Virtual reality
In a survey of around 1700 adults
published in the Journal of Eating
Disorders, researchers found that
dating app users have an increased
risk of using unhealthy methods to
control their weight, such as extreme
dieting tactics and using laxatives.
Nearly half of women and just over
half of men also said they had fasted at
some point over the past year as a form
of weight control. Researchers have
yet to establish a direct link between
dating apps and unhealthy dieting,
but add that using “appearance-
focused services could exacerbate
[weight-control] behaviours”.
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Research has found that sleep problems are linked with heart health, and
now a study by the University of Arizona adds another piece to the puzzle.
Researchers had 300 participants, aged 21 to 70 with no history of heart
problems, wear portable blood pressure cuffs for two days, as well as a device
that determined their ‘sleep efficiency’ – the time they spent in bed sleeping
soundly. They found that participants who had lower sleep efficiency had
increased blood pressure during the restless night, as well as higher systolic
blood pressure the next day. While further studies are needed, researchers
say their findings reinforce just how important a good night’s sleep can be.Good night
BABY
BOOK
There’s a sea of
parenting advice out
there – not all of it
helpful – but Emily
Oster is on a mission to
wade through the often conflicting advice
and make parenting decisions in the early
years that little bit easier. In Cribsheet,
Emily calls on her economics background
to debunk myths around breastfeeding,
potty training and language acquisition,
among many others, to help parents
make the best choices for their family.
Allen & Unwin, $36.99.WEIGHING IN
Further to the diet discussion, a
much-needed campaign takes
the focus off what we weigh and
shines the spotlight on our
achievements instead. Founded
by The Good Place actress
Jameela Jamil, I Weigh aims to get
women to “feel valuable and see
how amazing we are, and look
beyond the flesh on our bones”
by celebrating their achievements
and values. Jameela herself wrote:
“I weigh: Lovely relationship.
Great friends. I laugh every day.
I love my job. I make an
honest living. I’m financially
independent. I speak
out for women’s
rights. I like my
bingo wings.
I like myself in
spite of everything
I’ve been taught by the
media to hate myself about.”
You can check out the
campaign or join in on
Instagram @i_weigh, or visit
iweighcommunity.com.