MONTHLY BAROMETER – WELLNESS EDITION Aging is the most potent and enduring global trend and lies behind much of what is going on in economics and our societies. With the notable exception of Sub-Saharan Africa, longer lifespans and declining birth rates are now the norms almost everywhere. The implications are broad and all-encompassing, ranging from the future balance of power between the US and China…
Two new European studies agree that ultra-processed foods are very bad for your health—and not just junk food, but breads, jarred sauces and frozen meals that are staples for many. A French study (tracking 100,000 adults) found that people who ate the most packaged foods were 23 percent more likely to suffer cardiovascular trouble. A Spanish study (20,000 adults) found that those with the highest…
MONTHLY BAROMETER – WELLNESS EDITION The age of digital authoritarianism and the reign of techno-autocrats are upon us. China is leading the way with their new “Social Ranking” Initiative, tracking people’s behavior (such as their health/fitness) and rewarding and punishing with things such as access to healthcare or government services. But eventually all countries will follow suit with different degrees of intensity: If (or when)…
The International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) took place in Singapore last week, and strategic consultancy CatchOn (in collaboration with the conference) released a very insightful new report, Asia: The Future of Global Wellness Tourism. It analyzes why Asia is at the heart of the wellness boom and what the biggest wellness travel trends are in the region. It also identifies three key consumer archetypes driving…
For most metrics measuring human progress (ranging from GDP-per-capita to life expectancy), we’ve never had a better life; yet a surprising number of individuals in high-income countries (most notably in the Anglo-Saxon world) feel miserable at work (where we spend a third of our adult life). The reasons are manifold and hard to address for traditional companies: purposeless jobs, punitive hours, dreadful commutes, “always-on” culture,…
MONTHLY BAROMETER – WELLNESS EDITION “Brexeternity”—At the eleventh hour, all options are back on the table, from May’s deal to a no-deal, from a softer Brexit to a second referendum. But irrespective of the actual outcome, Brexit won’t be over any time soon. For years to come, the British economy, society and politics will be consumed by wrangling and negotiations with the EU (and the…
