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“Modest is hottest”: Dad’s song to daughters sparks backlash

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Christian singer and Youtuber Matthew West has released a song for his daughters which is dividing parents around the world. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The song is called Modest Is Hottest, and is encouraging his two daughters to dress conservatively. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The video starts by him telling his girls that “it’s time to have a talk” before telling them how they should present themselves to others.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The boys are coming round ‘cause you’re beautiful. And it’s all your mother’s fault,” he sings while the camera pans to wife, Emily, standing in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He continues, “Modest is hottest, the latest fashion trend is a little more Amish, a little less Kardashian.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What the boys really love is a turtleneck and a sensible pair of slacks. Honey, modest is hottest, sincerely, your dad.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Later in the song, Matthew expresses his disdain for social media platforms and online trends, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">with the entire family dressed in black turtlenecks and khaki pants.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If I catching you doing dances on the TikTok, in a crop top, so help me God, you’ll be grounded ‘til the world stops,” he sings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 44-year-old singer claimed his video is a “light-hearted take on an age-old struggle”, but many thought the video went too far.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“How do you think your daughters feel?” one commenter wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The start of the song says that boys are looking at your daughters only because they’re beautiful…  What about their love of Jesus? Or their personality? I’m saying that you have told your daughters that the only reason that boys want them is because of their bodies.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another user said, “This is triggering me. Purity/modest culture is toxic in so many ways.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many parents have also taken issue with the lyrics of the song, with one mother saying “What a girl wears does not equal her worth!”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Matthew defended the song on Twitter, saying the song was to serve as a reminder to his daughters.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As a dad raising daughters, this song is my ridiculously silly way of reminding them that their appearance doesn’t define them,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Matthew has since deleted the video after the backlash. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Youtube/MatthewWest</span></em></p>

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Exercise, however modest, extends life expectancy of older adults

<p>Exercise, however modest, extends life expectancy of older adults, according to new research.</p> <p>The French study followed 1,000 people aged 65 over 13 years. Their level of physical activity was monitored and categorised, and any mortality and cardiovascular events were recorded over the follow-up period and associated with exercise levels.</p> <p>Results indicated the risk of death was 57 per cent lower in those who achieved a higher activity level than the recommended 150 minutes per week. Furthermore, the study found those doing a low level of physical activity per week still had 51 per cent lower risk of death than those doing the very bare minimum. Even starting or restarting physical activity after a long period of absence had a fast benefit, reducing risk of death by two thirds.</p> <p>Dr Hupin, one of the researches, said several positive conclusions can be drawn but notably even a low level of exercises below current recommendations had some protective effect.</p> <p>Such conclusions have already been established in the wider populations but this is the first study that looks specifically at older populations. Most physical activity guidelines are the same for middle-aged adults and over 65s – 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week – even though an estimated 60 per cent of older people are unable to achieve this same level of exercise.</p> <p>The study indicates the even exercise of a short duration or low intensity will have highly beneficial effects. Dr Hupin recommends at least 15 minutes of physical activity for five days a week as a suitable first target</p> <p>“This could include brisk walking, cycling, swimming or gymnastics,” he suggested, “all possibly associated with leisure time physical activity or daily life activities.”</p>

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