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Media Type: “Other”
Aging and Cognition: Maintaining Economic Security in Later Life
The United States (US) and other high-income countries are witnessing demographic changes associated with people living longer though in poorer health. Japan, the country with the highest proportion of elderly citizens, is already working to re-tool its society and economy to support an aging population, leveraging the promise of technology to do so. Many other... More »behavioral economics, chronic disease, financial services, healthy aging, personalized health technology, senior fraud, University of Pennsylvania, World Economic Forum
Brain Health, Innovative Technology, Workplace Health
Mental Health Emerging Out of the Shadows
The 1930s marked substantial investment by the Rockefeller Foundation in the scientific development of mental health, including psychiatry, neurology, and care symptoms, in the US, the UK, and elsewhere. This funding provided a foundation for the potential transformation of mental health in a post-World War II health agenda. Since the 1930s, the international development community... More »Big White Wall, mental health, NCDs, personalized health technology, prevention, SDGs, Sustainable Development Goals, UK, US, wearable technology, WHO, World Bank, World Health Organization
Brain Health, Physical Activity
Can Physical Exercise Make You Smarter?
Physical exercise makes our bodies healthier by helping to control weight and reducing the risks of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, and some cancers. But can physical activity also make you smarter? Brain plasticity, or your brain’s ability to change over time, is associated with intelligence, increased brain volume, memory, and... More »active commute, Australia, brain health, brain plasticity, brain power, Finland, type 2 diabetes, UCB, University of California Berkeley, University of Jyvaskyla
Behavioral Economics, Innovative Technology, Nutrition, Physical Activity
Harnessing the Power of Women to Beat Diabetes
April 7 marks the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Day. This year’s theme – Beat Diabetes – comes at a critical time when 415 million people are affected by diabetes worldwide. The campaign aims to curb the proliferation of Type 2 diabetes cases, which are expected to double by 2030, by scaling up prevention... More »diabetes, International Diabetes Federation, Nutrition, personalized health technology, type 2 diabetes, WHO, women, World Health Day, World Health Organization
Behavioral Economics, Nutrition
Incentivizing Healthy Food Choices for Better Health
One year ago today, John Hancock and Vitality embarked on a collaboration to create a whole new type of life insurance: a shared value approach whereby financial benefits from individuals living healthier and longer lives can be reinvested to the benefit of the insurer and the customer. Today, John Hancock Vitality announces the launch of... More »environment, greenhouse gas emissions, HealthyFood, John Hancock USA, John Hancock Vitality, Nutrition, planetary health, Rockefeller Foundation, shared value insurance, South Africa, sustainability, The Lancet, USA, water use
Behavioral Economics, Nutrition, Physical Activity
“Move for Health” – Physical Activity and Diabetes Prevention
Diabetes is a disorder that causes blood glucose levels to rise higher than normal. The most common form of diabetes is Type 2, or non-insulin dependent diabetes. With this disease, your body does not use insulin properly, causing insulin resistance. Over time, insulin resistance decreases your body’s ability to keep its blood glucose (sugar) at... More »Agita Mundo, American Heart Association, diabetes, glycemic index, National Walking Day, Nutrition, risk factors, type 2 diabetes, United States, WHO, World Day for Physical Activity, World Health Organization
Behavioral Economics, Innovative Technology, Nutrition
Making Strides: Fitness versus Food Tech
Do you want to track your physical activity? There are countless options for smartwatches and fitness trackers that automatically record your daily steps and workouts. Do you want to track your nutrition? Unfortunately, your options are more limited and the process is still relatively manual. Wearables like Fitbit and Apple Watch generally include options for... More »
Behavioral Economics, Physical Activity, Workplace Health
More steps, more life
It is well-known that being physically active is linked to living a longer and healthier life. A recent study from Australian researchers confirmed this, showing that taking more steps each day led to a lower risk of death. Over a period of five years the scientists studied objectively measured physical activity—with a device, and not... More »Active Rewards, Apple Watch, Australia, FitBit, Garmin, Guidelines for Personalized Health Technology, physical activity, Polar, productivity, steps per day, Vitality
Celebrating International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day - on March 8 every year - honors the incredible social, economic, cultural, and political accomplishments by women around the world. Starting in 1909, the UN declared the first Women’s Day to recognize the 1908 garment workers’ strike in New York, where for the first time, women laborers protested against inhumane working conditions. The UN... More »gender, gender equity, girls, International Women's Day, investing in women, Sustainable Development Goals, The Girl Effect, women, Women Deliver
Brain Health, Innovative Technology
Shaping the Future of Aging
As the world’s population grows older, governments, cities, businesses, and many others must react to and prepare for a number of significant changes. For example, there are an estimated 46.8 million people currently living with dementia; that number is expected to rise to 74.7 million in 2030 and 131.5 million in 2050. The rising prevalence... More »
