The study, conducted by Glenna Nightingale and colleagues from the University of Edinburgh, UK, has shed new light on the factors that contribute to rising obesity rates. The research, published in PLOS One, found that being raised by a mother who smoked or was obese can significantly increase a person’s likelihood of becoming overweight or obese as an adult.

This study adds to the ongoing debate about the origins and causes of obesity, which has been a global public health concern for years. While individual genetics and behaviors are often discussed, the researchers behind this study highlight the importance of environmental factors, such as socioeconomic status, in developing obesity.

The analysis drew from the 1958 National Child Development Study, which followed the lives of over 17,000 people born in England, Scotland, and Wales during a single week. The data revealed that children raised by mothers who smoked or were obese were more likely to be overweight or severely obese at ages 16 and 42.

What’s striking is that these early life factors continued to have a persistent effect on a person’s weight throughout their lives, even after the rise in obesity rates began in the UK. This suggests that individual risk factors, such as behaviors, did not change significantly during this time period.

The researchers suggest that targeting obesity prevention programs for children and adults based on societal and early-life risk factors could be an effective approach. Furthermore, they emphasize the need for new studies to identify societal factors that may have contributed to the current obesity pandemic.

As one of the authors notes, “Our research shows that the effect of maternal influences persists through to age 42, and those predictors were just as powerful (and prevalent) in the era before the current obesity pandemic began.” This underscores the importance of exploring community and societal factors that may have caused the current obesity epidemic.

The article highlights the growing concerns among older adults about climate change and its impact on their health. A new University of Michigan poll finds that nearly 3 out of every 4 older Americans have experienced at least one extreme weather event in the last two years, with those who had recently lived through a weather emergency expressing a higher concern about climate change and their health.

The poll also shows that only 6% of people over 50 had talked with a healthcare provider about how extreme weather might affect their health and how they could prepare or protect themselves. This suggests more opportunity for older adults to ask their doctors and other healthcare providers about things like protecting their lungs from wildfire smoke, preparing for prolonged disruptions to their supply of medications or the electricity that powers their medical equipment.

The poll finds that women, those reporting fair or poor mental health, and those who live in urban areas are also more likely to say they are concerned about the effects of climate change on their health. The most-cited potential future effect was more extreme heat events (70%), followed closely by air pollution and poor air quality (69%), loss of basic infrastructure like power and water (68%), more frequent severe storms (68%), and changes in infectious diseases (66%).

Planning and preparing for emergencies is especially important for those with complex health conditions and disabilities, who should ask their regular healthcare provider for advice as well as seek information from their local and state emergency preparedness authorities.

The article concludes that the findings suggest a need to help more older adults understand and take steps to prepare for the impacts of wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat waves, winter storms, and more, especially when it comes to the medications, medical supplies, electricity, and access to care that these emergencies can disrupt.

As hurricane season approaches once again, a new study from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research has shed light on the devastating financial impact of last year’s storms on Houston residents. The report found that more than half of workers in the area lost income due to power outages and job closures, while nearly 90% of residents experienced prolonged power outages.

The study, titled “2024 Storm Impacts and Harris County: A Descriptive Overview,” reveals a compounding effect of financial strain on residents. Many reported losing hundreds of dollars’ worth of spoiled food, sometimes more than once, adding to the overall economic burden. Home and property damage also contributed to the financial toll, with about half of all residents affected.

“Living through these storms firsthand, we anticipated seeing widespread power outages and home damage,” said Daniel Potter, director of the Houston Population Research Center at the Kinder Institute. “But the cumulative impact on people’s finances was a shock – losing hundreds of dollars in food spoilage alone can make it difficult to recover.”

Other key findings from the study include:

* About 6 in 10 residents reported combined food loss worth around $500
* Over two-thirds of respondents experienced health impacts due to the storms
* Half of residents suffered home or property damage, while about 1 in 7 experienced vehicle damage

While FEMA and other agencies have tracked physical damage from these storms, this report provides a broader understanding of the cumulative effects on residents’ finances and well-being.

“Before these storms, we knew nearly half of Houston-area residents said they’d struggle to come up with $400 for an unexpected expense,” Potter noted. “A storm that wipes out hundreds of dollars in groceries is a prime example of such an unforeseen cost.”

As Houston prepares for the next hurricane season, officials and preparedness efforts can benefit from these findings, which highlight the need for further research on disparities in impacts across neighborhoods and communities.

“With additional research, we can better understand how to deploy resources quickly where they’re most needed,” Potter emphasized. “This is crucial as we anticipate another disaster – it’s not a matter of if but when.”