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The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
National birth rate growth sees surprise record surge
Cute but costly: A file photo of baby clothes displayed at a baby fair in Seoul. High costs of child-rearing and housing, and a tough job market are cited as reasons for the nation's low birth rate.— AFP THE nation registered record birth rate growth in the first five months of the year, a statistics agency official said. The country has one of the world's longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates – a combination that presents a looming demographic challenge. Seoul has poured billions of dollars into efforts to encourage women to have more children and maintain population stability. 'The number of newborns for the January-May period stood at 106,048, a 6.9% increase, the highest growth rate since such data collection began in 1981,' said Kang Hyun-young from Statistics Korea. The surge follows South Korea's first annual increase in the number of births in more than a decade, driven by a rise in marriages. In 2024, the number of newborns rose by 8,300, or 3.6%, to 238,300 from the previous year. April in particular saw a spike, with year-on-year growth reaching 8.7% and the number of births totalling 20,717 that month. The latest figure marks a sharp turnaround from early 2024, when the number of births for the January-May period dropped by 2.7% from the previous year. The fertility rate, or the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, for May stood at 0.75. The country needs a fertility rate of 2.1 children in order to maintain the country's population of 51 million. At current rates, the population will nearly halve to 26.8 million by 2100, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle. The increase is attributable 'to a rise in the number of women in their early 30s, leading to an overall increase in marriages,' Kang said. Analysts say that there are multiple reasons for the low birth rate, from high child-rearing costs and property prices to a notoriously competitive society that makes well-paid jobs difficult to secure. The double burden for working mothers of managing the brunt of household chores and childcare while also maintaining their careers is another key factor, they say. In a bid to reverse the trend, the South Korean government offers cash subsidies, babysitting services, and support for infertility treatment. — AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Your holiday cookout could be killing you
Could your Fourth of July cookout lead to an early death? Estimates from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council show Americans consume some 150 million hot dogs during the holiday weekend. Now, researchers say that eating any processed meat and other foods leaves Americans at a heightened risk for chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and colorectal cancer. The conditions result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people each year. 'Habitual consumption of even small amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids is linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and colorectal cancer,' Dr. Demewoz Haile, a research scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, told CNN this week. Analyzing data from more than 60 previous related studies, the researchers found that eating processed meat – as little as just one hot dog a day – was associated with at least an 11 percent average increase in type 2 diabetes risk and a 7 percent increase in colorectal cancer risk. Those who drank a sugar-sweetened beverage had an 8 percent average increase in type 2 diabetes risk and a 2 percent increase in ischemic heart disease risk. The study builds on years of research tying processed foods to higher risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. The Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting these foods and drinks, including sodas, hot dogs, and sausages. Although, researchers say it remains unclear exactly what aspects of processed foods pose potential health risks. It could be due to inflammation, Dr. Minyang Song, an associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan Schoo of Public Health, told CNN. He was not involved in the latest study. Processed meats also often contain chemicals known as nitrates nitrites that serve as a preservative and give the meat its rosy color. 'Nitrates convert to nitrites, and in the stomach's acidic environment, nitrites interact with certain components concentrated in meat to form N-nitroso compounds, which are potential carcinogens,' according to Harvard Medical School. Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, points out that processed meats contain other additives and are high in sodium, which is a risk factor for high blood pressure and heart disease. Dr. Ashkan Afshin, an assistant professor at the institute who was not a co-author of the new study, previously found that poor diet is responsible for more deaths globally than tobacco, high blood pressure, or any other health risk. "Poor diet is an equal opportunity killer," he said in 2019. "We are what we eat and risks affect people across a range of demographics, including age, gender, and economic status." Haile was the lead author of the study, which was published on Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.
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First Post
2 days ago
- Health
- First Post
South Korea sees rare baby boom as marriages rise and policies take root
The surge follows South Korea's first annual increase in births in more than a decade, which was fuelled by an increase in marriages. In 2024, the number of babies increased by 8,300, or 3.6%, to 238,300 from the previous year read more South Korea registered record birth rate growth during the first five months of the year. File image/ AFP South Korea's birth rate increased at a record pace in the first five months of the year, according to a statistics agency official who spoke with AFP on Wednesday. The country has one of the world's highest life expectancies and lowest birth rates, posing a significant demographic concern. Seoul has invested billions of dollars in programs to encourage women to have more children and maintain population stability. 'The number of newborns for the January–May period stood at 106,048, a 6.9 percent increase, the highest growth rate since such data collection began in 1981,' said Kang hyun-young from Statistics Korea. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The surge follows South Korea's first annual increase in births in more than a decade, which was fuelled by an increase in marriages. In 2024, the number of babies increased by 8,300, or 3.6%, to 238,300 from the previous year. April in particular saw a jump, with year-on-year increase of 8.7 percent and a total of 20,717 births that month. The most recent result represents a dramatic contrast to early 2024, when the number of newborns fell by 2.7% from the previous year between January and May. In May, the fertility rate, or average number of kids a woman is projected to have in her lifetime, was 0.75. The country needs a fertility rate of 2.1 children in order to maintain the country's population of 51 million. At current rates, the population will nearly halve to 26.8 million by 2100, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle. Marriage correlation The increase is attributable 'to a rise in the number of women in their early 30s, leading to an overall increase in marriages', Kang told AFP. 'In South Korea, there is a strong correlation between marriage and childbirth, which has driven the increase in births during the first five months,' she added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 2024, the country saw a 14.8 percent on-year increase in the number of marriages, with more than 220,000 couples tying the knot. Many government benefits designed to support child-rearing do not cover parents who are not legally married. Analysts say there are multiple reasons for the low birth rate, from high child-rearing costs and property prices to a notoriously competitive society that makes well-paid jobs difficult to secure. The double burden for working mothers of managing the brunt of household chores and childcare while also maintaining their careers is another key factor, they say. In a bid to reverse the trend, the South Korean government offers cash subsidies, babysitting services, and support for infertility treatment. Neighbouring Japan is grappling with the same issue – it has the world's second-oldest population after Monaco, and the country's relatively strict immigration rules mean it faces growing labour shortages.
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
South Korea sees record birth rate growth for Jan-May
The birthrate surge follows South Korea's first annual increase in the number of births in more than a decade, driven by a rise in marriages. - AFP SEOUL: South Korea registered record birth rate growth during the first five months of the year, a statistics agency official told AFP on Wednesday (July 23). The country has one of the world's longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates -- a combination that presents a looming demographic challenge. Seoul has poured billions of dollars into efforts to encourage women to have more children and maintain population stability. "The number of newborns for the January-May period stood at 106,048, a 6.9 per cent increase, the highest growth rate since such data collection began in 1981," said Kang hyun-young from Statistics Korea. The surge follows South Korea's first annual increase in the number of births in more than a decade, driven by a rise in marriages. In 2024, the number of newborns rose by 8,300, or 3.6 per cent, to 238,300 from the previous year. April in particular saw a spike, with year-on-year growth reaching 8.7 per cent and the number of births totalling 20,717 that month. The latest figure marks a sharp turnaround from early 2024, when the number of births for the January-May period dropped by 2.7 per cent from the previous year. The fertility rate, or the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, for May stood at 0.75. The country needs a fertility rate of 2.1 children in order to maintain the country's population of 51 million. At current rates, the population will nearly halve to 26.8 million by 2100, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle. The increase is attributable "to a rise in the number of women in their early 30s, leading to an overall increase in marriages", Kang told AFP. "In South Korea, there is a strong correlation between marriage and childbirth, which has driven the increase in births during the first five months," she added. In 2024, the country saw a 14.8 per cent on-year increase in the number of marriages, with more than 220,000 couples tying the knot. Many government benefits designed to support child-rearing do not cover parents who are not legally married. Analysts say there are multiple reasons for the low birth rate, from high child-rearing costs and property prices to a notoriously competitive society that makes well-paid jobs difficult to secure. The double burden for working mothers of managing the brunt of household chores and childcare while also maintaining their careers is another key factor, they say. In a bid to reverse the trend, the South Korean government offers cash subsidies, babysitting services, and support for infertility treatment. Neighbouring Japan is grappling with the same issue -- it has the world's second-oldest population after Monaco, and the country's relatively strict immigration rules mean it faces growing labour shortages. - AFP
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Health
- Japan Today
South Korea sees record birth rate growth for Jan-May
South Korea has one of the world's longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates By Kang Jin-kyu South Korea registered record birth rate growth during the first five months of the year, a statistics agency official told AFP on Wednesday. The country has one of the world's longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates -- a combination that presents a looming demographic challenge. Seoul has poured billions of dollars into efforts to encourage women to have more children and maintain population stability. "The number of newborns for the January–May period stood at 106,048, a 6.9 percent increase, the highest growth rate since such data collection began in 1981," said Kang hyun-young from Statistics Korea. The surge follows South Korea's first annual increase in the number of births in more than a decade, driven by a rise in marriages. In 2024, the number of newborns rose by 8,300, or 3.6 percent, to 238,300 from the previous year. April in particular saw a spike, with year-on-year growth reaching 8.7 percent and the number of births totalling 20,717 that month. The latest figure marks a sharp turnaround from early 2024, when the number of births for the January–May period dropped by 2.7 percent from the previous year. The fertility rate, or the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, for May stood at 0.75. The country needs a fertility rate of 2.1 children in order to maintain the country's population of 51 million. At current rates, the population will nearly halve to 26.8 million by 2100, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle. Marriage correlation - The increase is attributable "to a rise in the number of women in their early 30s, leading to an overall increase in marriages", Kang told AFP. "In South Korea, there is a strong correlation between marriage and childbirth, which has driven the increase in births during the first five months," she added. In 2024, the country saw a 14.8 percent on-year increase in the number of marriages, with more than 220,000 couples tying the knot. Many government benefits designed to support child-rearing do not cover parents who are not legally married. Analysts say there are multiple reasons for the low birth rate, from high child-rearing costs and property prices to a notoriously competitive society that makes well-paid jobs difficult to secure. The double burden for working mothers of managing the brunt of household chores and childcare while also maintaining their careers is another key factor, they say. In a bid to reverse the trend, the South Korean government offers cash subsidies, babysitting services, and support for infertility treatment. Neighbouring Japan is grappling with the same issue -- it has the world's second-oldest population after Monaco, and the country's relatively strict immigration rules mean it faces growing labour shortages. © 2025 AFP
