A major University of Sydney-led study published in The Lancet has found no evidence that family-based early obesity prevention programs—such as home visits or parent groups—improve BMI in young children. Analysing data from 17 international trials, researchers say structural and environmental changes are urgently needed, as one in four Australian children start school with overweight or obesity. Experts warn that relying on families alone may worsen health inequalities, especially in lower socioeconomic communities.

A new Cornell University study covering nearly three decades and 189 countries finds that while traditional farm jobs decline as nations grow wealthier, employment in the broader food industry – from processing plants to restaurants – remains surprisingly steady, offering better wages but also deepening gender pay gaps.

In a new study, researchers examined the relative contributions of siting decisions (i.e., where to locate infrastructure projects) and demographic shifts after projects are built to current disparities in exposure to polluting U.S. fossil fuel plants. The study found little evidence that plants were disproportionately located in counties with higher Black populations, on average. But it also found that the share of the Black population grew in the decades after the first fossil fuel plant was built in a county.

Experiencing higher levels of gratitude could lead to lower financial stress, new research published in De Gruyter Brill’s Open Psychology suggests.

Hala Altamimi of the University of Kansas has conducted several studies examining how private practices like focusing on efficiency by expecting organizations to do more with less has impacted the world of nonprofits. At arts and culture nonprofits, study results showed when the groups used flexible labor like consultants, contractors or temporary employees, it leads to negative outcomes in their attendance as well as short-term financial gain, but not long-term financial improvement.