AFL players with concussion returning to play too soon: study

Footballers are returning to play too soon after a concussion injury.

Image: Getty

A Monash University study of amateur Australian rules footballers has found the brains of players are still recovering two weeks after receiving a concussion, calling into question the length of existing recovery guidelines.

See 

• Monash story 
• The Age story

Gonorrhoea incidence growing in Victoria: Study

Gonorrhoea hotspot areas in Melbourne. See interactive graphic
from the Victorian government infectious diseases report.

The Age's Melissa Cunningham reports on research led by Associate Professor Eric Chow which maps notified cases of gonorrhoea in Victoria. She writes that, for the first time, the geographical distribution of gonorrhoea has been tracked over a ten year period, "finding growing clusters of the sexually transmitted infection were infiltrating some of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of Melbourne."

The study describes the geographical distribution of gonorrhoea infection, stratified by gender and population group, in Victoria between 2017 and 2019 using enhanced surveillance data.

The imperative to act on obesity

Source: OECD 2015. How we compare: Australia's obesity levels
The 10 OECD nations with the most overweight and obese people 

by Paul Zimmet
Dana McCauley makes a very important contribution with her analysis of the failure the Federal and State governments to act decisively on obesity ("While politicians refuse to act, Australia becomes more overweight", The Age,18/12/2019) despite numerous reports and strategies produced over the last few decades.

Concerted action is long overdue - the time to start for a positive impact on Australia’s current health was 20 years ago. In 2009, the Preventative Health Task Force of which I was a member, produced the report “Australia: The Healthiest Country by 2020”.