Survey: from inflation to world affairs, stressors pile up for Americans this holiday season

A new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine finds Americans are feeling the strain from inflation and world affairs this year, in addition to other stressors that often come with the holidays

Reports and Proceedings

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

 

VIDEO: 

FROM INFLATION TO WORLD AFFAIRS, STRESSORS ARE PILING UP FOR AMERICANS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. EXPERT OFFERS TIPS TO HELP PREVENT STRESS FROM RUINING YOUR HOLIDAY SPIRIT.

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CREDIT: THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The season of comfort and joy is upon us, but a new survey finds that for many Americans, it’s the season of stress and worry. A new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine finds Americans are feeling the strain from inflation and world affairs this year, in addition to other stressors that often come with the holidays.

Of the 1,007 survey respondents, 81% said that national issues and world affairs are causing them stress. In addition, 75% of respondents are experiencing stress from rising prices and holiday spending and 53% are stressed from increasing cases of respiratory illnesses across the nation such as the flu and COVID-19. Memories of last year’s holiday travel meltdown have 44% of survey respondents stressed out.

While they can be stressful, the holidays are supposed to be a time for families and friends to connect and recharge, said Nicole Hollingshead, PhD, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

 “The holidays kind of bring on this feeling of sadness and struggle when we really want it to be more of a joyous time,” said Hollingshead. “I encourage people to reflect on what the holidays meant for you growing up. And most of the time I don't hear people reflect on, ‘I loved having all the presents, or I remember every single thing that someone gave me.’ Instead, it's more of the feeling of the holidays.”

People who are stressed out should take a step back and tackle holiday stress by taking charge of what they can control. 

When someone is feeling overwhelmed, Hollingshead says it’s time to STOP: 

Slow down. 

Take a few deep breaths. 

Observe the issue.

 Proceed with a rational plan.

The survey asked questions about these specific topics, and Hollingshead offers tips to help cope with each stressor:

• Inflation and holiday spending: Rising prices are out of your control, but you can discuss your budget with your family or partner ahead of time and make plans to reduce spending. 
• National/World affairs: The constant stream of headlines about violent crime, political controversy and escalating international conflicts is negatively affecting Americans’ mental health. While there’s not much we can do to control these things, we can control our exposure to it. Limit the time spent watching TV news and avoid doom scrolling through online news stories and social media.
• Rise in seasonal respiratory diseases: Mitigating your risk is the best way to protect you and your family from illnesses like COVID and the flu. Make sure you are caught up on recommended vaccinations, set clear boundaries about being around people who are feeling sick and wash your hands frequently. 
• Unreliable travel industry - When it comes to travel, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. You can’t control traffic jams or flight delays, but you can ensure all your phones and devices are charged up in case you’re stranded for a while. Always have a plan B in case things go wrong. Be flexible and find ways to enjoy your time together even if your travel doesn’t go as planned.  

While it’s common to feel stress around the holidays, Hollingshead encourages people to avoid emotional spending fueled by advertising messages that tap into desires for a picture-perfect holiday. That desire for perfection often deters from holiday joy, she said.

“It gets close to the holidays, and I worry: ‘Did I buy enough for my family? Did I do enough?’ And so we can lose sight of the importance of having too many gifts or making sure everybody has enough to unwrap. Then we lose sight of the big picture, which is that time together.”

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Study results and methodology

This study was conducted on behalf of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from Oct. 20-23 among a sample of 1,007 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=977) and telephone (n=30) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.

 

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METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

 

National Poll: Parents of young children increasingly turn to social media for parenting advice

Most mothers and over two-thirds of fathers of children ages 0-4 use social media for questions on topics like feeding and behavior challenges

Reports and Proceedings

MICHIGAN MEDICINE - UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

 

IMAGE: 

4 IN 5 PARENTS IN A NEW NATIONAL POLL SAY THEY SEEK PARENTING ADVICE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH C.S. MOTT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL NATIONAL POLL ON CHILDREN’S HEALTH.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. –   Potty training, getting kids to sleep and toddler tantrums are just some of the challenges parents of young children face.

And four in five parents in a new national poll say they go to the same place to discuss such parenting issues: social media.

Nearly half of parents rate social media as very useful for getting new ideas to try, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

“Many parents turn to online communities to exchange advice or discuss parenting challenges because it may seem faster and easier than asking a health professional,” said Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.

“Finding parent comradery in this space can have benefits but parents should keep in mind that every family’s experience is different and not everything they hear online may be accurate or the right thing for their child.”

The nationally representative report is based on responses from 614 parents with at least one child aged 0-4. Most mothers and over two-thirds of fathers of children these ages look to social media for parenting advice or to share their experiences – a significant increase since a previous Mott poll explored similar questions in 2015.

The most common discussions included toilet training (44%), kids’ sleep (42%) nutrition/breastfeeding (37%), discipline (37%), behavior problems (33%), vaccination (26%), daycare/preschool (24%), and getting along with other kids (21%).

Three fifths of parents say they talk about these topics on social media because they want to hear different ideas while one in four say it’s convenient or they want to do things differently than their parents. Fewer say they use these platforms because they don’t have family or friends nearby, don’t have enough opportunities to ask their child’s healthcare provider or are too embarrassed to ask in person.

“Often there isn’t a clear ‘best’ way to do things and many parents use a trial-and-error approach to find what works for their child,” Clark said.

More than a third of parents also rate social media as very useful for making them feel like they’re not alone and learning what not to do while a fourth say it helps them decide whether to buy certain products.

One in ten parents of young children who use social media also described it as very useful in deciding when to take their child to the doctor. However, with young children, Clark notes, “it is usually prudent to contact the child’s primary care provider with any questions.”

Telehealth visits and messaging through patient portals, she adds, are efficient ways for parents to ask for guidance and determine if the child needs to be seen in person.  

Sharenting concerns

Most parents identify at least one aspect of social media sharing that concerns them, such as seeing other parents doing something unhealthy or dangerous for their child or others finding out their family’s private information or sharing photos of their child without their child’s permission.   

Nearly 80% of parents also feel other parents overshare on social media by bragging about their child or sharing too often or too much. Meanwhile, over 60 % believe parents may give personal information that could identify the child’s location or embarrass the child when they’re older.

Nearly half also say they have seen parents post information that is false while more than a quarter have noticed some parents sharing inappropriate photos of a child’s body.

“Parents acknowledge concerns related to sharing too much about their kids on social media,” Clark said.

“Families should consider whether their child may one day be embarrassed about having personal information shared without their consent; a good rule is if you have any doubt, don’t share it. In addition, parents should consult with parents of other children in photos for approval before sharing them on social media.”

More than half of parents, however, do use privacy settings or restrict who can see posts about their children. Nearly a third also avoid posting photos or videos of their child while about one in five participate in closed groups.

A small percentage of parents use their child’s initials instead of their name or block out their child’s face. 

“Before posting, think about whether you’re sharing enough information to get someone else's advice without giving away too much personal information about your family,” Clark said. “It’s really about stopping and thinking before you post.”

She says oversharing may create risks, for example, if it reveals a family is on vacation and their home may be unattended.

Weeding out bad information

Another emerging concern, the poll suggests, is parents sharing information that is false or inaccurate either knowingly or unknowingly.

Two in five parents think it’s difficult to distinguish good versus bad advice on social media.

Particularly for first-time parents, access to so many sources may be both helpful and overwhelming, Clark says. But it’s up to them to verify accuracy in what they’re hearing.

“There are so many decisions to make about the best way to care for children during the infant and toddler years, which can be an exciting and overwhelming time,” Clark said.

“Social media is a convenient way for parents to seek information about parenting challenges in real time, especially in between checkups. But it’s important that parents identify reputable sources of information about children’s health and parenting, and that they consult those sources before attempting new strategies with their own child.”

 

Poor work performance among Japanese employees strongly associated with insufficient sleep

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA

Tsukuba, Japan—In Japan, the decline in productivity has become a major social issue as the working-age population is decreasing owing to a lower birthrate and an increase in aging population. Therefore, companies are focusing on "health and productivity management" initiatives to maintain employee health and enhance their work performance. However, lifestyle habits that impact poor work performance of Japanese employees and the manner in which they differ between men and women have not been identified to date.

A multiple regression analysis was conducted using data from 12,526 corporate employees (aged 21-69) to examine the relationship between 11 lifestyle habits (related to smoking, exercise, diet, alcohol consumption, and sleep) and work performance, segmented by gender. The findings indicated that insufficient sleep was most strongly related to poor work performance for both genders. Additionally, it was noted that lifestyle habits, such as slow walking speed, current smoking, and skipping breakfast, are associated with lower work performance in men, whereas in women, habits such as fast eating speed are influential.

The study suggests that health education and workplace interventions focusing on improved sleep, exercise habits, and dinner timing are vital. Moreover, it highlights the importance of gender-specific support measures.

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The funding was provided by Tokio Marine dR Co, Ltd.

 

Original Paper

Title of original paper:
Relationships between lifestyle habits and presenteeism among Japanese employees

Journal:
Journal of Public Health

DOI:
10.1007/s10389-023-02136-4

Correspondence

Professor TAKEDA, Fumi
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Related Link

Institute of Health and Sport Sciences

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JOURNAL

Journal of Public Health

DOI

10.1007/s10389-023-02136-4 

ARTICLE TITLE

Relationships between lifestyle habits and presenteeism among Japanese employees

Hardly any photos of patients with psoriasis in published studies 

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG

 

IMAGE: 

SAM POLESIE, SAHLGRENSKA ACADEMY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG.

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CREDIT: PHOTO BY UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG.

Very few patients with psoriasis are depicted in scientific articles – only a fraction of those included in the research are represented in images. This is revealed by a study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden together with researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. The lack of images complicates communication with patients, according to the researchers. 

For this systematic review article, the researchers counted images of patients in 152 different randomized scientific studies focusing on treatment outcomes for biological drugs in psoriasis, published over a period of twenty years (2001–2021). These studies encompassed a total of 62,871 patients. 

The results are published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Most of the studies (77 percent) did not contain any patient images at all. In total, the scientific manuscripts, along with all available supplementary material, featured a total of only 203 images depicting 60 patients. This yields an image sharing rate of just under one per thousand of all the patients included in the studies. 

Showing impact of treatments

Sam Polesie, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy – the University of Gothenburg's faculty of medicine – led the study. Also a dermatologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Polesie argues that sharing images is an exceptionally effective method to illustrate the impact of various treatments on patients, particularly for inflammatory skin diseases. Psoriasis, one of the most prevalent among them, has a lifetime prevalence of 2–3%. 

"Patients often find it challenging to grasp the core messages of scientific manuscripts. The clinical results are most often described in something called PASI values, which is a composite score for redness, scaling, induration, and distribution on predefined body areas. If dermatology researchers were to include more clinical images in their manuscripts, this would improve patients’ understanding of the expected treatment effects,” says Sam Polesie. 

Chronic systemic disease 

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory systemic disease characterized by red and scaly plaques. The severity of the disease varies from mild to severe, with patients suffering moderate to severe symptoms being the primary candidate for advanced systemic therapies. Over the past twenty years, biological drugs have been introduced. Despite the significant decrease in the cost of several of these drugs due to patent expiration and the introduction of biosimilars, the societal impact remains substantial. 

The researchers acknowledge that healthcare professionals, rather than patients, are principally the target audience for scientific publications. However, they emphasize that patients' right to shared decision-making has become increasingly important in today's healthcare landscape. Healthcare is undergoing a paradigm shift that underscores the need to bridge the gap between complex research and patients' understanding. 

Sam Polesie again: 

"We hope that this systematic review can serve as an invitation to the pharmaceutical industry and other sponsors, as well as journal editors and authors, to include more images in scientific publications. Including more clinical images with our original manuscripts could better support patient involvement." 

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JOURNAL

Journal of Dermatological Treatment

DOI

10.1080/09546634.2023.2281261 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Systematic review

ARTICLE TITLE

A systematic review investigating at what proportion clinical images are shared in prospective randomized controlled trials involving patients with psoriasis and biological agents

 

Liver cancer rates increase in each successive generation of Mexican Americans, study finds

The research, led by the Keck School of Medicine of USC, analyzed risk for the disease across more than 30,000 Mexican Americans, finding third-generation Mexican Americans 66% more likely to get liver cancer than the first generation.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

KECK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF USC

In the United States, liver cancer rates have more than tripled since 1980. Some groups, including Latinos, face an even higher risk than the general population—but researchers do not fully understand why.

A study from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, funded by the National Cancer Institute, has shed new light on those disparities. Researchers found that among Mexican Americans, liver cancer risk rises the longer a person’s family has lived in the U.S. That increased risk primarily affected men. The findings were just published in the journal Cancer.

“With each successive generation, we’re seeing an increased risk of liver cancer. When we look more closely at this trend, the numbers are significant,” said lead author Veronica Wendy Setiawan, PhD, a professor of population and public health sciences and the Jane and Kris Popovich Chair in Cancer Research at the Keck School of Medicine.

Setiawan and her colleagues analyzed data on first-, second- and third-generation Mexican Americans. Compared to the first generation, second-generation Mexican Americans were 37% more likely to develop liver cancer and third-generation Mexican Americans were 66% more likely to get the disease.

Metabolic syndrome (which includes obesity and diabetes) and lifestyle factors, such as an increase in alcohol consumption and smoking in later generations, can explain some—but not all—of the increased risk. More research is needed to understand what other factors are linked to the rise in liver cancer cases.

“The Mexican American population is growing, but there’s so little research that focuses on this group,” said Setiawan, who is also co-leader of the Cancer Epidemiology Program at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. “So, there’s a lot that we still don’t know.”

Unexplained disparities

The researchers studied 31,377 Mexican Americans who were part of the Multiethnic Cohort Study, a collaboration between USC and the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. First-generation participants were born in Mexico; second-generation participants were born in the U.S. with one or both parents born in Mexico; and third-generation participants were born in the U.S. along with both of their parents.

Across all generations, 213 participants developed liver cancer. Compared to the first generation, second- and third-generation Mexican Americans faced a 37% and 66% increased risk, respectively. Researchers believe the increased risk may primarily affect men because they tend to have more risk factors related to disease than women.

The researchers controlled for a number of factors that could influence a person’s risk of developing liver cancer, including higher rates of alcohol and cigarette use, as well as higher average body mass index. They also accounted for neighborhood-level factors that can influence cancer risk, including socioeconomic status and living in an “ethnic enclave,” a geographic area with many residents of a single ethnicity.

“After we adjust for those factors that are different across generations, we still see these higher risks,” Setiawan said. “That tells us that this is an important population to study further.”

An ongoing search for answers

Further research on lifestyle and neighborhood factors, including data on diet, education and environmental exposures, can help researchers continue to explain the ethnic disparities in liver cancer risk. That knowledge can ultimately support targeted prevention efforts to protect high-risk populations from developing the disease, Setiawan said.

She and her colleagues have also received funding from the National Institutes of Health to recruit approximately 2,000 Latino participants across Los Angeles Country with fatty liver disease, one potential precursor of liver cancer. They will perform ultrasound scans to track liver health over time and collect detailed information about diet and other aspects of health to get a clearer picture of how the disease progresses.

About this research

In addition to Setiawan, the study's other authors are Nicholas Acuna and Christopher A. Haiman from the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC; Kali Zhou from the Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of USC; Tiffany Lim from the Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Keck School of Medicine of USC; Paulo S. Pinheiro from the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami School of Medicine; Iona Cheng and Salma Shariff-Marco from the Hellen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco; and Lynn R. Wilkens and Loïc Le Marchand from the Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center.

This work is supported by the National Cancer Institute [U01CA164973, R01CA228589, R01CA154644].

JOURNAL

Cancer

DOI

10.1002/cncr.35000 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

ARTICLE TITLE

Increasing risk of hepatocellular carcinoma with successive generations in the US among Mexican American adults: The Multiethnic Cohort

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

COI STATEMENT

Kali Zhou reports institutional grant support from Gilead Sciences.

 

Coastal river deltas threatened by more than climate change

Peer-Reviewed Publication

LUND UNIVERSITY

 

Worldwide, coastal river deltas are home to more than half a billion people, supporting fisheries, agriculture, cities, and fertile ecosystems. In a unique study covering 49 deltas globally, researchers from Lund University and Utrecht University have identified the most critical risks to deltas in the future. The research shows that deltas face multiple risks, and that population growth and poor environmental governance might pose bigger threats than climate change to the sustainability of Asian and African deltas, in particular.

“We can clearly show that many risks are not linked to climate. While climate change is a global problem, other important risk factors like land subsidence, population density and ineffective governance are local problems. Risks to deltas will only increase over time, so now is the time for governments to take action”, says Murray Scown, associate senior lecturer, Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, and lead author.

Collapse of delta environments could have huge consequences for global sustainable development. In the worst-case scenario, deltas could be lost to the sea; other consequences are flooding, salinization of water, which affects agriculture, coastal squeeze, and loss of ecosystems.

The study, published in Global Environmental Change, looked at five different IPCC scenarios for global development in 49 deltas all over the world, including famous deltas such as the Nile, Mekong, and Mississippi, but also more understudied deltas such as the Volta, Zambezi and Irrawaddy deltas. The research identifies possible risks to deltas stretching 80 years into the future. The researchers based their analysis on 13 well-known factors affecting risk in deltas and drew upon unique models to identify which of these risks are most likely to endanger different deltas in the future. Risk factors include increasing population density, urban development, irrigated agriculture, changes to river discharge, land subsidence and relative sea-level rise, limited economic capacity, poor government effectiveness, and low adaptation readiness.

Population density, land subsidence and ineffective governance are high risk factors

The analysis shows that there are some risks that are more critical to deltas than others – in all of the five future scenarios. These include land subsidence and relative sea-level rise, population density, ineffective governance, economic capacity, and crop land use. 

For some deltas, physical risks are especially pronounced. Land subsidence is, for example, the highest risk factor for the Mekong delta in Vietnam. Extreme sea levels are among the most concerning risk factors for deltas in China, on the Korean peninsula, and in the Colorado (Mexico) and Rhine (Netherlands) deltas. 

In the Nile (Egypt), Niger (Nigeria), and the Ganges (Bangladesh) deltas, it is increasing population density that is of most concern under certain scenarios. For other deltas, it is the lack of economic capacity and government effectiveness to manage risks, for example in the Irrawaddy (Myanmar) and Congo (Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo) deltas. 

“Analysed all together, we can see that the Asian mega-deltas are at greatest risk, with potentially devastating consequences for millions of people, and for the environment. They are under pressure from population growth, intense agricultural land use, relative sea-level rise, and lagging adaptation readiness”, says Murray Scown.

Local and global approaches and a mixture of hard and soft adaptation can mitigate risks 

“Instead of sitting back, governments need to think long-term, and put plans in place to reduce or mitigate risks. In the Mekong delta, for example, the Vietnamese government are making strong efforts to restrict future groundwater extraction in the delta to reduce land subsidence and salinization”, says Philip Minderhoud, assistant professor at Wageningen University and Research.

The researchers highlight that a mixture of hard (“grey”) and soft (“green”) adaptation approaches will be required to manage and mitigate delta risks. They include both hard infrastructures, like sea walls to stop the sea inundating the delta, and soft approaches using nature-based solutions. One example is the Dutch experience of creating room for the river in the Rhine delta, by lowering floodplains, relocating levees, and using spaces that are allowed to flood for grazing. Initiatives to build up delta surfaces by allowing rivers to flood and deposit sediment on the delta to maintain elevation above sea level are also promising, notes Frances Dunn, assistant professor at Utrecht University.

“By looking at the deltas together, like we have in this study, we want to highlight what can happen on a global scale if we do not address delta risk both on a local and global level. The study can also complement studies on individual deltas, and identify efforts needed connected to less studied deltas such as the Saõ Francisco or Volta delta”, says Maria Santos, professor at the University of Zurich.

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JOURNAL

Global Environmental Change

DOI

10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2023.102736 

ARTICLE TITLE

Global change scenarios in coastal river deltas and their sustainable development implications

 

Why do some people get headaches from drinking red wine?

Not everyone feels fine after red wine, and a flavanol may be the culprit

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - DAVIS

A red wine may pair nicely with the upcoming Thanksgiving meal. But for some people, drinking red wine even in small amounts causes a headache. Typically, a “red wine headache” can occur within 30 minutes to three hours after drinking as little as a small glass of wine.

What in wine causes headaches?

In a new study, scientists at the University of California, Davis, examined why this happens – even to people who don’t get headaches when drinking small amounts of other alcoholic beverages. Researchers think that a flavanol found naturally in red wines can interfere with the proper metabolism of alcohol and can lead to a headache. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The headache culprit: Quercetin, a flavanol

This flavanol is called quercetin and it is naturally present in all kinds of fruits and vegetables, including grapes. It’s considered a healthy antioxidant and is even available in supplement form. But when metabolized with alcohol, it can be problematic.

“When it gets in your bloodstream, your body converts it to a different form called quercetin glucuronide,” said wine chemist and corresponding author Andrew Waterhouse, professor emeritus with the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. “In that form, it blocks the metabolism of alcohol.”

Acetaldehyde toxin buildup leads to flushing, headache, nausea

As a result, people can end up accumulating the toxin acetaldehyde, explains lead author Apramita Devi, postdoctoral researcher with the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology.

“Acetaldehyde is a well-known toxin, irritant and inflammatory substance,” said Devi. “Researchers know that high levels of acetaldehyde can cause facial flushing, headache and nausea.”

The medication disulfiram prescribed to alcoholics to prevent them from drinking causes these same symptoms. Waterhouse said that’s because the drug also causes the toxin to build up in the body when normally an enzyme in the body would break it down. About 40% of the East Asian population also has an enzyme that doesn’t work very well, allowing acetaldehyde to build up in their system.

“We postulate that when susceptible people consume wine with even modest amounts of quercetin, they develop headaches, particularly if they have a preexisting migraine or another primary headache condition,” said co-author Morris Levin, professor of neurology and director of the Headache Center at the University of California, San Francisco. “We think we are finally on the right track toward explaining this millennia-old mystery.  The next step is to test it scientifically on people who develop these headaches, so stay tuned.”

Sunlight increases headache-causing flavanol in grapes

Waterhouse said levels of this flavanol can vary dramatically in red wine.

“Quercetin is produced by the grapes in response to sunlight,” Waterhouse said. “If you grow grapes with the clusters exposed, such as they do in the Napa Valley for their cabernets, you get much higher levels of quercetin. In some cases, it can be four to five times higher.”

Levels of quercetin can also differ depending on how the wine is made, including skin contact during fermentation, fining processes and aging.

Clinical trial on wine headaches

Scientists will next compare red wines that contain a lot of quercetin with those that have very little to test their theory about red wine headaches on people. This small human clinical trial, funded by the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation, will be led by UCSF.

Researchers said there are still many unknowns about the causes of red wine headaches. It’s unclear why some people seem more susceptible to them than others. Researchers don’t know if the enzymes of people who suffer from red wine headaches are more easily inhibited by quercetin or if this population is just more easily affected by the buildup of the toxin acetaldehyde.

“If our hypothesis pans out, then we will have the tools to start addressing these important questions,” Waterhouse said.

Funding for this initial investigation came from people who supported the project via 2022 Crowdfund UC Davis.

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JOURNAL

Scientific Reports

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Inhibition of ALDH2 by Quercetin Glucuronide Suggests a New Hypothesis to Explain Red Wine Headaches

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023-

COWABUNGA

Mental health of surfers creates US$1trillion wave for economy

Peer-Reviewed Publication

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY

New research led by Griffith University on Australia’s Gold Coast and Andrés Bello University in Chile, has shown that surfing contributes about US$1 trillion a year to the global economy, by improving the mental health of surfers.   

For the Gold Coast alone, the research team estimated the benefits to be valued at ~US$1.0–3.3 billion per year. Mental health benefits from surfing comprise 57–74% of the total economic benefits of surfing. The mental health benefits are 4.4–13.5 times direct expenditure by surfers, and 4–12 times economic effects via property and inbound tourism.  

The research has been published in the Nature portfolio journal, NPJ Ocean Sustainability.   

Why look at surfing as a mental health cost saver? 

Professor Emeritus Ralf Buckley, from Griffith University’s School of Environment and Science, said the study’s aim was to estimate the large-scale economic value of mental health benefits across the entire representative population of individuals who took part in recreational surfing, which is a similar approach Professor Buckley has adopted in previous estimates for visitors to national parks. 

Mental health benefits may differ in degree, from occasional to frequent surfers. Outcomes may sometimes be perceived as negative, with injuries and overcrowding as principal causes. As with many thrill+skill adventure activities, surfing can act as a behavioural addiction: at least some surfers suffer substantial withdrawal symptoms if deprived of surf. 

“The reason why there are such big numbers in the value of recreational activities like surfing for mental health benefits is that for almost every kind of job, you have to pay attention: for safety, skill, service, or decisions,” Professor Buckley said. 

“If you are stressed and not paying proper attention, your job performance suffers, and that costs money for your employer or your business. 

“Outdoor activities such as surfing reduce stress, as long as you can get a few good waves. Surfing has a powerful psychological effect and that has a substantial value.” 

Why study the Gold Coast? 

Professor Buckley said that for economic valuations, mental health benefits acquired via surfing may also lead to large-scale lifestyle choices, such as residential location and work preferences, and these can create secondary economic effects, e.g., via property prices. 

“The economic value of surf amenities also overlaps with beach amenities more broadly,” Professor Buckley said.  

“Taking all these factors into account, we estimated the mental health value of surfing for our case study site, the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.  

“The Gold Coast is a beach tourist destination, and its economy is driven largely by real estate, tourism, and trade and professional services such as building, healthcare and education.  

“Its 2023 resident population is estimated at ~732,000. In 2008, there were 65,000–120,000 surfers.  

“Surfer numbers have doubled over the past 5 years, so we can estimate >130,000 surfers currently.  

“The mean number of beach visits per capita in Australia is 6 per year. The mean number of surf sessions per Gold Coast surfer is reported at ~100/year.” 

How do you calculate the mental health value of surfing? 

“The economics are straightforward,” Professor Buckley said.  

“We simply took existing health economics calculations for parks and greenspace and applied them to surfing.” 

Professor Buckley and co-author Dr Mary-Ann Cooper from Andrés Bello University in Chile, triangulated the economic value of mental health benefits from surfing using the two different estimation methods currently available. 

Using the productivity + healthcare estimation method, if surfing reduces stress from high to low levels, it creates an estimated ~10% improvement in per capita workplace productivity, plus ~10% reduction in costs of mental healthcare. The Australian mean per capita GDP is ~$45,500, and mental healthcare costs are~10% of GDP4.  

The value of that stress reduction via surfing is estimated at ~$5000 per person per year. Surfing therefore contributes an estimated ~$0.65–2.10 billion per year via surfer mental health benefits.  

This can be injected directly into the Gold Coast economy via both employment and healthcare.  

Where to from here? 

Professor Buckley said this study provided an approximate top-down estimate, and for more accurate estimates at local scales, the team needed to track mental health measures and possible influential factors for large panels of surfers, over multiple years.  

“Our research also makes a contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG14, which is Oceans.   

“Therefore, the economic value of surfing is an argument for the conservation of our coastlines.” 

The study ‘Mental health contribution to economic value of surfing ecosystem services’ has been published in Nature’s NPJ Ocean Sustainability. 

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JOURNAL

npj Ocean Sustainability

DOI

10.1038/s44183-023-00027-5 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Mental health contribution to economic value of surfing ecosystem services

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023