A large new study has reexamined the longstanding environment-vs-heredity debate, and came down firmly in the environment camp. Based on robust medical data from 490,000-plus people, all registered with the UK Biobank, the researchers studied the influence of genetics and over 100 environmental and lifestyle factors on the risk of 22 diseases that make up most of the major causes of death. They analyzed 25 environmental and behavioral…
Study: Being in Shape is Far Better for Longevity than Being Thin A new study from the University of Virginia examined the relationship between aerobic fitness, body mass and longevity. It was the largest, most thorough study on the issue to date, analyzing a vast amount of earlier research. It found that being out of shape doubled or tripled the risk of dying prematurely, whatever…
Too often, calls to improve global health and wellbeing fail to lead to concrete actions. GWI seeks to improve global wellness by both inspiring and facilitating meaningful change. The Wellness Policy Series aims to spark conversations about promoting wellness, and to provide specific guidelines for achieving this goal. The Policy Toolkits are roadmaps with detailed directions for bringing wellness to all communities. They present the…
Study: Just Four Minutes of Intense Exercise Each Day Slashes Cardiovascular Risk University of Sydney researchers, analyzing data from 103,000 people that used a fitness tracker for years, found that just 1.5– to 4–minute bursts of daily high intensity exercise (whether taking the stairs instead of the elevator or carrying groceries) dramatically lowered risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The impact was much greater…
The Brain on Beauty and the Rising Field of Neuroaesthetics By Thierry Malleret, economist The new interdisciplinary field of neuroaesthetics explains why engaging with beauty via the arts or nature has such a profound impact on health. Susan Magsamen, co-author of Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, and founder of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of…
What is Wellness Policy? Why Is It So Important? By Tonia Callender, GWI research fellow We are grappling with increasingly severe global crises that threaten our health and wellbeing. The Global Wellness Institute continues to champion the adoption of wellness practices, preventive approaches and healthy lifestyles to counter these threats. In its earlier report, “Defining Wellness Policy,” GWI introduced wellness policy and sparked a global…
