Straight talk
Sitting up straight isn't so good for you after all, a study by the University of Alberta Hospital in Canada has found. Researchers concluded that a slightly reclined 135 degrees is the ideal position. The study analysed magnetic resonance imaging scans of 22 people with no history of back pain sitting in three positions: slouched forward, at 90 degrees, and reclined at 135 degrees, WebMD reports. Slouching was the worst. Reclining was best 'because it's similar to a neutral relaxed lying-down position', says researcher Waseem Amir Bashir. Back pain is a common cause of work-related disability and absenteeism.
Ill on the job
More people are showing up for work sick, says a US survey, suggesting that so-called presentee-ism has a major effect on productivity and risks spreading illnesses, such as colds and flu. More than 55 per cent of 300 US human-resource managers say presentee-ism is a problem, compared with almost 40 per cent two years ago. Among the reasons people gave for not calling in sick were: having too much work; fear of missing deadlines; not having anyone to cover for them; and fear of being disciplined, WebMD reports. The Harris Interactive survey also found companies with low morale had the highest levels of absenteeism and presentee-ism.
Slow tract
Eating slowly means you eat less, feel fuller and enjoy the meal more, preliminary research has found, and suggests it may help people lose weight as well. The University of Rhode Island study involved 30 young women eating a meal of pasta either quickly with a large spoon, or with a small spoon, which they put down after each bite, and were told to chew 15 to 20 times, Reuters reports. They consumed about 70 fewer calories when eating slowly, and felt fuller and more satisfied immediately after and an hour later.
Drug review