Sex Differences in Mortality (Urban Canada 1970-2000)

I was digging around to find some data on how life expectancy at birth in Canada has changed since I was born. I came across the graph above* which I found quite profound in terms of what how it illustrates the power of sex differences in mortality.  The richest males in urban Canada still come up short in terms of the life expectancy achieved by the poorest females (1970-2000).  If I can find a more recent update on this type of data (for the twenty-first century) I will post an update on this entry later.

Cheers 

Colin

* source:  Wilkins, R. (2007). Mortality by neighbourhood income in urban Canada from 1971 to 2001. Statistics Canada, Health Analysis and Measurement Group (HAMG). HAMG Seminar, and special compilations. For the data sources and methods, see Wilkins R, Berthelot JM, Ng E (2002). Trends in mortality by neighbourhood income in urban Canada from 1971 to 1996. Health Reports 13 (Supplement), pp. 45-71. Retrieved on January 11, 2008, from http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-003-SIE/2002001/pdf/82-003-SIE2002007.pdf

Age and Ageing Commentary Now Out

 

My latest commentary is now available in the April issue of Age and Ageing.

Cheers, 

Colin

End of a Hectic Teaching Term

This week is the final lectures for the winter 2025 semester, and thus ends an academic year with a few distinctive challenges.  

Firstly, this year I have taught more students than I ever have in my 26 year academic career.  Over my 4 courses- one graduate and 3 undergraduate courses- I taught approximately 670 students in the 3 undergraduate courses.  On top of that, teaching assistants have been on strike for the last 4 weeks of this term, which has had a major impact on my large (275 students) 3rd year level lecture course this term. 

I typically go into my final lecture of the year with a sense of proud achievement- that the students and I have completed a unique and challenging intellectual journey together.  Sadly this year ends with confusion and increased student stress, as it is not clear how long the labour dispute will last, and how this will further impact my student's academic work.  

This is the first time I have ever faced anything like this in 26 years of teaching, in 5 different countries and 8 different universities.  I feel for both my students and TAs, and to be honest I myself am exhausted from it all.  

I continue to hope that a fair resolution will be reached shortly, but the damage to the teaching term has already been severe.

Cheers, 

Colin

Nature News Piece on Intermittent Fasting

Just wanted to make a note of this summary news item.

Cheers, 

Colin

New Commentary Forthcoming in Age and Ageing

I have a new commentary forthcoming in the journal Age and Ageing (journal of the British Geriatrics Society) entitled "Wisdom-Inquiry Science is Essential for Healthy Longevity".  The abstract:

Within a week of his January 20^th, 2025 inauguration, US President Donald J. Trump issued an order that froze all federal grants and loans, creating confusion and anxiety about the future of research and development in US biomedical science.  The politicization of science creates significant challenges not only for the researchers who depend on public funding to undertake their research, but also for the public understanding of why basic research is so important to the health and economic prosperity of the world’s ageing populations.  In 1944 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote a letter to the director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, Dr. Vannevar Bush, asking Bush how science and medicine could be best harnessed to win the war of science against disease.  Bush’s response, in his acclaimed 1945 book entitled Science, The Endless Frontier, detailed how “scientific capital” determines the pace and shape of technological progress.  The war against disease approach to public health and medicine has helped increase life expectancy, by reducing the prevalence of premature death, but it has also contributed to the increasing global healthspan-lifespan gap, which is nearly 10 years.  Translational gerontology, and in particular the goal of developing geroprotective drugs that may help fortify the biological resilience needed to increase healthy life expectancy, must become an integral part of a “wisdom-inquiry” approach to public health and medicine if the aspiration of healthy longevity is to be realized this century. 

Cheers, 

Colin

 

Evolution and Genetic Diversity

 

Nature Medicine has an interesting perspective piece on evolution and genetic diversity.

Abstract

Human genetic diversity in today’s world has been shaped by evolutionary history, demographic shifts and environmental exposures, influencing complex traits, disease susceptibility and drug responses. Capturing this diversity is essential for advancing precision medicine and promoting equitable healthcare. Despite the great progress achieved with initiatives such as the human Pangenome and large biobanks that aim for a better representation of human diversity, important challenges remain. In this Perspective, we discuss the importance of diversity in clinical genomics through an evolutionary lens. We highlight progress and challenges and outline key clinical applications of diverse genetic data. We argue that diversifying both datasets and methodologies—integrating ancestral and environmental factors—is crucial for fully understanding the genetic basis of human health and disease.

Cheers, 

Colin 

5 Years Ago

This week marks the 5 year anniversary of the unprecedented public health measures which closed my university to in-person instruction (for 2.5 years).  And all elementary and high school instruction moved online and non-essential businesses were closed.  

The image above is from the park down the street where my kids use to play.  Surreal experience we are all still processing.   

Cheers, 

Colin