For millennia, humans had one obvious and reliable source of light – the Sun – and we knew the Sun was essential for our survival.

This might be why ancient religions – such as those in Egypt, Greece, the Middle East, India, Asia, and Central and South America – involved Sun worship.

Early religions were also often tied up with healing. Sick people would turn to the shaman, priest or priestess for help.

While ancient peoples used the Sun to heal, this might not be how you think.

Since then, we’ve used light to heal in a number of ways. Some you might recognise today, others sound more like magic.

From warming ointments to sunbaking

There’s not much evidence around today that ancient peoples believed sunlight itself could cure illness. Instead, there’s more evidence they used the warmth of the Sun to heal.

The Ebers Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian medical scroll from around 1500 BCE. It contains a recipe for an ointment to “make the sinews […] flexible”. The ointment was made of wine, onion, soot, fruit and the tree extracts frankincense and myrrh. Once it was applied, the person was “put in sunlight”.

Other recipes, to treat coughs for example, involved putting ingredients in a vessel and letting it stand in sunlight. This is presumably to warm it up and help it infuse more strongly. The same technique is in the medical writings attributed to Greek physician Hippocrates who lived around 450-380 BCE.

The physician Aretaeus, who was active around 150 CE in what is now modern Turkey, wrote that sunlight could cure chronic cases of what he called “lethargy” but we’d recognise today as depression:

Lethargics are to be laid in the light, and exposed to the rays of the Sun (for the disease is gloom); and in a rather warm place, for the cause is a congelation of the innate heat.

Classical Islamic scholar Ibn Sina (980-1037 CE) described the health effects of sunbathing (at a time when we didn’t know about the link to skin cancer). In Book I of The Canon of Medicine he said the hot Sun helped everything from flatulence and asthma to hysteria. He also said the Sun “invigorates the brain” and is beneficial for “clearing the uterus”.

It was sometimes hard to tell science from magic

All the ways of curing described so far depend more on the Sun’s heat rather than its light. But what about curing with light itself?

English scientist Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) knew you could “split” sunlight into a rainbow spectrum of colours.

This and many other discoveries radically changed ideas about healing in the next 200 years.

But as new ideas flourished, it was sometimes hard to tell science from magic.

For example, German mystic and visionary Jakob Lorber (1800-1864) believed sunlight was the best cure for pretty much anything. His 1851 book The Healing Power of Sunlight was still in print in 1997.

Public health reformer Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) also believed in the power of sunlight. In her famous book Notes on Nursing, she said of her patients:

second only to their need of fresh air is their need for light […] not only light but direct sunlight.

Nightingale also believed sunlight was the natural enemy of bacteria and viruses. She seems at least partially right. Sunlight can kill some, but not all, bacteria and viruses.

Chromotherapy – a way of healing based on colours and light – emerged in this period. While some of its supporters claim using coloured light for healing dates back to ancient Egypt, it’s hard to find evidence of this now.

Modern chromotherapy owes a lot to the fertile mind of physician Edwin Babbitt (1828-1905) from the United States. Babbitt’s 1878 book The Principles of Light and Color was based on experiments with coloured light and his own visions and clairvoyant insights. It’s still in print.

Babbitt invented a portable stained-glass window called the Chromolume, designed to restore the balance of the body’s natural coloured energy. Sitting for set periods under the coloured lights from the window was said to restore your health.

Indian entrepreneur Dinshah Ghadiali (1873-1966) read about this, moved to the US and invented his own instrument, the Spectro-Chrome, in 1920.

The theory behind the Spectro-Chrome was that the human body was made up of four elements – oxygen (blue), hydrogen (red), nitrogen (green) and carbon (yellow). When these colours were out of balance, it caused sickness.

Some hour-long sessions with the Spectro-Chrome would restore balance and health. By using its green light, for example, you could reportedly aid your pituitary gland, while yellow light helped your digestion.

By 1946 Ghadiali had made around a million dollars from sales of this device in the US.

And today?

While some of these treatments sound bizarre, we now know certain coloured lights treat some illnesses and disorders.

Phototherapy with blue light is used to treat newborn babies with jaundice in hospital. People with seasonal affective disorder (sometimes known as winter depression) can be treated with regular exposure to white or blue light. And ultraviolet light is used to treat skin conditions, such as psoriasis.

Today, light therapy has even found its way into the beauty industry. LED face masks, with celebrity endorsements, promise to fight acne and reduce signs of ageing.

But like all forms of light, exposure to it has both risks and benefits. In the case of these LED face masks, they could disrupt your sleep.

This is the final article in our ‘Light and health’ series, where we look at how light affects our physical and mental health in sometimes surprising ways. Read other articles in the series.

Philippa Martyr, Lecturer, Pharmacology, Women’s Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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The South Australian Health Department reported that a patient was hospitalised after consuming a product labelled Multani Kaminividravana Rasa, also known as Kamini, which contained dangerously high levels of mercury.

The product, believed to have been manufactured overseas, was purchased from a South-East Asian supermarket in Adelaide.

Initial testing has confirmed the presence of toxic metals, with further analysis underway to determine if the product also contains opioids such as codeine and morphine, as identified in similar products previously.

SA Health described the product, which is sold in the form of dark pellets, as marketed to boost “vigour and vitality.” However, authorities warn that the product poses a serious health risk.

Chris Lease, Director of Public Health at SA Health, told ABC that because the product is unregulated, it may contain a hazardous mix of ingredients.

“Heavy metals like mercury pose severe health risks, and the possible presence of opioids could lead to dependency and other serious harms.”

Symptoms of acute lead poisoning include unexplained abdominal pain, constipation, nausea and vomiting, headache, fatigue, irritability, impaired concentration, seizures, coma, renal impairment, and anaemia.

While SA Health did not release personal details about the affected patient, they confirmed the individual has since been discharged and is recovering at home.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has issued multiple warnings regarding Kamini, which contains substances listed as dangerous poisons under Australian law.

In recent years, Kamini-related public health alerts have surfaced, including cases in South-East Queensland where people sought help for withdrawal symptoms after developing dependencies on the product.

Authorities emphasise that Kamini is illegal in Australia but is being “clandestinely imported” and sold in certain grocery stores and online.

SA Health has alerted hospitals and general practitioners to the risk, urging blood lead testing for any patients presenting with relevant symptoms.

The TGA, working alongside the Australian Border Force, is stepping up efforts to prevent further shipments from entering the country.

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The mental health benefits of exercise for adults are well known, easing depression and reducing anxiety.

Now, emerging research highlights its rising importance for children’s wellbeing. Staying active could be key to safeguarding and enhancing young people’s mental health.

Mood-boosting benefits

One in seven adolescents worldwide has a mental illness. As a result, parents and health-care providers are increasingly seeking effective prevention strategies.

Evidence is accumulating to suggest one surprisingly simple approach: physical fitness.

One recent study reveals even small improvements in fitness were linked to improved teen mental health. When adolescents improved their fitness by just 30 seconds on a running test, their risk of developing anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) dropped by 7-8%.

This suggests something as straightforward as regular exercise could play a crucial role in protecting young people’s mental wellbeing.

For parents and health professionals looking to support adolescent mental health, encouraging participation in team sports could also be an especially effective strategy.

A study of more than 17,000 teenagers revealed a powerful link between sports and mental health: teens who participated in sports clubs were 60% less likely to experience depression compared to inactive kids.

This suggests team sports offer a unique environment for teens’ mental wellbeing, combining physical activity, social connection and structured routines.

Active kids do better in the classroom

Physical activity can also sharpen kids’ thinking and improve school performance: being active is associated with improvements in concentration, decision-making abilities, attention and academic performance.

Studies have also found positive links between physical activity and performance in maths and reading skills.

Even short ten-minute bouts of activity can have immediate positive effects on classroom performance.

Adding more physical activity to the school day — rather than cutting it for academic subjects — can not only boost students’ academic performance but also enhance their overall health and wellbeing.

Getting kids started with fitness and physical activity delivers myriad benefits.

Starting early: when and how

Age considerations

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, experts generally agree it’s never too early to encourage physical activity.

The World Health Organisation recommends children aged 3-4 should engage in at least 180 minutes of physical activity daily, with at least 60 minutes being moderate to vigorous intensity: activities that cause kids to huff and puff, such as running or playing sports.

For school-age children (five to 17 years), the recommendation is at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily, with activities that strengthen muscles and bones at least three times a week.

Getting started

The key to introducing fitness to children is to make it fun and age-appropriate. Here are some strategies:

1. Incorporate play: for younger children, focus on active play rather than structured exercise. Activities such as tag, hide-and-seek, or obstacle courses can be both fun and physically demanding.
2. Explore various activities: expose children to different sports and activities to help them find what they enjoy. This could include team sports, dance, martial arts, or swimming. Consider activities that are culturally relevant or significant to your family, as this can enhance their sense of belonging and interest.
3. Lead by example: children often mimic their parents’ behaviours, observing their actions. By being active yourself, you not only set a positive example but also encourage your children to do the same.
4. Make it a family affair: encourage physical activity by planning active family outings like hikes, bike rides, or trips to the park to foster a love of exercise in a fun and engaging way.
5. Limit screen time: Encourage outdoor play and physical activities as alternatives to sedentary screen time, fostering a healthier lifestyle and promoting wellbeing.

Potential risks and how to mitigate them

While the benefits of fitness for children are clear, it’s important to approach it safely. Some potential risks include:

1. Injuries from overexertion: children eager to push their limits can suffer from overuse injuries, such as sprains or strains. Encourage a variety of physical activities to prevent overuse injuries. Ensure adequate rest during training and competition, and promote proper a warm-up and cool-down.
2. Heat-related illness: children exercising in hot weather are at risk of heat exhaustion, with symptoms including dizziness and nausea. Emphasise hydration before, during and after exercise. Schedule activities during cooler times and provide shaded areas for breaks, teaching kids to recognise signs of overheating.
3. Improper technique and equipment: using incorrect form or inappropriate equipment can result in injuries and impede development. It’s essential to provide proper instruction, ensure equipment is size-appropriate, and supervise children during exercise. Programs should be designed to be safe and inclusive, accommodating children with disabilities, ensuring everyone can participate meaningfully without barriers.
4. Burnout: excessive exercise or pressure to perform can cause physical and mental burnout. This can lead to a loss of interest. To prevent burnout, it is important stick to national and international activity recommendations, ensure adequate rest, and encourage a balance between structured exercise and free play.

A love for movement and activity

The evidence is clear: fit kids are happier, healthier, and better equipped to handle life’s challenges.

By introducing fitness early and in an engaging, age-appropriate manner, we can set children on a path to lifelong physical and mental wellbeing.

Remember, the goal is to foster a love for movement and activity that will serve children well into adulthood.

Ben Singh, Research fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia and Grace McKeon, Postdoctoral research fellow, UNSW Sydney

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The government-appointed inquiry into Australia’s COVID response has warned public trust won’t be so high in a future pandemic and people would be unlikely to accept again many of the measures taken.

“That means there is a job to be done to rebuild trust, and we must plan a response based on the Australia we are today, not the Australia we were before the pandemic,” the report released on Tuesday said.

The inquiry was conducted by former NSW public servant Robyn Kruk, epidemiologist Catherine Bennett, and economist Angela Jackson. It examined the health and economic responses; while it did not directly delve into the state responses, it did cover the federal-state interface.

The overall takeout from the inquiry is that “Australia did well relative to other nations, that experienced larger losses in human life, health system collapse and more severe economic downturns”.

But “the pandemic response was not as effective as it could have been” for an event for which there was “no playbook for pivotal actions”.

The inquiry said “with the benefit of hindsight, there was excessive fiscal and monetary policy stimulus provided throughout 2021 and 2022, especially in the construction sector. Combined with supply side disruptions, this contributed to inflationary pressures coming out of the pandemic.”

The inquiry criticised the Homebuilder program’s contribution to inflation, as well as Jobkeeper’s targeting, and said blanket access to superannuation should not be repeated.

The government – which might have originally expected the inquiry to have been more critical of the Morrison government – quickly seized on the report’s economic criticisms.

The panel has made a set of recommendations to ensure better preparation for a future pandemic.

It highlighted the “tail” the pandemic has left, especially its effect on children, who suffered school closures.

“Children faced lower health risks from COVID-19; however, broader impacts on the social and emotional development of children are ongoing. These include impacts on mental health, school attendance and academic outcomes for some groups of children.”

The report noted that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee had never recommended widespread school closures.

A lack of clear communication about risks had created the environment for states to decide to go to remote learning.

The impacts on children should be considered in future pandemic preparations, the inquiry said.

It strongly backed making permanent the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control. The government will legislate next year for the CDC, to start on January 1 2026, as an independent statutory agency.

The CDC would be important in rebuilding trust, the report said, as well as “strengthening resilience and preparedness”. It would provide “national coordination to gather evidence necessary to undertake the assessments that can guide the proportionality of public health responses in future crises”.

The report said trust in government was essential for a successful response to a pandemic.

At COVID’s outset, the public largely did what was asked of them, complying with restrictive public health orders.

But the initial strengthening of trust in government did not continue through the pandemic. By the second year, restrictions on personal freedom were less accepted.

Reasons for the decrease in trust included a lack of transparency in decision making, poor communication, the stringency and duration of restrictions, implementation of mandated measures, access to vaccines and inconsistencies in responses across jurisdictions.

Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

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You had a great night out, but the next morning, anxiety hits: your heart races, and you replay every conversation from the night before in your head. This feeling, known as hangover anxiety or “hangxiety”, affects around 22% of social drinkers.

While for some people, it’s mild nerves, for others, it’s a wave of anxiety that feels impossible to ride out. The “Sunday scaries” may make you feel panicked, filled with dread and unable to relax.

Hangover anxiety can make even simple tasks feel overwhelming. Here’s why it happens, and what you can do about it.

What does alcohol do to our brains?

A hangover is the body’s way of recovering after drinking alcohol, bringing with it a range of symptoms.

Dehydration and disrupted sleep play a large part in the pounding headaches and nausea many of us know too well after a big night out. But hangovers aren’t just physical – there’s a strong mental side too.

Alcohol is a nervous system depressant, meaning it alters how certain chemical messengers (or neurotransmitters) behave in the brain. Alcohol relaxes you by increasing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the neurotransmitter that makes you feel calm and lowers inhibitions. It decreases glutamate and this also slows down your thoughts and helps ease you into a more relaxed state.

Together, this interaction affects your mood, emotions and alertness. This is why when we drink, we often feel more sociable, carefree and willing to let our guard down.

As the effects of the alcohol wear off, your brain works to rebalance these chemicals by reducing GABA and increasing glutamate. This shift has the opposite effect of the night before, causing your brain to become more excitable and overstimulated, which can lead to feelings of anxiety.

So why do some people get hangxiety, while others don’t? There isn’t one clear answer to this question, as several factors can play a role in whether someone experiences hangover-related anxiety.

Genes play a role

For some, a hangover is simply a matter of how much they drank or how hydrated they are. But genetics may also play a significant role. Research shows your genes can explain almost half the reason why you wake up feeling hungover, while your friend might not.

Because genes influence how your body processes alcohol, some people may experience more intense hangover symptoms, such as headaches or dehydration. These stronger physical effects can, in turn, trigger anxiety during a hangover, making you more susceptible to “hangxiety.”

Do you remember what you said last night?

But one of the most common culprits for feeling anxious the next day is often what you do while drinking.

Let’s say you’ve had a big night out and you can’t quite recall a conversation you had or something you did. Maybe you acted in ways that you now regret or feel embarrassed about. You might fixate on these thoughts and get trapped in a cycle of worrying and rumination. This cycle can be hard to break and can make you feel more anxious.

Research suggests people who already struggle with feelings of anxiety in their day-to-day lives are especially vulnerable to hangxiety.

Some people drink alcohol to unwind after a stressful day or to make themselves feel more comfortable at social events. This often leads to heavier consumption, which can make hangover symptoms more severe. It can also begin a cycle of drinking to feel better, making hangxiety even harder to escape.

Preventing hangover anxiety

The best way to prevent hangxiety is to limit your alcohol consumption. The Australian guidelines recommend having no more than ten standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day.

Generally, the more you drink, the more intense your hangover symptoms might be, and the worse you are likely to feel.

Mixing other drugs with alcohol can also increase the risk of hangxiety. This is especially true for party drugs, such as ecstasy or MDMA, that give you a temporary high but can lead to anxiety as they wear off and you are coming down.

If you do wake up feeling anxious:

• focus on the physical recovery to help ease the mental strain
• drink plenty of water, eat a light meal and allow yourself time to rest
• try mindfulness meditation or deep breathing exercises, especially if anxiety keeps you awake or your mind races
• consider journalling. This can help re-frame anxious thoughts, put your feelings into perspective and encourage self-compassion
• talk to a close friend. This can provide a safe space to express concerns and feel less isolated.

Hangxiety is an unwelcome guest after a night out. Understanding why hangxiety happens – and how you can manage it – can make the morning after a little less daunting, and help keep those anxious thoughts at bay.

Blair Aitken, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology and Rebecca Rothman, PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology

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Professor Mitter brings a wealth of experience in interdisciplinary research and international collaboration to her new role, where she will be instrumental in advancing the university’s global research initiatives.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the appointment, Professor Mitter highlighted her commitment to driving international research partnerships and fostering innovation.

“Charles Sturt University’s innovative spirit is grounded in deep community engagement, education, and research to make a difference on the ground, contributing to agriculture, food and water security, and healthcare in regional communities, among others,” she said.

“I am eager to drive global research partnerships with my passion for borderless innovation.”

An Accomplished Academic with a Vision for Sustainable Solutions

Charles Sturt University praised Professor Mitter’s exceptional track record, noting her history of leading world-class interdisciplinary research centres and securing significant research funding.

Before joining Charles Sturt, Professor Mitter served as the founding Director of the Centre for Horticultural Science at the University of Queensland, where she played a key role from 2018 to 2024. Her achievements include winning numerous awards, securing fellowships, and earning patents, which have positioned her as a leader in the fields of agriculture and sustainable crop protection.

In addition to her academic accomplishments, Professor Mitter is the Director of the Australian Research Council’s Industrial Transformational Research HUB for Sustainable Crop Protection. Her research has gained international recognition, particularly her work on BioClay, a groundbreaking technology in crop protection.

BioClay is designed to combat agricultural pests such as whitefly, a major threat to global crop yields. The technology has shown promising results, with ongoing collaborative efforts through the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.

In her new role, Professor Mitter will focus on enhancing Charles Sturt University’s international research profile, including the development of partnerships, commercialisation of research, and collaborative postgraduate programs.

The university has made substantial investments in research over the past two years, particularly in areas such as rural health, cybersecurity, food and water security, and regional well-being. Professor Mitter’s appointment aligns with Charles Sturt’s commitment to addressing regional challenges that have a global impact.

“The role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Associate (Global Research) is to provide strategic leadership, advice, and support in the development of international research partnerships, new sources of international research income, and collaborative initiatives,” the university stated.

“Professor Mitter’s appointment is further testimony to Charles Sturt’s commitment to recruiting the best and the brightest to foster world-class research.”

Professor Mitter’s new position at Charles Sturt University marks a significant step forward for the institution’s efforts to lead in sustainable agriculture and technology-driven research. Her leadership is expected to drive strategic, multidisciplinary initiatives that span multiple regions, enhancing the university’s impact on both a local and international scale.

With Professor Mitter at the helm of its global research initiatives, Charles Sturt University aims to strengthen its reputation as a hub for innovation, providing solutions to pressing global issues and cultivating future leaders in agriculture, technology, and health.

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Vitamin D is essential for bone health, immune function and overall wellbeing. And it becomes even more crucial as we age.

New guidelines from the international Endocrine Society recommend people aged 75 and over should consider taking vitamin D supplements.

But why is vitamin D so important for older adults? And how much should they take?

Young people get most vitamin D from the sun

In Australia, it is possible for most people under 75 to get enough vitamin D from the sun throughout the year. For those who live in the top half of Australia – and for all of us during summer – we only need to have skin exposed to the sun for a few minutes on most days.

The body can only produce a certain amount of vitamin D at a time. So staying in the sun any longer than needed is not going to help increase your vitamin D levels, while it will increase your risk of skin cancer.

But it’s difficult for people aged over 75 to get enough vitamin D from a few minutes of sunshine, so the Endocrine Society recommends people get 800 IU (international units) of vitamin D a day from food or supplements.

Why you need more as you age

This is higher than the recommendation for younger adults, reflecting the increased needs and reduced ability of older bodies to produce and absorb vitamin D.

Overall, older adults also tend to have less exposure to sunlight, which is the primary source of natural vitamin D production. Older adults may spend more time indoors and wear more clothing when outdoors.

As we age, our skin also becomes less efficient at synthesising vitamin D from sunlight.

The kidneys and the liver, which help convert vitamin D into its active form, also lose some of their efficiency with age. This makes it harder for the body to maintain adequate levels of the vitamin.

All of this combined means older adults need more vitamin D.

Deficiency is common in older adults

Despite their higher needs for vitamin D, people over 75 may not get enough of it.

Studies have shown one in five older adults in Australia have vitamin D deficiency.

In higher-latitude parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom, almost half don’t reach sufficient levels.

This increased risk of deficiency is partly due to lifestyle factors, such as spending less time outdoors and insufficient dietary intakes of vitamin D.

It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone. Oily fish, eggs and some mushrooms are good sources of vitamin D, but few other foods contain much of the vitamin. While foods can be fortified with the vitamin D (margarine, some milk and cereals), these may not be readily available or be consumed in sufficient amounts to make a difference.

In some countries such as the United States, most of the dietary vitamin D comes from fortified products. However, in Australia, dietary intakes of vitamin D are typically very low because only a few foods are fortified with it.

Why vitamin D is so important as we age

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is essential for maintaining bone density and strength. As we age, our bones become more fragile, increasing the risk of fractures and conditions like osteoporosis.

Keeping bones healthy is crucial. Studies have shown older people hospitalised with hip fractures are 3.5 times more likely to die in the next 12 months compared to people who aren’t injured.

Vitamin D may also help lower the risk of respiratory infections, which can be more serious in this age group.

There is also emerging evidence for other potential benefits, including better brain health. However, this requires more research.

According to the society’s systematic review, which summarises evidence from randomised controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in humans, there is moderate evidence to suggest vitamin D supplementation can lower the risk of premature death.

The society estimates supplements can prevent six deaths per 1,000 people. When considering the uncertainty in the available evidence, the actual number could range from as many as 11 fewer deaths to no benefit at all.

Should we get our vitamin D levels tested?

The Endocrine Society’s guidelines suggest routine blood tests to measure vitamin D levels are not necessary for most healthy people over 75.

There is no clear evidence that regular testing provides significant benefits, unless the person has a specific medical condition that affects vitamin D metabolism, such as kidney disease or certain bone disorders.

Routine testing can also be expensive and inconvenient.

In most cases, the recommended approach to over-75s is to consider a daily supplement, without the need for testing.

You can also try to boost your vitamin D by adding fortified foods to your diet, which might lower the dose you need from supplementation.

Even if you’re getting a few minutes of sunlight a day, a daily vitamin D is still recommended.

Elina Hypponen, Professor of Nutritional and Genetic Epidemiology, University of South Australia and Joshua Sutherland, PhD Candidate – Nutrition and Genetic Epidemiology, University of South Australia

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“She has been a strong advocate for encouraging young women to join the armed forces and stands as a prominent icon of the government’s Nari Shakti initiative,” said the Ministry of Defence.

At 60, Vice Admiral Sarin will serve a two-year term as the head of the AFMS, an organisation directly under the Defence Ministry responsible for the medical policies across the military.

Prior to this role, she led the Navy’s Medical Services Directorate, and she has also served as the Director General of Medical Services (Air) and Commandant of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.

This appointment follows the recent promotion of Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair, who became the first woman to hold the position of Director General Medical Services (Army) just two months earlier.

Vice Admiral Sarin, commissioned in December 1985 after graduating from AFMC, holds an MD in Radiodiagnosis from AFMC and a Diplomate of the National Board in Radiation Oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. She has also trained in Gamma Knife surgery at the University of Pittsburgh in the US.

Throughout her 38-year career, Vice Admiral Sarin has held numerous distinguished academic and administrative posts, including Professor and Head of Radiation Oncology at the Army Hospital (Research & Referral) and Command Hospital (Southern Command) in Pune, Commanding Officer of INHS Asvini, and Command Medical Officer in the Indian Navy’s Southern and Western Naval Commands.

Vice Admiral Sarin has the rare honour of serving in all three branches of the Armed Forces – starting as a Lieutenant in the Army, progressing to a Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Navy, and reaching the rank of Air Marshal in the Air Force, a unique career path enabled by the military’s cross-service posting system.

Vice Admiral Sarin was recently appointed to a national task force formed by the Supreme Court to establish safe working conditions for medical professionals, following the alleged rape and murder of a female resident doctor at the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, an incident that led to widespread protests by doctors. The task force, constituted in August, is responsible for preparing a strategy to prevent violence against medical personnel and creating a national protocol for dignified and secure working environments for all healthcare staff.

In July 2024, Vice Admiral Sarin was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) by President Droupadi Murmu for her outstanding service. Her promotion to DGAFMS is a landmark moment for women in the Indian Armed Forces, as she now holds the highest rank ever attained by a female officer in the military.

As DGAFMS, she will oversee medical policies for the Armed Forces and represent the military’s medical concerns to Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

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Pandemics – the global spread of infectious diseases – seem to be making a comeback. In the Middle Ages we had the Black Death (plague), and after the first world war we had the Spanish flu. Tens of millions of people died from these diseases.

Then science began to get the upper hand, with vaccination eradicating smallpox, and polio nearly so. Antibiotics became available to treat bacterial infections, and more recently antivirals as well.

But in recent years and decades pandemics seem to be returning. In the 1980s we had HIV/AIDS, then several flu pandemics, SARS, and now COVID (no, COVID isn’t over).

So why is this happening, and is there anything we can do to avert future pandemics?

Unbalanced ecosystems

Healthy, stable ecosystems provide services that keep us healthy, such as supplying food and clean water, producing oxygen, and making green spaces available for our recreation and wellbeing.

Another key service ecosystems provide is disease regulation. When nature is in balance – with predators controlling herbivore populations, and herbivores controlling plant growth – it’s more difficult for pathogens to emerge in a way that causes pandemics.

But when human activities disrupt and unbalance ecosystems – such as by way of climate change and biodiversity loss – things go wrong.

For example, climate change affects the number and distribution of plants and animals. Mosquitoes that carry diseases can move from the tropics into what used to be temperate climates as the planet warms, and may infect more people in the months that are normally disease free.

We’ve studied the relationship between weather and dengue fever transmission in China, and our findings support the same conclusion reached by many other studies: climate change is likely to put more people at risk of dengue.

Biodiversity loss can have similar effects by disrupting food chains. When ranchers cleared forests in South America for their cattle to graze in the first half of the 20th century, tiny forest-dwelling, blood-feeding vampire bats suddenly had a smörgåsbord of large sedentary animals to feed on.

While vampire bats had previously been kept in check by the limited availability of food and the presence of predators in the balanced forest ecosystem, numbers of this species exploded in South America.

These bats carry the rabies virus, which causes lethal brain infections in people who are bitten. Although the number of deaths from bat-borne rabies has now fallen dramatically due to vaccination programs in South America, rabies caused by bites from other animals still poses a global threat.

As urban and agricultural development impinges on natural ecosystems, there are increasing opportunities for humans and domestic animals to become infected with pathogens that would normally only be seen in wildlife – particularly when people hunt and eat animals from the wild.

The HIV virus, for example, first entered human populations from apes that were slaughtered for food in Africa, and then spread globally through travel and trade.

Meanwhile, bats are thought to be the original reservoir for the virus that caused the COVID pandemic, which has killed more than 7 million people to date.

Ultimately, until we effectively address the unsustainable impact we are having on our planet, pandemics will continue to occur.

Targeting the ultimate causes

Factors such as climate change, biodiversity loss and other global challenges are the ultimate (high level) cause of pandemics. Meanwhile, increased contact between humans, domestic animals and wildlife is the proximate (immediate) cause.

In the case of HIV, while direct contact with the infected blood of apes was the proximate cause, the apes were only being slaughtered because large numbers of very poor people were hungry – an ultimate cause.

The distinction between ultimate causes and proximate causes is important, because we often deal only with proximate causes. For example, people may smoke because of stress or social pressure (ultimate causes of getting lung cancer), but it’s the toxins in the smoke that cause cancer (proximate cause).

Generally, health services are only concerned with stopping people from smoking – and with treating the illness that results – not with removing the drivers that lead them to smoke in the first place.

Similarly, we address pandemics with lockdowns, mask wearing, social distancing and vaccinations – all measures which seek to stop the spread of the virus. But we pay less attention to addressing the ultimate causes of pandemics – until perhaps very recently.

A planetary health approach

There’s a growing awareness of the importance of adopting a “planetary health” approach to improve human health. This concept is based on the understanding that human health and human civilisation depend on flourishing natural systems, and the wise stewardship of those natural systems.

With this approach, ultimate drivers like climate change and biodiversity loss would be prioritised in preventing future pandemics, at the same time as working with experts from many different disciplines to deal with the proximate causes, thereby reducing the risk overall.

The planetary health approach has the benefit of improving both the health of the environment and human health concurrently. We are heartened by the increased uptake of teaching planetary health concepts across the environmental sciences, humanities and health sciences in many universities.

As climate change, biodiversity loss, population displacements, travel and trade continue to increase the risk of disease outbreaks, it’s vital that the planetary stewards of the future have a better understanding of how to tackle the ultimate causes that drive pandemics.

This article is the first in a series on the next pandemic.

Olga Anikeeva, Research Fellow, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide; Jessica Stanhope, Lecturer, School of Allied Health Science and Practice, University of Adelaide; Peng Bi, Professor, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, and Philip Weinstein, Professorial Research Fellow, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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“Australia is on track to be the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer. Today, I can announce that Australia is expanding our funding commitment to the elimination partnership in the Indo-Pacific for cervical cancer,” Albanese declared, signalling a significant step in the global fight against this preventable cancer.

Elimination Efforts and Quad Partnership

The announcement builds upon Australia’s comprehensive efforts to address cervical cancer, which have made significant progress over the years. Cervical cancer, caused primarily by the human papillomavirus (HPV), is a preventable disease. Australia’s public health measures, including nationwide HPV vaccinations and regular cervical screenings, have been pivotal in significantly reducing the incidence of the disease.

At the event, Albanese reflected on the Quad Leaders’ commitment to global health initiatives, recalling the first Quad Leaders summit chaired by U.S. President Joe Biden. At the time, the leaders agreed to collaborate on improving access to COVID-19 vaccines, resulting in more than 400 million vaccine doses being distributed to Indo-Pacific communities.

“The Quad Cancer Moonshot initiative builds on that spirit of cooperation. We are proud to stand with the United States, India, and Japan in this shared effort to change lives for the better,” Albanese stated, highlighting the significance of the partnership.

The Cancer Moonshot Initiative

The Cancer Moonshot is a major White House initiative launched by President Biden to accelerate cancer research, improve collaboration between global institutions, and drive significant progress in cancer prevention, treatment, and care. The initiative draws upon the resources of the public and private sectors, patient advocacy groups, healthcare providers, and research institutions to combat cancer globally.

As part of this initiative, over 95 new programs and policies have been introduced, and more than 170 private companies, nonprofits, and academic institutions have launched new collaborations to further the effort. The Cancer Moonshot is a comprehensive approach designed to reduce cancer mortality, and Australia’s efforts to eliminate cervical cancer are a key component of this global fight.

Australia’s Success in Cervical Cancer Prevention

Australia’s success in preventing cervical cancer is largely attributed to its national HPV vaccination program, which began in 2007 and offers free vaccines to both girls and boys in schools. The program has achieved high vaccination rates, significantly reducing the number of HPV infections, which are the leading cause of cervical cancer. Additionally, Australia’s National Cervical Screening Program, which uses advanced HPV testing, has further bolstered the country’s ability to detect and treat pre-cancerous conditions early.

In a statement, Albanese emphasized that Australia’s progress is not only a victory for the nation but a beacon of hope for the Indo-Pacific region. “Through our partnership with the Cancer Moonshot initiative and the expansion of our efforts in the Indo-Pacific, we are showing the world that eliminating cervical cancer is possible,” he said.

Looking Ahead

The expanded partnership and funding commitment in the Indo-Pacific region align with Australia’s broader goals of strengthening its health and economic ties within the region. With cervical cancer elimination within reach, Australia is positioning itself as a leader in public health, offering a model for other nations to follow.

As part of his visit to the Quad Leaders’ Cancer Moonshot event, Albanese also participated in discussions with U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, reinforcing the collaborative nature of the initiative and underscoring the importance of global partnerships in addressing major health challenges.

Australia’s path to eliminating cervical cancer could redefine global public health efforts, demonstrating the power of prevention, early detection, and international cooperation.

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The Pacific Islands may evoke images of sprawling coastlines and picturesque scenery. But while this part of the world might look like paradise, many local residents are grappling with a serious public health issue.

Across Pacific nations, almost half a million people are living in informal urban settlements with a lack of proper sanitation, which can include difficult access to working toilets.

This affects health, wellbeing, education and livelihoods, especially for women, children, older people, and people with disabilities.

Our new study, published in the Nature journal NPJ Clean Water, examined the state of sanitation in several informal urban settlements in two Pacific countries – Fiji and Vanuatu. Our findings show this is an issue which needs urgent attention.

Research on the ground

We partnered with researchers from the University of the South Pacific to survey households and inspect sanitation infrastructure. Our team examined 393 households in nine informal urban settlements in the capital cities of Fiji (Suva) and Vanuatu (Port Vila).

These settlements develop when people settle on unoccupied land that has not been planned for housing, generally due to a lack of affordable housing options. Informal urban settlements often lack access to essential services and infrastructure such as sewerage systems, power, sealed roads and rubbish collection.

We identified that although piped water is available, most households (from 56% to 100% of the households in each settlement) still rely on unsafe sanitation to manage human waste. Many use poorly built dry pits – for example, a pedestal above a hole in the ground – or cesspits. In these toilets, there’s no plumbing and no running water is used to flush. All are onsite (in the house or adjacent to it), meaning the waste, treated or untreated, stays in the settlement.

On top of everyday challenges, we found one in every three households loses access to functioning toilets during heavy rain, cyclones, or floods. Dry pit systems face four to eight times higher odds of damage during climate events than water-based systems in the same settlements.

We also found safe waste management, particularly from septic tanks and pits, poses significant challenges for residents. Even when toilets are available and working well, there is often no safe and sustainable way to manage the waste that builds up in pits and tanks.

In many cases, the sludge is dumped either on open spaces in the settlement, into local rivers, or seeps into the ground. This can pollute water sources and create serious environmental and public health risks.

Further, we found cyclones and heavy rains damage sanitation systems, causing waste to overflow and contaminate water supplies.

Vulnerable communities

Melanesian countries, including Vanuatu and Fiji, are particularly susceptible to severe climate hazards, making it crucial that sanitation infrastructure in informal urban settlements can withstand these environmental threats.

Poor sanitation in these areas leads to the spread of diseases such as diarrhoea, intestinal worms and trachoma. Studies show that improving water and sanitation systems significantly reduces the chances of childhood deaths and deaths from diarrhoea specifically.

Estimates from the World Health Organization and UNICEF indicate that less than 3% of urban populations in Fiji and Vanuatu use unimproved or unsafe sanitation – that is, sanitation that does not safely contain, treat and dispose of human waste.

That figure contrasts sharply with our finding that most households in informal urban settlements rely on unsafe sanitation. This highlights the need for improved monitoring strategies which distinguish informal settlements from formally planned areas.

How can we address this problem?

Toilets alone won’t solve the problem. Communities need a comprehensive approach that addresses sanitation management at every stage. This will involve creating a complete service chain that ensures reliable waste removal, treatment, and disposal, and which is resilient to disasters.

This means enhancing local expertise, supporting local service providers, ensuring systems are well maintained, and fostering community ownership of these systems to guarantee long-term sustainability.

In informal settlements, providing these services is much more challenging than in formal urban areas, largely because of insecure land ownership and limited access to adequate infrastructure, which adds complexity for service providers.

However, with a significant portion of the Pacific urban populations living in informal settlements, finding effective ways to safely manage sanitation in these communities is essential.

The sixth sustainable development goal aims to provide clean water and sanitation for all. Solving the sanitation crisis in the Pacific Islands is about protecting health, restoring dignity, supporting livelihoods, and building resilience at the level of households and communities, who are at the frontline of an increasingly uncertain future.

Benny Zuse Rousso, Research Fellow, International Water Centre, Griffith University and Regina Souter, Associate Professor & Director, International WaterCentre, Griffith University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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From doctors’ offices to family gatherings, larger-bodied people report being bombarded with unsolicited advice about their eating and exercise habits. The underlying message? They “just need to lose weight” to fix almost any health problem.

Society’s focus on weight has shaped how most Australians view health and body weight, often pushing them towards unhealthy thoughts and behaviours in the pursuit of an “ideal” body shape.

However, the way society thinks about ob*sity and body weight is changing, with science backing the shift.

*Historical reflections on the word “obesity” reveal its offensive origins, with advocates suggesting the term ob*sity should be used with an asterisk to acknowledge this. To show our respect, we will adopt this language here.

Policymakers and health researchers are increasingly recognising the harms of stigmatising language and attitudes towards larger-bodied people.

Let’s unpack how the thinking on ob*sity has shifted over time and what this means for public health and health care in Australia.

From personal responsibility to a complex, chronic disease

Until recent years, managing body weight was predominantly considered a personal responsibility. Ob*sity was considered a result of a poor diet and a lack of physical activity, underpinned by personal and moral failure.

This narrative was reflected in public health policies that used language such as “war on ob*sity” and “ob*sity epidemic”. Such language was shown to reinforce negative stereotypes of larger-bodied people as “lazy” and lacking willpower.

These stereotypes give way to weight stigma and discrimination, which is still prevalent today. Health professionals such as dietitians report that weight stigma (from other people and internally from within themselves) is a prevalent and ongoing challenge they manage in their career.

This narrative of personal responsibility has shifted in recent years to recognise the wider determinants of health. Research has identified a range of psychological, social, biological and systemic factors contributing to increasing rates of ob*sity, such as socioeconomic status, genetics, medications and environment.

As a result, public health experts consider it no longer appropriate to use language referring to ob*sity as a problem of “lifestyle”.

Professionals across medicine, psychology and dietetics also responded by updating their language standards to person-first language (for example, “person living with ob*sity”), acknowledging the shift away from framing ob*sity as a personal failure.

In 2014, the United States American Medical Association classified ob*sity as a chronic disease, against advice from its Committee on Science and Public Health. The decision sparked widespread discontent and discussion, with claims it causes unnecessary discrimination and pathologises normal changes to human bodies over time.

The debate continues here in Australia, yet no classification has been made.

Weight-centric and weight-inclusive narratives

Recent policy documents in Australia, such as the National Ob*sity Strategy 2022–2032, acknowledge a broader view of ob*sity. But policy and practice in Australia remains predominantly weight-centric. They encourage weight loss as a health goal and recommend intentionally avoiding weight gain.

Weight-centric approaches to health have been criticised for lacking long-term evidence (beyond five years) to support their effectiveness and for producing unintended consequences.

Rather than promoting health, weight-centric approaches can cause harm, such as increased weight stigma and weight cycling (repeatedly losing and regaining weight). Both weight stigma and weight cycling have been linked with negative long-term physical and mental health outcomes.

Weight-inclusive approaches to health are gaining popularity as an alternative approach that supports people in eating well and moving regularly, regardless of any desire to lose weight. This approach aims to improve access to health care and has been shown to enhance overall physical and mental health.

Approaches like Health at Every Size and intuitive eating are key examples of promoting health and wellbeing without focusing on weight.

Weight-inclusive approaches have faced criticism, however, with concerns that these approaches lack empirical evidence and may not be appropriate for people who want support for weight management.

Where does this leave us?

While our thinking about ob*sity continues to change, it is essential to listen to larger-bodied people and ensure their access to health care is equitable, safe and affirming.

Advocates such as Size Inclusive Health Australia recommend efforts to reduce weight stigma and discrimination so that health is inclusive of all body shapes and sizes.

Guidance and recommendations exist for addressing weight stigma and adopting weight-inclusive approaches to health, such as the Size Inclusive Health Promotion Guidelines and the Eating Disorder Safe Principles.

Policy, research and practice should continue to synthesise and understand the evidence surrounding weight-inclusive approaches, in line with the shifting narratives of weight and health. This will support the design, implementation and evaluation for weight-inclusive initiatives in Australia.

Evangeline Gardiner, PhD Candidate in Public Health, The University of Queensland; Amy Kirkegaard, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland; Breanna Lepre, Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, The University of Queensland; Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland, and Mark Robinson, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Many of us try to eat more fruits and vegetables and less ultra-processed food. But why is sticking to your goals so hard?

High-fat, sugar-rich and salty foods are simply so enjoyable to eat. And it’s not just you – we’ve evolved that way. These foods activate the brain’s reward system because in the past they were rare.

Now, they’re all around us. In wealthy modern societies we are bombarded by advertising which intentionally reminds us about the sight, smell and taste of calorie-dense foods. And in response to these powerful cues, our brains respond just as they’re designed to, triggering an intense urge to eat them.

Here’s how food cravings work and what you can do if you find yourself hunting for sweet or salty foods.

What causes cravings?

A food craving is an intense desire or urge to eat something, often focused on a particular food.

We are programmed to learn how good a food tastes and smells and where we can find it again, especially if it’s high in fat, sugar or salt.

Something that reminds us of enjoying a certain food, such as an eye-catching ad or delicious smell, can cause us to crave it.

The cue triggers a physical response, increasing saliva production and gastric activity. These responses are relatively automatic and difficult to control.

What else influences our choices?

While the effect of cues on our physical response is relatively automatic, what we do next is influenced by complex factors.
Whether or not you eat the food might depend on things like cost, whether it’s easily available, and if eating it would align with your health goals.

But it’s usually hard to keep healthy eating in mind. This is because we tend to prioritise a more immediate reward, like the pleasure of eating, over one that’s delayed or abstract – including health goals that will make us feel good in the long term.

Stress can also make us eat more. When hungry, we choose larger portions, underestimate calories and find eating more rewarding.

Looking for something salty or sweet

So what if a cue prompts us to look for a certain food, but it’s not available?

Previous research suggested you would then look for anything that makes you feel good. So if you saw someone eating a doughnut but there were none around, you might eat chips or even drink alcohol.

But our new research has confirmed something you probably knew: it’s more specific than that.

If an ad for chips makes you look for food, it’s likely a slice of cake won’t cut it – you’ll be looking for something salty. Cues in our environment don’t just make us crave food generally, they prompt us to look for certain food “categories”, such as salty, sweet or creamy.

Food cues and mindless eating

Your eating history and genetics can also make it harder to suppress food cravings. But don’t beat yourself up – relying on willpower alone is hard for almost everyone.

Food cues are so powerful they can prompt us to seek out a certain food, even if we’re not overcome by a particularly strong urge to eat it. The effect is more intense if the food is easily available.

This helps explain why we can eat an entire large bag of chips that’s in front of us, even though our pleasure decreases as we eat. Sometimes we use finishing the packet as the signal to stop eating rather than hunger or desire.

Is there anything I can do to resist cravings?

We largely don’t have control over cues in our environment and the cravings they trigger. But there are some ways you can try and control the situations you make food choices in.

• Acknowledge your craving and think about a healthier way to satisfy it. For example, if you’re craving chips, could you have lightly-salted nuts instead? If you want something sweet, you could try fruit.
• Avoid shopping when you’re hungry, and make a list beforehand. Making the most of supermarket “click and collect” or delivery options can also help avoid ads and impulse buys in the aisle.
• At home, have fruit and vegetables easily available – and easy to see. Also have other nutrient dense, fibre-rich and unprocessed foods on hand such as nuts or plain yoghurt. If you can, remove high-fat, sugar-rich and salty foods from your environment.
• Make sure your goals for eating are SMART. This means they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
• Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you eat something that doesn’t meet your health goals. Just keep on trying.

Gabrielle Weidemann, Associate Professor in Psychological Science, Western Sydney University and Justin Mahlberg, Research Fellow, Pyschology, Monash University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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After months of negotiations between the major parties, the government has announced it will implement the Aged Care Taskforce recommendations.

The government already signalled back in March that it wouldn’t impose a new tax or aged care levy.

Today’s announcement focuses on how wealthier people will contribute in future to the overall cost of their residential aged care and home care services.

While some people won’t be happy about paying for more, these changes are critical to ensuring the aged care system’s long-term sustainability.

What’s changing for residential care?

In December, the Taskforce made 23 recommendations to support:

an aged care system that is sustainable, fair and facilitates greater innovation in the sector.

In accepting these recommendations, the government committed to maintaining its funding support for the clinical care needs of all residents and providing safety-net funding for residents with low financial means.

The three key proposals relating to residential care are:

1. Means-testing the ‘hotelling supplement’.

Currently, taxpayers subsidise the cost of everyday living for all residents, regardless of their means. Everyday services include catering, cleaning and laundry.

Going forward, people with significant financial means (with more than A$238,000 in assets, more than $95,400 in income or a combination of the two) will no longer receive this subsidy and will need to pay an additional amount to cover these costs.

2. Introducing a deferred rental payment.

This is a rental payment for people who pay for their accommodation using a refundable lump-sum deposit. That payment would be taken from their refund, rather than become an additional charge.

This would help overcome a longstanding problem where many providers have been making a loss on the cost of accommodation.

3. Abolishing the means-tested care fee.

Instead, a new means-tested non-clinical care contribution would be introduced. This will cover non-clinical care costs such as bathing, mobility assistance and provision of lifestyle activities.

What impact will these changes have on older people?

Many people will be unaffected by the changes. Under the “no worse off” principle, people who already live in aged care homes will continue to pay as they do under their current arrangements.

Likewise, people with low financial means, typically full pensioners without major assets, will be unaffected. The government will continue to fully cover the costs of their clinical care, non-clinical care and accommodation, and continue to top up their everyday living costs via the hotelling supplement.

Pensioners will continue using their age pension to pay for their everyday living expenses, capped at 85% of the age pension (equivalent to $445 per week).

At the other end of the scale, those with significant means, such as self-funded retirees, will pay an additional means-tested hotelling fee to meet the full cost of their food, laundry, cleaning and utilities. This fee (up to $88 per week, or an extra $4,581 per year), would bring their total contribution to their everyday living services to $533 per week.

Also, while the government will cover self-funded retirees’ clinical care costs, they would be expected to contribute towards the costs of non-care services via a means-tested non-clinical care contribution. This contribution is capped at $101.16 per day (or $708 per week), which a resident would stop paying when either they reach a lifetime limit of $130,000 or four years (whichever is sooner).

Within the new means-testing arrangements there will be no change to the treatment of the family home. The value of the family home included in the means test would remain capped at $206,039 (indexed), even though this arrangement ignores the wealth of people with homes above this limit.

Finally, part-pensioners and self-funded retirees who pay for their accommodation via a refundable lump-sum deposit will pay a new annual deferred rental charge equal to 2% of their deposit per year.

A room priced at $550,000 would attract a rental charge of $212 per week ($11,000 per year), which would be deducted from the $550,000 deposit when it is returned to the resident or their estate at the end of their stay.

For context, if someone wanted to pay for the same room using the daily payment method, it currently costs them $882 per week.

Currently, each resident’s daily payments are fixed at the price when they enter residential care. However, going forward residents’ payments will be indexed twice a year.

The focus is on improving the equity and sustainability

It will take some time to analyse the full implications of today’s announcement, which also included important changes to the Support at Home program and the new Aged Care Act.

Nonetheless, the proposed changes are likely to improve the sustainability and equity of Australia’s residential aged care system.

More than half of all aged care homes are operating at a loss and in the last four years the homes have accumulated losses of $5.6 billion. This is not sustainable, and every home that closes means less chance older people have of getting the residential care and support they need.

The proposed changes, particularly around accommodation, will help ensure providers have sufficient revenue to cover the costs of the services they deliver.

Introducing more means-testing arrangements for everyday living and non-clinical care costs will allow taxpayer funding to better target support to residents with few financial means.

Perhaps most importantly, the increase in contributions from older people who can afford to do so will improve intergenerational equity by taking some of the pressure off income taxpayers who are meeting the rising cost of providing subsidised aged care.

Nicole Sutton, Associate Professor of Accounting, University of Technology Sydney and Michael Woods, Professor of Health Economics, University of Technology Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, after rising cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the potential for further spread.

This now triggers a coordinated international response to an extraordinary event and the mobilisation of resources, such as vaccines and diagnostic testing, to curb the spread of this infectious disease.

But WHO has not declared mpox a pandemic. Rather, the measures it has triggered are designed to prevent it from becoming one.

What triggered this latest alert?

Mpox, once known as monkeypox, is a viral infection closely related to smallpox. Initial symptoms include a fever, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes and muscle ache. A typical rash follows, mainly on the face, hands and feet.

The spread of mpox through certain African countries led the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to declare earlier this week mpox a public health emergency of continental security. This is the first time the organisation has issued such an alert since it was established in 2017.

The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa has been particularly worrying for more than a year.

There are two types or clades of mpox. Clade II, which originates in west Africa, is less severe. It has a fatality rate of up to 1% (in other words, roughly one in 100 are expected to die from it). But clade I, from central Africa, has a fatality rate of up to 10% (up to one in ten die). This compares to a 0.7% fatality rate for the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeing large epidemics of the more deadly clade I mpox.

Mpox is endemic in some parts of central and west Africa, where the virus exists in animals and can spread to humans. Outbreaks have been increasing, with more human-to-human spread, since 2017.

This is partly due to very low levels of immunity to the mpox virus, which is related to the virus that causes smallpox. Mass vaccination against smallpox ceased more than 40 years ago globally, resulting in minimal immunity in populations today against mpox.

The WHO designation announced this week relates to the clade I. Not only does this have a higher fatality rate, it has new mutations that enhance spread between people. These changes, and the global lack of immunity to mpox, makes the world’s population vulnerable to the virus.

There are two different epidemics

In 2022, an epidemic of mpox swept through non-endemic countries, including beyond Africa. This was a variant of clade II originating from Nigeria, called clade IIb. This was sexually transmitted, predominantly affecting men who have sex with men, and had a low fatality rate.

That epidemic peaked in 2022, with vaccines made available to people at risk in high-income countries, but there has been an uptick in 2024.

At the same time, large clade I epidemics were occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but with far less attention.

Vaccines were not available there, even in 2023, when there were 14,626 cases and 654 deaths. Mortality was 4.5%, and higher in children.

In fact, most cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been children. This means most transmission there is non-sexual and is likely to have occurred through close contact or respiratory aerosols.

However, in 2023 an outbreak in a non-endemic part of the country, South Kivu in the east, appeared to be by sexual transmission, indicating more than one epidemic and different transmission modes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

By mid-2024, there were already more cases in the country than all of 2023 – more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths.

Testing capacity is low in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, most cases are not confirmed by lab testing, and the data we have are from a small sample of genomic sequences from the Kamituga region of South Kivu.

This show mutations to the clade I virus around September 2023, to a variant termed clade Ib, which is more readily transmissible between people. We do not have much data to compare these viruses with the viruses causing cases in the rest of the country.

Mpox is spreading internationally

In the past month, the virus has spread to countries that share a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Rwanda and Burundi. It has also spread to other east African countries, such as Kenya and Uganda. None of these countries have had mpox cases previously.

In an interconnected, mobile world, cases may spread to other continents, as mpox did in 2018 from Nigeria to the United Kingdom and other countries.

A few travel-related cases between 2018 and 2019 may have led to the large multi-country 2022 clade IIb epidemic.

We have vaccines, but not where they are needed

As the mpox virus and smallpox viruses are related (they are both orthopoxviruses), smallpox vaccines offer protection against mpox. These vaccines were used to control the 2022 clade IIb epidemic.

However, most of the world has never been vaccinated, and has no immunity to mpox.

The newer vaccine (called Jynneos in some countries and Imvamune or Imvanex in others) is effective. However, supplies are limited, and vaccine is scarce in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

WHO’s declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern will help mobilise vaccines to where they are needed. The Africa Centres for Disease Control had already begun negotiations to secure 200,000 doses of vaccine, which is a fraction of what is required to control the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

What happens now?

Ultimately, a serious epidemic anywhere in the world is a concern for all of us, as it can spread globally through travel, as we saw with the COVID pandemic.

Controlling it at the source is the best measure, and WHO’s latest declaration will help mobilise the required resources.

Surveillance for spread of this more serious version of mpox is also essential, bearing in mind that many countries do not have the capacity for widespread testing. So we’ll have to rely on “suspected cases”, based on a clinical definition, to keep track of the epidemic.

Open-source epidemic intelligence – such as using AI to monitor trends in rash and fever illness – can also be used as an early warning system in countries with weak health systems or delayed reporting of cases.

A further complication is that 20-30% of people with mpox may simultaneously have chickenpox, an unrelated infection that also causes a rash. So an initial diagnosis of chickenpox (which is easier to test for) does not rule out mpox.

Effective communication and tackling push-back against public health measures and disinformation is also key. We saw how important this was during the COVID pandemic.

Now, WHO will coordinate the global mpox response, focusing on equity in disease prevention and access to diagnostics and vaccines. It is up to individual countries to do their best to comply with the International Health Regulations, and the protocols for how such a global emergency are managed.

The World Health Organization has more information about mpox, including symptoms and treatment. For information about vaccine access and availability, contact your local health department or doctor, as this varies from country to country.

C Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC L3 Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney

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Updated figures show Australia has witnessed a significant surge in disability prevalence, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s understanding and measurement of disability.

According to the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, gathered in 2022, the number of Australians living with a disability increased to 5.5 million or 21.4% of the population.

This is a striking increase from 17.7% in 2018, a figure that had remained relatively consistent for two decades (15% in 1998). The rise was seen across genders, with a notable uptick in the number of people reporting profound or severe disability. The proportion of primary carers with disability also dramatically increased from 32.1% to 43.8%.

So what is driving the increase? Are these numbers truly reflective of reality, or influenced by changes in how data is collected?

About the survey

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conducts the survey every three years, providing detailed insights into the lives of people with disability, those aged 65 and over, and primary carers.

Released last month, the 2022 survey collected data from over 13,700 households and 1,100 care accommodations and group dwellings between June and the following February.

Although the criteria for defining disability have remained consistent over the years, the latest survey introduced some methodological changes that could have influenced the reported rates.

One of the most significant changes was the introduction of an online participation option, which 41% of households used. This shift to a more private and comfortable mode of data collection may have encouraged disclosure of disability and discussion of sensitive needs.

Nevertheless, this increase likely reflects a more accurate representation of the population. Some argue greater willingness to disclose disability could lead to greater increase than the rates collected over the years. Disability disclosure often limits collection of accurate data, particularly in employment, where up to 56.9% of employed people with disability did not disclose to their employer.

A real increase

Several factors might contribute to the upward trend, including heightened public awareness, better diagnostic criteria, and an increase in long-term health conditions with disabling impacts.

Notably, this survey was the first conducted in the “post-COVID” era. COVID was the leading cause of disease burden globally in 2021, and has lasting health impacts that may contribute to the rising disability rates.

Australia’s ageing population is often cited as a key driver of increasing disability rates.

Older Australians (who made up 17.1% of the population in 2022, up from 15.9% in 2018) have higher disability rates than younger people, with 52.3% of older Australians reporting a disability in 2022, compared to 49.6% in 2018.

Despite the rising number of older Australians with disability, their proportion within the total disabled population actually decreased from 44.5% in 2018 to 41.7% in 2022. So although ageing contributes to the trend, other factors are at play.

Younger people

The most striking increases in disability prevalence were observed among children aged 0–4 years and young people aged 15–24 years. In these groups, prevalence rates jumped from 3.7% and 9.3% in 2018 to 5.7% and 13.9% in 2022, respectively.

One significant contributor to this rise is the increase in autism spectrum disorder diagnoses, which climbed by 41.8%, from 205,200 people in 2018 to 290,900 people in 2022.

Autism is the leading cause of disability for children under 5 years of age and the increase is largely attributed to increased awareness, improved diagnostic criteria and expanded screening efforts. These allow for earlier and more accurate identification of autism, a trend that mirrors global patterns.

Increased awareness, changing attitudes

The growing prevalence of disability also signals a broader societal shift. Our research shows community attitudes and education about disability are slowly improving. Most Australians have reasonably positive attitudes about disability, although that varies between types of disability.

The gradual shift towards greater inclusion and reduced stigma may lead to more people recognising and reporting disability in surveys like this one.

And this brings with it an obligation for Australia to provide better services, more inclusive public spaces, responsive health-care systems, and greater economic opportunities for people with disability.

Defining disability

Statistics are crucial for understanding trends, but they don’t always capture the full picture. The Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers defines disability as any “long-term limitation or restriction resulting from an impairment lasting at least six months that impacts daily activities”.

Although widely accepted, this definition has been criticised for perpetuating a deficit-based view of disability.

Many in the disability sector advocate for a strengths-based approach, emphasising the mismatch between impairments and the environments in which people live and interact.

The language and categories used in surveys can impact response rates and, consequently, prevalence figures. It is important to recognise people with disability have diverse experiences that do not always fit neatly into predefined boxes.

Two people with the same diagnosis may experience vastly different impacts on their lives, shaped by personal, social and environmental influences. Acknowledging this diversity is crucial for developing more nuanced information and shaping policies and services that truly cater to the needs of people with disability.

The trends in this latest survey highlight the complexity of disability and the need for more inclusive and comprehensive approaches to defining and assessing it.

As these trends continue to evolve, exploration and adaptation will be essential to ensure the rights and needs of all people with disability are fully realised.

Kelsey Chapman, Research Fellow, Dignity Project, Griffith University and Elizabeth Kendall, Professor, Director, Griffith Inclusive Futures, Griffith University, Griffith University

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Apart from literacy and numeracy, some of the most important skills children learn in their primary school years are throwing and catching. These are considered “fundamental movement skills” because they underpin other, more complicated physical activities.

For many years, researchers have been highlighting concerns about a decline in children’s throwing and catching skills.

How can parents help their children develop these important skills?

Why is it so important to be able to throw and catch?

Not every child will go to the Olympics or want to. But it is important they develop fundamental movement skills (along with ball skills, these include running, skipping and balancing).

These skills are seen as “fundamental” because they are needed to engage in physical activities effectively and confidently. These also form the basis of skills in all other sports.

So even if they are not going to be a sporty child or sporty adult, these skills will give kids the essentials they need to remain active and healthy throughout their lives. As research tells us, the foundation for an active lifestyle is formed in early childhood.

Children need help to learn

By the time a child is about five, they should be able to throw using a coordinated movement of the throwing arm and opposite leg stepping forward. They should be able to catch using their hands only.

A common misconception is children learn skills such as throwing and catching automatically. But research both overseas and in Australia shows an increasing number of children are not developing adequate basic skills.

For example, a 2014 study on West Australian primary students showed a marked decline in six-year-olds’ ability to do an underarm throw and bounce and catch a ball since the 1980s.

To add to concerns, Australian research shows children and young people are not playing as much sport as they used to. A recent report on sports participation in Victoria showed sports participation in children aged ten to 14 was lower in 2022 than in pre-COVID years. The participation rate peaked at 67% in 2017 before dropping to 57% in 2022.

How can you help your child’s throwing and catching skills?

Early education services and schools include fundamental movement skills in their programs. Guidelines note it takes between 240 and 600 minutes of teaching time for a child to become proficient in one fundamental movement skill.

But research suggests parents can also help their kids at home and you can start building these skills from about the age of two. Here are some tips:

Start simple

When you’re helping your child, start with larger balls or balloons and work on overarm throwing, underarm throwing and two-handed passes. These can include chest passes and bounce passes like you see in netball and basketball.

As your child gets older, you can make the balls smaller and distances greater. And you can introduce challenges, such as “show me a different way of throwing or catching”.

Have formal and informal sessions

Research shows it’s important for children to get both unstructured play and structured practise to learns these skills.

This gives them specific tips and a chance to experiment and develop their skills.

Vary the activities

Repeatedly practising the same skill under the same conditions can lead to rapid gains in skill development. But it does not teach children how to apply this skill.

Research suggests children should practise skills in a variety of ways.

If a task is unpredictable it will create a more “game-like” environment so children are challenged to find solutions.

For example, you could have a game that involves throwing to a target. You could have changing targets (instead of just throwing at the same target over and over).

Keep it fun

While you may be “practising” or “working” on a skill, try and make it enjoyable. Perhaps it forms part of a trip to the park or it involves a favourite toy. Maybe it involves different equipment or a game where the ball is a character.

If you have concerns about how your child’s fundamental movement skills are developing, talk to their teacher, early childhood educator or a paediatrician.

Stuart Evans, Lecturer Teacher Education, Physical Education, Sport and Movement., La Trobe University and Kane Middleton, Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics, La Trobe University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple.

If you’re not really interested in aged care, you should be. Given these figures, you will almost certainly be engaging with aged care services at some stage – either for yourself, or supporting family members or friends seeking aged care.

One service you are likely to encounter is residential aged care homes. In the past few years this sector has been under more scrutiny than ever before. Changes to legislation, workforce and funding are in motion. But the question remains as to whether these changes can happen fast enough to meet our ageing population’s needs.

One area of need not being adequately met at present is nutrition. In a new study, we’ve found four in ten older Australians living in residential aged care are not receiving enough of the right types of nutrients, resulting in loss of weight and muscle. This is known as malnutrition.

Good nutrition is essential for healthy ageing

Malnutrition in older people is associated with poorer overall health, such as increased risk of falls and infections. This can accelerate loss of independence for older people, including the need for extra assistance with basic activities such as bathing and dressing.

Older people are at increased risk of malnutrition for a range of reasons. These can include decreased appetite, difficulties with chewing and swallowing, and the presence of other chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease or dementia.

Importantly, ensuring adequate nutrition is about more than just offering healthy foods. We eat not only to meet nutritional requirements, but for enjoyment and socialisation. We each have different preferences around what we want to eat, when and with whom.

Food provision poses a challenge for residential aged care providers who must navigate the range of residents’ preferences together with dietary restrictions and texture modifications. This must also be balanced against the practicalities of having the right number of appropriately trained kitchen and mealtime assistance staff, and working within funding constraints.

Understanding more about who is malnourished in aged care can help providers better address this problem.

Malnutrition is an ongoing problem in aged care

We looked at more than 700 aged care residents in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. We assessed participants for malnutrition using a screening tool that collects data on medical history and dietary intake, and includes a physical examination of muscle and fat.

We found 40% were malnourished, including 6% who were severely malnourished. This likely underestimates the true rate of malnutrition, as residents with dementia were excluded. International studies have shown an average of 80% of aged care residents with dementia are malnourished or at risk of developing malnutrition.

Our findings are broadly in line with a synthesis of 38 international studies, which reported an average malnutrition rate in residential aged care of 52%.

In Australia, malnutrition was highlighted as a priority for immediate attention in the 2021 Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Its report cited an Australian study of 215 residents, published in 2017, which found 68% were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.

It’s difficult to directly compare malnutrition rates between studies due to differences in diagnostic measurements. But it’s clear malnutrition is an ongoing challenge in aged care.

What can we do about it?

Since the royal commission, we’ve seen the strengthening of the quality standards to be included in the new Aged Care Act, anticipated to be introduced to parliament in 2025.

The strengthened quality standards provide an important framework to guide action by aged care providers on malnutrition. Key requirements include partnering with residents to design food options, regular assessment and reassessment of resident nutrition requirements, developing systems to monitor and improve satisfaction with food, designing pleasant dining environments, and providing staff with the training they need to achieve all of the above.

However, achieving these standards will require investment of money and time. At the moment, 64% of residential aged care providers in Australia are operating at a financial loss. While we know carers and facility managers want to provide the best care possible, it’s difficult to achieve this when contending with underlying financial problems.

As such, our teams at Monash and Griffith universities are focusing on strategies that minimise the burden on staff and providers.

We are working on automating malnutrition screening. Current tools take 10–15 minutes and should be used when a new resident moves into an aged care home and regularly during their stay. But anecdotal evidence suggests providers lack the staff and funding needed to routinely carry out this screening.

Instead, we aim to use existing data from aged care providers, including quarterly reports from the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program, to detect malnutrition automatically. This will allow staff to focus more on care.

Given the complexity of malnutrition, it’s likely that addressing the issue at a national scale will take some time. In the short term, for those with loved ones in aged care homes, we encourage you to be actively involved in their care, including noticing and speaking up if you think more can be done to optimise their nutrition.

Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University and Marie-Claire O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University

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Aboriginal Elders in Perth are working with mainstream mental health service leaders to improve mental health services for their community.

The Looking Forward research project, which I lead, has enabled mental health service providers in Perth and Nyoongar Elders to be active partners in a steady and sustained engagement process. In this part of the project, four elders worked with one mental health service leader for eight years to pass on this knowledge and transform the way his service treats Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.

Our latest research paper, published as a case study in the journal Social Sciences, shows how Perth-based mental health services are now becoming more culturally informed and responsive, with Aboriginal people more likely to feel acknowledged, respected and safer when accessing services.

The Elders stressed it was vital to work boss to boss, or biddiya to biddiya in Nyoongar language. Strong leadership is needed to ensure changes are embedded across all levels of services.

As Nyoongar Elder Uncle Peter Wilkes explains, this way of working is informed by an Aboriginal cultural approach to leadership:

Biddi is actually a path and biddiya is someone who leads down that path. [… The bosses are] protecting whoever is following. So, that’s what we’re doing. So, they call us biddiyas [cultural bosses]: we’re doing things now for people [the future generations] to come.

What’s the problem?

It is unrealistic to expect quick-fixes and rapid changes to the western medical model, which tends to function in a transactional and clinical way. There is limited scope and time for service providers to interact more personably, so consumers often feel unheard and alienated.

So we know what’s not working well: a transactional mental health system that fails to accommodate consumers’ needs for human connection and understanding. This means people struggling with mental illness have had little or no capacity to be involved in improving their social and emotional wellbeing.

For Aboriginal people in particular, the western medical model has done very little for them to feel culturally safe. Cultural safety requires an understanding of their specific needs, as well as the time and commitment of service providers to be respectful and responsive.

Change starts with relationships

Our research over the past ten years has involved 15 mental health and drug and alcohol support services, in partnership with over 30 Elders living in the Perth region. This research has extended to the Kimberley, where we have worked with Yawuru Elders and young people, and youth mental health services.

One of the main messages from Looking Forward’s consultation with Elders and the broader Aboriginal community was the need:

to be part of the process and to have input into all policies.

For this to occur, trust needs to be built between mental health services and the community. And relationships are essential for understanding and trust to grow.

Engaging in a “relational” way means slowing down and dedicating time and space to connect, listen and learn. Doing so opens a space for dialogue so people feel heard and included.

Very few non-Aboriginal people have meaningful relationships with Aboriginal people. Our research participants remark on how much they value the opportunity to build a relationship with Elders and the Aboriginal community. It is more likely that people will trust one another when they get to know each other.

The Elders make a big impression by communicating their love for their Country (the term used for different groups’ distinct ancestral land) and their desire for their community to build self-determination.

In contrast to the often transactional nature of cultural training, this engagement enables service providers to understand the deep and enduring connection Aboriginal people have with kin, culture and Country.

Breaking down the transactional mindset

Our research has found most organisations, and the people working in them, are eager to be more relational, to the extent that many want to take immediate action. But we stress the need to go steady – debakarn – and to build relationships first.

Over time, participants move beyond a narrowly transactional mindset and become more relational and culturally flexible in their everyday workplace. Importantly, participants build their confidence in relating with Aboriginal Elders and community members.

Many organisation leaders and their staff describe this steady relationship-building experience as being transformational. As one leader pointed out:

[Y]ou’ve got to be personally invested. Unless you’re personally invested in this, you will not make a change.

Another said they want their organisation to:

[get to a place] where we’re actually accountable to the Aboriginal people. Where the Elders feel they have a strong enough relationship with us so they can come to us and say, ‘This isn’t good enough; we want you to do this.’

The latest Looking Forward case study identified five key elements for successfully collaborating with Elders to improve health services:

• openness and humility to be teachable
• commitment, listening and responding
• unlearning to apply new learning
• integrating new leadership practices
• stewarding resources to facilitate decisions that impact Aboriginal clients.

The real test is for mental health services, led by Elders, to keep walking the path in a sustained working relationship with the Aboriginal community so constructive changes are co-designed to benefit consumers. Doing so not only creates positive and lasting change for Aboriginal people’s social and emotional wellbeing, it’s good for all mental health consumers.

Michael Wright, Chief Investigator – Looking Forward Aboriginal Mental Health Project, Curtin University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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There are renewed calls this week for the Australian government to implement a range of measures aimed at improving our diets. These include restrictions on junk food advertising, improvements to food labelling, and a levy on sugary drinks.

This time the recommendations come from a parliamentary inquiry into diabetes in Australia. Its final report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, was prepared by a parliamentary committee comprising members from across the political spectrum.

The release of this report could be an indication that Australia is finally going to implement the evidence-based healthy eating policies public health experts have been recommending for years.

But we know Australian governments have historically been unwilling to introduce policies the powerful food industry opposes. The question is whether the current government will put the health of Australians above the profits of companies selling unhealthy food.

Diabetes in Australia

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic health conditions in the nation, with more than 1.3 million people affected. Projections show the number of Australians diagnosed with the condition is set to rise rapidly in coming decades.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for the vast majority of cases of diabetes. It’s largely preventable, with obesity among the strongest risk factors.

This latest report makes it clear we need an urgent focus on obesity prevention to reduce the burden of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes and obesity cost the Australian economy billions of dollars each year and preventive solutions are highly cost-effective.

This means the money spent on preventing obesity and diabetes would save the government huge amounts in health care costs. Prevention is also essential to avoid our health systems being overwhelmed in the future.

What does the report recommend?

The report puts forward 23 recommendations for addressing diabetes and obesity. These include:

• restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, including on TV and online
• improvements to food labelling that would make it easier for people to understand products’ added sugar content
• a levy on sugary drinks, where products with higher sugar content would be taxed at a higher rate (commonly called a sugar tax).

These key recommendations echo those prioritised in a range of reports on obesity prevention over the past decade. There’s compelling evidence they’re likely to work.

Restrictions on unhealthy food marketing

There was universal support from the committee for the government to consider regulating marketing of unhealthy food to children.

Public health groups have consistently called for comprehensive mandatory legislation to protect children from exposure to marketing of unhealthy foods and related brands.

An increasing number of countries, including Chile and the United Kingdom, have legislated unhealthy food marketing restrictions across a range of settings including on TV, online and in supermarkets. There’s evidence comprehensive policies like these are having positive results.

In Australia, the food industry has made voluntary commitments to reduce some unhealthy food ads directly targeting children. But these promises are widely viewed as ineffective.

The government is currently conducting a feasibility study on additional options to limit unhealthy food marketing to children.

But the effectiveness of any new policies will depend on how comprehensive they are. Food companies are likely to rapidly shift their marketing techniques to maximise their impact. If any new government restrictions do not include all marketing channels (such as TV, online and on packaging) and techniques (including both product and brand marketing), they’re likely to fail to adequately protect children.

Food labelling

Food regulatory authorities are currently considering a range of improvements to food labelling in Australia.

For example, food ministers in Australia and New Zealand are soon set to consider mandating the health star rating front-of-pack labelling scheme.

Public health groups have consistently recommended mandatory implementation of health star ratings as a priority for improving Australian diets. Such changes are likely to result in meaningful improvements to the healthiness of what we eat.

Regulators are also reviewing potential changes to how added sugar is labelled on product packages. The recommendation from the committee to include added sugar labelling on the front of product packaging is likely to support this ongoing work.

But changes to food labelling laws are notoriously slow in Australia. And food companies are known to oppose and delay any policy changes that might hurt their profits.

A sugary drinks tax

Of the report’s 23 recommendations, the sugary drinks levy was the only one that wasn’t universally supported by the committee. The four Liberal and National party members of the committee opposed implementation of this policy.

As part of their rationale, the dissenting members cited submissions from food industry groups that argued against the measure. This follows a long history of the Liberal party siding with the sugary drinks industry to oppose a levy on their products.

The dissenting members didn’t acknowledge the strong evidence that a sugary drinks levy has worked as intended in a wide range of countries.

In the UK, for example, a levy on sugary drinks implemented in 2018 has successfully lowered the sugar content in UK soft drinks and reduced sugar consumption.

The dissenting committee members argued a sugary drinks levy would hurt families on lower incomes. But previous Australian modelling has shown the two most disadvantaged quintiles would reap the greatest health benefits from such a levy, and accrue the highest savings in health-care costs.

What happens now?

Improvements to population diets and prevention of obesity will require a comprehensive and coordinated package of policy reforms.

Globally, a range of countries facing rising epidemics of obesity and diabetes are starting to take such strong preventive action.

In Australia, after years of inaction, this week’s report is the latest sign that long-awaited policy change may be near.

But meaningful and effective policy change will require politicians to listen to the public health evidence rather than the protestations of food companies concerned about their bottom line.

Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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The highlight of the event was a rejuvenating yoga session conducted by Dr. Vidhi Sirohi, the founder of YogicVidhi Yoga Studio. Dr. Sirohi, a trained yoga instructor certified by the Ministry of AYUSH, India, and Yoga Alliance, USA, brought her expertise and guidance to the attendees, fostering a sense of inner peace and collective harmony.

Dr. Sirohi’s session emphasised holistic well-being and community spirit through yoga practice. Participants engaged in various yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques, experiencing the transformative power of this ancient practice. The event successfully raised awareness about the benefits of yoga for personal health and its role in building a healthier society.

The celebration was marked by its success in fostering a sense of unity and wellness among the attendees. Participants expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to engage in yoga under the guidance of Dr. Sirohi, highlighting the event’s impact on promoting physical and mental well-being.

In addition to the yoga session, the event featured discussions on the importance of integrating yoga into daily life, promoting mental health, and enhancing the overall quality of life. The theme “Yoga for Self and Society” resonated with the participants, emphasising the importance of personal well-being as a foundation for a healthier community.

The International Day of Yoga, established by the United Nations in 2014, aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practising yoga. This year’s celebration at the Point Cook Community Centre exemplified this mission, bringing together individuals to celebrate and practice yoga, ultimately contributing to a more harmonious society.

Dr. Vidhi Sirohi’s involvement added significant value to the event, with her extensive training and dedication to promoting yoga. Her session not only provided immediate physical benefits to the participants but also inspired them to incorporate yoga into their daily routines for long-term health benefits.

The organisation of the event demonstrated commitment to community wellness and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. The efforts in hosting such a significant event underscore the growing importance of yoga in contemporary society and its potential to bring about positive change.

The International Day of Yoga 2024 celebration at the Point Cook Community Centre highlights the transformative power of yoga for individual and societal well-being. It was also a memorable and impactful experience for all participants.

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The changes, effective from Monday, will restrict the sale of vapes to pharmacies only.

Pharmacists will be allowed to sell vapes with limited nicotine content over the counter, but only after discussing health harms and confirming that the buyer is over 18. This reform aims to protect young people from being hooked on nicotine through vaping.

“We are not going to stand by and let our new generation be recruited to nicotine addiction, not after all of the death and the dislocation and the grief that we have seen for decades and decades because of tobacco,” Minister Butler stated in parliament on Thursday.

“This product was sold to us as a therapeutic good. It was never presented as a recreational product, particularly not one that would be so cynically, so transparently, marketed to our children.”

The new laws also stipulate that vapes will only be sold in plain packaging and without flavouring to protect children. Individuals under 18 will require a prescription to buy vapes. Although these are federal laws, they will be enforced by state and territory police.

However, the laws have faced criticism from independent MPs, who claim they are a diluted version of the original legislation. The initial proposal required people to obtain a prescription to access vapes, but this was changed after negotiations in the Senate.

Independent MP Zali Steggall expressed her disappointment, saying,

“We now have a situation where pharmacies are going to be asked to sell over the counter a product that we know, from a health perspective, is dangerous, has a negative impact on people’s health.”

“I cannot see how this is a positive development for the government to have caved in for these amendments,” he added.

Minister Butler defended the legislation, emphasising that it balances therapeutic access to vapes while banning recreational sales from general retail stores. He highlighted the increasing evidence of vaping’s harms, particularly to young lungs and mental health.

“Almost every month, we are gathering new evidence about the harms that vaping is causing to young lungs, the harms, particularly that nicotine addiction is causing to the mental health of young Australians. Most insidiously, we know this is a gateway to cigarettes, and that was the intention of big tobacco.”

The new reforms represent a significant step in Australia’s fight against nicotine addiction, aiming to protect future generations and mitigate the health risks associated with vaping.

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In his address, PM Rabuka stated that yoga promotes peace, harmony, emotional stability, and physical fitness, which are crucial for the well-being of citizens.

He highlighted the significance of yoga beyond mere exercise, emphasising its role in fostering a sense of oneness with ourselves, the world, and nature.

Further, he underscored the People’s Coalition Government’s commitment to protecting, promoting, and supporting the health of all Fijians, particularly in light of the national emergency posed by the crisis of non-communicable diseases.

PM Rabuka elaborated on the holistic benefits of yoga, describing it as a practice that unites mind and body, thought and action, and offers a balanced approach to health and well-being.

Additionally, he noted that yoga encourages individuals to step back and address problems with a clear, focused mind, fostering solidarity and mutual reflection.

Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Prof. Biman Prasad, dignitaries, diplomats, locals, and students participated in large numbers to show their support to yoga.

This year’s celebration centred around the theme “Yoga for Self and Society,” highlighting the importance of yoga in enhancing personal and communal well-being.

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Yoga has garnered significant attention for its holistic health benefits, including its positive impact on gut health. The intricate relationship between yoga and the gastrointestinal system can be attributed to several physiological and psychological mechanisms.

As a GI surgeon, I intuitively knew of this but could never bring myself to experience it for many reasons (excuses). Until one day (about 11 years ago) one of my mentors at the time mentioned something that resonated very deeply.

“You only know something if you are able to teach it to someone else.”

A decision was made that day.

For the next two years I embarked on the journey to become a Yoga teacher. A mission achieved successfully, and I am proud to say that more than anyone else, I was the one who got to experience the difference this time-tested practice had to bestow in my own life.

As a Gastrointestinal surgeon many of the patients I see are struggling with poor metabolism from having been on extreme diets and medications which are all contributing to slowing down the metabolism.

While the word Yoga may scare many of these individuals, aspects of Yoga such as mindful breathing and managing the stress response with gently mind body movement, will certainly help calm the patterns of reactionary choice making that so many of us engage in.

The mind-body connection that Yoga fosters encourage mindful eating habits. By enhancing body awareness, individuals practicing yoga may develop better dietary choices and eating patterns, thereby make healthy choices. This supports gut microbiota diversity and health. Emerging research suggests that a diverse gut microbiome is essential for maintaining a robust immune system and boosting metabolism.

On the subject of gut health, there is no convincing needed that while yoga cannot fix acute attacks of biliary colic or a ruptured appendix, the regular practice of yoga allows one to develop and maintain gut resilience.

The practice of yoga incorporates many physical postures, known as asanas, that can directly influence our digestive system. Certain asanas (postures) such as twists and forward bends, are designed to massage the internal organs, promote the movement of food through the digestive tract, and enhance nutrient absorption. This mechanical stimulation can alleviate common digestive issues such as constipation and bloating, which is the starting point of many gastrointestinal ailments.

Another aspect of Yoga is breath control (pranayama) and mindfulness, both of which play a crucial role in modulating the autonomic nervous system. Chronic stress is a well-documented factor that exacerbates gut-related issues, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Yoga practice reduces stress by activating the 10th cranial nerve – the Vagus nerve which triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), often referred to as the “rest and digest” system. This helps to decrease gut motility problems and reduce inflammation.

As we approach the International Yoga Day on 21st June, let’s make an endeavour to integrate the practice of yoga into our daily routine. This practice when applied with faith and consistency, offers a multifaceted approach to improving gut health. Besides improving digestive function, this practice reduces stress, enhances the mind-body connection and empowers us to make healthier choices.

References

1. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3193654/
2. Exercise influence on the microbiome–gut–brain axis. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2018.1562268
3. Possible Roles of Cyclic Meditation in Regulation of the Gut-Brain Axis.doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.76803

Contributor: Dr Arun Dhir, FRCS (Edinburgh), FRACS is a Melbourne based Gastrointestinal Surgeon. He has practiced in many tertiary institutions and is a Senior lecturer with University of Melbourne. He is the author of nine books that bring to light various aspects of the need to adopt an integrative approach to our health and wellness. One of his more popular titles being “Happy Gut, Healthy Weight”.  Dr Arun is also a Yoga and Meditation teacher credentialed by Yoga Australia. He is a Specialist Reserve Surgeon with the Royal Australian Army and also a member of the Vic State Committee of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). For further details at www.DrArunDhir.com

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

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Teaming up with Peak Health Mastery (PHM), led by Dr Arun Dhir and Monique Davey, this collaboration seeks to redefine health and wellbeing through a blend of ancient Indian wisdom and modern science.

The focal point of their effort, the Radical Wellness 101 program, unfolded over eight weeks, from April 21st to June 9th, marking a significant milestone for 15 participants from diverse backgrounds.

Using a revolutionary tool named the ‘Health Barometer,’ participants tracked their progress across ten vital parameters before and after the program.

Astonishingly, they collectively reported enhancements ranging from 10% to 30% in just two months.

One participant shared her success story, stating,

“I lost 3 kilos over eight weeks, didn’t experience pre-menstrual (PMS) symptoms, and felt exuberant energy levels throughout the day.”

Dr Dhir, the program’s leading figure, underscored the necessity for medical professionals to dispel health misconceptions.

His philosophy, encapsulated by the quote “Health is not merely the absence of disease. True health radiates through one’s aura, influencing even those in the outermost circles,” resonated deeply with participants.

Gagan Agrawal, MIC’s secretary, stressed the significance of collaboration among local governments, non-profits, and community members in addressing health challenges.

“Bringing together local health experts and community members allows us to share ideas and address issues specific to our environment. This approach not only tackles local health concerns but also unites diverse communities around a common priority—our health!”

The program’s success lies in its holistic approach, integrating structured education, physical activity, and mindfulness practices. Each 90-minute session covered mind, body, heart, gut, and soul, comprising 30 minutes each of education, exercise, and meditation.

MIC and PHM have announced an ongoing partnership to expand this transformative initiative to a wider audience. This collaboration not only promises to redefine health paradigms but also aims to build a healthier, more united community in Maroondah and beyond.

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