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Sitting All Day Working From Home Can Cause This Painful Condition

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Sitting in a slouched position behind a desk for seven or eight hours a day is causing your hip flexors to tighten, which can lead to back, hip and knee pain.

You may want to stand up and do a few stretches while reading this.

Research has already established that prolonged sitting is really harmful to our health. It’s linked to conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

But what if it’s also the reason for your back pain or that pesky knee pain that pops up every time you try to jog?

While there are multiple causes of back and knee pain, sitting all day at a desk job may be a major factor, too. Here’s what to know:

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Sitting all day can cause tight hip flexors

“A lot depends on how you sit, but essentially, prolonged sitting puts your iliopsoas, which is your primary hip flexor, into a shortened position,” said Dr. Michael Fredericson, a professor of sports medicine and the director of Stanford Lifestyle Medicine in California.

Your hip flexors are a group of muscles that allow you to raise your knee. You also use these muscles when you step up and bend forward.

“So if you’re staying in that position for seven, eight hours a day, then it becomes chronically tight into that position, and you get what we call passive muscle stiffness,” Fredericson said.

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This isn’t only a problem for people who sit all day; it’s also common among runners and cyclists, said Brian Kracyla, a physical therapist and owner of Cloudline Physical Therapy in Philadelphia.

According to Melanie McNeal, physical and occupational therapy manager at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, men are often affected.

“Most everyone has tight hip flexors, because we’re a society that does a lot of sitting, so it is a huge issue,” McNeal said. However, it tends to be even more prevalent in men “because males tend to be tighter than females on the whole”.

Sitting in a slouched position behind a desk for seven or eight hours a day is causing your hip flexors to tighten, which can lead to back, hip and knee pain.

Luis Alvarez via Getty Images

Sitting in a slouched position behind a desk for seven or eight hours a day is causing your hip flexors to tighten, which can lead to back, hip and knee pain.

Tight hip flexors can cause knee and back pain

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Why does it matter if you have tight hip flexors? Well, it turns out this issue could be causing pain and mobility problems that you probably aren’t even connecting to tight hips.

One problem people with tight hips may experience is knee pain, McNeal said, “because if your hip flexor is tight … it compresses your kneecap, your patella, and that can cause knee pain, especially with activity like jogging or running or fast walking.”

If you have tight hip flexors, your stride length will be shorter when walking and running, Kracyla said. This contributes to the shuffling gait that’s often seen in older adults.

Having tight hip flexors can also lead to posture issues and back pain.

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“You’re going to have a pelvic tilt in the front, which is going to increase the curve of your spine in the back,” Kracyla said, “and often that will manifest itself on our end with lumbar extension compensation, so you could feel more low-back stiffness with activity due to your tight hip flexors.”

“That’s why a lot of times when you stretch the hip flexors, people’s back pain feels better,” Fredericson said.

If you can’t avoid sitting all day, there is a better way to sit

A lot of people have desk jobs and long commutes that require them to sit for many hours of the day, and there is no way around that reality. While sitting all day long isn’t ideal for your hip mobility (and many other systems in your body), there’s a way to adjust.

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The problem with sitting all day is the slouching and slumping that most of us do when we’re on our computers, tablets or phones, Fredericson said, “instead of actively using your core and postural muscles to keep your pelvis in a more neutral position.”

“When you’re slouched all day, those hip flexors are in this chronically shortened position, but if you look at people who maintain better posture, their pelvis is not … going into a posterior pelvic tilt. It’s staying in a more neutral position,” Fredericson added. This way, you’re engaging your muscles and participating in more “active sitting.”

Beyond maintaining good posture while sitting, it’s important to stand and move around for at least five minutes every half hour, according to Fredericson. This can look like going on a walk, heading downstairs for a snack, stretching or switching to your walking pad for a low-stakes call.

“Not only is that going to be good for your hip flexors and your flexibility, but it’s just good for your whole metabolic system,” Fredericson said. “We know the people who do that, their blood pressure is lower. They have less cardiovascular risk factors.”

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Exercise can also help, but going to the gym after sitting for eight hours a day, five days a week, isn’t going to counteract your inactivity.

“You might get this false belief that you’re still staying in great shape because you go to that gym, but then you still sit all day — but it doesn’t really work like that,” Fredericson said.

This doesn’t mean your exercise regimen isn’t helpful. For optimal body function, you should practice good sitting posture, get up for movement breaks and follow an exercise regimen. Movement, in general, helps with everything.

“The more active we can be, the fewer problems we have,” McNeal said.

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Treating tight hip flexors comes down to a multi-pronged approach, Kracyla added, including stretching, mobility work and strength training. According to the Hospital for Special Surgery, helpful stretches for tight hip flexors include the half-kneeling stretch and the 90/90 stretch. Child’s pose and low-lunge stretch can be beneficial, too.

It’s not enough to hold a stretch for 15 seconds and move on, though. McNeal said you should aim to hold each stretch for 30 seconds and repeat it three times.

If you notice pain or difficulty with movement or stretching, it’s worth talking to a doctor to see if you could benefit from additional support from a physical therapist.

“There is some nuance to it,” Kracyla said, before adding that it often requires a clinical eye to prescribe treatment.

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Love Is Blind UK Season 4: Will Netflix Renew The British Series?

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Love is Blind UK couple Taylor and Sophie share a kiss on their first holiday to Ibiza

The final episodes of Love Is Blind UK delivered all the shocks and twists we love from our reality TV fix – and that finale was arguably the most explosive to date.

Now that we know which couples made it down the aisle and said “I do”, which called time on their big day and how things played out afterwards, fans’ attention has naturally already turned to whether another season is on the horizon.

Well, we’re happy to report that we already know the answer…

Will there be a Love Is Blind UK season 4 on Netflix?

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Yes, Love Is Blind UK will be back for a season four.

Back in March, Netflix announced they were searching for a brand new couple of singles looking for love for both a third and fourth series.

With a record number of engagements in season three, the singletons entering the pods next season have their fingers crossed that they will also meet The One.

Netflix said earlier this week: “We’ve barely had enough time to give the pods a quick hoover after the drama of season three, but we’re ready to send a whole new batch of hopeful singles in as Love is Blind UK returns for season four next year.”

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Love is Blind UK couple Taylor and Sophie share a kiss on their first holiday to Ibiza
Love is Blind UK couple Taylor and Sophie share a kiss on their first holiday to Ibiza

What do we know about Love Is Blind UK season 4so far?

Very few details are currently known about the fourth iteration of Love Is Blind UK.

One thing we can confirm is that Matt Willis and Emma Willis will return as hosts for the fourth time, guiding more hopefuls through the process of finding their perfect match.

We can also expect the show to follow the tried-and-tested format of taking a group of people looking for love, and placing them in pods to form a real connection without being able to see one another.

Once they are engaged, the couples then meet for the first time in the real world, and try to add a physical connection to their emotional bond ahead of their weddings.

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Can I apply to appear on Love Is Blind UK?

If you watched series three of Love Is Blind UK and felt inspired to apply, not got long at all left.

Casting for season four closes on 31 August, and if you’re feeling curious, you can fill in an application here.

Matt and Emma appeared in a casting video posted to Instagram in July, encouraging those looking for love to give the show a try.

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Which couples from Love Is Blind seasons 1 and 2 are still together?

While Love Is Blind might be an unconventional way to find a spouse, some couples have found their happily ever after appearing on the Netflix season.

From the first series, Bobby and Jasmine are still married and have a son together. Nicole and Benaiah from that series are also still together, although they have taken a step back from sharing their life on social media.

From the second, only Megan and Kieran’s relationship survived the reality series and appears to be going from strength to strength.

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When will season 4 of Love Is Blind UK air?

There is currently no release date for the fourth season, although the UK version of the dating franchise generally streams in August on Netflix.

Until then, you can watch 10 series of the original American version of the show, as well as more international seasons from Brazil, Sweden, Argentina, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland and the UAE.

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Trump Posts Bizarre AI ‘Lake America’ Video To Troll Canada

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Trump Posts Bizarre AI 'Lake America' Video To Troll Canada

President Donald Trump pulled one of his typical moves by using artificial intelligence to poke fun at Canada amid their escalating trade war and political feud over his sweeping tariffs.

On Saturday, the president shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social, in which he physically renamed Lake Ontario by replacing its sign.

In the clip, Trump walks up to a “Welcome to Lake Ontario” sign, topples it over using his foot and replaces it with a “Welcome to Lake America” sign featuring the American flag.

Trump then celebrates by doing his signature fist pumping dance to Village People’s anthem, “YMCA.”

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Trump has attacked Canada on Truth Social numerous times after a trade deal between the once-friendly nations fell through. Trump has floated changing the Canadian lake’s name following the US imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian goods as well as the collapsed trade talks.

Canada retaliated against Trump’s tariffs by implementing counter tariffs on $20 billion worth of American goods.

In a separate post on Saturday, Trump shared a wacky AI video of an army of Canadian geese sporting the president’s blonde swept-over hair.

In the clip, set to the theme song from “Hawaii Five-O,” the birds, who have human arms that carry machine guns, march toward “Lake America” as American flags appear in the background. At the end of the video, the geese fire off rounds from their weapons.

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Above the clip, a caption described the geese as “Donald Ducks.”

Last week, Trump signed an executive order instructing the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America on official U.S. maps and federal documents. The president’s order notably would only apply within American government records.

After signing the order, Trump criticised Canada, telling reporters, “Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade, very sadly. Even the military, you know, we defend Canada for nothing. We don’t get anything.”

Trump has also repeatedly suggested that Canada should be absorbed as a 51st U.S. state.

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11 Jacob Elordi Roles Before The Dog Stars And Wuthering Heights

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Jacob Elordi in Swinging Safari

Over the last few years, Jacob Elordi has become one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood.

Hot off his first Academy Award nomination for his performance in Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein, this year, he starred alongside Margot Robbie as Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s much-talked-about interpretation of Wuthering Heights, and can currently be seen in action in Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars.

The Australian actor first became a household name thanks to his role in Euphoria, and went on to wow Hollywood with performances in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and the headline-grabbing Saltburn.

But before he became an Oscar-nominated A-lister, he had numerous supporting roles in film and TV, many of which we’ve probably completely forgotten about.

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Here are 11 of those Jacob Elordi roles you may have forgotten he once played…

Swinging Safari

Jacob Elordi in Swinging Safari
Jacob Elordi in Swinging Safari

Jacob’s first credited film role was in 2018’s Swinging Safari, helmed by Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert director Stephan Elliott.

Starring Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce and Julian McMahon, the 80s-centric movie centres on the excitement a small town in Australia feels after a whale washes up on shore.

Jacob has a minor role as Rooster, a hunky lifeguard in the local town.

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The Kissing Booth

Jacob Elordi in the second Kissing Booth movie
Jacob Elordi in the second Kissing Booth movie

Just a year before Euphoria’s debut, Jacob’s first leading role was in Netflix’s 2018 The Kissing Booth.

The Aussie plays bad boy football star Noah Flynn in the film, the love interest of leading lady Joey King’s character.

Despite poor reviews, The Kissing Booth became one of the biggest streaming hits of 2018, later being named that year’s most rewatched film, leading to two more sequels, released in 2020 and 2021.

As it goes, Jacob agreed with the reviewers, controversially calling the Kissing Booth films “ridiculous” and admitting he “didn’t want to make those movies before I made those movies”.

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The Mortuary Collection

Jacob Elordi in The Mortuary Collection
Jacob Elordi in The Mortuary Collection

In 2019, Jacob appeared in the horror anthology movie The Mortuary Collection.

He played Jake Matthews in Segment 2: Unprotected, a frat boy who, after non-consensually taking off a condom during sex, is cursed with a monstrous pregnancy.

Although the film didn’t make a big impression at the time, The Mortuary Collection found its audience years after release, with horror fans seeking out Jacob’s old work after his impressive turn in Frankenstein.

2 Hearts

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Jacob Elordi in the romantic drama 2 Hearts
Jacob Elordi in the romantic drama 2 Hearts

2 Hearts is a romantic drama that follows the parallel stories of five people, including Jacob’s college student, Chris.

The faith-based film is based on the real-life story of Chris Gregory, who tragically died at 19 and donated his organs to five people, including Jorge Bacardi of the Bacardi Rum dynasty.

While the film was released in 2020 amid Jacob’s post-Euphoria success, it was actually filmed years prior, and was one of the first jobs that Jacob booked after The Kissing Booth.

The Very Excellent Mr Dundee

Paul Hogan and Jacob Elordi in The Very Excellent Mr Dundee
Paul Hogan and Jacob Elordi in The Very Excellent Mr Dundee

Jacob was part of an all-star cast in this Amazon Prime original film from 2020.

The meta comedy features Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan playing himself, as he desperately tries to restore his ruined reputation on the eve of being knighted.

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In the satirical film, Jacob has a minor role as Chase, Paul’s fictional son, with the cast also including the likes of Chevy Chase, John Cleese and Luke Hemsworth.

The Very Excellent Mr Dundee is also notable for being the late Olivia Newton-John’s last on-screen appearance.

Deep Water

Jacob Elordi and Ana De Armas in Deep Water
Jacob Elordi and Ana De Armas in Deep Water

20th Century Studios/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Upon its 2022 release, Deep Water was Jacob’s highest-profile movie project to date.

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Co-written by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, the psychological drama followed a couple, Vic and Melinda (played by Ben Affleck and Ana De Armas), who have an open marriage.

Jacob portrays Charlie, a piano teacher with whom Melinda has an affair, leading to tensions rising between the two men when Ana’s character flaunts her relationship with Charlie in front of her wealthy husband.

Jacob told E! in 2022 that making Deep Water was one of his favourite on-set experiences, enthusing: “I could just sort of linger around and play a small role and you know be involved in a movie that I would really watch and enjoy.”

However, the film received generally poor reviews and is probably best remembered as the place its two leads met before embarking on a very public relationship for nearly a year.

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The Sweet East

Jacob Elordi in The Sweet East
Jacob Elordi in The Sweet East

Jacob had a minor role in 2023’s The Sweet East, an experimental film which follows Lillian, a teenage runaway who encounters a rotating cast of wild characters, including neo-nazis, punks, conspiracy theorists and filmmakers.

During her journey, Lillian (played by Talia Ryder) is cast in a film alongside a character referred to as the “nation’s heartthrob”, who is perhaps fittingly played by Jacob.

Jacob was praised by critics for his “charm and charisma” as Ian, the handsome but dim actor. Jeremy O Harris, Ayo Edebiri and Simon appear alongside the Aussie star.

He Went That Way

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Jacob Elordi in He Went That Way
Jacob Elordi in He Went That Way

That same year, Jacob appeared in He Went That Way alongside Zachary Quinto. The Oscar nominee played Bobby Falls, a serial killer based on Larry Lee Ranes, who went on a killing spree in the 1960s.

Based on a true story, the film follows the relationship he forms with an animal trainer, who picks up Bobby hitchhiking.

Despite Jacob’s performance being labelled “magnetic” by critics, the film was generally met with poor reviews, and has only a 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Oh, Canada

Jacob Elordi and Kristen Froseth in Oh Canada
Jacob Elordi and Kristen Froseth in Oh Canada

Despite being co-written by Paul Schrader, the man behind Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, and boasting a cast that includes Richard Gere, Uma Thurman and Michael Imperioli, Oh Canada failed to make much impact with audiences upon its release in 2024.

The film tells the story of Leonard Fife (Richard Gere’s character), an acclaimed documentarian, who, on his deathbed, agrees to turn the cameras around and film himself.

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Jacob plays Richard’s character in his younger years and, despite being nearly a foot taller than his more seasoned counterpart, was praised for giving a lived-in performance as a young filmmaker.

On Swift Horses

Diego Calva and Jacob Elordi in On Swift Horses
Diego Calva and Jacob Elordi in On Swift Horses

Jacob Elordi co-stars with Daisy Edgar-Jones, Will Poulter and Diego Calvo in the understated period drama from 2025.

Set in 1950s post-war America, the film follows two newlyweds whose new family life is disrupted by the arrival of the husband’s brother, played by Jacob, who threatens their stability as he is more interested in gambling and exploring a relationship with his coworker.

Empire claimed that Jacob was “at the peak of his charisma-machine powers, creating off-the-charts tension with every scene partner as well as conveying the depth of Julius’ inner turmoil” in On Swift Horses, though the film itself has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of just 53%.

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The Narrow Road To The Deep North

Jacob Elordi as Dorrigo Evans in The Narrow Road To The Deep North
Jacob Elordi as Dorrigo Evans in The Narrow Road To The Deep North

BBC/Curio Pictures/Sony Pictures Television/

The 2025 Australian miniseries The Narrow Road To The Deep North saw Jacob play a doctor who is captured at the Battle of Java and taken to a Burmese work camp under the command of the Japanese imperial army, where he is forced to work on the railway.

Ciarán Hinds plays an older version of the character, Dorringo Evans, while Odessa Young, Simon Evans and Olivia DeJong co-star in the compassionate study of Australians at war.

The show was universally praised, with most critics singling out Jacob’s “intensely moving lead performance”.

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While internationally, Jacob’s performance as a soldier in Justin Kurzel’s WWII drama was mostly overshadowed last year by his Oscar-nominated role in Frankenstein, Jacob did win an AACTA Award for his work in it, and was also nominated for a Golden Globe for the harrowing role.

The Dog Star is in cinemas now.

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Priti Patel Out As Kemi Badenoch Begins Tory Frontbench Reshuffle

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Priti Patel
Priti Patel Priti Patel 

Priti Patel has left her post as shadow foreign secretary as Kemi Badenoch launches a reshuffle amid speculation Andy Burnham could call an early election.

In a surprise move, the former home secretary announced on X that she would be taking on an “international role” for the Conservatives to strengthen its links with other centre-riight parties around the world.

She will be replaced as shadow foreign secretary by Tom Tugendhat in a Tory frontbanch shake-up which could take place as early as today.

Her announcement came just a day after James Cleverly announced he was quitting as the Tories’ shadow housing secretary to run to be London mayor.

Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, is also standing down to go on maternity leave, while shadow solicitor general Helen Grant will also leave the Tory frontbench.

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Patel, who is the MP for Witham, said: “I’m pleased to continue supporting Kemi and the Conservative Party in a new role strengthening our relationships with fellow conservatives and centre-right parties around the world.

“At a time of profound global uncertainty, when our values and freedoms are under threat, conservatives must work more closely together.”

She said it had been “an honour” to lead the party’s foreign affairs team, citing challenges to the Labour government’s Chagos Islands deal and calls for stronger action to protect the UK from threats posed by China, Iran and Russia.

Badenoch will hope her reshuffle – which comes just a year after her last frontbench shake-up – helps to revive her party’s fortunes.

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Although her own personal approval ratings have improved, the Conservatives still trail behind Labour and Reform UK in the opinion polls.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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What It Means If You Keep Rewatching The Same TV Show

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What It Means If You Keep Rewatching The Same TV Show

I’ve often wondered what my usual comfort watches – The Thick of It, Ugly Betty, Blackadder, Derry Girls, Peep Show – say about me (aside from the fact that I had most of them on DVD as a teen).

I mean, they’re not all soothing, are they? A screaming Malcolm Tucker isn’t exactly what springs to mind when you picture a relaxing rewatch.

But according to the “social surrogacy” theory, the shows we come back to time and time again might offer a type of comfort that isn’t as straightforward as gentle voiceovers or calming scenes.

According to research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, the one-sided relationships we form with the people in our beloved episodes can “provide the experience of belonging”.

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What is “social surrogacy”?

The hypothesis suggests that when people aren’t getting their social needs met in real life for whatever reason, they might turn to music, books, and TV shows to “belong”.

In this paper, the researchers ran four studies to support that theory in the case of television series.

The first one showed that people were likelier to turn to their favourite shows when they felt lonely, and that starting yet another binge-watch of their beloved programmes lessened that feeling of isolation.

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The second study suggested that people might talk more, and in greater detail, about their favourite TV shows when they feel left out or rejected.

Study three, meanwhile, demonstrated that thinking about series we adore “buffers against drops in self-esteem and mood and against increases in feelings of rejection commonly elicited by threats to close relationships”.

And lastly, the final experiment revealed that keeping our comfort watch in mind might make people less likely to think about being lonely or feel lonely.

Notably, watching TV in general didn’t seem to give people these results. Only the shows they already had a relationship with seemed to offer these effects.

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This, the researchers concluded, might mean “seemingly asocial human technologies, such as television, can actually serve a social function”.

Wait – does that mean there’s something wrong with rewatching your favourite shows?

Not at all. The study authors checked for levels of self-esteem, the need to belong, and attachment style among participants (previous research had hinted that these factors might make someone more likely to seek “social surrogates”).

They found that these qualities didn’t seem to make a difference in the effect familiar TV had on belonging at all in their studies, though – “the results of these analyses suggest that social surrogacy does not appear limited to just one gender or to ‘insecure’ or ‘maladjusted’ individuals”.

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The research also reads, “Television programming, particularly reliably-followed favourite programs, allows viewers the opportunity, week after week (or even day after day), to regularly immerse themselves in a narrative about a recognisable ’social’ world in which familiar people, situations, landscapes, and events become intimate and comfortable”.

That cosy feeling of belonging can bring us back to our faves, over and over.

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Politics Home Article | Children’s Mental Health Starts on The Dinner Plate

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Politics Home | NTS rail freight campaign removes more than 17,000 HGV journeys from Cumbrian roads

For too long, the debate about children’s mental health has focused almost exclusively on access to services. Expanding CAMHS provision, reducing waiting lists and supporting schools are all essential. But if we are serious about reversing the deterioration in young people’s mental wellbeing, we must also look more closely at prevention, including the factors that may be driving the problem in the first place.

One factor may be hiding in plain sight: the food our children eat. A major recent review published in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health (April 2026) looked at evidence from more than 2.5 million children and adolescents worldwide. It found a consistent link between unhealthy diets and poorer mental health outcomes. Young people consuming more ultra-processed and ‘junk’ foods were more likely to experience sleep problems, anxiety, depression, stress and ADHD-related symptoms (1).

Researchers increasingly believe there are good reasons why unhealthy foods affect mental health.  Diet affects inflammation, metabolic health and the gut-brain axis, all of which are increasingly recognised as important influences on mental wellbeing. Childhood and adolescence are also critical periods of brain development, making young people especially vulnerable to poor nutrition.

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Research from the French EDEN birth cohort found that low maternal adherence to a healthy diet during pregnancy was associated with an 87 per cent higher likelihood of children following a moderately high anxiety and depression symptom trajectory between the ages of three and eight. This should encourage policymakers to give nutrition a much more prominent place in prevention policy.

The debate around unhealthy food has traditionally focused on obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Those concerns remain vitally important. But if poor diets are also contributing to poor sleep, greater psychological distress and a higher risk of mental health difficulties, then the benefits of improving children’s diets may be much greater than we previously understood. BANT applauds the Chefs in Schools for their efforts to improve school food.

No single policy will solve the children’s mental health crisis. But diet is one of the few risk factors that governments can influence at scale.  A Nutrient Profiling Model which is fit for purpose should therefore be viewed as part of a wider prevention strategy.

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Of course, family circumstances, poverty, housing, education, social media and access to support all play important roles.  But if we are serious about improving children’s mental health, we cannot afford to ignore what is on their plate.  Mental wellbeing does not start in the clinic. It starts much earlier — at home, at school, and around the dinner table.

References

  1. Ulm C, Hill F, Mills SD, Chelius C, Hecht EM. Association between unhealthy food consumption and mental health outcomes in children and adolescents: an umbrella review. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2026 Apr 2;20(1):70. doi: 10.1186/s13034-026-01079-4. PMID: 41928295; PMCID: PMC13169651.

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Keir Starmer To Resign As An MP Less Than 2 Months After Leaving Downing Street

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Keir Starmer To Resign As An MP Less Than 2 Months After Leaving Downing Street

Keir Starmer is resigning as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras less than two months after he left Downing Street.

The former prime minister told his local newspaper, the Camden New Journal, on the day MPs returned to Westminster following their summer recess.

Starmer was kicked out of office just before the break in July amid widespread dissatisfaction with his leadership from the Labour backbenchers.

Andy Burnham, previously Greater Manchester mayor, quickly secured a seat in the Commons and ran uncontested to replace the ex-PM.

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Starmer said: “It has been a huge honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country and to have taken over from Frank Dobson, who was such a great constituency MP and a member of the last Labour government.

“I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world.

“I will also continue, as I have done for a long time now with others, work on combating violence against women and girls; that is an issue that matters to me hugely.

“It’s work I started before I became an MP and it’s work I’m keen to continue after I’m an MP. So international affairs on the one hand, and continuing my work on violence against women and girls on the other.”

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His remarks come after widespread speculation about his future plans.

When delivering his final speech on Downing Street in mid-July, Starmer said it was the “end of my political journey” and insisted he was “proud of everything I have achieved”.

However, he did tell the BBC that he intended to stay on as an MP until the next general election.

Speaking to his local newspaper more recently, the Labour MP said he was now ready to “pass the baton to a successor”.

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Starmer said he has told his local Labour constituency party staff of his intention to leave the London seat.

The party will now start a selection process to find a candidate for the subsequent by-election – a significant test for the new Burnham government.

Starmer said he would not be endorsing any potential successor but would support whoever is selected by Labour.

His decision to withdraw from domestic politics comes after his biographer, Tom Baldwin, revealed Starmer had been advised not to return to his former home in Kentish Town, north London.

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The property – which Starmer lived in before getting the keys to NO.10 – was firebombed in May 2025.

Two men were jailed in June following a trial at the Old Bailey over arson attacks on property connected to Starmer.

The jury heard Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc had been recruited by an anonymous Russian-speaking figure called “El Money” on the messaging service Telegram.

Speaking in the House of Commons at the time, the then PM said it was “an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for”.

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Starmer and his family divided their time between Downing Street and the country grace-and-favour residence Chequers when he was prime minister.

The ex-PM also fuelled further questions about his future by telling the newspaper: “I think once you’ve been prime minister, it’s important to answer the question: what are you going to do next? Having decided I’m going to concentrate on international affairs, I think it’s right to step down [as MP].”

Kevin Hollinrake, Tory party chair, said: “Whilst we have disagreed with almost all of Sir Keir Starmer’s decisions, I wish him and his family well for the future.

“It is fitting that his final act as a Member of Parliament is yet another u-turn having pledged to stay on.

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“The decision to stand down will mean a costly by-election for taxpayers at a time when Andy Burnham are John Healey are plotting tax rises on hardworking families across the country. “

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates or follow HuffPost UK on X at @HuffPostUK or on Facebook.

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Wings Over Scotland | Anything But That

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The SNP really really don’t want to have another independence referendum, but if somebody somehow FORCES them into one, they DEFINITELY don’t want to have it in circumstances where they’d be starting the campaign with a 16-point lead.

(We must conclude from all this, incidentally, that John Swinney LOVES the Tories, because he had no problem accepting an indyref from a right-wing party in 2012.)

If Scotland leaves the UK, who might be the Prime Minister of the remains of it is none of his business, and certainly shouldn’t be a dealbreaker in achieving independence.

If there’s anyone left in the SNP with a shred of integrity (and if there is they must be very deep undercover indeed), Swinney ought to be challenged for the leadership at next month’s conference and replaced with someone – the Lord alone knows who – who’s actually willing to pursue the party’s supposed primary goal, because Swinney has now dismissed every possible route to it out of hand.

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(Even though he loves Reform winning seats the rest of the time.)

We know Andy Burnham won’t give him a referendum and we now know he won’t accept one from Nigel Farage, so it would appear that the whole idea is off the table until at least 2034 (by which point the SNP will have about 17 members left on their current trajectory).

That’s a lot of time for a lot of grifters to slurp up a lot of gravy, but the rest of us are in for a depressing decade.

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Politics Home Article | More Tory Councils To Challenge Government Over London Funding Cuts

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More Tory Councils To Challenge Government Over London Funding Cuts
More Tory Councils To Challenge Government Over London Funding Cuts

(Alamy)


2 min read

Exclusive: Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea are set to follow Wandsworth in formally appealing cuts to local government following revelations over mammoth council tax rises.

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It comes after PoliticsHome revealed that Wandsworth Council was planning on raising council tax by 160 per cent. 

Last week, PoliticsHome also revealed that the Conservatives were planning to use the Sustainable Communities Act to submit a formal appeal to ministers asking them to reconsider reforms to local government funding.

On Wednesday, Conservative council leaders in Wandsworth met with Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake and former shadow local government secretary James Cleverly to discuss how they would escalate their response to the new local government funding settlement.

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Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea were also at the meeting last week, as they considered launching their own appeals to the government, as well as Lib-Dem-controlled Richmond.

PoliticsHome understands that the Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea councils have now decided to move ahead with these appeals, with all three appeals submitted separately.

Westminster, which like Wandsworth was permitted to raise council tax above five per cent without a referendum for the next two years to raise more revenue, recently warned that it would have to raise council tax by up to 200 per cent to keep spending at current levels.

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Under the Sustainable Communities Act, councils can appeal to government over decisions affecting them, following a public consultation. If this appeal is rejected, then the Local Government Association could make its own recommendations to the government on behalf of the council. 

Wandsworth, which the Conservatives won from Labour in May, currently has one of the lowest tax rates in the country. But it is projecting a 40 per cent reduction in cuts to its grant funding following the government’s rebalancing of council funding across the country.

The government has said its reforms to local government funding prioritise parts of the country with higher deprivation so that the system is “truly based on need”.

However, the changes will mean less funding for some local authorities in London, with MPs and councillors in the capital warning that the plans will exacerbate cost pressures.

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Wandsworth Council previously warned that council tax would have to increase by up to 230 per cent without cuts.

The Wandsworth tax rise is expected to be implemented in April 2027 if it goes ahead, with the rate then being frozen for the rest of the term, PoliticsHome understands.

 

 

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Is Zack Polanski About To Run For Keir Starmer’s Old Seat?

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Is Zack Polanski About To Run For Keir Starmer’s Old Seat?

All eyes are on Zack Polanski after former prime minister Keir Starmer announced he was resigning as a London MP.

The Green Party leader – who is currently a London Assembly member – has repeatedly insisted he would only run to be an MP if a seat in the capital became available.

A Green Party spokesperson then failed to rule out the possibility of Polanski campaigning to replace Starmer in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency on Tuesday, after the ex-PM’s resignation.

They told HuffPost UK: “Zack has always made it clear he would like to be a London MP.

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“London has been his home for over 20 years.”

Starmer’s former seat, in north-west London, has only voted in Labour MPs since the constituency was created in 1983.

But there could be signs that enthusiasm for Labour in the area are waning.

Starmer secured a very comfortable majority of 27,763 in 2019 only for it to fall to 11,572 in the 2024 general election.

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The Greens came in fourth place in the seat back in 2019 with 2,746 votes.

However, their vote share increased to 4,030 in 2024 and they came in third place behind Labour and an independent candidate.

That suggests there might be a growing appetite for the left-wing party.

Polanski reportedly resides in Hackney, in east London.

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However, he has previously refused to run against one of Hackney’s two MPs, telling HuffPost UK he would not to challenge Labour left-winger Diane Abbott in any future by-election.

He said: “I think Diane Abbott’s wonderful, and I’d be highly unlikely to run against her.”

Polanski also declined to stand in any of other three by-elections – Gorton and Denton, Makerfield or Clacton – held in England this year.

The London Assembly member was elected as the Green leader a year ago.

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He oversaw a huge boom in popularity for the party, with their membership tripling during his first six months in the post.

However a series of social media missteps, including Polanski’s critiques of the police reaction to the Golders Green attack and his repost of a guillotine t-shirt referencing Nigel Farage, saw the party decline in the opinion polls.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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