scholarly journals Limited, considered and sustainable consumption: The (non)consumption practices of UK minimalists

2021 ◽  
pp. 146954052110396
Author(s):  
Amber Martin-Woodhead
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ethical Consumption ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Consumption Practices ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Bare Minimum

Minimalism is an increasingly popular lifestyle movement in western economies (predominantly in the USA, Japan and Europe) that involves voluntarily reducing consumption and limiting one’s possessions to a bare minimum. This is with the intention of making space for the ‘important’ (potentially immaterial) things that are seen to add meaning and value to one’s life. Drawing on interviews with minimalists in the UK, this article reveals that minimalists practice sustainable (non)consumption via limiting their consumption. This is achieved by actively buying less, using up and maintaining what is owned, and, when objects are acquired, only practising highly intentional, considered and (sometimes) ethical consumption. For some, such practices are predominantly based on strong ethical and environmental motivations or are seen as a positive ‘by-product’ of their minimalist lifestyles. Whilst for others, their motivations are primarily aligned to personal well-being. The article subsequently argues that the limited and considered practices of minimalist consumption can be seen as sustainable practices in outcome, if not always in intent.

scholarly journals Three models for the regulation of polygenic scores in reproduction

2021 ◽  
pp. medethics-2020-106588
Author(s):  
Sarah Munday ◽  
Julian Savulescu
Keyword(s):  
Human Genetics ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Embryo Selection ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Polygenic Scores ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The past few years have brought significant breakthroughs in understanding human genetics. This knowledge has been used to develop ‘polygenic scores’ (or ‘polygenic risk scores’) which provide probabilistic information about the development of polygenic conditions such as diabetes or schizophrenia. They are already being used in reproduction to select for embryos at lower risk of developing disease. Currently, the use of polygenic scores for embryo selection is subject to existing regulations concerning embryo testing and selection. Existing regulatory approaches include ‘disease-based' models which limit embryo selection to avoiding disease characteristics (employed in various formats in Australia, the UK, Italy, Switzerland and France, among others), and 'laissez-faire' or 'libertarian' models, under which embryo testing and selection remain unregulated (as in the USA). We introduce a novel 'Welfarist Model' which limits embryo selection according to the impact of the predicted trait on well-being. We compare the strengths and weaknesses of each model as a way of regulating polygenic scores. Polygenic scores create the potential for existing embryo selection technologies to be used to select for a wider range of predicted genetically influenced characteristics including continuous traits. Indeed, polygenic scores exist to predict future intelligence, and there have been suggestions that they will be used to make predictions within the normal range in the USA in embryo selection. We examine how these three models would apply to the prediction of non-disease traits such as intelligence. The genetics of intelligence remains controversial both scientifically and ethically. This paper does not attempt to resolve these issues. However, as with many biomedical advances, an effective regulatory regime must be in place as soon as the technology is available. If there is no regulation in place, then the market effectively decides ethical issues.

scholarly journals Long COVID and the role of physical activity: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e047632
Author(s):  
Helen Humphreys ◽  
Laura Kilby ◽  
Nik Kudiersky ◽  
Robert Copeland
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Insight Into

ObjectivesTo explore the lived experience of long COVID with particular focus on the role of physical activity.DesignQualitative study using semistructured interviews.Participants18 people living with long COVID (9 men, 9 women; aged between 18–74 years; 10 white British, 3 white Other, 3 Asian, 1 black, 1 mixed ethnicity) recruited via a UK-based research interest database for people with long COVID.SettingTelephone interviews with 17 participants living in the UK and 1 participant living in the USA.ResultsFour themes were generated. Theme 1 describes how participants struggled with drastically reduced physical function, compounded by the cognitive and psychological effects of long COVID. Theme 2 highlights challenges associated with finding and interpreting advice about physical activity that was appropriately tailored. Theme 3 describes individual approaches to managing symptoms including fatigue and ‘brain fog’ while trying to resume and maintain activities of daily living and other forms of exercise. Theme 4 illustrates the battle with self-concept to accept reduced function (even temporarily) and the fear of permanent reduction in physical and cognitive ability.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into the challenges of managing physical activity alongside the extended symptoms associated with long COVID. Findings highlight the need for greater clarity and tailoring of physical activity-related advice for people with long COVID and improved support to resume activities important to individual well-being.

scholarly journals Patient and caregiver socioeconomic burden of first-line systemic therapy for advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Xiao ◽  
David Bertwistle ◽  
Keerun Khela ◽  
Chloe Middleton-Dalby ◽  
Jennifer Hall
Keyword(s):  
Gastroesophageal Junction ◽  
Work Productivity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Income Loss ◽  
Medical Chart Review ◽  
Working Age ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Aim: This study assessed the work productivity and financial impact of advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas, comprising gastric, esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancers, on patients of working age and their caregivers. Patients & methods: A multicenter medical chart review and surveys of patients with advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma and their caregivers was conducted in France, Germany, the UK, China, Japan and the USA. Results: Across differing regions, the study highlighted the impact of cancer on patients’ ability to work, to function normally and on their wellbeing, as well as the economic burden placed on patients and their caregivers. Conclusion: Advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas have a significant impact on patients’ and caregivers’ well-being and are associated with reduced work productivity, and income loss.

scholarly journals Nutrition interventions in women in low-income groups in the UK

2007 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie S. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Supplemental Food ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Policy Work ◽  
The Uk

In the UK the mental and physical health and well-being of millions of women are influenced by living in poverty. Low educational attainment, unemployment, low pay and poor areas of residence exacerbate the challenges of obtaining optimal food choices, dietary intake and healthy eating patterns. Poorer women are more likely to eat low amounts of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fish, and higher amounts of sugar and sweetened drinks compared with more affluent women. Diet contributes to the health inequalities evident in high rates of diet-related morbidity (including obesity) and mortality (including IHD and stroke) and in maternal and child health considerations (including breast-feeding and family diet practices). There is a dearth of research on effective interventions undertaken with low-income women, reflecting some of the challenges of engaging and evaluating programmes with this ‘hard to reach’ subpopulation. Intervention programmes from the USA, including WISEWOMAN, the Women's Health Initiative, the American Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program provide models for changing behaviour amongst women in the UK, although overall effects of such programmes are fairly modest. Lack of evidence does not mean that that policy work should be not be undertaken, but it is essential that policy work should be evaluated for its ability to engage with target groups as well as for the behavioural change and health outcomes.

scholarly journals Do computers increase older people’s inclusion and wellbeing?

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Holttum
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Computer Technology ◽  
Computer Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Personal Meanings ◽  
The Usa ◽  
On Line ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider two recent studies on computer use by older people, who may become increasingly isolated due to infirmity and sensory impairments. Older people are less likely to use computer technology yet it has been suggested that it may help reduce isolation. These studies inquired into older people’s experience with computers. Design/methodology/approach – The first paper discussed here explored how a sample of older people in the USA acquired a computer and whether it contributed to their well-being. The second paper was about a similar study with a sample of older people in the UK. Findings – In the US sample, people who saw tablet computers being used by a friend were likely to purchase one. In the UK sample, people seemed to have had to overcome more fears of using computer technology, but in both samples, once initial difficulties were overcome, people were enthusiastic about using them. In both, people felt more able to keep up hobbies and interests through finding information or connecting with interest groups online, and able to keep connected with family members. Originality/value – In light of increasing migration of services and information to the internet, these studies explored the things that help and hinder older people in terms of using computers, in order to address the digital divide, whereby those unable to use them can be left isolated and with reduced information and support. These studies were able to explore personal meanings of computer use and specific fears and difficulties, which are important to understand in planning for training and support for older people who are not yet on line. They also demonstrated that, alongside face-to-face interaction, being online was experienced as reducing people’s isolation and enhancing their lives.

scholarly journals Care, Gender, and Change in the Study of Sustainable Consumption: A Critical Review of the Literature

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Godin ◽  
Justine Langlois
Keyword(s):  
Critical Review ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Work ◽  
Gender Inequalities ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Sustainable Lifestyles ◽  
Consumption Practices ◽  
And Gender ◽  
A Site

In Western countries, moving toward more sustainable lifestyles often involves the disruption of well-established routines and habits in relation to consumption domains such as food, washing and cleaning, heating and cooling, transportation, and managing “stuff” more generally. These activities are deeply embedded in our everyday lives and often tied to care, which is the work invested in maintaining the well-being of oneself and others. In this paper, we are interested in the ways sustainable consumption and care interlock within the household, how they relate to gender inequalities, and how change toward more sustainable lifestyles can both impact and be impacted by these inequalities. With this in mind, we conducted a critical review of the academic literature by analyzing a corpus of 75 papers on household consumption and sustainability, paying particular attention to the role authors attribute to care and gender. The analysis shines light on the relational character of care and consumption, emphasizing the ways sustainable consumption is dependent on relationships within and outside the home. We suggest that care often acts as a barrier to the establishment of more sustainable consumption practice. Care work, per definition, upholds routines and habits while mobilizing the very resources that are needed to transform them. This insight invites us to rethink the role of households as a site for change. We suggest that the transition toward more sustainable consumption practices within the home relies on reducing and redistributing care work, transforming the world of work, and actively promoting an ethos of care that includes people, other beings, the material world and the planet.

scholarly journals Building back fairer in Greater Manchester and the country

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Marmot
Keyword(s):  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Inequalities In Mortality ◽  
Health And Well Being

A summary of our analyses in Greater Manchester (GM), and the northwest (NW) region, might be: the NW is like England as a whole only more so. The life expectancy drop in England in 2020 was 1.2 years in men and 0.9 years in women—shocking, but not as high as in the NW. COVID-19 mortality rates were high in England; 25% higher in the NW. Inequalities in mortality are high in England; bigger in the NW. The title, Build Back Fairer , is a deliberate echo of the Build Back Better mantra, showing that the levels of social, environmental and economic inequality in society are damaging health and well-being. As the UK emerges from the pandemic, it would be a tragic mistake to re-establish the status quo that existed pre-pandemic—a status quo marked in England, over the decade from 2010, by a stagnation of health improvement that was more marked than in any rich country other than Iceland and the USA; by widening health inequalities; and by a fall in life expectancy in the most deprived 10% of areas outside London. That stagnation, those social and regional inequalities, and deterioration in health for the most deprived people are markers of a society that is not meeting the needs of its members.

Consumers’ perceptions of food ethics in luxury dining

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wided Batat
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Food Ethics ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Practices ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Consumption Practices

Purpose This paper aims to draw on the sociocultural dimensions of food luxury consumption as a new theoretical foundation to explore the consumers’ perceptions of ethical food production and consumption practices within luxury gastronomic restaurants. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a contextualized, qualitative exploration of French luxury dining settings among 35 consumers with different profiles, food cultural backgrounds and gastronomic knowledge. Drawing on Thompson’s analysis framework, the authors captured the narratives beyond the stories told by participants that describe their perceptions and the meanings they assign to ethical food practices in Michelin-starred restaurants. Findings The results illustrate how consumers with different profiles perceive ethical food practices within luxury restaurants. The authors identified three segments: novice, advanced and confirmed according to participants’ acquaintance with luxury gastronomy codes and values. These three profiles served as a framework to examine consumers’ perceptions of ethical food forms – environmental sustainability, food well-being and cultural heritage – within the luxury dining setting. Research limitations/implications The study revealed no one dominant form of ethical food practices as emphasized in prior studies. Rather, there are multiple forms, including functional, hedonic and symbolic values, related to the degree of familiarity and knowledge of consumers in terms of their luxury gastronomic experiences. The findings show that the perception of ethical food practices within luxury restaurants can encompass additional dimensions such as food well-being and cultural preservation and transmission. This information can enrich the restaurant sustainability literature that principally focuses on health, community and the ecological aspects of food ethics in restaurants. Although this study suggests numerous new insights, there are limitations related to focusing on the French food culture. However, these limitations can help us develop other opportunities for future research. Practical implications The findings of this study provide luxury professionals and marketers with key insights into effective strategies to integrate sustainable practices while enhancing the luxury experience. The findings show that to encourage luxury businesses and restaurants to promote sustainable practices, it is necessary to enhance the functional, social, emotional and cultural dimensions of the perceived benefits of offering sustainable luxury experiences and reducing the constraints related to sustainability. Social implications With its focus on the luxury dining settings underpinning the ethical food practices from the perspective of consumers, this research offers novel insights for researchers and luxury professionals interested in ethical and sustainable business practices. Originality/value This research suggests a new way to study sustainability and ethical food production and consumption practices in luxury dining settings – namely, as multiple, culturally embedded perceptions related to three main profiles of luxury gastronomy consumers: novice, advanced and confirmed.

The Effects of Gender on the Motivation and Benefits Associated with Community Singing in the UK

2016 ◽  
pp. 570-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Parkinson
Keyword(s):  
Personal Development ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Resilience ◽  
Musical Skills ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Female Singers ◽  
Community Singing ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Personal Challenges

Community singing has become one of the most common forms of active musical participation in Western societies. However, studies carried out across Canada, the USA, Germany and the UK have shown the mean percentage of male participation to be just 35 percent. A recent study sought to examine the ways in which amateur singers perceive the motivations and benefits associated with community singing and how these are affected by gender. It highlighted the development of musical skills, personal development, and socialization as the main factors in the motivation of singers. However, it also found that female singers are particularly motivated to sing as a way of responding to personal challenges. Similarly, while singers of both genders identified benefit to emotional and physical well-being, social connectedness, and aesthetic benefits, female singers were more likely to identify benefits associated with increased confidence, improved mood and emotional resilience.

scholarly journals The Development of a Quality of Life Research Centre in Universities in the Light of Global Models

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (1-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hind Al- Alahmed
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Global Models ◽  
Quality Of Life Research ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Uk

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore the foundations and components of the development of the Quality of Life Research Centre (QLRC) in universities in the light of global models. The study adopts the analysis of the conceptual and organisational frameworks of QLRC and a survey to gain most important global models of QLRCs in universities. The researcher used the descriptive documentary approach and the method of the source-content analysis as they best match the objectives of the current study. The study population included QLRCs (think tanks) in universities in China, the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia. Findings revealed that it is difficult to formulate a specific definition of quality-of-life concept because this concept is linked to the cultural factors of each society, and that QLRCs are a new entrant to the development of scientific research in universities, and also that these centres enhance the knowledge of well-being for policymakers and the wider public as well as build and improve relationships between scholars and relevant stakeholders from various sectors in the society

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