St. Albert the Great Taught Us That the Church and Science Are in Harmony

Science and Health

St. Albert the Great (Albertus Magnus), scientist, philosopher, theologian, pioneer, pray for us.

St. Albert the Great was considered the “wonder and the miracle of his age” by his contemporaries. He was an assiduous Dominican whose accomplishments and gifts to the Church would be difficult to exaggerate.

Born around 1206 and joining the Order of Preachers in 1223, Albert quickly became a master of almost every academic subject. Notwithstanding the standards of his own time, he became a pioneer of the natural sciences — both empirical and philosophical. His teachings on nature and theology were revolutionary, and he captured the attention of a young and taciturn Dominican — St. Thomas Aquinas.

While surpassing all his contemporaries in intellect and cogency, it was his own student who managed to shine brighter than he. If Albert blazed the path, then it was Aquinas who reached and held the summit. Then, tragically, when the quick flash of Aquinas’ life was over, it was Albert who defended him and held him up as a beacon of light for the whole Church. St. Albert the Great was a teacher, a bishop, and a forerunner to some of the greatest theological gifts the Church has received.

After joining the Dominicans, Albert went to Paris in 1245 and successfully received his doctorate. He then began teaching in Paris and then in Cologne, Germany. It was during his time in Cologne that he noticed a young man named Thomas. The quiet student was nicknamed “Dumb Ox” by his peers, because of his weight and the mistaken notion his silence was due to an obtuse mind. In time, Albert realized the great acumen of the young man, and Albert took him as a disciple.

God and Nature

What drew Aquinas — and the praise and condemnation of others — to St. Albert was his exhaustive study of nature and God. Though it was over a millennium since the birth of Christ, the Church still struggled to define nature and its role in Creation. In essence, different theological camps disagreed on how to communicate a supposedly autonomous nature — with its own laws and movements — and an omnipotent God.

If it snows, is God making it snow or are there self-moving natural causes for the snow? Though a simplistic example, the relationship between God and nature is a deciding point between theology and science or even faith and reason. Oftentimes, certain groups worried that granting nature independent causes would detract from God’s glory or resurrect pagan ideals.

At the center of many related controversies, was the pagan philosopher Aristotle. The writings of Aristotle had come originally to Catholicism through Jewish and Islamic scholars, which detrimentally imported a good deal of erroneous commentary. The errors — which ranged from a misunderstanding of Aristotle to thinking Aristotle was infallible — colored the Catholic mind against the Greek philosopher on many counts. Albert’s indefatigable spirit strove to show that Aristotle’s account of nature could import a great service to the Church and her theology. Though he wrote an entire chapter entitled The Errors of Aristotle, Albert showed that the principles articulated in Aristotle’s natural philosophy could be harmoniously placed within the cosmos described by Scripture.

The Church and Science

The first major gift Catholicism has inherited from the riches of St. Albert’s pursuit is the idea that the Church and science are not at war with one another. Though nature moves by its own laws, the Author of those laws is the same Author of Holy Scripture — this stance is a great affirmation of the belief in a harmony between faith and reason. The philosophical foundations for the Church discussing issues like evolution, the age of the earth, psychology, the origins of the universe, etc., all point back to the early erudition of St. Albert the Great. The concept of nature having its own causes, and that those causes could be studied via experiments, was so revolutionary that many could not decipher between scientific experiments and magic; thus, St. Albert was once accused of being a magician.

Scholasticism

The second achievement of St. Albert was Scholasticism and his pupil St. Thomas Aquinas. The Scholastic approach was unique in the sense that it centered itself on a true belief in the harmony of faith and reason, and in a well-ordered cosmos with one Divine Author. It was precisely this holistic gathering of all the sciences under one divine science that earned the scholastic St. Albert the title of Universal Doctor.

It would be difficult to exaggerate the importance Scholasticism still holds within Holy Mother Church. Pope Leo XIII declared that “it is the proper and singular gift of Scholastic theologians to bind together human knowledge and Divine knowledge in the very closest bonds.” Pope Sixtus V confirmed that Scholasticism “has an apt coherence of facts and causes, connected with one another; an order and arrangement, like soldiers drawn up in battle array … by these the light is divided from darkness, and truth from falsehood. The lies of heretics, wrapped up in many wiles and fallacies, being stripped of their coverings, are bared and laid open.”

And while St. Albert must be remembered in his own right, we must acknowledge the magnificence of his student — St. Thomas Aquinas. After Thomas’ sudden death on the way to the Council of Lyons, St. Albert declared that the Light of the Church had gone out. Later, the Church bestowed upon St. Thomas the title of Angelic Doctor. The Church only continued to esteem the scholar and his scholasticism: the “chief and special glory” was having his Summa Theologiae laid upon the altar as a source of inspiration at the Council of Trent. He was then declared the Patron of All Catholic Schools and Universities by Pope Leo XIII.

Behind all the appropriate adulation for St. Thomas, his Summa, and all it represents, is the genius and perseverance of St. Albert.

St. Albert the Great, scientist, philosopher, theologian, pioneer, pray for us.

Everything We Know About Christopher Nolan’s New Film Starring Zendaya And Tom Holland

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

A new film from Inception director Christopher Nolan was confirmed on Friday, Nov. 8; though details are sparse, fans are quite excited by what has been revealed so far. One of the biggest draws is that Spider-Man co-stars and real-life couple Zendaya and Tom Holland have been cast in the upcoming movie.Here’s what we know about the film’s development so far.What Is Christopher Nolan’s New Film About?No logline or plot points have been confirmed just yet. His last release was the Academy Award-winning film Oppenheimer in summer 2023, starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr. It focused on the story of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer who was recruited to work on the Manhattan Project, leading to nuclear bomb drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. The movie took home Oscars in both the Best Picture and Best Director categories.Who Is Cast In Christopher Nolan’s New Film?Zendaya, Tom Holland, Matt Damon, and Anne Hathaway are part of the new movie’s cast, per a leading international publication. Hathaway is a veteran of working with Nolan, appearing in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises and 2014’s Interstellar. This will be Zendaya and Holland’s first time with the director.In an interview with Good Morning America in October, Holland said he signed on without many details either. “When the opportunity came in, it was the phone call of a lifetime,” Holland said. “It was reminiscent of getting the call about Spider-Man ten years ago. It’s an amazing thing for me. I’m super proud and I’m really, really excited.”When Will The Movie Be Released?The film is expected to begin shooting in early 2025, and already has an Imax release date for July 17, 2026, according to a leading publication.This post will be updated.ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.Read the original article in ELLE USA.

Tourist, 31, ‘dismembered & stuffed into 2 suitcases by man she met on night out before being dumped in wood’

Travel

AN AMERICAN tourist’s dismembered body was found stuffed inside two suitcases after she was allegedly killed by a man she met on a night out.Mackenzie Michalski, who was partying in Budapest, was reported missing before her body was found some 100 miles outside the capital city. 8Mackenzie Michalski was killed during a holiday in BudapestCredit: Collects8Her chopped-up body was found inside two suitcasesCredit: Budapest Metropolitan Police8The 31-year-old nurse from Portland, Oregon, was dumped deep inside a forest near Lake Balaton near Szigliget – a two-hour drive from Budapest. Cops investigating Michalski’s disappearance arrested an Irish man just 24 hours after her friends reported her missing to the authorities. The man, said to be in his 30s, later confessed to killing her while having sex, but claimed it was an accident. A happy Michalski reportedly sent a picture of her enjoying drinks in the Jewish Quarter of Budapest, shortly before she went missing. read more world news CCTV footage later showed the Irishman dancing with her before the couple went to his rented apartment where she was allegedly killed while having sex.He even tried to clean his apartment before dumping inside the suitcases, cops said. They added: “They had gotten intimate, and he killed her in the process.”The perpetrator tried to cover up the murder; he cleaned his apartment and hid the girl’s body in the wardrobe cabinet while he went out to buy a suitcase.”Footage released by the Budapest police department showed the handcuffed man leading the cops to the forest where he allegedly dumped her body. Investigators alleged he made several internet searches after the killing, including “getting rid of the smell of rotting meat”.Chilling Charles Manson phone call as killer admits to murders & ‘leaving bodies on beach’ before assembling ‘family’He also is said to have googled “how reliable is the police in Budapest?”.Authorities are now investigating her cause of death but said it could have been a result of a sex game gone wrong.It comes just days after the ex-boyfriend of Michalski claimed that she had been “beaten, raped and brutally” murdered by the suspect, the DailyMail reports. Kenton Reichen, who was in a relationship with her for six years, had plans to travel to Budapest with her but cancelled at the last minute after the pair went through a sudden breakup. The heartbroken man said he “could have saved her from this” and “protected her”. FAMILY’S LOSSMichalski’s devastated parents are currently in Budapest.Friends and family said in a statement that she will “forever be remembered as a beautiful and compassionate young woman who dedicated herself to caring for others and making the world a better place”.They added: “We are thankful that Kenzie’s soul is now at peace. Her memory and legacy will endure in the hearts of all whom she’s touched. To ­understand Kenzie’s spirit is to wholeheartedly embrace the vast joy and wonder of life.”On Saturday night at a candlelit vigil in Budapest, Bill Michalski, her father, told The Associated Press he was ‘still overcome with emotion’.’There was no reason for this to happen. I’m still trying to wrap my arms around what happened’, he added. ‘I don´t know that I ever will.’While struggling to come to terms with his daughter’s death, he revealed that Hungary was her ‘happy place.’Read more on the Scottish Sun’The history, she just loved it and she was just so relaxed here,’ he said. ‘This was her city.’The Department of Foreign Affairs is understood to be aware of the case.8She was reported missing by her friends before cops found her bodyCredit: 29 News8The nurse was seen dancing with an Irishman who has now been arrestedCredit: Collects8Cops investigating her case near the location where her body was foundCredit: Budapest Metropolitan Police8The Irishman, pictured, claimed he killed the woman by accidentCredit: Budapest Metropolitan Police8Friends hold candles while remembering Mackenzie Michalski during a vigilCredit: AP

More than 260 million people in USA will be either obese or overweight by 2050: Study

Technology

Over the past three decades, there has been a startling increase in the prevalence of obesity across the USA, at least doubling in adult men and women (aged 25 and older) and older female and male adolescents (aged 15-24 years) since 1990, with the number of people living with overweight and obesity reaching over 208 million in 2021—a trend set to continue in the coming decades without significant reform, according to a major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Collaborator Network, published in The Lancet. Especially high levels of overweight and obesity have already been reached in several US states, with over half (52%) of older adolescent males (aged 15-24 years) in Texas and nearly two-thirds (63%) of older adolescent females in Mississippi living with overweight or obesity in 2021. Similarly, in adults (aged 25 or older), around 80% of men in North Dakota and women in Mississippi were estimated to have overweight or obesity in 2021. The study predicts devastating trends at the population level. The total number of US children and adolescents with overweight and obesity is expected to reach 43.1 million by 2050 (an additional 6.74 million from 2021), and the number of adults 213 million (an additional 41.4 million), underscoring the urgent need for concerted population-wide action to reverse these trends and the stark geographical and sex disparities. “Our analysis lays bare the decades-long failure to tackle the growing overweight and obesity epidemic in the USA. The catastrophic consequences of the surge in overweight and obesity among children are already evident in the rising prevalence of childhood hypertension and type 2 diabetes,” said lead author Professor Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, USA. “Overweight and obesity can trigger serious health conditions—many of which are now occurring at younger ages, including diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, cancer, mental health disorders, and even premature death. “The soaring health system and economic costs will be equally pervasive, with over 260 million people in the USA, including over half of all children and adolescents, expected to be living with overweight or obesity by 2050. United efforts and urgent investments are needed to alter these troubling trajectories and ensure a healthier future for current and upcoming generations,”   Emmanuela Gakidou said. The new analysis estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity for children and young adolescents (aged 5-14 years), older adolescents (aged 15-24 years), and adults (aged 25 and older) from 1990 to 2021 with forecasts to 2050 (assuming continuation of past trends and patterns) using 134 unique data sources, including all major national surveillance survey data. The new analysis provides in-depth forecasts, broken down at the state level, as well as by age and sex. Adjustments were made to correct for self-reporting bias. For individuals older than 18 years, overweight was defined as having a BMI of 25 kg/m² to less than 30 kg/m² and obesity was defined as a BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher. For individuals younger than 18 years definitions were based on International Obesity Task Force criteria [1]. 213 million American adults predicted to have overweight or obesity in 2050 Almost three-quarters of the adult population (172 million adults aged 25 or older) in the USA were estimated to be living with overweight or obesity in 2021. The prevalence of obesity rose especially rapidly, doubling between 1990 and 2021 in both adult men (from 18.6% to 41.5%) and women (from 22.8% to 45.6%; see table in Notes to Editors) The estimated prevalence of adult overweight and obesity was high across all states in 2021. In men, levels ranged from 80.6% in North Dakota to 65.3% in Washington DC; while in women, levels ranged from 79.9% in Mississippi to 63.7% in Hawaii (see figures 1C and D in paper.) Continuation of these trends would see overweight and obesity prevalence among adults (age-standardized to allow comparisons between states and over time) rise from an estimated 75.9% in 2021 to around 81.1% for men and from 72.6% to 82.1% for women. This would mean an estimated 41.4 million additional adults living with overweight or obesity by 2050 (raising the total to 213 million, of whom 146 million will have obesity). Concerningly, the prevalence of obesity is projected to increase at a more rapid rate than overweight, and faster among adult men than women. Between 2021 and 2050, the highest rise in obesity prevalence among men is expected in Colorado (up 44.2%) and New Mexico (up 41.2%), and among adult women in Kansas and Colorado (both up 34.9%).   However, the highest levels of obesity are expected to remain in the southern states, with around two-thirds of adult men in West Virginia and Kentucky forecast to be living with obesity by 2050, as well as two-thirds of adult women in 12 states, with especially high rates of obesity predicted in Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas and Alabama (both around 69%; see figure 4B in paper). Interestingly, the onset of obesity has become earlier over subsequent generations. For example, approximately two out of five women born in the 1960s were living with obesity at the age of 45, however the same proportion were living with obesity by the age of 30 for women born in the 1980s, and by the age of 20 for women born in 2020 (see figure 5). “Obesity is at a crisis point throughout the USA, with every state challenged to some degree,” said co-author Affiliate Associate Professor Marie Ng from IHME, University of Washington, USA. “Over the past three decades, the country has experienced extensive economic, demographic, and technological transitions that have triggered profound changes to food and agricultural systems, urbanisation, and wealth and educational inequalities together with underlying structural racism that all interact to drive population-wide obesity—whether it be the marketing of unhealthy food products to children, the proliferation of sedentary online activities, or food deserts (neighbourhoods that lack healthy, affordable food options) that are more common in racial and ethnic minority neighbourhoods.” Unprecedented epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity The new analysis estimates that older adolescent obesity prevalence rose substantially in the USA between 1990 and 2021, more than doubling in both males (from 8.8% to 22.7%) and females (from 10.1% to 28.8% see table in Notes to Editors). In 2021, an estimated 15.1 million children and young adolescents and 21.4 million older adolescents were living with overweight or obesity. However, they impact segments of the American population differently, with older adolescent females (50.8%) experiencing higher prevalence in 2021 than older adolescent males (46.7%), with especially high rates among older adolescent females in Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma (where levels exceeded 59%), and among older adolescent males in Texas and West Virginia (where levels exceeded 52%; Figure 1A and B in paper). The new study predicts that an additional 3.3 million children and young adolescents and 3.41 million older adolescents will be living with overweight or obesity by 2050 (raising the total to 43.1 million, of whom 24 million will have obesity). With the increase in obesity projected to outpace the increase in overweight, around one in five children and at least one in three adolescents are expected to be living with obesity in 2050. The rising tide of adolescent obesity is projected to reach the highest levels among older adolescent males in Oklahoma (43%), Mississippi (39.8%) and West Virginia (37.7%) in 2050, and affect at least half of older adolescent females living in Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama (see figure 4A). However, the largest numbers of older adolescents with obesity will continue to be in California (1.53 million) and Texas (1.49 million) in 2050. Associate Professor Ng said: “The mechanisms behind the rising obesity prevalence are much more complex than just a matter of excessive energy intake and physical inactivity.” “Existing interventions which focus on lifestyle-based behavioural changes do not produce sufficient and sustainable reductions in overweight and obesity, especially among children and adolescents,” Ng said. “Addressing the structural drivers of population obesity and emphasising prevention must be central to any future strategies. Future interventions also need to account for societal shifts in acceptance of obesity, alongside tailoring solutions by sex and for states with high obesity rates,” Ng said. Population-level prevention and a cross-government strategy key to tackling obesity crisis The analysis notes that while anti-obesity medications like glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have a place in obesity management, they alone will not be enough to solve the obesity epidemic. As Associate Professor Ng explains: “Given the predicted surge in overweight and obesity, demand for anti-obesity medication will definitely increase, but it is not a silver bullet. With concern surrounding prohibitive costs and equitable access, together with varying effectiveness and potentially serious side-effects, prevention will remain a primary strategy.” The authors stress that prevention needs to become a much more dominant focus of obesity control and that any policies aiming to tackle the obesity crisis must be a priority at federal and state governments and backed by high-level political commitment. They should also be comprehensive, reaching individuals across the life course and targeting inequalities. For example, given that obesity is intergenerational, the authors say that intervention needs to begin with pregnant women and early feeding practices. “Rather than relying on individual agency, stronger governance is needed to support and implement a multifaceted whole-system approach to radically disrupt the structural drivers of overweight and obesity at both national and community levels, as well as within households and schools,” said Professor Gakidou. “Federal policymakers must look beyond short-term political goals to target policy interventions not just within the health sector, for example ensuring all children have access to nutritious primary school meals and that there is greater regulation of junk food marketing.” She added: “Above all, reversing the US obesity epidemic will rely on the government supporting programmes that increase levels of physical activity, such as investing in safe and walkable neighbourhoods, guaranteeing the availability of healthy food to children and adolescents, regulating the food and marketing industries, and achieving environmentally sustainable food systems.” The authors note some important limitations, including that while the study uses the best available data, predictions are constrained by the quality and availability of data, and for that reason, they were unable to estimate the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity at the state level. They also note that the definition of overweight and obesity is based on BMI, which might not account for variations in body structure across the population, and that they did not examine racial and ethnic disparities in obesity. Finally, past trends are not always predictive of what will happen in the future, and some factors, like the recent surge in the use of GLP-1 anti-obesity medications could alter the longer-term forecasting trends of overweight and obesity.

More than 260 million people in USA will be either obese or overweight by 2050: Study

Technology

Over the past three decades, there has been a startling increase in the prevalence of obesity across the USA, at least doubling in adult men and women (aged 25 and older) and older female and male adolescents (aged 15-24 years) since 1990, with the number of people living with overweight and obesity reaching over 208 million in 2021—a trend set to continue in the coming decades without significant reform, according to a major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Collaborator Network, published in The Lancet. Especially high levels of overweight and obesity have already been reached in several US states, with over half (52%) of older adolescent males (aged 15-24 years) in Texas and nearly two-thirds (63%) of older adolescent females in Mississippi living with overweight or obesity in 2021. Similarly, in adults (aged 25 or older), around 80% of men in North Dakota and women in Mississippi were estimated to have overweight or obesity in 2021. The study predicts devastating trends at the population level. The total number of US children and adolescents with overweight and obesity is expected to reach 43.1 million by 2050 (an additional 6.74 million from 2021), and the number of adults 213 million (an additional 41.4 million), underscoring the urgent need for concerted population-wide action to reverse these trends and the stark geographical and sex disparities. “Our analysis lays bare the decades-long failure to tackle the growing overweight and obesity epidemic in the USA. The catastrophic consequences of the surge in overweight and obesity among children are already evident in the rising prevalence of childhood hypertension and type 2 diabetes,” said lead author Professor Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, USA. “Overweight and obesity can trigger serious health conditions—many of which are now occurring at younger ages, including diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, cancer, mental health disorders, and even premature death. “The soaring health system and economic costs will be equally pervasive, with over 260 million people in the USA, including over half of all children and adolescents, expected to be living with overweight or obesity by 2050. United efforts and urgent investments are needed to alter these troubling trajectories and ensure a healthier future for current and upcoming generations,”   Emmanuela Gakidou said. The new analysis estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity for children and young adolescents (aged 5-14 years), older adolescents (aged 15-24 years), and adults (aged 25 and older) from 1990 to 2021 with forecasts to 2050 (assuming continuation of past trends and patterns) using 134 unique data sources, including all major national surveillance survey data. The new analysis provides in-depth forecasts, broken down at the state level, as well as by age and sex. Adjustments were made to correct for self-reporting bias. For individuals older than 18 years, overweight was defined as having a BMI of 25 kg/m² to less than 30 kg/m² and obesity was defined as a BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher. For individuals younger than 18 years definitions were based on International Obesity Task Force criteria [1]. 213 million American adults predicted to have overweight or obesity in 2050 Almost three-quarters of the adult population (172 million adults aged 25 or older) in the USA were estimated to be living with overweight or obesity in 2021. The prevalence of obesity rose especially rapidly, doubling between 1990 and 2021 in both adult men (from 18.6% to 41.5%) and women (from 22.8% to 45.6%; see table in Notes to Editors) The estimated prevalence of adult overweight and obesity was high across all states in 2021. In men, levels ranged from 80.6% in North Dakota to 65.3% in Washington DC; while in women, levels ranged from 79.9% in Mississippi to 63.7% in Hawaii (see figures 1C and D in paper.) Continuation of these trends would see overweight and obesity prevalence among adults (age-standardized to allow comparisons between states and over time) rise from an estimated 75.9% in 2021 to around 81.1% for men and from 72.6% to 82.1% for women. This would mean an estimated 41.4 million additional adults living with overweight or obesity by 2050 (raising the total to 213 million, of whom 146 million will have obesity). Concerningly, the prevalence of obesity is projected to increase at a more rapid rate than overweight, and faster among adult men than women. Between 2021 and 2050, the highest rise in obesity prevalence among men is expected in Colorado (up 44.2%) and New Mexico (up 41.2%), and among adult women in Kansas and Colorado (both up 34.9%).   However, the highest levels of obesity are expected to remain in the southern states, with around two-thirds of adult men in West Virginia and Kentucky forecast to be living with obesity by 2050, as well as two-thirds of adult women in 12 states, with especially high rates of obesity predicted in Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas and Alabama (both around 69%; see figure 4B in paper). Interestingly, the onset of obesity has become earlier over subsequent generations. For example, approximately two out of five women born in the 1960s were living with obesity at the age of 45, however the same proportion were living with obesity by the age of 30 for women born in the 1980s, and by the age of 20 for women born in 2020 (see figure 5). “Obesity is at a crisis point throughout the USA, with every state challenged to some degree,” said co-author Affiliate Associate Professor Marie Ng from IHME, University of Washington, USA. “Over the past three decades, the country has experienced extensive economic, demographic, and technological transitions that have triggered profound changes to food and agricultural systems, urbanisation, and wealth and educational inequalities together with underlying structural racism that all interact to drive population-wide obesity—whether it be the marketing of unhealthy food products to children, the proliferation of sedentary online activities, or food deserts (neighbourhoods that lack healthy, affordable food options) that are more common in racial and ethnic minority neighbourhoods.” Unprecedented epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity The new analysis estimates that older adolescent obesity prevalence rose substantially in the USA between 1990 and 2021, more than doubling in both males (from 8.8% to 22.7%) and females (from 10.1% to 28.8% see table in Notes to Editors). In 2021, an estimated 15.1 million children and young adolescents and 21.4 million older adolescents were living with overweight or obesity. However, they impact segments of the American population differently, with older adolescent females (50.8%) experiencing higher prevalence in 2021 than older adolescent males (46.7%), with especially high rates among older adolescent females in Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma (where levels exceeded 59%), and among older adolescent males in Texas and West Virginia (where levels exceeded 52%; Figure 1A and B in paper). The new study predicts that an additional 3.3 million children and young adolescents and 3.41 million older adolescents will be living with overweight or obesity by 2050 (raising the total to 43.1 million, of whom 24 million will have obesity). With the increase in obesity projected to outpace the increase in overweight, around one in five children and at least one in three adolescents are expected to be living with obesity in 2050. The rising tide of adolescent obesity is projected to reach the highest levels among older adolescent males in Oklahoma (43%), Mississippi (39.8%) and West Virginia (37.7%) in 2050, and affect at least half of older adolescent females living in Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama (see figure 4A). However, the largest numbers of older adolescents with obesity will continue to be in California (1.53 million) and Texas (1.49 million) in 2050. Associate Professor Ng said: “The mechanisms behind the rising obesity prevalence are much more complex than just a matter of excessive energy intake and physical inactivity.” “Existing interventions which focus on lifestyle-based behavioural changes do not produce sufficient and sustainable reductions in overweight and obesity, especially among children and adolescents,” Ng said. “Addressing the structural drivers of population obesity and emphasising prevention must be central to any future strategies. Future interventions also need to account for societal shifts in acceptance of obesity, alongside tailoring solutions by sex and for states with high obesity rates,” Ng said. Population-level prevention and a cross-government strategy key to tackling obesity crisis The analysis notes that while anti-obesity medications like glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have a place in obesity management, they alone will not be enough to solve the obesity epidemic. As Associate Professor Ng explains: “Given the predicted surge in overweight and obesity, demand for anti-obesity medication will definitely increase, but it is not a silver bullet. With concern surrounding prohibitive costs and equitable access, together with varying effectiveness and potentially serious side-effects, prevention will remain a primary strategy.” The authors stress that prevention needs to become a much more dominant focus of obesity control and that any policies aiming to tackle the obesity crisis must be a priority at federal and state governments and backed by high-level political commitment. They should also be comprehensive, reaching individuals across the life course and targeting inequalities. For example, given that obesity is intergenerational, the authors say that intervention needs to begin with pregnant women and early feeding practices. “Rather than relying on individual agency, stronger governance is needed to support and implement a multifaceted whole-system approach to radically disrupt the structural drivers of overweight and obesity at both national and community levels, as well as within households and schools,” said Professor Gakidou. “Federal policymakers must look beyond short-term political goals to target policy interventions not just within the health sector, for example ensuring all children have access to nutritious primary school meals and that there is greater regulation of junk food marketing.” She added: “Above all, reversing the US obesity epidemic will rely on the government supporting programmes that increase levels of physical activity, such as investing in safe and walkable neighbourhoods, guaranteeing the availability of healthy food to children and adolescents, regulating the food and marketing industries, and achieving environmentally sustainable food systems.” The authors note some important limitations, including that while the study uses the best available data, predictions are constrained by the quality and availability of data, and for that reason, they were unable to estimate the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity at the state level. They also note that the definition of overweight and obesity is based on BMI, which might not account for variations in body structure across the population, and that they did not examine racial and ethnic disparities in obesity. Finally, past trends are not always predictive of what will happen in the future, and some factors, like the recent surge in the use of GLP-1 anti-obesity medications could alter the longer-term forecasting trends of overweight and obesity.

Michael Nave Appointed Repkon USA – Defense CTO

Technology

Michael Nave, former senior director of product engineering at General Dynamics‘ ordnance and tactical systems, has joined Repkon USA -Defense as chief technology officer, the executive announced in a LinkedIn post.
He joined GD-OTS in 2019 as director of engineering and was elevated to his most recent post in 2021, taking responsibilities for all product engineering activities for the Medium Caliber Ammunition group. He also provided technical direction for all PE modeling and analysis activities.
Previously, Nave served as systems integration business development manager for the Reconnaissance and Targeting Systems Electro-Optics and Infrared product line in the land warfare systems segment of Raytheon Missile Systems.
The executive, before moving to Raytheon, spent several years at Northrop Grumman holding roles of increasing responsibilities, including senior business development manager and advanced development senior engineering manager.
Earlier in his career, Nave served as a program manager at GD-OTS.

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Michael Nave Appointed Repkon USA – Defense CTO

Technology

Michael Nave, former senior director of product engineering at General Dynamics‘ ordnance and tactical systems, has joined Repkon USA -Defense as chief technology officer, the executive announced in a LinkedIn post.
He joined GD-OTS in 2019 as director of engineering and was elevated to his most recent post in 2021, taking responsibilities for all product engineering activities for the Medium Caliber Ammunition group. He also provided technical direction for all PE modeling and analysis activities.
Previously, Nave served as systems integration business development manager for the Reconnaissance and Targeting Systems Electro-Optics and Infrared product line in the land warfare systems segment of Raytheon Missile Systems.
The executive, before moving to Raytheon, spent several years at Northrop Grumman holding roles of increasing responsibilities, including senior business development manager and advanced development senior engineering manager.
Earlier in his career, Nave served as a program manager at GD-OTS.

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