Oratile Kekana is Journalist with Health-E News and joins Africa now to discuss the connection between cheap, accessible food that contributes to obesity in South Africa

Oratile Kekana is Journalist with Health-E News and joins Africa now to discuss the connection between cheap, accessible food that contributes to obesity in South Africa

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Early Breakfast with Africa Melane

Your early morning catch-up with chat, traffic and news delivered in a relaxed manner. weekdays from 4 am to 6 am.

Your early morning catch-up with chat, traffic and news delivered in a relaxed manner. weekdays from 4 am to 6 am.

Cheap And Easily Available Ultra-Processed Foods Are Fuelling SA’s Obesity Crisis

Prof Andre Thomashausen | Prof Emeritus of International Law at UNISA 

Once again, all attention will be focused on South Africa this week as it heads to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to seek emergency measures against Israel's Rafah offensive in the Middle East region.

According to a statement released by the ICJ on Tuesday, South African lawyers will present their arguments on Thursday, followed by Israel's legal team responding the following day.

Earlier this month, Pretoria lodged a petition with the ICJ for provisional measures regarding the incursion into Rafah. The request urged the court to direct Israel to immediately withdraw its military operation and ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Recent reports from UN agencies indicate that nearly 450,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah in recent days, with around 100,000 displaced from northern Gaza. The ongoing ground fighting and heavy bombardments by Israel have affected areas like Rafah, Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, and Nuseirat camp.

The situation has raised concerns among various countries and top UN officials, warning of dire consequences, particularly for the thousands of refugees seeking shelter in Rafah amid precarious conditions. Israel maintains it is striving to minimize civilian casualties amidst the conflict.

Prof Andre Thomashausen | Prof Emeritus of International Law at UNISA  
Once again, all attention will be focused on South Africa this week as it heads to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to seek emergency measures against Israel's Rafah offensive in the Middle East region.
According to a statement released by the ICJ on Tuesday, South African lawyers will present their arguments on Thursday, followed by Israel's legal team responding the following day.
Earlier this month, Pretoria lodged a petition with the ICJ for provisional measures regarding the incursion into Rafah. The request urged the court to direct Israel to immediately withdraw its military operation and ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Recent reports from UN agencies indicate that nearly 450,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah in recent days, with around 100,000 displaced from northern Gaza. The ongoing ground fighting and heavy bombardments by Israel have affected areas like Rafah, Gaza City, Jabalia refugee camp, and Nuseirat camp.
The situation has raised concerns among various countries and top UN officials, warning of dire consequences, particularly for the thousands of refugees seeking shelter in Rafah amid precarious conditions. Israel maintains it is striving to minimize civilian casualties amidst the conflict.

South Africa appears at the ICJ once more

Zwelinzima Vavi | SAFTU General Secretary 

The latest data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday, May 14, marks the final Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) before the upcoming polls on May 29. According to Stats SA, South Africa's unemployment rate climbed to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024, showing a rise of 0.8 percentage points from 32.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The surge in unemployment has become a major focal point in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, overshadowing previous campaign topics like gender-based violence and land expropriation.

This development deals a blow to the ruling party, which would have anticipated more favourable figures to present to voters so close to the polls. Despite a significant reduction in load shedding during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, with South Africa experiencing its longest uninterrupted streak of 49 days without power cuts, this improvement has had little impact on the country's unemployment rate.

According to Stats SA's presentation accompanying the data, the number of unemployed individuals rose to 8.2 million in Q1 of 2024 from 7.9 million in Q4 of 2023, indicating an increase of over 300,000 unemployed individuals between the two quarters.

Zwelinzima Vavi | SAFTU General Secretary  
The latest data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday, May 14, marks the final Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) before the upcoming polls on May 29. According to Stats SA, South Africa's unemployment rate climbed to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024, showing a rise of 0.8 percentage points from 32.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The surge in unemployment has become a major focal point in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, overshadowing previous campaign topics like gender-based violence and land expropriation.
This development deals a blow to the ruling party, which would have anticipated more favourable figures to present to voters so close to the polls. Despite a significant reduction in load shedding during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, with South Africa experiencing its longest uninterrupted streak of 49 days without power cuts, this improvement has had little impact on the country's unemployment rate.
According to Stats SA's presentation accompanying the data, the number of unemployed individuals rose to 8.2 million in Q1 of 2024 from 7.9 million in Q4 of 2023, indicating an increase of over 300,000 unemployed individuals between the two quarters.

Lead: Unpacking the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, for the first quarter of 2024  and National Health Insurance Bill signed into power

Dirna Grobbelaar | Oral Hygienist 

The oral care trends dentists are most excited about - from smart toothbrushes to AI

The advent of smart toothbrushes, like the Oclean X Pro Digital (recently launched in SA), marks a significant shift in personal oral care. Designed with colour screens and built-in sensors, these intelligent brushes evaluate brushing technique, offering insights into duration, pressure and any overlooked areas. Most smart brushes conveniently connect with your smartphone via Bluetooth, while the very latest harness Wi-Fi.



According to Dirna Grobbelaar, Ivohealth's Oral Hygiene Advisor, smart toothbrushes enable patients to improve their brushing technique and elevate their oral care routine. “While smart brushes can’t physically improve your brushing, they motivate and encourage you to achieve better oral hygiene and let you know when you are doing it incorrectly.”

And smart toothbrushes can go beyond just brushing; some are equipped with tongue cleaners or other features. The cutting-edge Oclean X Ultra even gives a daily weather forecast on its colour touch screen!

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant inroads in most areas of life. At the recent Global Symposium on AI and Dentistry, William Giannobile, Dean of Harvard School of Dental Medicine, highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionise oral healthcare. Dentists are increasingly using AI to diagnose diseases and develop treatment plans.

AI is also being integrated into at-home oral care tools. The Oclean X Ultra, for instance, employs AI-powered voice guidance and bone conduction soundwave technology to function as a personal oral care coach, telling you how to improve angle, speed and pressure as you brush.

The fundamental shape of the toothbrush has been unchanged for centuries. Now, technology is driving a renaissance with innovative designs like Balene, a toothbrush with a double-sided, rotating head that cleans the inside and the outside of the teeth, at the same time. "Balene is a breakthrough for motor-impaired patients who struggle to brush correctly. In practice, we often see plaque build-up and decay where people have lost their motor ability. Balene is the ideal solution; it brushes the inside, outside and chewing surfaces of the teeth at the same time," enthuses dentist Dr Stephné Fenwick, Ivohealth’s clinical advisor.

Materials are also evolving. Instead of traditional nylon, Balene features antibacterial Tyflex® bristles which last twice as long. Oclean opts for polished TPEE which is soft, flexible and more hygienic than nylon because it dries quicker.

People increasingly demand personalised products and services that address their specific problems, tastes and lifestyles. It’s the new norm in oral care, evident from the vast array of products on shelves.

Interdental care, once synonymous with floss, now includes multiple options to clean between the teeth; from soft rubber toothpicks like GUM Soft-Picks to compact interdental brushes and rechargeable oral irrigators. For a smart solution, the Oclean W1 Smart Oral Irrigator connects to your smartphone, providing immediate feedback on any missed areas.

Dirna Grobbelaar | Oral Hygienist  
The oral care trends dentists are most excited about - from smart toothbrushes to AI
 The advent of smart toothbrushes, like the Oclean X Pro Digital (recently launched in SA), marks a significant shift in personal oral care. Designed with colour screens and built-in sensors, these intelligent brushes evaluate brushing technique, offering insights into duration, pressure and any overlooked areas. Most smart brushes conveniently connect with your smartphone via Bluetooth, while the very latest harness Wi-Fi.
 
According to Dirna Grobbelaar, Ivohealth's Oral Hygiene Advisor, smart toothbrushes enable patients to improve their brushing technique and elevate their oral care routine. “While smart brushes can’t physically improve your brushing, they motivate and encourage you to achieve better oral hygiene and let you know when you are doing it incorrectly.”
And smart toothbrushes can go beyond just brushing; some are equipped with tongue cleaners or other features. The cutting-edge Oclean X Ultra even gives a daily weather forecast on its colour touch screen!
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant inroads in most areas of life. At the recent Global Symposium on AI and Dentistry, William Giannobile, Dean of Harvard School of Dental Medicine, highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionise oral healthcare. Dentists are increasingly using AI to diagnose diseases and develop treatment plans.
AI is also being integrated into at-home oral care tools. The Oclean X Ultra, for instance, employs AI-powered voice guidance and bone conduction soundwave technology to function as a personal oral care coach, telling you how to improve angle, speed and pressure as you brush.
The fundamental shape of the toothbrush has been unchanged for centuries. Now, technology is driving a renaissance with innovative designs like Balene, a toothbrush with a double-sided, rotating head that cleans the inside and the outside of the teeth, at the same time. "Balene is a breakthrough for motor-impaired patients who struggle to brush correctly. In practice, we often see plaque build-up and decay where people have lost their motor ability. Balene is the ideal solution; it brushes the inside, outside and chewing surfaces of the teeth at the same time," enthuses dentist Dr Stephné Fenwick, Ivohealth’s clinical advisor.
Materials are also evolving. Instead of traditional nylon, Balene features antibacterial Tyflex® bristles which last twice as long. Oclean opts for polished TPEE which is soft, flexible and more hygienic than nylon because it dries quicker.
People increasingly demand personalised products and services that address their specific problems, tastes and lifestyles. It’s the new norm in oral care, evident from the vast array of products on shelves.
Interdental care, once synonymous with floss, now includes multiple options to clean between the teeth; from soft rubber toothpicks like GUM Soft-Picks to compact interdental brushes and rechargeable oral irrigators. For a smart solution, the Oclean W1 Smart Oral Irrigator connects to your smartphone, providing immediate feedback on any missed areas.

Cheap And Easily Available Ultra-Processed Foods Are Fuelling SA’s Obesity Crisis

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