The world is suffering from a mental wellness crisis: Roughly one billion people suffer from anxiety, and one in four people experience mental disorders. To answer the need for more evidence-based pathways to mental wellbeing, the GWI’s Mental Wellness Initiative will release a new, in-depth report, Mental Wellness: Pathways, Evidence and Horizons, in early October at the Global Wellness Summit in Italy. It will present…
A 4-Day Workweek? A Test Run Shows a Surprising Result – The New York Times, July 19, 2018 This is an interesting example of how working less may lead to higher productivity. A New Zealand financial firm that let its employees work four days a week while being paid for five says the experiment was so successful that it hopes to make the change permanent.…
In Mexican Town With Little Water, Coca-Cola Is Everywhere. So Is Diabetes —The New York Times, July 14, 2018 Drinkable water is increasingly scarce in San Cristóbal de las Casas, a mountain town in Mexico where neighborhoods have running water just a few times a week. So, many residents drink Coca-Cola to hydrate, which is easier to find than bottled water and nearly as cheap.…
Women who work long hours appear to be at increased risk for diabetes. In a new study by Canadian researchers analyzing 7,065 workers over 12 years, they found that compared to women who worked 35–40 hours a week, those who worked 45 hours or more had a 51 percent increased risk of diabetes. But there was no effect of working hours on diabetes for men.…
Monthly Barometer Our relative long-term bullishness for Europe is premised upon the following: It is stronger than it seems, but most importantly, it is better placed than most other countries, regions or continents to mitigate the major global risks (like climate change) that is collectively faced. Water is a big case in point. Fresh water availability is changing fast, with water insecurity becoming an increasing…
The market for health-tech wearables continues to grow healthily. At the end of last year, Fitbit reported more than 25 million active users (an increase of 9 percent year-on-year), with an increase roughly similar for Apple Watches. As the market expands, providers of wearable fitness trackers are starting to aggressively target corporate clients on the strength of new research, showing that the more active employees…
