A new study from the University of Southern California indicates that stress–whether from traumatic events, work, or discrimination–speeds up aging in the immune system, which increases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and infection. The researchers measured social stress levels against immune cell counts. People with the highest stress scores had significantly lower percentages of fresh disease fighters and higher percentages of worn-out white blood cells.…
Gallup Research Reveals Peak Stress and Sadness Worldwide By Thierry Malleret, economist If the world broke many records in 2021–including record corporate profits and CO2 emissions–Gallup’s 2022 Global Emotions Report also reveals a historic high for negative emotions. The survey of people in 121 nations found that in 2021 levels of stress, sadness, and loneliness reached record levels (the highest since Gallup started tracking emotional…
Eight Global Wellness Trends and How They Will Impact the Future of Fitness By Susie Ellis, CEO of the Global Wellness Institute The pandemic has sparked profound shifts in what consumers perceive as “true wellness” – what they want, need and expect has fundamentally changed. I recently spoke at IHRSA 2022 Miami sharing 8 of our 2022 Global Wellness Trends and the way they may impact…
A new study from Japanese researchers published in Scientific Reports found that listening to music with a groove (music that causes the sensation of wanting to move to the rhythm/beat) can significantly increase measures of executive function. This first study of its kind used both brain imaging and measured individual psychological responses to “groove music” and found that music with a groovy beat impacted cognitive…
The “Wellness Divide” between Low- and High-Income Countries Will Further Sharpen By Thierry Malleret, economist As the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, just put it: the global economy is facing “a confluence of calamities.” The three main engines that drive it are sputtering simultaneously. In the European Union, because of the war and the supply shock inflicted by commodity prices; in China, because…
Looking Beyond COVID: The Shifts Ahead in the Physical Activity and Fitness Markets The GWI’s most recent research report on the global wellness economy includes a complete update on the six-sector physical activity market: fitness ($77 billion), sports and active recreation ($200 billion), mindful movement ($30 billion), fitness technology ($49.5 billion), sports and fitness equipment ($105 billion), and sports apparel and footwear ($293 billion). It…
