Global cities and cultural diversity: challenges and opportunities for young people’s nutrition.

Childhood obesity is a common concern across global cities and threatens sustainable urban development. Initiatives to improve nutrition and encourage physical exercise are promising but are yet to exert significant influence on prevention. Childhood obesity in London is associated with distinct ethnic and socio-economic patterns. Ethnic inequalities in health-related behaviour endure, underpinned by inequalities in employment, housing, access to welfare services, and discrimination. Addressing these growing concerns requires a clearer understanding of the socio-cultural, environmental and economic contexts of urban living that promote obesity. We explore opportunities for prevention using asset based-approaches to nutritional health and well-being, with a particular focus on adolescents from diverse ethnic backgrounds living in London. We focus on the important role that community engagement and multi-sectoral partnership play in improving the nutritional outcomes of London's children. London's children and adolescents grow up in the rich cultural mix of a global city where local streets are characterised by diversity in ethnicities, languages, religions, foods, and customs, creating complex and fluid identities. Growing up with such everyday diversity we argue can enhance the quality of life for London's children and strengthen their social capital. The Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health longitudinal study of about 6500 of London's young people demonstrated the positive impact of cultural diversity. Born to parents from over a hundred countries and exposed to multi-lingual households and religious practices, they demonstrated strong psychological resilience and sense of pride from cultural straddling, despite material disadvantage and discrimination. Supporting the potential contribution of such socio-cultural assets is in keeping with the values of social justice and equitable and sustainable development. Our work signals the importance of community engagement and multisectoral partnerships, involving, for example, schools and faith-based organisations, to improve the nutrition of London's children

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Methane emissions from contrasting production regions within Alberta, Canada: Implications under incoming federal methane regulations

Aggressive reductions of oil and gas sector methane, a potent greenhouse gas, have been proposed in Canada. Few large-scale measurement studies have been conducted to confirm a baseline. This study used a vehicle-based gas monitoring system to measure fugitive and vented gas emissions across Lloydminster (heavy oil), Peace River (heavy oil/bitumen), and Medicine Hat (conventional gas) developments in Alberta, Canada. Four gases (CO2, CH4, H2S, C2H6), and isotopic δ13CCH4 were recorded in real-time at 1 Hz over a six-week field campaign. We sampled 1,299 well pads, containing 2,670 unique wells and facilities, in triplicate. Geochemical emission signatures of fossil fuel-sourced plumes were identified and attributed to nearby, upwind oil and gas well pads, and a point-source gaussian plume dispersion model was used to quantify emissions rates. Our analysis focused exclusively on well pads where emissions were detected >50% of the time when sampled downwind. Emission occurrences and rates were highest in Lloydminster, where 40.8% of sampled well pads were estimated to be emitting methane-rich gas above our minimum detection limits (m = 9.73 m3d–1). Of the well pads we found to be persistently emitting in Lloydminster, an estimated 40.2% (95% CI: 32.2%–49.4%) emitted above the venting threshold in which emissions mitigation under federal regulations would be required. As a result of measured emissions being larger than those reported in government inventories, this study suggests government estimates of infrastructure affected by incoming regulations may be conservative. Comparing emission intensities with available Canadian-based research suggests good general agreement between studies, regardless of the measurement methodology used for detection and quantification. This study also demonstrates the effectiveness in applying a gaussian dispersion model to continuous mobile-sourced emissions data as a first-order leak detection and repair screening methodology for meeting regulatory compliance