It’s difficult to plan ahead when SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is so unpredictable. But, there is now a straightforward method for predicting one of the resources needed to slow the spread of COVID-19 in communities. Researchers at Boston University (BU) developed a real-time method for projecting COVID-19 quarantine needs in congregate housing settings...
Health
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Banning Unhealthy Products in Plea for Public Health Has Financial Downfalls for Retailers
Banning tobacco in pharmacies leads to a 4% decline in sales of non-tobacco products. Sales losses occur regardless of whether the ban is voluntary or enforced by regulation. This consequence can be applied to the banning of other unhealthy categories at other stores or retailers. New research in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science shows that doing something positive...
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60201529/gmolabelbill_custom_46bd1ad501cdee90a9a3b87506c719c1ef35eecc_s900_c85.0.jpg "How GMO Labels Affect Customer Decision Making with Food Purchases")
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How GMO Labels Affect Customer Decision Making with Food Purchases
Researchers from Neoma Business School, Concordia University, and University of Wisconsin-Madison published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines how the GMO labeling that policymakers implement affects consumer choice. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled “GMO Labeling Policy and Consumer Choice” and is authored by Youngju Kim, SunAh Kim, and Neeraj Arora. Genetically modified (GM) foods are widespread...
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How Listening to Music Can Take the Edge Off the Menopause Transition
As researchers continue to seek effective treatment options for menopause symptoms as alternatives to proven pharmacologic solutions, a number of innovative therapies have been shown to improve symptoms. A new study identifies music therapy as an attractive option, not only to manage menopause symptoms, but also depressed mood. Study results are published online in Menopause....
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Researchers Provide Insight into How the Brain Multitasks While Walking
New research turns the old idiom about not being able to walk and chew gum on its head. Scientists with the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester have shown that the healthy brain is able to multitask while walking without sacrificing how either activity is accomplished. “This research shows us that...
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Alcohol Consumption Among Men Drops During Pandemic, but Problem Drinking Rises
Alcohol consumption during the coronavirus pandemic declined among men, while it remained steady among women, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Researchers found that alcohol-related problems increased during the pandemic, by 49% for women and 69% for men, but the reasons for the problems remain unclear. The study, which has examined alcohol use at three...
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Covid-19 Vaccines Do Not Cause Infertility
New findings by Boston University School of Public Health investigators indicate that COVID-19 vaccination does not impair fertility—but males who become infected by the coronavirus may experience short-term reduced fertility. COVID-19 vaccination in either partner does not appear to affect fertility, according to new research led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) investigators....
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Mental Health: Consuming Traditional Media Has Little Impact on Well-Being
Consuming traditional forms of media – including books, music and television – has little effect on short-term adult well-being, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. It is often assumed that engaging with traditional types of media improves well-being, while using newer types of media, such as social media, worsens well-being. However, evidence of...
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What’s the Difference Between Sugar, Other Natural Sweeteners and Artificial Sweeteners? a Food Chemist Explains Sweet Science
A quick walk down the drink aisle of any corner store reveals the incredible ingenuity of food scientists in search of sweet flavors. In some drinks you’ll find sugar. A diet soda might have an artificial or natural low-calorie sweetener. And found in nearly everything else is high fructose corn syrup, the king of U.S....
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School Closures Led to More Sleep and Better Quality of Life for Adolescents
The school closures in spring 2020 had a negative effect on the health and well-being of many young people. But homeschooling also had a positive flipside: Thanks to sleeping longer in the morning, many teenagers reported improved health and health-related quality of life. The study authors from the University of Zurich therefore believe school days...
