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UPI
4 hours ago
- Health
- UPI
Four-day work week benefits workers, employers, study says
Workers at companies that instituted a four-day work week -- essentially working 80% of their regular hours for the same pay -- reported less burnout and better job satisfaction along with improved mental and physical health, researchers reported. Adobe stock/HealthDay July 22 (UPI) -- A four-day work week can lead to happier and more productive, dedicated employees, a new global study found. Workers at companies that instituted a four-day work week -- essentially working 80% of their regular hours for the same pay -- reported less burnout and better job satisfaction along with improved mental and physical health, researchers report in Nature Human Behavior. "Across outcomes, the magnitude [of improvement) is larger for the two work-related measures - burnout and job satisfaction - followed by mental health, with the smallest changes reported in physical health," wrote the research team co-led by Juliet Schor, an economist and sociologist at Boston College. For the study, researchers conducted six-month trials involving nearly 2,900 employees at 141 businesses or organizations that adopted a four-day work week in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., Ireland and the United States. The team compared employee well-being at those firms with that of about 290 employees at 12 other companies that didn't try out the abbreviated work week. People given a four-day week had, on average, five fewer hours of work per week, results show. Workers who had a reduction of eight or more hours in their work week reported larger decreases in burnout and increases in job satisfaction and mental health, compared with employees at companies that stuck to a five-day schedule, researchers said. But even workers who wound up with less time off during their four-day week still received smaller but similar benefits, researchers found. "There is a clear dose-response relationship for individual-level hours: greater reductions in hours worked predict larger improvements in subjective well-being," researchers wrote. Better sleep, improved effectiveness on the job and less fatigue appear to explain the improvements that occurred among employees with a four-day work week, researchers found. "Increases in perceived work ability - at both company and individual levels - indicate that the work reorganization process opened up by four-day weeks has led to profound changes in the job experience itself, improving workers' individual and collective sense of performing their jobs well," researchers wrote. Overall, the findings suggest that "an organization-wide reduction in hours can stimulate workers to collectively adjust and optimize their workflows, leading to improved work ability and well-being," researchers concluded. However, they noted that the companies that participated were already interested in trying a four-day work week, and therefore, might have been more supportive of employee well-being from the start. More studies including larger numbers of different types of companies are needed to verify that a four-day work week could benefit both employees and their businesses, researchers said. More information The American Psychological Association has more on the four-day work week. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UPI
6 days ago
- Health
- UPI
YoCrunch yogurt recalled afterr plastic pieces in packaging found
All flavors and sizes of YoCrunch with expiration dates from early July through early September have been recalled. Photo courtesy of U.S. Food and Drug Administration/HealthDay July 16 (UPI) -- YoCrunch yogurt products are being pulled from store shelves nationwide due to a safety concern, its manufacturer announced Monday. Danone U.S., the maker of YoCrunch, said small, sharp pieces of plastic may be inside the dome toppers of some products, CNN reported. The plastic could cause choking or injury if eaten. The yogurt itself is not affected. The company is recalling all flavors and sizes of YoCrunch with expiration dates from early July through early September. There have been reports that transparent plastic pieces were found in the dome, which holds toppings such as cookie bits or candy, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "The company is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the impacted product from shelves, while it works to address the issue and bring back the YoCrunch products so many people enjoy," Danone said in a statement. "Danone U.S., the makers of YoCrunch, takes every consumer experience seriously and is initiating this voluntary recall in line with its commitment to product quality and consumer safety," the company added. People who have the affected YoCrunch products should not eat them. Instead, call the 877-344-4886 for refund information. More information Read the full recall notice at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UPI
14-07-2025
- Health
- UPI
CDC says COVID-19 cases rising in 25 states
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 25 states are seeing growth in COVID cases as a summer wave appears to be starting, Adobe stock/HealthDay July 14 (UPI) -- COVID-19 cases are on the rise again across the United States, with the biggest increases in parts of the South, Southeast and West Coast. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 25 states are seeing growth in COVID cases as a summer wave appears to be starting, CBS News reported. Even though activity remains "low" nationwide - based on CDC wastewater data - it's up from "very low" the week before. Some of the biggest increases in emergency room visits for COVID have happened in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. In those areas, rates are now the highest they've been since February and March, CBS News added. Health experts had been watching for a possible summer spike, as new versions of the virus spread across the country. A recent CDC analysis shows that COVID now seems to follow a twice-a-year pattern: Cases usually peak once in the summer (July through September) and again in the winter (from December through February). "Our analysis revealed biannual COVID-19 peaks in late summer and winter, a pattern that is expected to persist as long as the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and cyclical S1 diversity continues," CDC scientists wrote. S1 diversity refers to ongoing changes in a key part of the virus's spike protein - specifically the S1 region, which helps the virus bind to human cells, CBS News reported. The CDC is also warning about another virus that's spreading more than usual right now: Parvovirus B19. Most people who catch this virus don't get very sick. But some develop flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches and a rash. Pregnant women are at higher risk for complications from parvovirus B19. The CDC says they should take extra steps to protect themselves such as wearing a mask in high-risk places. In Chicago, health officials said emergency rooms are seeing a spike in patients with this virus. "Several of the most recent weeks saw the highest percentage of B19-associated ED visits compared to the same week in all years since 2015," health officials said. Parvovirus B19 is not the same parvovirus that infects dogs and other canines. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on parvovirus B19. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UPI
11-07-2025
- Business
- UPI
Ritz peanut butter crackers recalled over labeling mistake
1 of 2 | Mondelēz Global LLC, the parent company of Ritz, is recalling the products because some packages containing peanut butter may be incorrectly labeled as cheese, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a safety notice. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration/HealthDay July 11 (UPI) -- A labeling mistake has led to a nationwide recall of four different types of Ritz peanut butter cracker sandwich cartons, federal health officials said. Mondelēz Global LLC, the parent company of Ritz, is recalling the products because some packages containing peanut butter may be incorrectly labeled as cheese, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a safety notice. That mistake could put people with peanut allergies at risk of "serious or life-threatening allergic reactions by consuming this product," the notice stated. "There have been no reports of injury or illness reported to Mondelēz Global LLC to date related to this product, and we are issuing this recall as a precaution," the FDA said. But folks who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume any of these products. The following Ritz cracker sandwich cartons are being recalled: 8-pack RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwich carton UPC: 0 44000 88210 5 Best When Used By Dates: Nov. 1-9, 2025 Plant Code: AE (on top of package) 20-pack RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwich carton UPC: 0 44000 07584 2 Best When Used By Dates: Nov. 1-9, 2025, and Jan. 2-22, 2026 Plant Code: AE 40-pack RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwich carton UPC: 0 44000 07819 5 Best When Used By Dates: Nov. 1-9, 2025, and Jan. 2-22, 2026 Plant Code: AM 20-pack RITZ Filled Cracker Sandwich Variety Pack carton UPC: 0 44000 08095 2 Best When Used By Dates: Nov. 2-9, 2025 Plant Code: RJ Photos of the recalled products can be found on the FDA's website. Anyone with a peanut allergy should not eat these products, even if they appear to be cheese-flavored. Instead, throw them away, health officials urged. Other Ritz products, including different cracker types or items from Mondelēz Global LLC, are not affected by the recall. More information Read the full recall notice and see photos of the recalled products at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UPI
09-07-2025
- Health
- UPI
Study: Fruits, vegetables protect against inflammatory bowel diseases
People noshing healthy plant-based foods had a 14% lower risk of Crohn's disease and an 8% lower risk of ulcerative colitis, researchers found. Adobe stock/HealthDay July 9 (UPI) -- A healthy plant-based diet might protect people from inflammatory bowel diseases, a new study says. People noshing healthy plant-based foods had a 14% lower risk of Crohn's disease and an 8% lower risk of ulcerative colitis, researchers found. On the other hand, an unhealthy diet containing more animal fats and vegetable oils was associated with a 15% increased risk of Crohn's disease, results show. "Our research indicates that a healthy plant-based diet may protect against inflammatory bowel disease, with its anti-inflammatory properties playing a key role," senior researcher Dr. Zhe Shen of the Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China said in a news release. For the study, researchers tracked more than 143,000 people participating in the UK Biobank, a large-scale health research project among residents of the United Kingdom. As part of the project, patients filled out diet questionnaires. During an average 14.5 years of follow-up, more than 1,000 people developed inflammatory bowel disease, researchers found. Researchers graded participants' diet based on their intake of healthy plant foods, unhealthy plant foods, and animal products. Analysis showed that higher intake of fruits and vegetables accounted for part of the lower risk for Crohn's disease, researchers said. Blood tests from participants indicate that the anti-inflammatory properties of plant-based foods might explain this protection, researchers said. "These findings underscore the beneficial association between healthy plant-based diets and reduced risk of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease," researchers concluded. "They provide important insights for the development of dietary guidelines aimed at preventing IBD." The new study appears in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. More information The Mayo Clinic has more on inflammatory bowel disease. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
