Dear World
Our 2023 – WORLD NEWS report card had 623 news highlights with the appropriate referencing – delivered in our usual style.
What we have realised is there is EVEN MORE to report and we cannot just move on without keeping you all up to date.
So here it is…
2023 – WORLD NEWS continued…
GLOBAL
BRITISH WOMEN BIGGEST DRINKERS IN THE WORLD
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
35% UK adults binge drink at least once a month
Romania and Denmark worse heavy drinking rates (1)
UK
£1.59 BILLION COCAINE HAUL
15 tonnes of high purity Cocaine hidden in frozen chicken boxes
Part of an organised crime group jailed for combined total of 58 years
Running ‘one of Britain’s largest drug rings’
Largest case the Crown Prosecution Service has ever prosecuted (2)
USA
77% ADOLESCENTS INVOLVED IN INTERACTIVE SCREENTIME
Texting, Video Gaming an hour Before Bed is Harmfull For Sleep
69% passively watched TV, Video Games or Movies
Each hour during the day played on video games –
Sleep that evening was delayed (3)
GLOBAL
$2.12 BILLION GLOBAL REVENUE BOARD GAMES (4)
$9 Billion – Worldwide Board Games Market To Generate In 2024
$2,740 million Unites States leading the market
Popularity – innovative and strategic game designs (5)
ISRAEL
Adolescent Obesity major risk factor for early Chronic Kidney Disease in Young Adulthood
Researchers concern in seemingly healthy young people with high-normal BMI under age 30. (6)
SRI LANKA
15,000 arrested during week-long drive against drug traffickers
440kg drugs seized
Military-backed anti-narcotics – Focus on drug users and small time dealers in poor areas
Not large-scale traffickers hence small amount of seizures (7)
EUROPE
EUROPEAN UNION WARNS OF ‘CHILD SOLDIERS’ EXPLOITED BY DRUG GANGS
FORCED INTO KILLING AND MAIMING PEOPLE FOR CRIMINALS AND CARTELS
Young People becoming caught up in an increasingly booming and brutal trade – One of Europe’s biggest security threats. (8)
USA
Waist circumference is a positive predictor of female infertility
Independent of BMI – cross sectional study
Obesity has significant implications for fertility and reproductive health (9)
UK
DRUG DRIVING ‘ALARMINGLY COMMON’ POLICE WARN
More seem to feel that it is appropriate or socially acceptable to take drugs and drive
1 in 3 drug tests completed, following a collision come back positive (10)
Drug Driving Is A ‘Massive Problem’ – Increasing Prevalence
5,079 arrested in Greater Manchester over alcohol and drugs limit 2022
Most arrests in December
50% DRUG-DRIVING
40% ALCOHOL-RELATED (11)
First men in the world to test hormone-free male contraceptive pill
Pill prevents sperm production by blocking access to Vitamin A
60 years ago – last innovation in contraception
Birth Control Pill for Women with Known Side Effects (12)
USA
$11 BILLION GENERATED BY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IN ANNUAL ADVERTISING REVENUE
New Harvard study – Based on users younger than 18
1st study to offer Number of Youth users on these platforms and how much Advertising Revenue is attributable to them. (13)
COLOMBIA
Junk Food Law – Tax on ultra-processed foods and sugar sweetened beverages.
15% Tax on food industrially processed or high in sugar, salt or saturated fat
20% in 2024
COLOMBIA HAS HIGH RATES OF OBESITY AND DIABETES (14)
USA
Stress activates neurons in the hypothalamus that disrupt Sleep
Interrupts Sleep cycles and decreases duration of Sleep episodes
New Research Study
Also interrupts many other processes throughout the body
Heightened with Stress-related Sleep disorders (15)
UK
942 Arrested | 784 Charged | 426 Jailed
Including senior ‘kingpins’ after Met Police crack ‘secure’ messaging app
3,722 total years in prison since operation began in March 2020
APP USED FOR CRIMINAL LIFESTYLES –
TRADING DRUGS, ORDERING VIOLENCE AND MURDER (16)
Council’s in England facing Bankruptcy
Housing crisis will push many local authorities into bankruptcy as increasing cost of emergency accommodation for 1000s of homeless families threaten to overwhelm Council budgets.
Rates of homelessness have more than doubled in some districts year on year (17)
USA
Rare Sleep Disorder More Prevalent Than Previously Thought
New Research Study
Idiopathic Hypersomnia symptoms include –
Very sleepy during the day
Sleeping excessive amounts of time
Difficulty waking up
Waking up dis-orientated
Prevalence difficult to determine as expensive and time consuming Sleep testing required. (18)
SWITZERLAND
Call for scientifically supervised trial to allow sales of Cocaine for recreational use – as ‘War on Drugs has failed’.
Switzerland has one of the highest levels of Cocaine use on the continent
Fifth wealthiest per capita European Nation (19)
References
(1) Middleton, J. (2023, November 9). British Women are ‘Biggest Binge Drinkers in the Developed World’ New Report Claims. Independent. Retrieved January 16, 2023 from
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/british-women-binge-drinkers-oecd-report-b2444354.html
(2) (2023, November 10). £1.59bn Drugs Ring: Organised Crime Group Jailed for a Combined Total of 58 Years. CPS. Retrieved January 14, 2024 from
https://www.cps.gov.uk/yorkshire-and-humberside/news/ps159bn-drugs-ring-organised-crime-group-jailed-combined-total-58
(3) Mundell, E. (2023, December 14). Texting, Video Gaming Especially Bad for Teen’s Sleep: Study. MedicineNet. Retrieved January 13, 2024 from
https://www.medicinenet.com/texting_video_gaming_especially_bad_for_teen_sleep/news.htm
(4) (n.d). Board Games – Worldwide. Statista. Retrieved January 7, 2024 from
https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/app/games/board-games/worldwide
(5) (2023, December). Board Games – Worldwide. Statista. Retrieved January 7, 2024 from
https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/toys-hobby/toys-games/board-games/worldwide
(6) Tsur, A.M., Akavian, I., Landau, R., Derazne, E., Tzur, D., Vivante, A., Grossman, E., Rotem, R.S., Fishman, B., Pinhas-Hamiel, O., Afek, A., Coresh, J., Chodick, G., & Twig, G. (2023, December 11). Adolescent Body Mass Index and Early Chronic Kidney Disease in Young Adulthood. JAMA Network. Retrieved January 8, 2024 from
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2812570
(7) (2023, December 29). 15,000 Arrested in Military Backed Drug Crackdown in Sri Lanka. TAMIL GUARDIAN. Retrieved January 2, 2024 from
https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/15000-arrested-military-backed-drug-crackdown-sri-lanka
(8) O’Carroll, L. (2023, October 19). EU Warns of ‘Child Soldiers’ Exploited by Drug Gangs. The Guardian. Retrieved December 31, 2023 from
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/19/eu-launches-crackdown-on-cocaine-smuggling
(9) Ke, J., Feng, Y., & Chen, Z. (2023, December 20). Association Between Waist Circumference and Female Infertility in the United States. NCBI. Retrieved January 3, 2024 from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10732459/
(10) (2023, December 21). Drug-Driving ‘Alarmingly Common’, Police Warn. BBC News. Retrieved January 4, 2024 from
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw0ljpjvdn7o
(11) (2023, December 7). Greater Manchester: Drug Driving is a ‘Massive Problem’, Police Chief Says. BBC News. Retrieved January 4, 2024 from
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-67634316
(12) Pickover, E. (2023, December 13). UK Men to Test Hormone-Free Male Contraceptive Pill. Independent. Retrieved January 9, 2024 from
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/scientists-men-b2463467.html
(13) (2023, December 27). Social Media Platforms Generate Billions in Annual Ad Revenue from U.S. Youth. Harvard T.H. Chan. Retrieved January 8, 2024 from
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/social-media-platforms-generate-billions-in-annual-ad-revenue-from-u-s-youth/
(14) (2023, January 4). Colombia Enacts Two Major Healthy Food Policies. Global Health Advocacy Incubator. Retrieved January 9, 2024 from
https://www.advocacyincubator.org/featured-stories/2023-01-04-colombia-enacts-two-major-healthy-food-policies
(15) (2023, December 13). Penn Medicine Research Shows How Stress Activates Neurons That Disrupt Sleep. Penn Medicine News. Retrieved January 13, 2024 from
https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2023/december/research-shows-how-stress-activates-neurons-that-disrupt-sleep
(16) Stedman, H. (2023, October 9). Crime ‘Kingpins’ Among 400 Jailed After Met Police Crack ‘Secure’ Messaging App. Independent. Retrieved January 13, 2024 from
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/met-police-encrochat-b2426469.html
(17) Butler, P., & Goodier, M. (2023, October 30). Councils in England Facing Bankruptcy as Lack of Housing Pushes Up Cost. The Guardian. Retrieved January 13, 2024 from
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/oct/30/councils-in-england-facing-bankruptcy-as-lack-of-housing-pushes-up-costs
(18) (2023, December 13). Rare Sleep Disorder More Prevalent Than Previously Thought. American Academy of Neurology. Retrieved January 13, 2024 from
https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5133
(19) Hope, R. (2023, December 20). Cocaine: Swiss Capital Bern May Allow Sales as ‘the War on Drugs has Failed’. Sky News. Retrieved January 17, 2024 from
https://news.sky.com/story/cocaine-swiss-capital-bern-may-allow-sales-as-the-war-on-drugs-has-failed-13034912
Comments 1
University College London – 17 July 2024
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/jul/significant-rise-adhd-diagnoses-uk
Both ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions for ADHD medication have INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY over the past 2 decades, according to a new study by UCL researchers.
Data from 7 million aged 3 to 99 reviewed between 2000 and 2018.
Researchers found ADHD was more common in boys and men.
The findings show in Absolute terms – the INCREASE was HIGHEST in children – among boys aged 10-16.
But the relative INCREASE was largest among adults.
20-FOLD INCREASE in ADHD diagnoses.
55-FOLD in ADHD prescriptions in men between ages 18-29.
Increasing number of people are diagnosed with ADHD for the first time in adulthood.
The research was published in BJPsych Open
The study concluded that the incidence and prevalence of both ADHD diagnoses and medication are HIGHEST among children.
Proportionally, rates INCREASED among adults during 2000-2018.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-open/article/attentiondeficit-hyperactivity-disorder-diagnoses-and-prescriptions-in-uk-primary-care-20002018-populationbased-cohort-study/E0818CCAE895FF273C7448756CFB0066
ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions are associated with socioeconomic deprivation.
The number of ADHD diagnoses were 2 times HIGHER in the most deprived areas amongst both children and adults, compared to the least deprived areas.
Symptoms of ADHD include impulsiveness, disorganisation, poor time management skills, difficulty focusing and restlessness.
ADHD symptoms start in childhood but are increasingly recognised to persist in adults.