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Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s why

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-newton-12124">Rob Newton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. They might also check your weight. Looking concerned, they recommend some lifestyle changes. GPs and health professionals commonly <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-body-mass-index-cant-tell-us-if-were-healthy-heres-what-we-should-use-instead-211190">measure waist circumference</a> as a vital sign for health. This is a better indicator than body mass index (BMI) of the amount of intra-abdominal fat. This is the really risky fat around and within the organs that can drive heart disease and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes. Men are at greatly increased risk of health issues if their waist circumference is <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/311/7017/1401">greater than 102 centimetres</a>. Women are considered to be at greater risk with a waist circumference of <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/311/7017/1401">88 centimetres or more</a>. More than <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/waist-circumference-and-bmi/latest-release">two-thirds of Australian adults</a> have waist measurements that put them at an increased risk of disease. An even better indicator is waist circumference divided by height or <a href="https://www.baker.edu.au/news/in-the-media/waist-height-ratio#:%7E:text=According%20to%20research%2C%20a%20healthy,the%20highest%20risk%20of%20disease.">waist-to-height ratio</a>. But we know people (especially women) have a propensity to <a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30588-5/abstract">gain weight around their middle during midlife</a>, which can be very hard to control. Are they doomed to ill health? It turns out that, although such measurements are important, they are not the whole story when it comes to your risk of disease and death. <h2>How much is too much?</h2> Having a waist circumference to height ratio larger than 0.5 is associated with greater risk of chronic disease as well as premature death and this applies in adults of any age. A healthy waist-to-height ratio is between 0.4 to 0.49. A ratio of 0.6 or more <a href="https://www.baker.edu.au/news/in-the-media/waist-height-ratio#:%7E:text=According%20to%20research%2C%20a%20healthy,the%20highest%20risk%20of%20disease">places a person at the highest risk of disease</a>. Some experts recommend <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-019-0310-7">waist circumference be routinely measured in patients during health appointments</a>. This can kick off a discussion about their risk of chronic diseases and how they might address this. Excessive body fat and the associated health problems manifest more strongly during midlife. A range of social, personal and physiological factors come together to make it more difficult to control waist circumference as we age. Metabolism tends to slow down mainly due to decreasing muscle mass because people do <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcb.25077">less vigorous physical activity, in particular resistance exercise</a>. For women, hormone levels begin changing in mid-life and this also <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/13697137.2012.707385">stimulates increased fat levels particularly around the abdomen</a>. At the same time, this life phase (often involving job responsibilities, parenting and caring for ageing parents) is when elevated stress can lead to <a href="https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/abstract/2000/09000/stress_and_body_shape__stress_induced_cortisol.5.aspx">increased cortisol which causes fat gain in the abdominal region</a>. Midlife can also bring poorer sleep patterns. These contribute to fat gain with <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0010062">disruption to the hormones that control appetite</a>. Finally, your family history and genetics can <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002695">make you predisposed to gaining more abdominal fat</a>. <h2>Why the waist?</h2> This intra-abdominal or visceral fat is much more metabolically active (it has a greater impact on body organs and systems) than the fat under the skin (subcutaneous fat). Visceral fat surrounds and infiltrates major organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines, releasing a variety of chemicals (hormones, inflammatory signals, and fatty acids). These affect inflammation, lipid metabolism, cholesterol levels and insulin resistance, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartjsupp/article/8/suppl_B/B4/461962">contributing to the development of chronic illnesses</a>. The issue is particularly evident <a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30588-5/abstract">during menopause</a>. In addition to the direct effects of hormone changes, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076013001118?via%3Dihub">declining levels of oestrogen change brain function, mood and motivation</a>. These psychological alterations can result in reduced physical activity and increased eating – often of comfort foods high in sugar and fat. But these outcomes are not inevitable. Diet, exercise and managing mental health can limit visceral fat gains in mid-life. And importantly, the waist circumference (and ratio to height) is just one measure of human health. There are so many other aspects of body composition, exercise and diet. These can have much larger influence on a person’s health. <h2>Muscle matters</h2> The quantity and quality of skeletal muscle (attached to bones to produce movement) a person has makes a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrendo.2012.49">big difference</a> to their heart, lung, metabolic, immune, neurological and mental health as well as their physical function. On current evidence, it is equally or more important for health and longevity to <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e7279">have</a> higher muscle mass and better cardiorespiratory (aerobic) fitness than waist circumference within the healthy range. So, if a person does have an excessive waist circumference, but they are also sedentary and have less muscle mass and aerobic fitness, then the recommendation would be to focus on an appropriate exercise program. The fitness deficits should be addressed as priority rather than worry about fat loss. Conversely, a person with low visceral fat levels is not necessarily fit and healthy and may have quite poor aerobic fitness, muscle mass, and strength. <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/45/6/504">The research evidence</a> is that these vital signs of health – how strong a person is, the quality of their diet and how well their heart, circulation and lungs are working – are more predictive of risk of disease and death than how thin or fat a person is. For example, a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5510687/">2017 Dutch study</a> followed overweight and obese people for 15 years and found people who were very physically active had no increased heart disease risk than “normal weight” participants. <h2>Getting moving is important advice</h2> Physical activity has many benefits. Exercise can counter a lot of the negative behavioural and physiological changes that are occurring during midlife including for people going through menopause. And regular exercise reduces the tendency to use food and drink to help manage what can be a <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2008/05000/physical_activity,_sedentary_index,_and_mental.7.aspx">quite difficult time in life</a>. Measuring your waist circumference and monitoring your weight remains important. If the measures exceed the values listed above, then it is certainly a good idea to make some changes. Exercise is effective for fat loss and in particular <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/16/1035">decreasing visceral fat</a> with greater effectiveness when <a href="https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-019-0864-5">combined with dietary restriction of energy intake</a>. Importantly, any fat loss program – whether through drugs, diet or surgery – is also a muscle loss program unless resistance exercise is part of the program. Talking about your overall health with a doctor is a great place to start. <a href="https://www.essa.org.au/Public/Public/Searches/find-aep-withdistance.aspx">Accredited exercise physiologists</a> and <a href="https://member.dietitiansaustralia.org.au/Portal/Portal/Search-Directories/Find-a-Dietitian.aspx">accredited practising dietitians</a> are the most appropriate allied health professionals to assess your physical structure, fitness and diet and work with you to get a plan in place to improve your health, fitness and reduce your current and future health risks.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/226019/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-newton-12124">Rob Newton</a>, Professor of Exercise Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-news-midlife-health-is-about-more-than-a-waist-measurement-heres-why-226019">original article</a>.

Body

8 simple measures to avoid sickness overseas

At best, getting sick overseas is an annoying inconvenience that takes time away from your trip. At worst, the outcomes of falling ill in another country can be potentially disastrous. As with most things in life, when it comes to overseas illnesses prevention is better than the cure, so we’ve put together a list of eight simple measures that will ensure you stay healthy overseas. Before you book anything, it’s a good idea to check this website and see if there are any medical warnings/requirements for your planned destinations. Once you’ve booked accommodation and tickets, you can register your plans to ensure you’re easily accessible in an emergency. To stay healthy when travelling overseas, we recommend you take the following measures: <ol> <li>Visit a travel health specialist, particularly if you’re visiting parts of the world that require vaccinations. These medical professionals can administer the vaccination.</li> <li>Take out travel insurance, which will ensure that you are covered for activities you’re undertaking, as well as any the event of hospital treatment or medical evacuation. </li> <li>Keep your insurance company’s contact details handy, and with you at all times. If they’ve got an emergency assistance card even better. It’s also important to contact the company the second you feel as though you need help. Most travel insurance companies provide 24-hour emergency contact and advice services for travellers signed onto their policies.</li> <li>Consider taking a traveller’s medical kit, which can be filled with useful items such as aspirin, antiseptic, cotton wool, band aids, insect replant and hand sanitiser.</li> <li>Exercising good personal hygiene, as well as a degree of care in regards to what you’re eating and drinking can go a long way to help avoid the dreaded symptoms of gastro.</li> <li>Pack mosquito repellent, and wear clothing items like long-sleeved shirts and long pants to avoid being bitten by mosquitos as they could be carrying some nasty diseases.</li> <li>Avoid contact with dogs, and other animals like monkeys that may be carrying rabies.</li> <li>Get a quick check up, when you return home, particularly if you’ve felt ill when away.</li> </ol> Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

Facebook introduces new safety measures for kids

After damning testimony about the safety of Facebook for children, the social media giant plans to introduce several features to protect young people. These features include instructing teens to take a break from using photo-sharing app Instagram, and ‘nudging’ those who repeatedly look at content that is not conducive to their well-being. Facebook is also going to allow parents and guardians to monitor their teens' social media usage. The new initiative comes after facebook announced they are pausing work on their Instagram for Kids project. Critics of the project are skeptical of the new feature, saying the plan lacks details and clarity. The new controls were outlined by Facebook’s vice president for global affairs Nick Clegg, where he was grilled about Facebook’s use of algorithms as well as its role in spreading harmful misinformation ahead of the January 6th Capitol riots. “We are constantly iterating in order to improve our products,” Clegg told Dana Bash on State of the Union Sunday. “We cannot, with a wave of the wand, make everyone’s life perfect. What we can do is improve our products, so that our products are as safe and as enjoyable to use.” In an attempt to keep the platform safe, Clegg said Facebook has invested $US13 billion ($A18 billion) over the past few years, as 40,000 people work on user safety. The series of interviews came after Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former data scientist with the company, appeared before Congress last week to accuse the social media platform of failing to make changes to Instagram after internal research showed apparent harm to some teens. She also accused the company of being publicly dishonest in its fight against hate and misinformation, which Facebook has denied. Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is the chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, said it is time to update children’s privacy laws and offer more transparency in the use of algorithms. “I appreciate that he is willing to talk about things, but I believe the time for conversation is done,” said Klobuchar, referring to Clegg’s plan. “The time for action is now.” Image credit: Shutterstock

Technology

New Zealand hits zero active coronavirus cases: Here are 5 measures to keep it that way

Editor’s update: New Zealand has <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-zealand-moves-alert-level-1">“eliminated”</a> COVID-19 “for now”, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/418524/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-reveals-move-to-level-1-from-midnight">has declared</a>, announcing the nation will move to <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/covid-19-alert-system/#alert-level-1-%E2%80%94-prepare">alert level 1</a> from midnight on June 8, lifting all requirements for social distancing and restrictions on businesses. We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time – it is a sustained effort. Below, two of the key epidemiologists who worked on New Zealand’s elimination strategy explain today’s news – and the challenges ahead. Today is also the 17th day since the last new case was reported. New Zealand has a total of <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-current-situation/covid-19-current-cases#summary">1,154 confirmed cases</a> (combined total of confirmed and probable cases is 1,504) and 22 people have died. This is an important milestone and a time to celebrate. But as we continue to rebuild the economy, there are several challenges ahead if New Zealand wants to retain its COVID-19-free status while the pandemic continues elsewhere. It remains important that good science supports the government’s risk assessment and management. Below, we recommend several ways people can protect themselves. But we also argue New Zealand needs an urgent overhaul of the health system, including the establishment of a new national public health agency for disease prevention and control. <h2>What elimination means</h2> Elimination is defined as the absence of a disease at a national or regional level. Eradication refers to its global extinction (as with smallpox). Elimination requires a high-performing surveillance system to provide assurance that, should border control fail, any new cases would be quickly found. Agreed <a href="https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2020/05/05/the-need-for-a-robust-scientific-definition-for-the-elimination-of-covid-19-from-new-zealand/">definitions are important</a> for public reassurance and as a basis for expanding travel links with other countries that have also achieved elimination. It is important to remind ourselves that active cases are not the ones we need to worry about. By definition, they have all been identified and placed in isolation and are very unlikely to infect others. The real target of elimination is to stop the unseen cases silently spreading in the community. This is why we need mathematical modelling to tell us that elimination is likely. <h2>Avoiding complacency – and new outbreaks</h2> New Zealand’s <a href="https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal-articles/new-zealands-elimination-strategy-for-the-covid-19-pandemic-and-what-is-required-to-make-it-work">decisive elimination strategy</a> appears to have succeeded, but it is easy to become complacent. Many other countries pursuing a containment approach have had new outbreaks, notably <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-why-singapores-coronavirus-cases-are-growing-a-look-inside-the-dismal-living-conditions-of-migrant-workers-136959">Singapore</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/28/south-korea-faces-return-to-coronavirus-restrictions-after-spike-in-new-cases">Korea</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/10/lessons-learned-what-australia-needs-to-do-to-avoid-a-second-covid-19-wave">Australia</a>. New Zealand has spent months expanding its capacities to eliminate COVID-19. But maintaining elimination will be challenging. Airports, seaports and quarantine facilities remain potential sites of transmission from overseas, particularly given the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/australia-new-zealand-travel-bubble-jacinda-ardern-says-plan-will-be-presented-in-june-coronavirus">pressure to increase numbers of arrivals</a>. New Zealand’s move to <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/covid-19-alert-system/#alert-level-1-%E2%80%94-prepare">alert level 1</a> will end all physical distancing restrictions. If the virus is reintroduced, this creates the potential for outbreaks arising from indoor social gatherings. New Zealand is also moving into winter when respiratory viruses can spread more easily, as is seen with the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/infdis/jiaa161/5815743">highly seasonal coronaviruses</a> which cause the common cold. At midnight tonight, Monday 8th June, New Zealand will shift to Alert Level 1. At Alert Level 1, everyone can return without restriction to work, school, sports and domestic travel, and you can get together with as many people as you want. <h2>5 key ways to protect New Zealand’s long-term health</h2> Just as New Zealand prepared for the pandemic, the post-elimination period requires “<a href="https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2020/02/06/nz-should-prepare-for-a-potentially-severe-global-coronavirus-pandemic/">maximum proactivity</a>”. Here are five key risk management approaches to achieve lasting protection for New Zealand against COVID-19 and other serious public health threats. 1. Establish public use of fabric face masks in specific settings Health protection relies on multiple barriers to infection or contamination. This is the cornerstone of <a href="https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/Report-Havelock-North-Water-Inquiry-Stage-2/%24file/Report-Havelock-North-Water-Inquiry-Stage-2.pdf">protecting drinking water</a>, food safety and borders from incursions by biological agents. With the end of physical distancing, we recommend the government seriously considers making mask wearing mandatory on public transport, on aircraft and at border control and quarantine facilities. Other personal hygiene measures (staying home if sick, washing hands, coughing into elbows) are insufficient when transmission is often from people who appear well and can <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/06/02/science.abc6197.1">spread the virus simply by breathing and talking</a>. The evidence base for the effectiveness of even simple fabric face masks is now strong, according to a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext">recent systematic review</a> published in the Lancet. The World Health Organization has also <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks">updated its guidelines</a> to recommend that everyone wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk of transmission. Establishing a culture of using face masks in specific settings in New Zealand will make it easier to expand their use if required in future outbreaks. 2. Improve contact tracing effectiveness with suitable digital tools New Zealand’s <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-general-public/contact-tracing-covid-19">national system for contact tracing</a> remains a critical back-stop measure to control outbreaks, should border controls fail. But there is significant potential for new digital tools to <a href="https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2020/04/15/we-need-rapid-progress-on-digital-solutions-to-help-eliminate-covid-19-from-new-zealand/">enhance current processes</a>, albeit with appropriate privacy safeguards built in. To be effective, such digital solutions must have <a href="https://csda.aut.ac.nz/news/digital-contact-tracing-for-covid-19-new-policy-primer">high uptake and support very rapid contact tracing</a>. Downloadable apps appear insufficient and both <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/04/17/1132682/nz-considering-100m-contact-tracing-covidcard">New Zealand</a> and <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/coronavirus-singapore-contact-tracing-wearable-device-a9550841.html">Singapore</a> are investigating bluetooth-enabled devices which appear to perform better and could be distributed to all residents. 3. Apply a science-based approach to border management A cautious return to higher levels of inbound and outbound travel is important for economic and humanitarian reasons, but we need to assess the risk carefully. This opening up includes two very different processes. One is a broadening of the current categories of people permitted to enter New Zealand beyond residents, their families and a small number of others. This will typically require the continuation of <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-current-situation/covid-19-border-controls">routine 14-day quarantine</a>, until improved methods are developed. The other potential expansion is quarantine-free entry, which will be safest from countries that meet similar elimination targets. This process could begin with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2020/may/01/if-australia-and-new-zealand-restart-travel-they-should-include-the-pacific-in-their-bubble">Pacific Island nations</a> free of COVID-19, notably Samoa and Tonga. It should be possible to extend this arrangement to various Australian states and other jurisdictions such as Fiji and Taiwan when they confirm their elimination status. 4. Establish a dedicated national public health agency Even before COVID-19 hit New Zealand, it was clear our national public health infrastructure was failing after decades of neglect, fragmentation and erosion. Prominent examples of system failure include the <a href="https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2017/12/20/the-havelock-north-drinking-water-inquiry-a-wake-up-call-to-rebuild-public-health-in-new-zealand/">Havelock North campylobacter outbreak</a> in 2016 and the <a href="https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2020/02/05/a-preventable-measles-epidemic-lessons-for-reforming-public-health-in-nz/">prolonged measles epidemic</a> in 2019. The comprehensive <a href="https://systemreview.health.govt.nz/">health and disability system review</a> report was delivered to the Minister of Health in March and was widely expected to recommend significant upgrading of public health capacity. This report and its recommendations should now be released. We also recommend an interim evaluation of the public health response to COVID-19 now, rather than after the pandemic. These reviews would inform the needed upgrade of New Zealand’s public health capacity to manage the ongoing pandemic response and to prepare the country for other serious health threats. A key improvement would be a dedicated national public health agency to lead disease control and prevention. Such an agency could help avoid the need for lockdowns by early detection and action in response to emerging infectious disease threats, as achieved by <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0574_article">Taiwan</a> during the current pandemic. 5. Commit to transformational change to avoid major global threats COVID-19 is having devastating health and social impacts globally. Even if it is brought under control with a vaccine or antivirals, other major health threats remain, including <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)32596-6/fulltext">climate change</a>, loss of biological diversity and existential threats (for example, pandemics arising from developments in synthetic biology). These threats need urgent attention. The recovery from lockdown provides an opportunity for a sustained transformation of our economy that addresses wider health, environmental and social goals.

Caring

Shanghai Disneyland reopens with social distancing measures

Shanghai Disneyland reopened on Monday after 107 days of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The park is now open to public with 30 per cent capacity. Visitors are required to book tickets online, have their temperatures checked ahead of entry and wear face masks. Hand sanitisers are also made available at queue entries and attraction exits. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Tears! Long time no see my pals! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShanghaiDisneyland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShanghaiDisneyland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SHDL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SHDL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%82%BA%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#上海ディズニーランド</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disney?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Disney</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disneypark?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Disneypark</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disneyland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Disneyland</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bsv51z84Ha">pic.twitter.com/Bsv51z84Ha</a> — DONGDONG (@gourmetdyy) <a href="https://twitter.com/gourmetdyy/status/1259672695668539392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2020</a></blockquote> The park also features yellow tape markers as part of social distancing efforts. Most of the park’s attractions – including rides, live shows, stores and restaurants – are accessible, but theatre shows are cancelled and the daily float parade is downsized. Cast members have also reportedly been trained to carry out <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/05/disneyland-shanghai-reopen-date-may-11-coronavirus-1202926767/">contactless guest interaction</a>. “We have cast members throughout the park. They’re continuously wiping down and making sure that everything is as disinfected and sanitized,” Andrew Bolstein, senior vice president of operations at Shanghai Disney Resort, told <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/travel/story/opening-day-disney-shanghai-looked-70613135">Good Morning America</a>. The reopening came after Disney reported a $1 billion hit on its parks, experiences and products segment during the second quarter “primarily due to revenue lost as a result of the closures”. All other parks remain closed.

International Travel

Coronavirus distancing measures: Here are 3 things to ask yourself before you see someone

This article is based on the coronavirus and COVID-19 situation as of March 23. It’s important to remember that the situation is rapidly developing and official advice may change. If the flurry of new orders released in the last 24 hours has you feeling confused about what’s OK and what’s not when it comes to social contact, you’re not alone. It’s so difficult to adopt a set of hard and fast rules with the advice changing so quickly. Government departments have put out detailed guidance but that won’t cover all situations. Experts in the public sphere will give different advice. The fact is, if there’s an activity you want or need to do and you’re not sure if it’s advisable, often you’ll have to make a call. After ensuring that it doesn’t breach public orders, your decision will need to be based on your assessment of the risks and benefits. Whatever activity you’re considering, it can help to first clearly list your options. For example, if I’m talking to a friend with kids, we could organise to meet at the park, in a house, online or not at all. Or if I want to catch up with my sister, I could do it in person or on the phone. Then ask yourself some important questions as you consider your options. Here are three considerations that should help you make an informed decision on behalf of your family and the wider community. <ol> <li> What’s the latest advice of my state or territory health department?</li> </ol> The first is to look to the latest advice for your state and territory health department, and be aware that they may change from day to day or even within a day. So keep checking. Some departments are now developing quite detailed lists of dos and don'ts that are being updated as quick as is humanly possible. <ol start="2"> <li> Do I know the latest on how the virus moves between people?</li> </ol> Understanding as much as you can about the way that the virus moves between people can help you make an informed decision about whether an activity you’re considering doing poses a higher risk of passing coronavirus on or picking it up. The coronavirus causing COVID-19 is currently thought to be passed on through contact and droplet transmission. It comes from the mucous membranes (meaning the wet parts of your face - mouth, nose and eyes). A person with the infection might cough or sneeze or touch their mouth or nose and then touch another surface where it can remain infectious for a time. The virus is able to move to another person through direct contact with droplets from the cough or sneeze or if they touch that surface with their hands then touch their mouth, nose or eyes. The more symptomatic somebody is, the more easy it is to get the infection but people with very mild symptoms can still pass it on. More is being learnt about the virus and this knowledge may change. That is why handwashing and cough or sneeze etiquette is so important. COVID-19 is currently thought to be mostly spread by people who have symptoms and have been in close contact with others. Those more at risk of it are those who have had contact with someone who has been diagnosed with it or have recently returned from overseas. However, that is changing as it moves more in the general community in Australia. That basic understanding of how it moves can help people make decisions of who to see, how to see them, how to behave in public places and at home. <ol start="3"> <li> How do the risks of a certain activity weigh up against the benefits?</li> </ol> Whenever you are considering doing some activity with somebody, you need to weigh up the risks of harm with the potential benefits. First, make sure you are abiding by the public health orders. Also remember that this is not just a decision about your personal risk. We are all reducing the chain of transmission by reducing our contact with others as much as we can. Sometimes, we will still want or need contact with others. First of all, we need to accept that we take a risk whenever we have contact with another person and we need to weigh that risk against the potential benefits. There might be really important social benefits, for example, for seeing a person for whom contact with others is extremely important. There might be benefits in helping someone who has less access to resources than we do – for example, helping a neighbour in need. In these instances, if you decide to take the risk, it is important to follow guidance on doing everything you possibly can do to minimise the spread of COVID-19 within that encounter. That means proper hand hygeine; washing hands when arriving and leaving. Try to stay 1.5 metres or more apart. Never go out and meet with others if you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough, or a fever. And it means trying to avoid contact with people at greater risk of severe disease, such as those with existing chronic disease, an older person, or person who is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. If the COVID-19 risk is really high to that person, then maybe the benefits don’t outweigh the potential harm. You may be forced to make a really hard decision. Hard decisions ahead There’s no magic cut off where you stop all risk. We have got to accept it is about degrees of risk and what we collectively do to minimise it. If we choose to have contact with another person, while staying within the boundaries of what is permissible based on the government requirements, then it’s important you have a set of evidence-based principles that helps guide your decision-making. Written by Julie Leask. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-distancing-measures-are-confusing-here-are-3-things-to-ask-yourself-before-you-see-someone-134394">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

How marketers measure the magic of Dolly Parton

Hit podcast <a href="https://chartable.com/podcasts/dolly-partons-america">Dolly Parton’s America</a> is a love letter to the icon of American country music. It reveals Dolly’s broad and enduring appeal, which crosses generations, class, race and even musical tastes. Dolly, 73, is having a “moment” that includes the podcast, <a href="https://9to5themusical.com.au/about/">9:5 The Musical</a> (coming to Australia in April), and the new Netflix series <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8509922/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2a">Heartstrings</a>, which dramatises a Dolly song for each episode. In a divided America, Dolly stands as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/arts/music/dolly-parton.html">great unifier</a>. The podcast cites her as being in the top 10 most loved celebrities globally – but also one of the least hated – based on extensive polling. Her popularity has been measured using a celebrity scoring system called the <a href="http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/16143/">Q Score</a>. How do we quantify a public figure in terms of cultural cachet? And who would be Australia’s Dolly? <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" class="license"></a>What is a Q score? Created in 1963 by Jack Landis, the Q Score scoring system is owned by the US-based <a href="https://www.qscores.com/">Marketing Evaluations Inc</a>. The Q Score is a quotient (or percentage) that indicates the proportion of people who have heard of a given celebrity who also consider them as one of their favourites. This is sometimes referred to as a “positive Q Score”. A “negative Q Score” can be calculated too, being the proportion of people who have heard of a given celebrity who also consider them “poor” or “fair”. Twice a year, a representative sample of female and male adults are presented with a list of 1,800 celebrities and asked to rate them on a six-point scale from “Never heard of” to “One of my favourites”. The data is added to the full Q Score database, which amounts to about 25,000 celebrities at any given time. A Q Score is a measure of both familiarity and positivity. This is important, as likeability can be highly subjective, so assigning a score provides some sense of objectivity. The score puts a price on a celebrity’s “likeability” and therefore how much their popularity is worth – handy for those looking for people to represent their products. In the world of advertising and celebrity endorsement, the higher a celebrity rates, the more companies will be willing to pay them to promote their products and services. Celebrities behaving badly – Charlie Sheen, Tiger Woods, Felicity Huffman – show endorsement can be a fickle business. The Q Score provides some comfort to a company or brand that a celebrity is likely to be a safe bet. Ratings are also helpful in revealing celebrities people love to hate. Before he was US President, Donald Trump was a reality TV star with a <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/heres-donald-trumps-horrible-q-score/">very low Q Score</a> (and a very high negative Q Score). Q Scores have attracted criticism, mostly that they are “normative” and therefore often don’t reflect the views of minorities. There is a Hispanic Q Score which rates 400 Hispanic personalities; however, the sampling process inevitably leads to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/news/01iht-30oxan.12491269.html">hegemonic</a> outcome reflecting the dominant social influence. Better off dead Deceased celebrities also have enormous value. Their images and even reanimated footage of them is used regularly in advertising (think <a href="https://www.fashiongonerogue.com/marilyn-monroe-fronts-sexy-hair-campaign/">Marilyn Monroe</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jul/10/bruce-lee-johnnie-walker-whisky-ad">Bruce Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/chat-bots-james-dean-can-the-digital-dead-rest-in-peace-127211">James Dean</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2014/oct/08/how-we-made-audrey-hepburn-galaxy-ad">Audrey Hepburn</a>). The “dead celebrity” industry is worth approximately US$2.25 billion (A$3.3 billion) every year. The most popular are ranked using a similar system to Q scores, called the <a href="https://www.qscores.com/home/DeadQ.aspx">Dead Q</a>, which is updated every two years. Some celebrities earn more dead than they did alive, bringing in millions for their estates in royalties. Deceased celebrities are very attractive to marketers because they don’t age or change the way they look, they don’t get involved in scandals (Michael Jackson notwithstanding), and they stay famous. Australia’s own In Australia, celebrities are also rated, though the local rating systems are not exactly the same as in the USA. Until 2010, there was a Q Score system undertaken by <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/the-return-of-qscores/news-story/1e22c192207e9704edf61648c7aff2f0">Audience Development Australia</a>, which has recently been reported as set to return in 2019. However, this system is TV-oriented and mostly rates Australian TV presenters and brands. Of more relevance here is the Encore Score. The <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/encore-score-index-ranks-australias-most-loved-and-loathed-celebrities/news-story/441c5f5766841326122b1b0d29b896d4">Encore Score</a> is sponsored by Mumbrella and was last issued in 2016. The <a href="https://mumbrella.com.au/encore-score">methodology</a> is similar to the American Q Score, and asks a sample of 3,000 respondents to rate 1,000 TV, radio, film and media celebrities from “One of my favourites” to “I hate them”, as well as how familiar they are with the person. In this way, the Encore Score mimics the Q Score in terms of familiarity and positivity. In 2016, the top three Australian celebrities using Encore scoring were Hugh Jackman, Jamie Oliver and Chris Hemsworth (yes, one of these is actually British). Other notable scorers included Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman, Rebecca Gibney and Russell Crowe (both New Zealanders). The 2016 Encore Score also ranked the least liked celebrities. The number one on this list: Kyle Sandilands. Shane Warne and Eddie McGuire also got mentions. Tourism Australia’s latest <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/tourism-australia-launches-new-global-campaign-featuring-chris-hemsworth/news-story/573a395a94f65728894889c82d694286">campaign</a> – featuring Hemsworth, Paul Hogan, Kylie Minogue, Terri Irwin, Kylie Kwong, Curtis Stone, Adam Hills and surfer Mick Fanning – is probably the best current gauge of who market research has identified as our favourite Australian faces, at least the ones we’re prepared to share with the rest of the world.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126688/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/martin-grimmer-330523">Martin Grimmer</a>, Professor of Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/and-i-will-always-love-you-how-marketers-measure-dolly-partons-magic-126688">original article</a>.

Music

Rome considers extreme measures to protect Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is considered one of the must-see attractions in Rome, and many tourists flock there yearly to throw a coin into the fountain. Bad behaviour from tourists though may be responsible for a heavy-handed response from Rome’s city council to protect the iconic structure which could ruin the experience for others. In 2019, an American tourist was caught bathing in the fountain, another woman was stopped from carving the fountain with a key and three drunk Australians were caught pouring their drinks into the fountain. The fountain, which was built in 1762, is one of the most popular spots in Rome and is surrounded by tourists following the tradition of tossing three coins over their shoulders into the water. One politician has an idea on how to protect the icon: barriers. "Rome is one of the richest cities for culture in the world, and a heritage like this must be respected and protected," Andrea Coia, president of the business committee of Rome’s city council motion reads. "We need to favour a more respectful kind of tourism in the city's symbolic places." He has suggested that a “protective barrier” that would “prohibit people sitting on the edge of the fountain”. "I put forward the motion because the symbolic places of our city need more control and attention," Coia told <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/trevi-fountain-barrier-overtourism/index.html" target="_blank">CNN Travel</a>, adding that his suggested Trevi Fountain checkpoints would be on the access roads "to safeguard decorum and security." He said that the measures would "safeguard one of the world's most beautiful places and assure a better experience for those who want to enjoy it." Scroll through the gallery to see why the barriers around the fountain might not be such a bad idea.

International Travel

How to measure your memory loss

"If you want to manage it, you need to measure it". That's one of my wellbeing mantras. Recently a few of my friends seem to be having a midlife wellbeing crisis. They are worried they are losing their memory. The recall isn't as good as it used to be, names that were once sharp as a tack are stored deep in the hard drive and their Google brain is slowing down. Memory storage and retrieval is a complicated, fascinating process beyond the word limitations of this article. Losing your memory and processing power can be a frightening process so the trick is to work out if it is pathological or not. Your first step should be to make an appointment with your family doctor to get some simple tests. There a number of causes of memory loss, such as medications, alcoholism, minor head injury, vitamin B12 deficiency, mood disorders and low thyroid. Your doctor can confirm or rule out a number of these with a history, examination, blood and neuro-psychometric testing. Brain diseases such as dementia are certainly top of most people's minds when you mention memory loss, and Alzheimer's is the dreaded word for good reason. There are several causes of dementia, Alzheimer's is just one of them. One of the more common causes of dementia, but lesser known, is Multi-infarct dementia. That's just a flash word for lots of small strokes that gradually rob you of your brain's hardware. This may be diagnosed by tests such as a brain MRI. It's the usual suspects of smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol that cause the narrowing of arteries and clots in your brain's plumbing. Parts of your brain die through a series of events you may not notice. So, what's the point of measuring your mental wellbeing? The simple answer is so you can find out what the problem is, and fix it. The sooner you find out if you have a problem or not, you can relax and get on with life, or get on and fix the problem before it gets worse. Chances are, your anxiety may be the problem and most perception of memory loss is not actually a pathological problem and you can get on with life rather than worrying about it. In the unlikely event you or your loved ones do have a disease process affecting your memory you want to find out if its reversible, or if you at least you can slow the process down. The longer you leave it the more chance it won't be reversible or be able to be slowed down. Alzheimer's is a classic example of this. When you or someone you know or love suspects Alzheimer's disease, get to your doctor for some screening tests. If you don't it's like noticing your house is on fire and not calling the fire brigade. Don't whisper the word behind the loved one's back. Face up, front up and get on with it. There is no one test yet for Alzheimer's so if the screening tests show some memory or cognitive problems you will need further investigation. While it may not be the diagnosis you want, once it's made you will need to embrace it – because it's not going away. There are medications that can slow the process down so you maintain a quality of life before the avalanche comes. These meds may also slow the process down until a cure is found. There is only one way to find out. Unless you measure it, you can't manage it. Written by Dr Tom Mulholland. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Mind

Common method of measuring blood pressure is often inaccurate

James Sharman is a Professor of Medical Research and Deputy Director, Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania. The most common method of measuring blood pressure is often inaccurate, a new study has found. This could mean people at risk of serious conditions such as heart disease are missing diagnosis and potentially life-saving treatment. The so-called “cuff method” involves strapping an inflatable cuff over the upper arm to temporarily cut off the blood supply; then calculating the blood pressure once the cuff is relaxed. In our study, published in the <a href="http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/70/5/572?sso=1&sso_redirect_count=1&access_token=">Journal of the American College of Cardiology</a>, we found the method, which is more than a century old, is inaccurate when monitoring people with mid-range blood pressure. This is the range <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)62036-3/abstract">most common</a> among people worldwide. <a href="http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/111/5/697.long">Accurate measurement</a> of blood pressure is regarded among the most important of all medical tests. A misdiagnosis of low blood pressure can be a missed opportunity for lowering a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, which often presents as a stroke, heart attack or kidney disease. A misdiagnosis of high blood pressure, on the other hand, could lead to people being prescribed unnecessary medication. What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force exerted in the large arteries – vessels that carry blood away from the heart – with every heartbeat. Blood pressure measurement provides a high (systolic) and a low (diastolic) value. The high value represents the peak pressure during heart contraction; the low value represents the pressure during heart relaxation. Healthy levels of blood pressure are typically <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/images/uploads/publications/PRO-167_Hypertension-guideline-2016_WEB.pdf">less than 120/80 mmHg</a> (the 120 mmHg is systolic, and 80 mmHg diastolic). <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673602119118?via%3Dihub">Decades of research</a> clearly tell us if a person’s blood pressure is raised they are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The higher the blood pressure, the higher the risk. About one in three adults <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/heart-disease-in-australia/high-blood-pressure-statistics">have high blood pressure</a>. <a href="http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/195419">Lifestyle factors</a> such as regular exercise, normal body weight and healthy dietary choices, as well as <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)01225-8/abstract">medications</a>, can lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular disease. Although there are many factors to consider when assessing if someone has high blood pressure, the conventional threshold at which doctors might consider giving medication to lower pressure is 140/90 mmHg. How is blood pressure measured? The method to measure blood pressure is based on a technique <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1543468/">invented in 1896</a>, then refined in 1905, but the basic principal has remained virtually unchanged. A broad cuff is placed over the upper arm and inflated until the main artery in the arm is completely occluded and blood flow is stopped. The cuff is then slowly deflated until blood flow returns into the lower arm. A series of signals can then be measured that represent the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These are measured by either listening with a stethoscope or, more often, using <a href="http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/111/5/697.long">automated</a> devices. Our study It’s uncertain whether cuff blood pressure accurately measures the pressure in the arteries of the arm or the major artery just outside the heart, called the aorta. This is important as <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article-abstract/11/2/138/503539/Nitroglycerin-has-more-favourable-effects-on-left?redirectedFrom=PDF">blood pressure readings can be different</a> in these two spots – a potential difference of 25 mmHg or more. The central aorta blood pressure is a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/31/15/1865/690304/Prediction-of-cardiovascular-events-and-all-cause">better indicator of the pressure</a> experienced by organs, such as the heart and brain, so it is more clinically relevant. The possibility of big blood pressure differences between the arm and the aorta could result in <a href="http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/09/23/HYPERTENSIONAHA.113.02001">very different clinical decisions</a> on diagnosis and treatment. So it is important to resolve the uncertainty as to what cuff blood pressure actually measures. We retrieved data from studies from the 1950s until now that compared cuff blood pressure of more than 2,500 people with that of the gold standard method, called invasive blood pressure. Here, a catheter that measures pressure is inserted inside the artery either at the arm (same site as the cuff) or at the aorta. Readings from this method were used as a reference and compared with those of the cuff method to determine the accuracy of cuff measurements. <img width="446" height="368" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/174623/width754/file-20170620-9968-fzg7i8.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> What did we find? Cuff blood pressure had reasonable accuracy compared with the reference standard, at either the arm or aorta, among people with low cuff blood pressure (lower than 120/80 mmHg) and high cuff blood pressure (the same or higher than 160/100 mmHg). These people are at the extreme ends of the blood pressure risk spectrum. We found the accuracy when compared to invasive blood pressure was up to 80%. But for the rest of the population with blood pressure in the middle range – systolic 120 to 159, and diastolic 80 to 99 mmHg – accuracy compared with invasive blood pressure at the arm or the aorta was quite low: only 50% to 57%. Why is this important? If people have their blood pressure measured using the cuff method and the values are either low (under 120/80 mmHg) or high (over 160/100 mmHg), we can have reasonable confidence the values are a good representation of the true (invasive) blood pressure. But for people whose blood pressure is in the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)62036-3/abstract">most common mid-range</a> of 120 to 160 mmHg systolic or 80 to 100 mmHg diastolic, there is much less certainty as to whether the cuff blood pressure is truly representative of the actual blood pressure. Our findings do not mean people should stop taking their medication or stop having their blood pressure measured using the cuff device. While this study reveals accuracy issues, the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)01225-8/abstract">evidence from many</a> <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673603147393?via%3Dihub">large clinical trials</a> <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)61212-5/abstract">clearly shows</a> taking medication to lower blood pressure from high levels reduces the chances of stroke, heart attack and vascular disease. Cuff blood pressure measurements are still useful, but we could help more people if we could measure blood pressure more accurately. The problem is that some people in the mid blood pressure range may fall through the diagnosis cracks. Until the accuracy standards of pressure-measuring devices are improved, the best available confirmation of blood pressure levels comes from an average of many repeated measures over time. This is better than one or two measures, as is often the way in busy daily clinical practice, and was closest to the method examined in this study. People can have repeated measures of blood pressure undertaken in consultation with their general practitioners or at specialist centres. These can include <a href="http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2016/januaryfebruary/how-to-measure-home-blood-pressure-recommendations-for-healthcare-professionals-and-patients/">self-measured home</a> blood pressure, <a href="http://aabpmc.org/attachments/Head_J_Hypertens_2012.pdf">24-hour ambulatory</a> blood pressure and <a href="http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/55/2/195.long">automated unobserved</a> blood pressure. Written by James Sharman. First appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-most-used-method-of-measuring-blood-pressure-is-often-inaccurate-study-finds-79041">The Conversation.</a> <img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77988/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/>

Retirement Life

Theresa May calls for harsh new security measures

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has called for international agreements to be introduced to help regulate the internet following the tragic London Bridge attacks. Speaking outside Downing St, the Prime Minister said technology firms were not doing enough to “deprive the extremists of their safe spaces online”. Ms May said “We cannot allow this ideology the safe space it needs to breed – yet that is precisely what the internet, and the big companies that provide internet-based services provide. “We need to work with allied democratic governments to reach international agreements to regulate cyberspace to prevent the spread of extremist and terrorism planning.” Mr May also said Britain had become too tolerant of extremism, are argued that “pluralistic” British values should be established as superior. The PM’s comments come after the third terror attack on the UK in three months. Do you agree with the UK PM?

International Travel

Duke and Duchess install new security measures to protect George and Charlotte

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have installed new security measures to their home ahead of their move to Kensington Palace. A row of native conifer trees has been planted along the western side of the palace to create a wall to shield their home from onlookers and paparazzi. The conifers can grow to 40 feet high and will offer William, Kate and their children, George, three, and Charlotte, 18-months, privacy from prying eyes. The family has been living in Anmer Hall in Norfolk since 2015, but will be moving to the capital soon so <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2017/01/prince-george-starts-new-school-this-year/">Prince George can start school in autumn</a> and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2017/01/prince-william-to-give-up-pilot-career/">William and Kate can take on more official royal duties.</a> The palace has previously issued a legal warning against a photographer who was "harassing" Prince George in London. In a statement released to the press: "The warm-hearted and understandable interest in the royal family and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge needs to be balanced with their right to a private family life. This is especially important for a family with very young children." Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2017/02/a-new-princess-diana-documentary-is-in-the-works/">A new Princess Diana documentary is in the works</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2017/02/queen-elizabeth-celebrates-65-years-on-throne-with-sapphire-jubilee/">Queen Elizabeth celebrates 65 years on throne with Sapphire Jubilee</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2017/02/prince-charles-goddaughter-tara-palmer-tomkinson-dies-aged-45/">Prince Charles’ goddaughter Tara Palmer-Tomkinson dies aged 45</a>

News

This simple way to measure the quality of your relationship

Can a single question determine the quality and longevity of your relationship? Apparently it can, if it’s the right question that is. According to recent research conducted at the University of North Carolina, Department of Psychology, asking a couple how often they laugh together can be a potent indicator of relationship success and satisfaction. The study examined the concept of “shared laughter” as a marker of relationship wellbeing. They did so by recording 71 couples as they told the story of how they first met. They then tallied how many times the couples laughed as individuals as well as together. The research found that couples who laughed together also reported having high quality relationships which felt solid and supportive. While the sample size is too small to indicate definitive results, the research echoed previous studies which explored how memories of positive events positively impacted a relationship. The takeaway? Laugh regularly and often. Science says so! Do you think laughter is the best (relationship) medicine? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/09/what-not-to-do-after-a-break-up/">5 things not to do after a break-up</a> <a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/08/best-websites-to-make-new-friends/">The best websites to make new friends</a> <a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/08/how-do-you-cope-when-you-lose-your-life-partner/">How do you cope when you lose your life partner?</a>

Relationships

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Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s why

8 simple measures to avoid sickness overseas

Facebook introduces new safety measures for kids

New Zealand hits zero active coronavirus cases: Here are 5 measures to keep it that way

Shanghai Disneyland reopens with social distancing measures

Coronavirus distancing measures: Here are 3 things to ask yourself before you see someone

How marketers measure the magic of Dolly Parton

Rome considers extreme measures to protect Trevi Fountain

How to measure your memory loss

Common method of measuring blood pressure is often inaccurate

Theresa May calls for harsh new security measures

Duke and Duchess install new security measures to protect George and Charlotte

This simple way to measure the quality of your relationship

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Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s why

8 simple measures to avoid sickness overseas

Facebook introduces new safety measures for kids

New Zealand hits zero active coronavirus cases: Here are 5 measures to keep it that way

Shanghai Disneyland reopens with social distancing measures

Coronavirus distancing measures: Here are 3 things to ask yourself before you see someone

How marketers measure the magic of Dolly Parton

Rome considers extreme measures to protect Trevi Fountain

How to measure your memory loss

Common method of measuring blood pressure is often inaccurate

Theresa May calls for harsh new security measures

Duke and Duchess install new security measures to protect George and Charlotte

This simple way to measure the quality of your relationship

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