Global Wellness Institute

“Why It Was Easier to Be Skinny in the 1980s” – The Atlantic, September 30, 2015

A new medical study just found that it’s harder for adults today to maintain the same weight as those 20 to 30 years ago did, even at the same levels of food intake and exercise. The conclusion: People today are about 10 percent heavier than people were in the 1980s, even if they follow the exact same diet and exercise plans. There are three possible reasons why this is the case: 1.) exposure to chemicals; 2.) prescription drugs; and 3.) changes in the microbiome.

I just returned from Thierry Malleret’s Economic Forum in Chamonix, France. He promised that all attendees would come away with a new friend, new idea and new project. Turns out, he was totally right!

It helped me realize once again the unique value of face-to-face interactions. None of those three things would have happened if I hadn’t gotten on a plane, taken the time (and money) to travel and set aside three days to meet new people, exchange ideas on a different continent and interact with people who may think differently. 

 

One of economists’ favorite, eternal debates is whether money brings happiness. And this week, Thierry Malleret sums up new research from the Office of National Statistics (UK) that concludes that (despite the common wisdom otherwise) it, in fact, does. Up to a point, because not all types of “money” lead to happiness. Read more to find out which types of wealth are most strongly associated with personal wellbeing—and how that shiny sports car isn’t one of them.

A new work reality is unfolding across much of the world: Two dramatically different age groups are increasingly mingling at workplaces—millennials (with their tech-obsessed brains) and Baby Boomers, who are extending their work lives in unprecedented ways. And a key discussion point at the Global Wellness Institute’s “Redefining Workplace Wellness” roundtable was how different their needs are: i.e., millennials demand far more work flexibility and all forms of wellness, while Baby Boomers are a key part of the remote worker surge and migrate in and out of work.

“Young Europeans may die at earlier age than their grandparents, says WHO” – The Guardian, September 23, 2015. For all the excitement about the wellness trend, a recent WHO report indicates that young European people may die at an earlier age than their grandparents if the region fails to curb smoking, drinking and obesity. Different mitigating measures are envisaged, but the pressure for a sugar tax is mounting.