sustainability. Drawing on the theory of social construction of reality, situated knowledge, and critical theory, the article explores how methodological choices within LCA (e.g., system boundary definition and indicator selection) are not neutral but reflect specific social and political priorities. The findings reveal that standardized LCA approaches oſten lead to epistemological reductionism by homogenizing complex ecological processes and neglecting local contexts and environmental justice issues. Furthermore, the article examines the instrumentalization of LCA in sustainability communication and green marketing, where quantitative data are frequently used to legitimize existing business models rather than to drive systemic change. The discussion emphasizes the need to transcend instrumental rationality and shiſt toward transdisciplinary and deliberative approaches. The article advocates for integrating Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) and broader Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) frameworks to address sustainability challenges in the food industry more holistically, incorporating social justice and cultural sensitivity.
Ključne besede: life cycle assessment (LCA), social construction of reality, situated knowledge, sustainability environmental communication, epistemology of ethics, sociology of responsibility
Objavljeno v RUP: 10.11.2025; Ogledov: 1369; Prenosov: 16
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10. Gender equality barriers in agriculture and life sciences in Central european universitiesVeronika Paksi, Katalin Tardos, Judit Takács, Csilla Judit Suhajda, Jana Mazancová, Štefan Bojnec, Julianna Kobolák, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The European Union aims to foster research excellence, among others, by increasing gender equality (GE) in the European research area. The mandatory introduction of gender equality plans (GEP) mobilised universities to assess, target, and monitor GE in different fields of science. A wide range of barriers have been explored in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), characterised by the low participation of women. However, significant obstacles to GE can emerge in relatively more gender‐balanced and, therefore, rarely studied fields, such as agriculture and life sciences (ALS). Experiences can differ in Central and Eastern European countries, characterised by rather traditional gender and family norms. This study explores different stakeholders’ perceptions of the main barriers of GE, with particular attention to ALS. We conducted nine focus groups (82 participants in total) with middle management, academic staff, and students from Czech, Hungarian, and Slovenian universities, aiming to contribute to the revision of their first GEP. Discussions were centred on recruitment, leadership positions, work–life balance, gender‐based violence, sexual harassment, organisational culture, integrating the gender dimension into research and teaching, and institutionalisation of GEPs. Findings revealed that women in ALS face partly similar gender‐based obstacles to their counterparts in less gender‐balanced fields—perceptions of education and career choices, work–life imbalance, and exclusion by recruitment and promotion practices—and also additional ALS‐related challenges of laboratory and fieldwork. Findings highlight the need for institutions to carefully address these areas in their state‐of‐the‐art assessments and develop sector‐specific, tailor‐made GEPs.
Ključne besede: academia and higher education, agriculture and life sciences, barriers, Central and Eastern Europe, gender equality, gender equality plans, inclusion of women, stakeholders
Objavljeno v RUP: 18.08.2025; Ogledov: 1197; Prenosov: 12
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