Rise in autism cases: Are environmental factors partly to blame?

How to explain the rise in autism cases in industrialised countries in recent years? The neurodevelopmental disorder is partly hereditary, but the finger is also being pointed at pollution, although no causal link has yet been established. Scientists in southern France are currently investigating the role of environmental factors in autism by following 1,700 families over 10 years. It's a groundbreaking study in a country that lags behind in autism research and diagnosis. To mark World Autism Awareness Day, FRANCE 24 went to Montpellier to meet one of these families. Emerald Maxwell and Sophian Aubin report.

I went solo travelling in my 60s - here's what it taught me

Eager to discover the real Italy, Lorna Jackson, 72, went on a three-month solo exploration. Speaking to GH, she shares the life lessons that she returned home with.

Ask Lisa: ‘I’m 70 and love fashion. How do I not look like mutton dressed up as lamb?’

head of fashion. She began her career in fashion at Vogue. She has written four novels, has an honorary doctorate from the University of Arts in London, and was awarded an OBE in 2022 for services to fashion.Each week, she responds to your queries, lending her expertise to help you shop smart. Have a question for her? Submit it below. Dear Lisa, I ...

Don’t quit booze – just drink differently: 15 ways to change your life without trying all that hard

1. Don’t give up alcohol – experiment with drinking differently Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK The most important thing with alcohol is to get into a situation where you are happy with your drinking. I used to be a very heavy drinker: 60-90 units a week. I can’t tell you how life-changing cutting down has been. To me, life is in colour without drinking, whereas before it was very grey and drab. I would encourage a sense of...

Three cheap space-saving tips for your home that won’t break the bank

Three cheap space-saving tips for your home that won’t break the bank -

70% of developers worried that live service games won't last

A new survey has found a majority of developers are concerned about the longevity of live service games, especially when it comes to players losing interest.

Hyrox: the gruelling cult workout that's taken over London

Hyrox: the gruelling cult workout that's taken over London - Like CrossFit but much harder. Londoners have become addicted to Hyrox. William Hosie lunges, squats and sweats through his first session to find out why

7 easy ways to improve your home's curb appeal

If you want to make a great first impression, here are quick ways to upgrade your home’s curb appeal without breaking the bank.

A fashion expert reveals her ageless style tips

It's time to look and feel amazing!

The ‘island of immortals’ where residents regularly live past 100

US states where people live the longest

‘We live in the best house in the world’: five design experts on how to live better in small homes

Australia has some of the largest homes in the world. Many who do live small aspire to one day live big. But around the world, limited space is not always seen as a sacrifice. From Sweden, where the average size of an apartment is 68 sq metres, to Hong Kong’s micro flats as small as 18 sq metres, globally architects are used to getting creative with tight spaces – they must let as much light in and offer individuals and families the same...

Living in Faro, the Algarve: best areas, cost of living and advantages

Faro, the capital of Portugal's sunny Algarve region, attracts residents and tourists for its natural beauty, cultural heritage and enviable quality of life. This charming city, situated in the south of Portugal, offers a vibrant mix of tradition and modernity, making it a popular destination for those looking to live a quiet life by the sea.

First-time buyers guide: starter flats from 350k to 400k in buzzy postcodes that won't break the bank

First-time buyers guide: starter flats from 350k to 400k in buzzy postcodes that won't break the bank - Finally in a position to enter the market? Your guide to the London hotspots that first-time buyers need to know

The daily habits that boost brain health and help prevent dementia

With an estimated 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia, a figure that has been predicted to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, the condition will have an impact on many of us in our lifetimes, either through a loved one or our own deteriorating cognition. Just last year, the Department of Health and Social Care announced a new 10-year plan to ta...

8 colorful small living room ideas that will brighten, not overwhelm your space

These colorful small living room ideas are equally chic and cheery. Brighten up a dreary space with personality and expert-approved decor inspiration.

Four unhealthy habits – and how to break them

Whether it’s smoking, vaping, caffeine, alcohol, or late-night snacking, it can be very hard to kick an unhealthy habit. Just ask Adele. The singer previously gave up her 25-a-day cigarette habit, but she just can’t seem to quit caffeine, and has been left with withdrawal symptoms including migraines and “the shakes”. “I decided this week to stop d...

Stressed? Here are 7 strategies to complete the 'stress cycle'

This one piece of advice might relieve some pressure

Working too many hours ‘is making us sick and poor’

Working too many hours ‘is making us sick and poor’ - ‘Our work now is making us sick and poor,’ professor says

‘I spend less time self-sabotaging’: Robbie Williams and Joe Lycett on making art

Joe Lycett and Robbie Williams were brought together by Instagram. Last August, Williams posted a painting of a small, saintly looking child (not him), and captioned it with an account of how he had once made the mistake of reading the comments below a Mail Online piece. “It was hellish,” he wrote. “The person (me) they were describing was the most horrendous person that ever walked the planet. I was crestfallen.” At this point, Williams thought...

Hanif Kureishi starting to feel ‘normal’ after fall left author tetraplegic

Hanif Kureishi starting to feel ‘normal’ after fall left author tetraplegic - The novelist said writing makes him feel as though he is ‘not just a broken body’

Early bedtimes are all the rage with young people – but are they feasible?

Early bedtimes are all the rage with young people – but are they feasible? - IN FOCUS: Nine o’clock is apparently the new preferred bedtime for twentysomethings prioritising shut-eye above all else. Between hectic work schedules, shoddy commutes, and the deadening cycle of life admin, what time does that leave for fun? asks Annabel Nugent

‘After years of failed fad diets + workouts, I started lifting weights'

'At 43, it changed everything'

New Research Says Waist to Height Ratio Is a Better Indicator of Health than BMI

A new study has shed light on another measurement that could be more beneficial

Capri pants are trending – here's how to style them

Five chic ways to wear pedal pushers

6 thoughts and actions that only amplify anxiety and worry

Not to worry and be nervous is absolutely normal, albeit very unpleasant. But sometimes anxiety and concern can be so toxic that it hinders one's ability to carry on with daily activities. Our habits and thoughts can exacerbate the situation. Huffpost shares habits that intensify our anxiety and worry. Black-and-white thinking It is also known as "...

Early death risk grows with just three ‘slightly unhealthy mid-life traits’

Just three “slightly unhealthy traits” in mid-life increase the risk of early death by a third, research suggests. The study found people carrying extra weight in their 40s and 50s who also had slightly raised blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels were also 35 per cent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke over the next three dec...

I lost two stone exercising for just 25 minutes a day – this is how I did it

As a surgeon, I have a full-on week. I used to work at a hospital that was 50 miles away and would have to be at work by around 7.45am and wouldn’t get home until around 8pm; plus, I have two daughters, aged nine and six, and life often feels like a mad rush. Luckily, I have since moved hospitals and now work closer to home, so my commute is shorte...

'I'm a 51-year-old trans woman doing the London Marathon and 9-day Ride Across Britain'

'I'm treated like a woman everywhere, but at a race I'm put into a pen with a load of guys'

5 healthy curry recipes you need to know

Spice lovers live longer - that's bona fide science.

From Barbie Blonde To Wispy Bangs - 13 Ways To Change Up Your Hair Game In 2024

Spoiler alert, beehives are back

I embraced this alternative lifestyle for the freedom - but I ended up trapped

I felt light and free. Until I didn't.

Why longer lives for our dogs could mean longer lives for us

Every six months, Casey undergoes careful cardiac testing at a lab; she has been through extensive genetic profiling and is now enrolled in a drug trial that researchers believe could extend her life. Casey, an 11-year-old labrador-German shepherd cross who lives with her owner Kate Saunders in Massachusetts, is part of the growing effort to help dogs live better for longer, and which gerontologists hope may improve human longevity too. Late...

I never know what to do with my long hair, but since getting the 'concave cut' my daily styling routine has been so much easier

I'll never get 'just a trim' ever again

‘It probably saved my life’: How a low-carb diet can help with type 2 diabetes

‘It probably saved my life’: How a low-carb diet can help with type 2 diabetes - After he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Giancarlo and his wife Katie went on a journey to discover the low-carb diet that would eventually put him in remission

The Sloane Rangers ruled the ’80s and ’90s – and now a new generation is following their lead

Like a large volcano lying beneath Britain, the Sloanes never really go away. Sometimes they appear as a tame spout, at others as an irresistible flow destroying everything in their path. For some years they can appear to be dormant, but underestimate them at your peril. Already this year, seismologists are picking up unusual levels of activity. La...

The healthy way to lose six kilos if you’re a man

It’s a figure as uncompromising as the average Briton’s: obesity is now costing the UK almost £100billion a year. Analysis from the Tony Blair Institute published last week described the “sick and impoverished nation” our excess weight is creating, amounting to four per cent of the GDP - that has seen an additional 6kg added to men’s waistlines ove...

What you can do now to prevent a stroke in the future, according to doctors

What you can do now to prevent a stroke in the future, according to doctors - How to lower your stroke risk at every age

Millions of older people live in fear of scams and a huge number worry about answering the phone or front door

Although anyone can be scammed, older people are at greater risk of certain kinds of fraud, particularly those who live alone or are cognitively impaired or recently bereaved, says Age UK.

How to transition to grey hair with confidence

The smart way to embrace shades from slate to silver

Rishi Sunak forces through vote for total ban on smoking for those born after 2009

Rishi Sunak forces through vote for total ban on smoking for those born after 2009 - Business secretary Kemi Badenoch was among those who defied the prime minister’s call for his cabinet to back the plan

Living with vitiligo: 'my makeup was a mask I used to face the world for 20 years'

Living with vitiligo: 'my makeup was a mask I used to face the world for 20 years' - Elj Abid wore makeup for two decades to hide his battle with vitiligo, a rare autoimmune skin condition. Before his wedding day he ditched the foundation and now uses his experiences to raise awareness

A moment that changed me: I was divorced, broke and alone – but I turned my life around with a list

The silence in the flat was deafening. Having lost almost everything in my divorce, it was now just me in a basement studio flat with black mould. I had no TV, no sofa and the wifi wasn’t set up. I sat at a cheap folding table and made a list. Since my life was no longer going to be the way I had planned – marriage, kids, a dog, a late-Victorian terrace in a country town – I was going to try something else. I was going to do all the things on my...

Skin Solutions: Your definitive guide to rosacea

From triggers to treatments, the experts break down everything there is to know about the skin condition

How to be frugal: Easy money-saving hacks from people who’ve mastered cutting back

How to be frugal: Easy money-saving hacks from people who’ve mastered cutting back - Living more frugally could reduce stress and help your money go further.

Always struggle to get up in the morning? 9 failsafe tips for becoming a morning person and actually enjoying it

Rise and shine.

'90s Fashion Moments We Don't Miss

Remember the thin eyebrows trend?

I dreamed of travelling while working remotely — then it became my nightmare

The digital nomad lifestyle is not all it's cracked up to be.

28 Icons of the 1970s

Fashion, film, and music would never be the same.

Best petite summer dresses UK that we'll be wearing this year

Best petite summer dresses UK that we'll be wearing this year - Floaty frocks for those 5ft4 and under