Artists can copyright works they made with the help of artificial intelligence, according to a new report by the U.S. Copyright Office that could help clear the way for the use of AI tools in Hollywood, the music industry and other creative fields
Artists can copyright works they made with the help of artificial intelligence, according to a new report by the U.S. Copyright Office that could help clear the way for the use of AI tools in Hollywood, the music industry and other creative fields.
The nation’s copyright office, which sits in the Library of Congress and is not part of the executive branch, receives about half a million copyright applications per year covering millions of individual works. It has increasingly been asked to register works that are AI-generated.
And while many of those decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, the report issued Wednesday clarifies the office’s approach as one based on what the top U.S. copyright official describes as the “centrality of human creativity” in authoring a work that warrants copyright protections.
“Where that creativity is expressed through the use of AI systems, it continues to enjoy protection,” said a statement from Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter, who directs the office.
An AI-assisted work could be copyrightable if an artist’s handiwork is perceptible, or an AI-generated work include a human’s “creative arrangements or modifications.”
The report follows a review that began in 2023 and fielded opinions from thousands of people that ranged from AI developers, to actors and country singers.
It shows the copyright office will continue to reject copyright claims for fully machine-generated content. A person simply prompting a chatbot or AI image generator to produce a work doesn’t give that person the ability to copyright that work, according to the report. “Extending protection to material whose expressive elements are determined by a machine … would undermine rather than further the constitutional goals of copyright,” Perlmutter said.
Not addressed in the report is the debate over copyrighted human works that are being pulled from the internet and other sources and ingested to train AI systems, often without permission or compensation. Visual artists, authors, news organizations and others have sued AI companies for copyright theft in cases that are still working through U.S. courts.
The copyright office doesn’t weigh in on those legal cases but says it is working on another report that “will turn to the training of AI models on copyrighted works, licensing considerations, and allocation of any liability.”
“We’ve done studies where we look at people who are really active,” including runners racing across America, Pontzer said, “and people who are really sedentary, and actually, they’re burning the same number of calories,” which helps explain why people rarely lose much weight with exercise, even as the exercise makes them healthier.
That discovery is only one of many from Pontzer and his colleagues, who have been busily upending entrenched ideas about our metabolisms in recent years.
Now, with calories and weight control becoming top-of-mind topics as we enter the holiday season, I talked with Pontzer about what the latest science says about our metabolisms and whether they’re affected by exercise, differ between men and women, and can be “boosted”. We also talked about why he thinks Thanksgiving is the most human holiday we have. (The following interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Q. Exercising more means we’ll burn more calories.
A: No, not overall.
Exercising more does not mean we’ll burn more calories. Photo / 123rf
Q. A more basic question, then, and one I don’t think I could answer: What is our metabolism?
A. Your metabolism is all the work that all 37 trillion of your cells do every day. You can measure that work in the energy required. That’s why we measure your metabolism in calories, which are a measurement of energy.
Q. Most of us probably think our metabolisms are fastest when we’re going through puberty and start slowing down drastically when we reach midlife, and also that men’s are faster than women’s. But none of that is true?
A. So, how to begin? The main determinant of how many calories you burn every day is how many cells you have at work. Bigger people burn more calories. The type of cells matters, too. Fat cells burn a little energy, but not much. So, when we look at women versus men, men will burn more calories than women, but it’s because men tend to be a bit bigger and carry a bit less fat. If I compare a man and woman who have the same body size and same fat percentage, I would expect exactly the same energy expenditure per day.
Q. And teenagers are burning the most calories?
A. Yes, the highest total calories burned in your lifetime probably happens in late adolescence. But pound for pound, nobody burns calories like a 3 or 4-year-old child. Their metabolisms are white hot because of just how much work their cells are doing with all that growth and development. But they’re tiny, so the total calories is still quite small.
A child’s metabolism is “white hot”, burning the most calories per pound of body weight. Photo / 123rf
Q. Does someone’s metabolism slow down a lot during middle age? It sure feels like it.
A. I’m in my late 40s and I definitely feel different in the way I respond to food when I eat than when I was in my 20s. But, shockingly, no. We’ve done this measurement now on thousands of adults from their 20s through their 50s and beyond. But in that block, the 20s to 50s, we don’t see any changes in the metabolic rate, after you control for size. There does seem to be some slowing after age 60.
Metabolic rates don’t slow between ages 20 and 50, contrary to popular belief. Photo / 123rf
Q. But many of us gain weight during middle age. If we can’t blame our slowing metabolisms, what’s going on?
A. If it’s not the energy-burned side of the equation, it must be the energy we’re eating. Why might that change? One reason is we get more stressed. It’s easy to develop unhealthy eating habits. Plus, if we look at how people actually gain weight, it won’t surprise anybody that we typically gain a few pounds around Thanksgiving and into the Christmas season, then lose it with New Year’s resolutions. As we get older, we seem to get a little better at putting it on and not quite as diligent about taking it off.
Q. So where does exercise fit in? I’m a runner and I’d like to think the more I run, the more calories I burn and the more weight I lose. But no?
A. I thought so too. But it turns out it’s not so simple. If you exercise today, you’ll burn more energy today. But if you really change your lifestyle and start exercising regularly and that becomes your new normal, your body adjusts and you wind up not burning more calories overall. Basically, if you spend more energy on exercise, your body finds ways to spend less on other stuff. But here’s the good news. The adjustments the body makes, which include reductions to inflammation and stress reactivity, may be a big part of why exercise is so good for us.
Q. Can we boost our metabolisms with the right pills or foods?
A. No, there’s no way to boost your metabolism by what you eat. You can go high carb, low carb, low fat, high protein. None of those seem to have any measurable effects on calories burned per day.
There’s no magic food or pill to boost metabolism despite diet myths. Photo / 123rf
Q. What about thinking hard? Won’t that burn extra calories?
A. Wouldn’t that be nice, if all it took was enlightened conversations around the Thanksgiving table to burn away dessert, or if discussing chess strategy helped us lose weight? But no. It’s true your brain is incredibly hungry. Basically, it runs a 5k every day, burning through about 300 kilocalories, the same as a 5k. But that’s true whether you’re deep in thought or totally zoned out.
Your brain burns about 300 calories daily, even if you’re not thinking hard. Photo / 123rf
Q. You mentioned Thanksgiving. Will eating one enormous meal, as many of us do at Thanksgiving [or Christmas], raise our metabolisms and help us burn those extra calories?
A. You do burn about 10% of the calories you consume during digestion, thanks to everything from chewing the food to digesting it and dealing with it in your cells. But that’s pretty minor. Realistically, if you want to avoid gaining weight at Thanksgiving or Christmas, you’ll need to eat less. But let’s stop for a minute here and I’ll put on my anthropologist’s hat, and we can talk about what’s really amazing about the festive season, which is that we all sit around and share food. It’s the strangest thing we do.
Q. Strange how?
A. No other ape shares like we do. It’s anomalous in the natural world. But we do it every day. And whenever there’s a big moment to celebrate, we do it by sharing food. So, of course, we should be aware of the health aspects. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that in humans, food is a social bond and especially at Christmas . Maybe give yourself one day to focus on that aspect and not worry too much about the calories. It’s okay, honestly, to just enjoy the pie.
Amit Kumar, a physical education teacher in Bihar, is struggling to sustain his family despite holding a government job. Earning a meagre monthly salary of Rs 8,000, he spends his days teaching at Babu Pur Middle School in Bhagalpur district and his nights working as a food delivery rider for a private company to make ends meet. The 35-year-old teacher juggles two jobs, tirelessly working from 5 PM to midnight after school hours. Amit’s story underscores the challenges faced by government employees with inadequate salaries and the extreme measures they take to support their families.
Speaking about his struggles, Amit told ANI, “After a long wait, I finally got a government job in 2022. My family was overjoyed. I had taken the exam in 2019, and the results came in February 2020. I scored 74 out of 100, and we were thrilled. My family thought our situation would improve. Earlier, I worked at a private school, but when COVID hit, I lost that job. After two and a half years, I got this government position, but the salary was fixed at just Rs 8,000, and I was labelled a part-time employee, meaning I wasn’t required to stay long hours at school. Initially, we worked full-time and encouraged students to participate in sports.”
“The students showed interest and even won medals. But even after two and a half years, the government hasn’t increased our salary or conducted eligibility exams. Life has become difficult. Senior teachers here receive Rs 42,000 as salary, while we get only Rs 8,000,” he added.
The challenges don’t end there. Amit revealed that he didn’t receive his salary for four months earlier this year, forcing him to seek alternative income sources. “After February, I didn’t receive my salary for four months. I had to borrow money from friends, and the debt kept piling up. On my wife’s suggestion, I searched online and found I could work as a food delivery rider. There was no time restriction, so I created an ID and started working. After school, from 5 PM to 1 AM, I deliver food.
“With Rs 8,000 as my salary, I can’t even think about expanding my family. I wonder how I can provide for the next generation when I’m struggling to feed myself. I got married two and a half years ago when I got the job. I’m the eldest son and need to stay at home to care for my elderly mother, which is why I am compelled to take up this additional work,” Amit explained.
(Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Choosing the ideal kitchen design is crucial, especially since the kitchen often serves as the heart of the home. With New Day Construction, we help homeowners transform their spaces by selecting layouts that complement their lifestyles and unique tastes. When considering an open or closed kitchen, understanding each design’s benefits and challenges can help you make an informed choice. This article covers the key features, advantages, and drawbacks of both layouts to help you decide which style will work best for your home.
Understanding Open Kitchens
An open kitchen removes the barriers between the kitchen and surrounding living areas, allowing for seamless integration with the dining room or living room. This setup creates a spacious, continuous flow that has become a staple in modern home design.
Advantages of an Open Kitchen
Enhanced Social Connection An open kitchen allows you to interact with family members and guests while cooking, making it an ideal choice for households that value togetherness and social engagement.
More Natural Light With fewer walls, open kitchens benefit from increased natural light, creating a brighter, more welcoming atmosphere that extends into surrounding areas.
Increased Flow and Flexibility Open kitchens create a feeling of spaciousness and allow for versatile layouts, including expansive islands, ample counter space, and convenient seating arrangements.
A Modern Look and Feel The open layout has a contemporary appeal that suits a range of design styles, from minimalist to farmhouse, making it a versatile choice for home remodels.
Challenges of an Open Kitchen
Reduced Privacy While open kitchens offer a social atmosphere, they provide limited privacy. Messes and clutter are visible, and activities in the kitchen can disrupt other areas.
Odors and Noise Travel Without walls to contain them, cooking odors and sounds spread easily to adjacent spaces. This can affect the ambiance of the connected rooms, especially if your kitchen is close to a relaxing living area.
Less Storage Open kitchens often lack wall space for cabinets, limiting storage options. While kitchen islands or custom-built storage solutions can offset this, storage space might still be less than in a closed layout.
Understanding Closed Kitchens
A closed kitchen is a self-contained space separated from other areas of the home by walls or doors. This traditional layout offers privacy and keeps cooking activities contained within a designated space.
Advantages of a Closed Kitchen
Enhanced Privacy and Focus For those who enjoy a quiet cooking experience, a closed kitchen offers privacy and allows you to focus without disruptions.
Control Over Odors and Noise Closed kitchens contain cooking odors and noises, keeping them from interfering with other rooms, which is especially useful for those who prefer a distinct separation of spaces.
More Wall Space for Storage and Appliances With enclosed walls, closed kitchens provide greater storage and organizational options, making it easier to maintain a tidy, clutter-free space.
A Defined Cooking Area A closed kitchen is ideal for those who view cooking as a focused activity. This setup allows for a separate, distraction-free environment.
Challenges of a Closed Kitchen
Limited Social Interaction Closed kitchens can feel isolated, especially during gatherings, as walls block visual and physical connection to other areas.
Reduced Light and Openness Without direct access to the natural light from adjacent rooms, closed kitchens can feel darker or more confined. Adding windows or bright lighting fixtures can help, but the overall feel may still be cozier than an open layout.
Restricted Layout Flexibility Closed kitchens are less versatile, as wall structures limit layout options. However, custom designs by remodeling professionals like New Day Construction can still make closed kitchens highly functional.
Which Kitchen Design Suits Your Lifestyle?
When deciding between an open or closed kitchen, it’s essential to consider your cooking style, family dynamics, and entertaining preferences. Here are a few factors that might help guide your decision:
Cooking Style and Frequency For avid home cooks who appreciate privacy, a closed kitchen offers a dedicated workspace. An open kitchen may appeal more to those who enjoy cooking as a social activity or who prefer multi-tasking between kitchen duties and other activities.
Lifestyle and Entertaining Open kitchens are fantastic for those who frequently entertain or prefer a more communal cooking experience. If you like hosting formal dinners, a closed kitchen may suit you better, allowing for a surprise reveal when dishes are served.
Family Needs and Safety Families with young children often benefit from the open layout, which allows parents to supervise kids while cooking. A closed kitchen, however, can provide a safe, contained area for meal prep away from busy household activity.
Aesthetic Preferences and Home Layout Open kitchens have a modern look and enhance natural light, while closed kitchens offer a more traditional, intimate atmosphere. Your home’s architectural style and layout may also make one option a more natural fit than the other.
Why Choose New Day Construction for Your Kitchen Remodel?
Whether you’re drawn to the openness of an integrated kitchen or the privacy of an enclosed space, New Day Construction specializes in tailored kitchen remodeling solutions. With years of experience in creating custom kitchen designs, we help homeowners select layouts that elevate both their spaces and their lifestyles. Our team guides you through every step of the remodel process, from choosing the ideal layout to designing storage solutions and optimizing lighting.
We understand that every home is unique, which is why our remodeling projects focus on your needs, style preferences, and functionality requirements. Our expert designers work closely with you to bring your vision to life, ensuring that your new kitchen aligns perfectly with your lifestyle and enhances the beauty of your home. Conclusion: Open vs. Closed Kitchens – Which One is Right for You?
Ultimately, choosing between an open and closed kitchen depends on how you use your space and what you value most in a kitchen layout. Open kitchens are ideal for those who enjoy a sociable, interconnected space, while closed kitchens offer a dedicated, private cooking environment.
For expert guidance on your kitchen remodel, contact New Day Construction. We’re here to help you create a kitchen that’s not only functional but also a beautiful, lasting addition to your home.
Get started on your dream kitchen today with New Day Construction – where your vision meets our craftsmanship.
Choosing the ideal kitchen design is crucial, especially since the kitchen often serves as the heart of the home. With New Day Construction, we help homeowners transform their spaces by selecting layouts that complement their lifestyles and unique tastes. When considering an open or closed kitchen, understanding each design’s benefits and challenges can help you make an informed choice. This article covers the key features, advantages, and drawbacks of both layouts to help you decide which style will work best for your home.
Understanding Open Kitchens
An open kitchen removes the barriers between the kitchen and surrounding living areas, allowing for seamless integration with the dining room or living room. This setup creates a spacious, continuous flow that has become a staple in modern home design.
Advantages of an Open Kitchen
Enhanced Social Connection An open kitchen allows you to interact with family members and guests while cooking, making it an ideal choice for households that value togetherness and social engagement.
More Natural Light With fewer walls, open kitchens benefit from increased natural light, creating a brighter, more welcoming atmosphere that extends into surrounding areas.
Increased Flow and Flexibility Open kitchens create a feeling of spaciousness and allow for versatile layouts, including expansive islands, ample counter space, and convenient seating arrangements.
A Modern Look and Feel The open layout has a contemporary appeal that suits a range of design styles, from minimalist to farmhouse, making it a versatile choice for home remodels.
Challenges of an Open Kitchen
Reduced Privacy While open kitchens offer a social atmosphere, they provide limited privacy. Messes and clutter are visible, and activities in the kitchen can disrupt other areas.
Odors and Noise Travel Without walls to contain them, cooking odors and sounds spread easily to adjacent spaces. This can affect the ambiance of the connected rooms, especially if your kitchen is close to a relaxing living area.
Less Storage Open kitchens often lack wall space for cabinets, limiting storage options. While kitchen islands or custom-built storage solutions can offset this, storage space might still be less than in a closed layout.
Understanding Closed Kitchens
A closed kitchen is a self-contained space separated from other areas of the home by walls or doors. This traditional layout offers privacy and keeps cooking activities contained within a designated space.
Advantages of a Closed Kitchen
Enhanced Privacy and Focus For those who enjoy a quiet cooking experience, a closed kitchen offers privacy and allows you to focus without disruptions.
Control Over Odors and Noise Closed kitchens contain cooking odors and noises, keeping them from interfering with other rooms, which is especially useful for those who prefer a distinct separation of spaces.
More Wall Space for Storage and Appliances With enclosed walls, closed kitchens provide greater storage and organizational options, making it easier to maintain a tidy, clutter-free space.
A Defined Cooking Area A closed kitchen is ideal for those who view cooking as a focused activity. This setup allows for a separate, distraction-free environment.
Challenges of a Closed Kitchen
Limited Social Interaction Closed kitchens can feel isolated, especially during gatherings, as walls block visual and physical connection to other areas.
Reduced Light and Openness Without direct access to the natural light from adjacent rooms, closed kitchens can feel darker or more confined. Adding windows or bright lighting fixtures can help, but the overall feel may still be cozier than an open layout.
Restricted Layout Flexibility Closed kitchens are less versatile, as wall structures limit layout options. However, custom designs by remodeling professionals like New Day Construction can still make closed kitchens highly functional.
Which Kitchen Design Suits Your Lifestyle?
When deciding between an open or closed kitchen, it’s essential to consider your cooking style, family dynamics, and entertaining preferences. Here are a few factors that might help guide your decision:
Cooking Style and Frequency For avid home cooks who appreciate privacy, a closed kitchen offers a dedicated workspace. An open kitchen may appeal more to those who enjoy cooking as a social activity or who prefer multi-tasking between kitchen duties and other activities.
Lifestyle and Entertaining Open kitchens are fantastic for those who frequently entertain or prefer a more communal cooking experience. If you like hosting formal dinners, a closed kitchen may suit you better, allowing for a surprise reveal when dishes are served.
Family Needs and Safety Families with young children often benefit from the open layout, which allows parents to supervise kids while cooking. A closed kitchen, however, can provide a safe, contained area for meal prep away from busy household activity.
Aesthetic Preferences and Home Layout Open kitchens have a modern look and enhance natural light, while closed kitchens offer a more traditional, intimate atmosphere. Your home’s architectural style and layout may also make one option a more natural fit than the other.
Why Choose New Day Construction for Your Kitchen Remodel?
Whether you’re drawn to the openness of an integrated kitchen or the privacy of an enclosed space, New Day Construction specializes in tailored kitchen remodeling solutions. With years of experience in creating custom kitchen designs, we help homeowners select layouts that elevate both their spaces and their lifestyles. Our team guides you through every step of the remodel process, from choosing the ideal layout to designing storage solutions and optimizing lighting.
We understand that every home is unique, which is why our remodeling projects focus on your needs, style preferences, and functionality requirements. Our expert designers work closely with you to bring your vision to life, ensuring that your new kitchen aligns perfectly with your lifestyle and enhances the beauty of your home. Conclusion: Open vs. Closed Kitchens – Which One is Right for You?
Ultimately, choosing between an open and closed kitchen depends on how you use your space and what you value most in a kitchen layout. Open kitchens are ideal for those who enjoy a sociable, interconnected space, while closed kitchens offer a dedicated, private cooking environment.
For expert guidance on your kitchen remodel, contact New Day Construction. We’re here to help you create a kitchen that’s not only functional but also a beautiful, lasting addition to your home.
Get started on your dream kitchen today with New Day Construction – where your vision meets our craftsmanship.
Annie Thorisdottir is sharing a motivational message with her followers – in her workout gear. In a new social media post the CrossFit athlete shows off her impressive physique in a two-piece exercise set during a workout clip. “I don’t know who needs to hear this…but everything works out,” she writes over the Instagram video. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.
Shutterstock
After her training sessions Annie relies on a certain “fruit based” smoothie “with protein mixed into it, and spinach, ginger,” exclaiming “it’s so tasty, like it’s so good!” to Women’s Health. Fruit is the “base” with “2 cubes of frozen pineapple-blueberry mixed fruit” and “100g of fresh ginger’” and a “handful of spinach.” She also adds 3g of whey protein, one scoop of glutamine and creatine. She calls it a “nutritional explosion” and “sometimes it almost tastes like a pina colada,” she says. She adds it is a “quick and easy way to get a good amount of calories after training.”
Annie has a history in fitness. “Before CrossFit I was a gymnast and I was looking for something challenging, so I signed up to random competitions all over Iceland and one of those competitions was a CrossFit competition,” she told Women’s Health. “I didn’t really know what it was but I was quite competitive and I succeeded and actually ended up winning the whole competition! It opened the door for me to believe that I could participate in anything that I want to participate in.” She still practices. “I train two to three times a day. Physically my training varies, maybe it will be gymnastics; I’ll be working on gymnastics conditioning, that’s the first session, so gymnastic techniques or gymnastics strength,” she says.
Her “second session will be Olympic weight lifting and strength training and squats, then the last session would be more control work,” she continues. “I have one day a week for a physio day or a lower volume day where I will train once and then I have one day a week for active recovery.”
“I will dedicate one day a week to active recovery so I go for an easy swim or an easy warm up and dynamic stretching to help my body recover,” Annie says. “Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints,” says Harvard Health. “Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.”
Annie Thorisdottir/Instagram
Annie eats a big meal in the morning. “On a typical training day I would eat four fried eggs, three pieces of bacon and then a little oatmeal and that would be my breakfast. Then I would train and after that first session, I would have a smoothie with banana, protein powder, and some almonds. This is high calorie so I have it before another session,” she tells Women’s Health. For lunch, “I tend to have a chicken salad, and then I will train again before having a snack like a banana or a protein bar, and then I’ll make dinner. Dinner can be pretty much anything, meat, salad, I actually do have fajitas probably three times a week!” She focuses on eating whole food. “For me, it’s all about remembering to eat enough high-quality food! I’ve tried Paleo; I’ve tried a lot of diets and I think what they all taught me was what’s going inside my body effects my training – most importantly where I get carbohydrates. I stopped eating bread and pasta and just saw how it affected me, I stopped eating dairy and saw how that affected me. I then added things back into my diet to see if I felt any different. I would say I kind of eat paleo but I add some extra carbohydrates and I eat dairy as well. Paleo didn’t really work for me because I don’t think I was getting enough carbs, so I wasn’t recovering well enough, I lost a lot of weight. I also don’t count my macros, no.”
Annie has a unique self-care method. “I do contrast bathing [treating muscles by immersion in cold and hot water to reduce swelling and inflammation] every other day. We have a hot tap and a cold tap at the gym, so if I’m pushing myself really hard on something I might even do it in between training sessions, just to get the body and the nervous system ready for the next session,” she tells Women’s Health.
Annie also understands the importance of rest. “It’s sleep that really matters for recovery, that’s when the body is really focused on healing itself,” she says. What are the health benefits of sleep? According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.
Healthcare professionals are increasingly giving advice to patients on how to improve their health, but there is often a lack of scientific evidence if this advice is actually beneficial. This is according to a study from the University of Gothenburg, which also guides towards more effective recommendations.
The researchers do not criticize the content of the advice — it is good if people lose weight, stop smoking, eat a better diet or exercise more. However, there is no evidence that patients actually change their lifestyle after receiving this advice from healthcare professionals.
“There is often a lack of research showing that counseling patients is effective. It is likely that the advice rarely actually helps people,” says Minna Johansson, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and General Practitioner at Herrestad’s Healthcare Center in Uddevalla, who is the study’s lead author.
Few pieces of advice are well-founded
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was conducted by an international team of researchers. They have previously analyzed medical recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK. This organization is behind 379 recommendations of advice and interventions that healthcare professionals should give to patients, with the aim of changing their lifestyle.
In only 3% of cases there were scientific studies showing that the advice has positive effects in practice. A further 13% of this advice had some evidence, but with low certainty. The researchers also reviewed additional guidelines from other influential institutions around the world and found that these often overestimate the positive impact of the advice and rarely take disadvantages into account.
“Trying to improve public health by giving lifestyle advice to one person at a time is both expensive and ineffective. Resources would probably be better spent on community-based interventions that make it easier for all of us to live healthy lives,” says Minna Johansson, who also believes the advice could increase stigmatization for people with e.g., obesity.
Showing the way forward
Today’s healthcare professionals would not be able to give all the advice recommended while maintaining other care. The researchers’ calculations show that in the UK, for example, five times as many nurses would need to be hired, compared to current levels, to cope with the task.
The study also presents a new guideline to help policy makers and guideline authors consider the pros and cons of the intervention in a structured way before deciding whether or not to recommend it. Victor Montori, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in the United States is a co-author of the study: “The guideline consists of a number of key questions, which show how to adequately evaluate the likelihood that the lifestyle intervention will lead to positive effects or not,” says Victor Montori.
Healthcare professionals are increasingly giving advice to patients on how to improve their health, but there is often a lack of scientific evidence if this advice is actually beneficial. This is according to a study from the University of Gothenburg, which also guides towards more effective recommendations.
The researchers do not criticize the content of the advice — it is good if people lose weight, stop smoking, eat a better diet or exercise more. However, there is no evidence that patients actually change their lifestyle after receiving this advice from healthcare professionals.
“There is often a lack of research showing that counseling patients is effective. It is likely that the advice rarely actually helps people,” says Minna Johansson, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and General Practitioner at Herrestad’s Healthcare Center in Uddevalla, who is the study’s lead author.
Few pieces of advice are well-founded
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was conducted by an international team of researchers. They have previously analyzed medical recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK. This organization is behind 379 recommendations of advice and interventions that healthcare professionals should give to patients, with the aim of changing their lifestyle.
In only 3% of cases there were scientific studies showing that the advice has positive effects in practice. A further 13% of this advice had some evidence, but with low certainty. The researchers also reviewed additional guidelines from other influential institutions around the world and found that these often overestimate the positive impact of the advice and rarely take disadvantages into account.
“Trying to improve public health by giving lifestyle advice to one person at a time is both expensive and ineffective. Resources would probably be better spent on community-based interventions that make it easier for all of us to live healthy lives,” says Minna Johansson, who also believes the advice could increase stigmatization for people with e.g., obesity.
Showing the way forward
Today’s healthcare professionals would not be able to give all the advice recommended while maintaining other care. The researchers’ calculations show that in the UK, for example, five times as many nurses would need to be hired, compared to current levels, to cope with the task.
The study also presents a new guideline to help policy makers and guideline authors consider the pros and cons of the intervention in a structured way before deciding whether or not to recommend it. Victor Montori, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in the United States is a co-author of the study: “The guideline consists of a number of key questions, which show how to adequately evaluate the likelihood that the lifestyle intervention will lead to positive effects or not,” says Victor Montori.
James Argent showed off his toned physique as he worked out in Marbella, just months after debuting his staggering weight loss.
The former TOWIE star, 36, reached 27 stone during lockdown, before losing nearly 14 stone when he overhauled his lifestyle and underwent a sleeve gastrectomy procedure.
Argent showed off his new muscles as he exercised at Mikes Gym in Marbella on Tuesday.
He was spotted running up and down stairs, as well as doing dips to work on his triceps and tackling a rope climb.
Argent sported a pair of running trainers and blue shorts as he worked out in the Spanish sun.
James Argent showed off his toned physique as he worked out in Marbella on Tuesday, just months after debuting his staggering weight loss
The former TOWIE star, 36, reached 27 stone during lockdown , before losing nearly 14 stone when he overhauled his lifestyle and underwent a sleeve gastrectomy procedure
Earlier this year after debuting his weight loss, Arg revealed he was keen to put weight on again.
Argent, who rose to fame when he joined the Essex-set reality show in 2010, revealed he is now working on gaining weight, which was then at 13.5 stone.
He spoke exclusively to the Mail’s comedy podcast, Straight To The Comments! which embraces the hilarity and uniqueness of the MailOnline comment section with the celebs in question.
‘At my biggest I was 27 stone. I took the p***. Now I’m about 13.5 stone,’ he said.
‘I think I was just acting out on feelings and emotions, eating and eating and then lockdown, Covid, that didn’t help.’
He admitted that his doctor told him he was ‘on death row’ when he was at his heaviest, during which time he ‘couldn’t tie my own shoelaces’ and was ‘finding it hard to breathe.’
Argent, known as ‘Arg’, said that he wasn’t even able to see his own penis, joking: ‘I can just about see it now.’
Despite his positive lifestyle change, Argent said that there were times when he actually got ‘too skinny’ and is currently trying to ‘up’ his protein and ‘gain a little bit more.’
Argent showed off his new muscles as he exercised at Mikes Gym in Marbella on Tuesday
He was spotted running up and down stairs, as well as doing dips to work on his triceps and tackling a rope climb
Argent sported a pair of running trainers and blue shorts as he worked out in the Spanish sun
Earlier this year after debuting his weight loss, Arg revealed he was keen to put weight on again
Argent, who rose to fame when he joined the Essex-set reality show in 2010, revealed he is now working on gaining weight, which is currently at 13.5 stone
He said that the supportive comments from fans spurred him on to lose weight, but that people have to be ‘careful’ about what they say.
‘You know when you get comments like, ‘You look well, keep going,” it does spur you on, it does make you feel better,’ he said.
‘I think you’ve got to be quite careful, if it’s about someone looking healthy, I think – I used to say to myself, “the more weight you lose the better,” so the skinnier you are the better, but that isn’t actually the case because there are times when you’re too skinny.’
He added: ‘And even now I’m trying to up my protein a little bit and trying to gain a little bit more.’
Argent, who saw his private and professional life play out on the ITV2 reality show for nearly a decade, has previously said having the gastric sleeve fitted in 2021 was ‘incredible and life-changing.’
‘At my biggest I was 27 stone. I took the p***. Now I’m about 13.5 stone,’ he said (Arg pictured in 2021)
The TV star recently made an unlikely friend in the form of former Health Secretary Matt Hancock when they appeared together on Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS.
He admitted they still keep in touch, with the former politician contacting him every now and again on WhatsApp.
‘He was very supportive towards me and kind to me and nice so as much as people would probably love me to slag him off and hate him I can’t,’ he told the podcast.
‘Sometimes I get the odd WhatsApp – yeah I’ve got him on WhatsApp.’
He said the last message he received from Hancock thanked him for being ‘such a legend’ and wished him a ‘happy New Year’ full of ‘joy and happiness and prosperity.’
James Argent showed off his toned physique as he worked out in Marbella, just months after debuting his staggering weight loss.
The former TOWIE star, 36, reached 27 stone during lockdown, before losing nearly 14 stone when he overhauled his lifestyle and underwent a sleeve gastrectomy procedure.
Argent showed off his new muscles as he exercised at Mikes Gym in Marbella on Tuesday.
He was spotted running up and down stairs, as well as doing dips to work on his triceps and tackling a rope climb.
Argent sported a pair of running trainers and blue shorts as he worked out in the Spanish sun.
James Argent showed off his toned physique as he worked out in Marbella on Tuesday, just months after debuting his staggering weight loss
The former TOWIE star, 36, reached 27 stone during lockdown , before losing nearly 14 stone when he overhauled his lifestyle and underwent a sleeve gastrectomy procedure
Earlier this year after debuting his weight loss, Arg revealed he was keen to put weight on again.
Argent, who rose to fame when he joined the Essex-set reality show in 2010, revealed he is now working on gaining weight, which was then at 13.5 stone.
He spoke exclusively to the Mail’s comedy podcast, Straight To The Comments! which embraces the hilarity and uniqueness of the MailOnline comment section with the celebs in question.
‘At my biggest I was 27 stone. I took the p***. Now I’m about 13.5 stone,’ he said.
‘I think I was just acting out on feelings and emotions, eating and eating and then lockdown, Covid, that didn’t help.’
He admitted that his doctor told him he was ‘on death row’ when he was at his heaviest, during which time he ‘couldn’t tie my own shoelaces’ and was ‘finding it hard to breathe.’
Argent, known as ‘Arg’, said that he wasn’t even able to see his own penis, joking: ‘I can just about see it now.’
Despite his positive lifestyle change, Argent said that there were times when he actually got ‘too skinny’ and is currently trying to ‘up’ his protein and ‘gain a little bit more.’
Argent showed off his new muscles as he exercised at Mikes Gym in Marbella on Tuesday
He was spotted running up and down stairs, as well as doing dips to work on his triceps and tackling a rope climb
Argent sported a pair of running trainers and blue shorts as he worked out in the Spanish sun
Earlier this year after debuting his weight loss, Arg revealed he was keen to put weight on again
Argent, who rose to fame when he joined the Essex-set reality show in 2010, revealed he is now working on gaining weight, which is currently at 13.5 stone
He said that the supportive comments from fans spurred him on to lose weight, but that people have to be ‘careful’ about what they say.
‘You know when you get comments like, ‘You look well, keep going,” it does spur you on, it does make you feel better,’ he said.
‘I think you’ve got to be quite careful, if it’s about someone looking healthy, I think – I used to say to myself, “the more weight you lose the better,” so the skinnier you are the better, but that isn’t actually the case because there are times when you’re too skinny.’
He added: ‘And even now I’m trying to up my protein a little bit and trying to gain a little bit more.’
Argent, who saw his private and professional life play out on the ITV2 reality show for nearly a decade, has previously said having the gastric sleeve fitted in 2021 was ‘incredible and life-changing.’
‘At my biggest I was 27 stone. I took the p***. Now I’m about 13.5 stone,’ he said (Arg pictured in 2021)
The TV star recently made an unlikely friend in the form of former Health Secretary Matt Hancock when they appeared together on Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS.
He admitted they still keep in touch, with the former politician contacting him every now and again on WhatsApp.
‘He was very supportive towards me and kind to me and nice so as much as people would probably love me to slag him off and hate him I can’t,’ he told the podcast.
‘Sometimes I get the odd WhatsApp – yeah I’ve got him on WhatsApp.’
He said the last message he received from Hancock thanked him for being ‘such a legend’ and wished him a ‘happy New Year’ full of ‘joy and happiness and prosperity.’
