Fat-shaming comments and weight-loss advice from classmates and relatives have been a constant in my life for years. One vivid memory is from ninth grade when a friend embarrassed my sister in the cinema by calling her “fat”. In university, this pattern continued with my uncle’s frequent questioning about my diet and progress in losing weight.

As a former therapist, I guided clients on body image and coping with hurtful comments, advising them to set boundaries with well-meaning but critical relatives. As for myself, I've always had to avoid questions about my body, while recognizing the natural curiosity that arises when we notice our friends’ bodies experiencing noticeable changes. It's human nature to compare ourselves to our peers.

With more weight-related ads all over bus shelters, TV and your social media feed, it's hard not to feel the impact. But is commenting on others' weight loss ever appropriate?

However well-intentioned, remarks about weight loss can be quite hurtful, says clinical psychologist Elizabeth Fedrick. Even if curiosity gets the better of you, it’s not necessary or acceptable to mention a friend’s weight gain or loss.

“We often think we’re being supportive, but in reality, saying ‘You lost weight — you look great’ actually implies that they didn’t before, or that they need to be a certain weight to look great,” says Fedrick. Such remarks can be uncomfortable and fatphobic.

Fatphobia extends beyond harmful comments; it’s also present in subtle clothing suggestions and judgments over dessert. This prejudice links our sense of self-worth closely to thinness, falsely associating it with health. To address this issue, we must value all bodies, reject food-shaming, and promote body positivity by accepting ourselves at any weight or size.

“Praise for appearance changes isn’t always welcome,” says Fedrick, “Instead, showing understanding and asking open questions”. She cautions against assuming weight loss equals good health, as it can sometimes indicate health issues or disordered eating. Fedrick says focusing on a person’s character or appearance isn’t effective support; rather, caring about their well-being as a whole person is key.

From toilet paper to yogurt, and coffee to corn chips, manufacturers are quietly shrinking package sizes without lowering prices. It’s called “shrinkflation(缩水式通胀)”, and it’s accelerating worldwide. In the U. S., a small box of Kleenex now has 60 tissues; a few months ago, it had 65. In India, a bar of Vim dish soap has shrunk from 155 grams to 135 grams.

Shrinkflation isn’t new, experts say. But it multiplies in times of high inflation(通货膨胀) as companies struggle with rising costs for ingredients, packaging, labor, and transportation. Global consumer price inflation was up an estimated 7% in May, a pace that will likely continue through September, according to S&P Global.

“It comes in waves. We happen to be in a tidal wave now because of inflation,” said Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts who has documented shrinkflation on his Consumer World website for decades.

Mr. Dworsky said shrinkflation appeals to manufacturers because they know customers will notice price increases but won’t keep track of net weights or small details, like the number of sheets on a roll of toilet paper. Companies can also employ tricks to draw attention away from downsizing, like marking smaller packages with bright new labels that draw shoppers’ eyes.

Some customers who have noticed the downsizing are sharing examples on social media. Others say shrinkflation is causing them to change their shopping habits. Alex Aspacher does a lot of grocery shopping for his family. He noticed when the one-pound package of sliced Swiss cheese he used to buy shrank to 12 ounces but kept its $9.99 price tag. Now, he hunts for deals or buys a block of cheese and slices it himself. “I was prepared for the change to a degree, but there hasn’t been a limit to it so far,” Mr. Aspacher said. “I hope we find that ceiling pretty soon.”

Sometimes the trend can reverse. As inflation eases, competition might force manufacturers to lower their prices or reintroduce larger packages. But Mr. Dworsky says once a product has gotten smaller, it often stays that way.

The World Health Organization(WHO)says it is possible to defeat the disease malaria （疟疾）,although that is not likely to happen with the current methods.

Pedro Alonso, directing the United Nations agency's global malaria program, says the WHO wants to eradicate(根除）the disease but “with the tools we have today, it is most unlikely that the goal will be achieved.”

Malaria infected around 219 million people in 2017, when about 435,000 people died from the disease. The large majority were babies and children in the poorest areas of Africa. These totals little changed from 2016.But the numbers are smaller than the 239 million infections and 607,000 deaths reported in 2010.Diallo is head of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. The group released a statement from him on the WHO report, saying, “Today, there are more countries without malaria than with it, and more countries than ever have fewer than 10,000 malaria cases.”

WHO officials have long wanted to destroy malaria. The United Nations agency first attempted a campaign against the disease in 1955.Now, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is providing financial support for the latest efforts.

There are a number of drugs available to successfully treat malaria. Sleeping under chemically-treated bed nets has proven to be effective in order to control malaria-carrying mosquitoes and infections. The drug company GSK has also developed a vaccine that has proven partially effective against malaria. The vaccine is currently used in Ghana and Malawi. But the WHO's report says these tools will not be enough to end the threat from malaria altogether. It calls for research and development of“transformative tools and knowledge” to control mosquitoes and create more effective medicines to prevent and treat the disease.