Current Events in May 2022

A new study conducted by researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health explored how consumers’ family size may affect their cognitive function in later life. According to the findings, having three or more kids can have a negative impact on cognition and longevity when compared to having two children. 

“Understanding the factors that contribute to optimal late-life cognition is essential for ensuring successful aging at the individual and societal levels – particularly in Europe, where family sizes have shrunk and populations are aging rapidly,” said researcher Vegard Skirbekk, Ph.D. 

“For individuals, late-life cognitive health is essential for maintaining independence and being socially active and productive in late life,” said researcher Eric Bonsang, Ph.D. “For societies, ensuring the cognitive health of the older population is essential for extending work lives and reducing health care costs and care needs.” 

Having more kids may affect long-term brain health

For the study, the researchers analyzed responses to the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Responses came from consumers living in 20 regions across Europe, and they were all at least 65 years old with a minimum of two children. 

The researchers identified a link between having more kids and having poor cognition in later life, which held up for both men and women. The team identified three major ways that having more than three kids can negatively affect cognitive function:

• The more kids that consumers have, the greater their financial burden. Over time, this can lower the standard of living and increase stress, which can lead to poor cognition. 

• Having to provide for more family members often means that consumers need to work later in life. Being involved in the labor market later than anticipated can also negatively affect cognitive health. 

• Parents with more than three kids may have higher stress levels, which affects how they spend their free time. They have less time to do things that are relaxing or that can improve their cognitive health, which can have negative long-term effects. 

“The negative effect of having three or more children on cognitive function is not negligible, it is equivalent to 6.2 years of aging,” said Dr. Bonsang. 

On a positive note, the researchers learned that having more kids can mitigate some of the cognitive risks related to social isolation. When consumers have more kids, they’re likely to be more socially engaged.

Based on these findings, the researchers hope more work is done in this area to better understand how the size of consumers’ families can impact their long-term cognitive function. 

“Given the magnitude of the effect, future studies on late-life cognition should also examine fertility as a prognosticator alongside more commonly researched predictors, such as education, occupational experiences, physical exercise, and mental and physical health,” said Dr. Skirbekk. “In addition, future studies should address the potential effects of childlessness or having one child on late-life cognition. We also need more information on the types of interactions, supports, and conflicts that occur between parents and children, which may influence cognitive outcomes.” 

If you’re a Verizon customer, get ready for a price hike. Following AT&T’s recently announced price increase, Verizon is doing the same for both consumer and business accounts – the first increase the company has imposed in two years.

According to Bloomberg News, consumers will pay $1.35 more per month starting in June for each voice line. However, those with "basic service" plans will only pay an additional $0.98. Verizon is couching the price change as an “economic adjustment charge” as opposed to an actual price increase. Business customers will pay up to up to $2.20 more per month.

On a positive note, Verizon has rolled out special pricing for military, first responders, teachers, and nurses with personal accounts. The company said people in those categories could save up to $25 a month on its best 5G Unlimited phone plans – which adds up to $300 a year.

The pressure is on

Verizon Business’ Chief Executive Officer Tami Erwin said the company is trying to balance the higher prices with better service, especially when it comes to 5G service.

“We’re all feeling the pressure and we’ve been in the process of deciding how much of that pressure we can share with our clients,” Erwin said in a recent interview. 

The company may want to pick up the pace a bit on reducing some of the stress its customers are feeling, though. Angel, of Newington, Conn., said he sees a big difference between Verizon's promises and what it actually delivers.

“As customers we are not getting the service they advertise and promise," Angel wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. "We are not getting 5G service as they are saying we’re getting and we’re paying for something we are not receiving as of yet, but they’re charging ahead of time without providing the service.” 

Due to a shortage of infant formula in the U.S., some parents are making their own formula at home. There are plenty of websites offering advice and recipes. Apparently, it’s not that hard to make.

But pediatricians almost universally advise against it. Dr. Kelsey Klaas, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic, “absolutely” recommends against the use of homemade infant formula.

“There are several reasons for this,” Klaas told ConsumerAffairs. “The first is the risk of contamination. Some online sites are recommending unpasteurized products, which are never safe for infants or children.”

Babies’ kidneys are more sensitive

It turns out that making infant formula is not as easy as some websites make it seem. Klass said the formula made in factories has the proper electrolyte balance and solute load, which she said is a critical aspect of food for infants.

“Infant kidneys don’t concentrate as well as more mature kidneys,” Klass said. She notes that the physical differences between adults and infants make producing safe formula at home fairly challenging.

“These imbalances can lead to potentially severe electrolyte abnormalities, which carry health risks, and/or dehydration,” Klass said. “In the medium to longer-term, undernutrition is a real risk with homemade formulas.”

Klass’ position is the same one that is championed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The organization said homemade formulas may not meet an infant's unique nutritional needs and may be unsafe in other ways.

Writing on an AAP website, Dr. Steven Abrams, a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin, also says parents should never dilute formula with water to increase the quantity.

“It can cause nutritional imbalances in your baby and lead to serious health problems,” he said. “Always mix formula as directed by the manufacturer.”

Alternatives

So what are parents who can’t find infant formula to do? While toddler formulas are not recommended for infants, Abrams says they can be safely substituted for a few days if the child is close to a year old.

For children who are at least six months old, Abrams says whole cow's milk can also be a temporary substitute.

“This is not ideal and should not become routine, but is a better option than diluting formula or making homemade formula,” he stated.

COVID-19 ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 82,619,858 (82,476,893)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 999,852 (999,607)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 522,165,282 (521,567,640)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,267,509 (6,264,186)‌

White House restarts free test kit program

This week, the Biden administration resumed a federal program that mailed free COVID-19 test kits to Americans who requested one. Actually, the U.S. Postal Service will deliver up to eight free tests per household.

With little fanfare, the once dormant website where consumers could order tests went back online on Monday. According to users, the site was functional and taking orders before the White House announced a resumption of the program.

The free test kit program resumes as U.S. cases of the coronavirus rapidly increase. New cases have reportedly risen more than 60% this month, with most of them caused by the less severe but more highly contagious subvariants of the Omicron variant.

Congressional panel claims collusion between meatpackers and feds

In the early days of the pandemic, long before vaccines were available, the coronavirus spread quickly through the nation’s meat processing plants. Now, a shocking congressional report claims that meatpackers and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) bent safety rules to keep the plants operating.

In its report, which contains harsh criticism of the Trump administration, the House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis claims that COVID-19 safety guidelines for meatpacking plants released by the USDA had been heavily influenced by the companies it was charged with regulating. 

Meat processing plants require employees to work in close proximity to one another, making it easy to spread the virus. Some plants reported a large number of cases, resulting in several deaths, during the first year of the pandemic.

Former Trump health official predicts large wave in the South

Dr. Deborah Birx, who served as a top health official in the Trump administration, warns that Florida and much of the South should get ready for an "exponential" COVID-19 surge this summer. Birx spoke to a group in West Palm Beach, Fla., to promote her book about the pandemic, “Silent Invasion.”

Birx said she expects a swell of new cases across the region this summer that could bring an increase in hospitalizations. So far, hospitalizations have remained well below pandemic peaks.

"We are heading into Memorial Day when families like to get together," Birx said. She urged her audience to acquire COVID-19 test kits now ahead of what could be a shortage as cases increase this summer.

Around the nation

• Nebraska: After a prolonged leveling off, new cases in Nebraska rose sharply in the last seven days, according to state health officials. The state reported 1,500 new virus cases last week, a sharp increase from just over 800 in each of the two previous weeks.

• Michigan: Some schools in the Detroit area have reimposed mask mandates as cases of the coronavirus continue to rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended last week that people in the Detroit area wear masks in indoor public spaces.

• Massachusetts: New cases of COVID-19 are being reported in greater numbers across the state. The CDC has rated 11 of Massachusetts' 14 counties as having high community transmission levels of the coronavirus. Berkshire County reported the highest case rate per 100,000 individuals.

• Arizona: State health officials are reporting an increase in both flu and COVID-19 cases since the beginning of May. The latest numbers show that the state recorded almost 5,000 new COVID-19 cases for the week of May 1, with a 9% test positivity rate. Four weeks earlier, Arizona reported fewer than 2,000 new cases when the test positivity rate was 3%.

• Florida: Masks are gone, planes are full, and Florida tourism officials report that things have never been better. The state’s tourism agency says 36 million visitors came to Florida in the first quarter of this year – 1.3% more than during the same period in 2019, before the pandemic.

Mortgage rates are going up -- and thanks to Federal Reserve action, so are the rates on credit cards. But the average rate on personal loans is going down, according to Credible.com.

Last week, the average rate for qualified borrowers – those with a credit score of at least 720 – fell by 0.17% to 10.85%. In contrast, the average credit card rate for new accounts was 18.32% last month.

A personal loan is normally used to make a big purchase or consolidate high-interest debts, such as credit cards. The borrower seeks a specific amount of money that is paid back over a specified time period with a fixed monthly payment.

Unlike a mortgage, which can only be used to buy a house, or an auto loan, which can only be used to purchase a vehicle, personal loans can be used to buy a variety of things. That's why they have become a popular type of loan since they were introduced.

Cheryl Ann of Kalispell, Mont., turned to personal loan lender Best Egg late last year to get out from under high-interest debt.

“With the stress of Christmas and moving into a new home, credit card bills piling up caused spending $800 a month paying just for credit card bills,” Cheryl Ann wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. Best Egg has taken that stress away with a personal loan. Something I can manage and get rid of my debt. The process was simple.”

Income and good credit are major factors

The rate that lenders charge for a personal loan is determined by several factors, including income. But the borrower’s credit score is a significant factor. The higher the credit score, the lower the interest rate. 

For example, Experian says a borrower with “super-prime” credit – a score between 781 and 850 – could get a rate as low as 6.59%. Someone with “deep subprime” credit – a score between 300 and 499 – would pay a rate of 15.3%, which is lower than many credit card rates.

That’s why it pays for borrowers to work on raising their credit scores before applying for a personal loan or any other type of loan. The easiest and most productive step is to pay all bills on time every month. Consumers who reduce their credit card debt, which will increase their amount of available credit, will also see an increase in credit scores. 

It’s also a good idea to obtain a copy of your credit report from all three agencies – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion – and look for incorrect information that could be dragging down your score.

United Airlines confirmed Tuesday that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given it permission to return 52 Boeing 777 aircraft to service. The planes had been grounded due to engine failure following a flight from Denver to Honolulu in February 2021.

The airline said it would take a measured approach in bringing the aircraft back into action to ensure that they are safe for the flying public. The carrier had previously pushed back returning the planes to service by an extra month.

The grounded 777s accounted for only about 10% of United’s capacity. The carrier typically uses 777s for longer and more traveled flights, such as Washington Dulles to Los Angeles and Chicago to San Francisco.

“Late last night, the FAA issued the final paperwork on our Pratt & Whitney-powered triple sevens,” Andrew Nocella, Chief Commercial Officer at United Airlines, said at a Bank of America industry conference.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison explored the health and financial benefits associated with reducing air pollution emissions. According to the findings, eliminating emissions from industrial activities, transportation, and electricity generation can save over 50,000 lives in the U.S. and $600 billion each year. 

“Our work provides a sense of the scale of the air quality health benefits that could accompany deep decarbonization of the U.S. energy system,” said researcher Nick Mailloux. “Shifting to clean energy sources can provide enormous benefits for public health in the near term while mitigating climate change in the longer term.” 

Longevity and financial benefits of eliminating emissions

For the study, the researchers analyzed a predictive model from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to understand how eliminating air pollution emissions can impact consumers’ health and health care costs. They looked specifically at fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. 

Eliminating these pollutants entirely would have significant benefits on consumers’ longevity and associated health care costs. The study showed that these efforts would save nearly $610 billion in health care- and death-related costs. They would also save over 53,000 lives each year. 

“Our analysis is timely, following last month’s report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that called for urgent action to transform the world’s energy economy,” said researcher Jonathan Patz. “My hope is that our research findings might spur decision-makers grappling with the necessary move away from fossil fuels, to shift their thinking from burdens to benefits.” 

Different benefits across the country

The researchers looked at how different parts of the country would benefit if only specific regions were successful at eliminating energy emissions. For example, if just the Southwest region of the country cut these emissions, consumers in those areas would reap 95% of the health and financial benefits.

However, this figure doesn’t hold up across the country. In the Mountain region, just over 30% of the benefits remain in those states because of wind patterns. Despite that, the researchers explained that when one part of the country benefits from cutting energy emissions, those benefits are likely to be wide-reaching. 

“The Great Plains, for example, gets more than twice as much benefit from nationwide efforts as it does from acting alone,” said Mailloux. “The more that states and regions can coordinate their emissions reductions efforts, the greater the benefit they can provide to us all.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Edith Cowan University explored how lifting weights may benefit consumers with obesity who are trying to lose weight. 

One premise of the research is that aerobic exercise may not be possible for everyone. For consumers who are unable to run, jog, or perform other aerobic activities, the researchers say resistance training can be an effective way to become healthier and reach weight loss goals.

“Usually when we talk about obesity, body composition, or weight loss, we only hear about aerobic exercise,” said researcher Pedro Lopez. “This paper shows we can use resistance training and achieve meaningful effects with a diet based on caloric reduction. We can reduce body fat percentage, whole-fat body mass, body weight, and BMI. If you’re comparing the literature, these effects are similar to aerobic exercise with caloric restriction in adults who are overweight or obese.” 

Resistance training has health benefits

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 4,100 participants who were part of nearly 120 studies through December 2020. The different studies looked at the ways aerobic exercise, resistance training, and diet all affected health outcomes for those with obesity. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that weight lifting was effective for those with obesity who were trying to lose weight. Participants had the greatest weight loss outcomes when they were able to cut back on their calories and follow a resistance training program. The team also observed the greatest improvements in body fat percentage and whole body fat mass for these participants. 

When the participants combined both aerobic exercise and resistance training, they were also more likely to have better weight loss outcomes. For those who aren’t able to perform aerobic exercises, or would prefer to have options when it comes to their physical activity, these findings show that resistance training can be a successful option. 

The researchers also learned that following a resistance training routine helped the participants improve their lean muscle mass, which can be difficult – especially when cutting back on calorie intake. The team explained that diet is an incredibly important piece of the weight loss process. 

“If you want to lose weight, you have to reduce your calorie intake,” Lopez said. 

Sumitomo Rubber Industries is recalling 6,993 of the following Falken and Sumitomo tires:

• FALKEN -- GI338/11R24.5 149/146K
• FALKEN -- RI130EC/285/75R24.5 147/144L
• FALKEN --RI130EC/11R24.5 149/146L
• FALKEN --RI130EC/11R22.5 146/143L
• FALKEN --RI150EC/11R22.5 146/143L
• FALKEN --RI151S/315/80R22.5 156/150L
• SUMITOMO --ST528/11R24.5 16PR
• SUMITOMO --ST528/11R22.5 16PR
• SUMITOMO --ST709SE/285/75R24.5 144/141L
• SUMITOMO --ST709SE/11R24.5 149/146L
• SUMITOMO --ST710SE/11R22.5 144/142L
• SUMITOMO --ST710SE/11R24.5 146/143L
• SUMITOMO --ST710SE/285/75R24.5 144/141L
• SUMITOMO --ST719SE/11R22.5 146/143L
• SUMITOMO --ST719SE/285/75R24.5 147/144L
• SUMITOMO --ST719SE/11R24.5 149/146L
• SUMITOMO --ST778+SE/11R24.5 149/146L
• SUMITOMO --ST778+SE/285/75R24.5 144/141L
• SUMITOMO --ST788SE/11R24.5 149/146L
• SUMITOMO --ST788SE/285/75R24.5 147/144L
• SUMITOMO --ST788SE/11R22.5 146/143L
• SUMITOMO --ST900/11R24.5 16PR
• SUMITOMO --ST908N/11R22.5 146/144L
• SUMITOMO -- ST938/11R24.5 149/146L
• SUMITOMO --ST948SE/11R24.5 149/146L
• SUMITOMO --ST948SE/285/75R24.5 144/141L

Deformation may occur in the tires near the bead, which could result in bead separation that increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

Sumitomo will notify owners and replace the affected tires free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 20, 2022.

Owners may contact Sumitomo customer service at (800)845-8378.

COVID-19 ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 82,476,893 (82,437,716)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 999,607 (999,270)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 521,567,640 (521,213,114)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,264,186 (6,263,478)‌

Airline industry faces pilot shortage

The pandemic is blamed for what has been called “the great resignation,” and it's being felt especially in the airline industry. Airlines say they have fewer pilots than before COVID-19’s arrival. and it could affect summer flight schedules.

Industry insiders say COVID-19 reduced and slowed the training of new pilots. They also point to a wave of early retirements when airlines slashed flights in the early days of the pandemic.

Airline executives say the easiest and fastest remedy would be to raise the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67 or older.

Children’s activity fell below federal guidelines during the pandemic

A new study conducted at the University of Bristol shows how much of an effect early COVID-19 lockdowns had on children’s health. Researchers say children’s physical activity levels were significantly lower by the time the COVID-19 pandemic public lockdown restrictions were lifted.

The researchers found that little more than a third of children – 36% –  were meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines by the end of 2021. Specifically, children between the ages of 10 and 11 were active for just 56 minutes during weekdays from April 2021, to December 2021.

“These findings highlight a greater need to work with children, families, schools, and communities to maximize the opportunities for children to be physically active, as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said senior author Russ Jago.

Drake University puts the masks back on for graduation

Iowa is one of the states where new cases of COVID-19 have spiked in recent days. So when it came time for commencement exercises at Drake University, it reinstated its mask mandate for graduates and members of the audience.

Cases have also risen recently on the Drake University campus, adding motivation for the university to ask people attending the event to mask up.

"We all want to be healthy and get together and do whatever it takes to get through all of this," said Ron Waldbilling, a relative of one of the graduates.

Around the nation

• Ohio: Cases are rising in Northeast Ohio, but wearing a mask in public is now voluntary. Dr. Claudia Hoyen, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at University Hospitals, has noticed that not many people are wearing one. "People are done with it (the pandemic). You hope that if they're done with it, they've been vaccinated," she said.

• Kansas: Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill passed by the state legislature that would have barred any government agency from issuing a mask mandate for any public health reason. In her veto message, Kelly said the bill “significantly limits any government entity’s response to any infectious disease outbreak.” 

• New York: In the last week, all of New York state except for one county has been classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a “high risk” area for COVID-19. The Bronx is the only region of New York that still carries a “low risk of transmission.”

• Missouri: The state legislature has passed a bill that is aimed at restrictions on hospital visitors. The measure would prevent hospitals from keeping family members away from hospitalized loved ones, even during a pandemic.

• Utah: Gov. Spenser Cox has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the Utah Health Department to issue a reminder that vaccinations provide the best protection. “Most people who are infected with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, especially if they are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. The vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective, and provide protection against serious disease,” the agency said. 

JetBlue doesn't appear to be taking "no" for an answer. After Spirit Airlines rejected JetBlue's recent offer to merge in favor of a deal with Frontier Airlines, the jilted company decided to ask Spirit shareholders for their support.

In both a letter to Spirit’s board of directors and a special website designed to convince Spirit’s board, JetBlue told Spirit that it has filed a “Vote No” proxy statement that urges Spirit shareholders to vote against “the inferior, high risk, and low-value Spirit/Frontier transaction at Spirit’s upcoming special meeting.”

How badly does JetBlue want Spirit as one of its own? How about a $200 million reverse break-up fee as an incentive? 

Didn’t get a fair shake

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes rolled out everything he could to convince Spirit that it was going in the wrong direction.

“JetBlue offers more value – a significant premium in cash – more certainty, and more benefits for all stakeholders. Frontier offers less value, more risk, no divestiture commitments, and no reverse break-up fee, despite more overlap on non-stop routes and their own regulatory challenges," Hayes wrote in his letter.

The thing that apparently irritates Hayes the most is that Spirit didn’t give JetBlue a fair or equal chance.

“The Spirit Board … rejected our proposal … without asking us even a single question about it. The Spirit Board based its rejection on unsupportable claims that are easily refuted,” Hayes said.

ConsumerAffairs reached out to Spirit for a response to JetBlue’s latest move but did not immediately receive a response.

At the present rate of inflation, the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2023 could be as high as 8.6%. For seniors, that’s the good news.

But the Senior Citizens League, which issued that estimate, also says inflation has caused Social Security benefits to lose 40% of their buying power since the year 2000. During most of those years, there were minimal annual increases in benefits.

The league’s new study found that Social Security recipients could buy 30% less than they did in March 2021. Today, the study shows that seniors’ purchasing power is down about 40%

To arrive at that result, the study compared the growth in the Social Security COLA increases with the rise in the price of 37 goods and services that are typically used by retirees. While prices rose in almost every spending category, benefits were impacted the most by sharp increases in energy costs for home heating, gasoline, and higher food prices. This year, there was a 14.5% increase in Medicare Part B premiums.

Inflation hits retirees particularly hard

Peter Anastasian, senior vice president and a financial adviser at Wealth Enhancement Group, says inflation is particularly damaging to seniors who live on a fixed income. Not only do things cost more, but the current bear market has also reduced the value of their investments.

Even though Social Security benefits rose by 5.9% this year, Anastasian says that’s not enough to help seniors cope with the current inflation rate of more than 8%.

“The increase in Medicare premiums increased substantially as well, offsetting a large part of the Social Security increase,” Anastasian told ConsumerAffairs. The cost of basic necessities, such as rent, phone, gas, and food have increased well over 10% year-over-year, and so seniors have been feeling the impact of inflation more so this year than ever before.”

Expenses rise 130% since 2000

The Senior Citizen League’s study of reduced purchasing power found that Social Security COLAs have increased benefits by a total of 64% since 2000. However, typical senior expenses through March 2022, grew by more than double that rate – 130%.

There is no guarantee that next year's COLA will rise by 8.6%. The benefit increase is determined by averaging the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July through September.

Some economists believe inflation could taper off over the summer, which would be good news for the U.S. economy as a whole. But it would also mean the Social Security COLA would likely be less than 8.6%.

Walmart says there’s a path for everyone at the company – especially students.

On top of traditional part-time roles for high schoolers and college students, the company just announced a new pilot program called College2Career that gives young professionals a way to kickstart their professional lives by managing a Walmart store. Those positions could eventually lead to a lucrative career that earns graduates over $200,000 per year as an annual salary.

We aren't quite halfway through 2022, but Walmart’s hiring efforts are already making it a banner year. The company recently said it would hire more than 50,000 workers in a new business push, and it hiked wages for truckers to as much as $110,000 a year to address a driver shortage.

Program specifics

The new pilot program is for recent college graduates and current college students, including existing Walmart employees who graduated within the previous 12 months. 

Those who sign up for the program will reportedly gain hands-on experience, classroom training, and one-on-one mentoring with company leaders – everything the company feels is necessary to learn the ins and outs of Walmart and qualify to be a salaried member of management at a local store. 

When all is said and done at the end of the program, Walmart said the top performers in the program would be offered the newly created management job of “emerging coach,” complete with a starting wage of at least $65,000 a year. College students will be able to step into the role after they graduate, while recent grads will start immediately.

“That’s just the beginning,” the company said in announcing the program. "We see the emerging coach role as an additional pipeline to develop high-potential talent into future store managers, the latter role with an average wage of approximately $210,000 in 2021. With College2Career, we are aiming to move emerging coaches to store managers within two years."

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Heart Association explored the health risks associated with prediabetes. According to the findings, high sugar levels may increase young people's risk of being hospitalized due to a heart attack.

“Prediabetes, if left untreated, can significantly impact health and progress to type 2 diabetes, which is known to increase a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease,” said researcher Dr. Akhil Jain.

“With heart attacks happening increasingly in young adults, our study was focused on defining the risk factors pertinent to this young population, so that future scientific guidelines and health policies may be better able to address cardiovascular disease risks in relation to prediabetes.” 

Long-term heart health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from consumers between the ages of 18 and 44 who were enrolled in the National Inpatient Sample in 2018. They looked specifically at hospitalization records for young adults who had heart attacks. 

The team was able to identify a link between prediabetes and heart attack risk. The incidence of heart attack was over 2.1% for participants with prediabetes. That paled in comparison to the only 0.3% of people who had healthy blood sugar levels.

“After taking into account various influencing and modifying factors, we found that young adults with prediabetes had 1.7 times higher chances of being hospitalized for a heart attack compared to their peers without prediabetes,” said Dr. Jain. “Despite having higher chances of having a heart attack, the young adults with prediabetes did not have higher incidences of other major adverse cardiovascular events, such as cardiac arrest or stroke.” 

The team identified other health and demographic factors that impacted the participants’ heart health. Prediabetes was linked with higher risks of both obesity and high cholesterol, both of which can impact heart health. The researchers also learned that consumers with prediabetes who had higher incomes and those who were Black, Hispanic, or Asian/Pacific Islander were all more likely to be hospitalized with a heart attack. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings encourage more consumers to take control of their health before prediabetes escalates. 

“When blood sugar levels meet the criteria for prediabetes, this is a wake-up call to take action,” said researcher Dr. Eduardo Sanchez. “It’s important for people with prediabetes to know lifestyle changes are key to improving their glucose levels and overall health, and possibly reversing prediabetes and preventing type 2 diabetes. 

“Eating a healthy diet, being physically active, and losing weight, if needed, are all meaningful ways to reverse a prediabetes diagnosis. For smokers, participation in a program to stop smoking is also extremely important. Other lifestyle and behavior changes, like reducing stress, may seem small, yet they can have a large impact on many different areas of life and can make a difference as well.”

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Bern explored how sleep can affect consumers’ mental health and well-being. The findings suggest that our brains can make negative emotions less intense while we sleep while improving the storage of positive emotions.

“Our goal was to understand the underlying mechanism and the functions of such a surprising phenomenon,” said researcher Antoine Adamantidis. 

What does our brain do during sleep?

The researchers conducted their study on mice to better understand what happens in the brain during sleep and how it affects our emotions. The mice were first exposed to different sounds – some that they linked with danger and others they linked with safety. The team then analyzed brain scans of the mice while they slept and while they were awake to see how the different emotions were processed. 

The study showed that neurons in the prefrontal cortex go through a decoupling process during REM sleep. This allows the brain to identify the difference between positive and negative emotions, or in this case, safety versus danger. 

However, this process also affects how the brain processes the different emotions. The researchers learned that the brain wants to help protect itself from feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions while improving the storage process of positive emotions. 

The team explained that this process is important when thinking about mental health. When consumers are unable to differentiate between positive and negative emotions, it may make them more susceptible to anxiety disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  The team hopes these findings can help leverage the benefits of sleep in mental health treatment. 

“We hope that our findings will not only be of interest to the patients, but also to the broad public,” said Adamantidis. 

Nissan North America is recalling 53 model year 2022 Rogues.

Due to a manufacturing error, an area on the bottom wall of the fuel tank may be too thin.

Road debris may puncture the thin fuel tank wall, causing a gas leak and increasing the risk of a fire.

In addition, the fuel tank may not perform as expected in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly and install a new lock ring, gasket, and o-ring seal free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 19, 2022.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at (800) 867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC887.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 1,382 model year 2021-2022 Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles.

The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters.

Long fuel injectors with missing filters may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

Dealers will replace the long fuel injectors free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on June 10, 2022.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at (800) 893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24iD.

TurboTax has become one of the dominant do-it-yourself tax preparation platforms, helping taxpayers prepare their federal and state tax returns. Recently, however, some users have objected to what they say is a “hidden fee” – a $40 charge when the customer chooses to pay for the service by using a portion of their federal refund.

“Even though I was using the free version, TurboTax hit me with several surprise fees at the end,” Luke, of Salt Lake City, wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “There was a state fee that came out of nowhere at the end that I did not have to pay for last year. TurboTax is easy to use, but, in the end, they used me.”

Other users posting on ConsumerAffairs and on other forums like Reddit have also complained about the $40 fee. The company, however, disputes claims that the fee is “hidden.” 

TurboTax, which is owned by Intuit, says it has been upfront about what it calls a “refund transfer fee.” The company allows customers who file their taxes online to have TurboTax’s charges deducted from the refund, but it imposes a charge for doing that. Customers’ other alternative is to pay with a credit card or debit card.

“The Refund Processing Service is an option for paying your TurboTax fee by deducting it from your federal tax refund. It's a convenient way to pay for TurboTax if you don't have (or don't want to use) your credit or debit card,” the company explains on its Help page. “You don't need Refund Processing Service to e-file and process your refund, and refund processing won't slow down or speed up your refund.”

How transparent?

The point of contention is whether TurboTax is transparent about the refund transfer fee when users electronically file their taxes. Some customers have said they were not aware of the fee before they selected the option to pay with part of their refund. David, of Hanover, Mass., is one of them.

“I just completed my taxes (basic return), refund both state and federal. I was automatically upgraded to $90 federal fee and $50 state fee. I can live with the fees. But the $39.99 fee to pay the $140 fees is a money grab,” David wrote in his review.

TurboTax points out that the page with information about its fees gives users the option to pay with a credit card or pay with their federal refund. Below the federal refund option, it says, “Don’t worry about pulling out your wallet. We’ll simply deduct the $39.99 fee from your federal refund and send the balance to your bank account.” 

One user pointed out that the fee is mentioned, but they said “it is not crystal clear” what the fee is and what it is for.

TurboTax is not the only company to trigger complaints about “hidden fees.” Earlier this year, DoorDash found itself as the defendant in a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that it charged hidden fees during the pandemic. In March, competitor GrubHub was also slapped with a suit by the District of Columbia Attorney General’s office that leveled similar charges.

‘All-in pricing’

Brett Goldberg, the co-founder and co-CEO of TickPick, has been an advocate of “all-in pricing” – which relies on telling consumers the bottom line cost in all advertising. Because of competition, he says businesses often want to advertise the lowest possible price. It’s why an airline will advertise a low fare but disclose later that there are fees to check bags. An Airbnb host can also charge a large “cleaning fee” so that they can advertise a lower nightly rate than their competitors.

“Businesses know that consumers who are price shopping are looking to compare that upfront price,” Goldberg told ConsumerAffairs. “So to maximize conversions, the lower the price they can display, the higher their conversion value will be.”

It’s not surprising that consumers would get angry when they choose a service for what appears to be a low price but wind up paying more because of a fee or two that wasn’t included in the advertised price.

“Furthermore, businesses will say that they want to be transparent and show the all-in price. But without regulations, very few businesses are going to put themselves at a disadvantage,” Goldberg said. 

The pressure to hide the true cost of a service, product, or experience may only get more intense in this inflationary environment. Right now, Goldberg says “consumer deception is extreme” for live events, airline tickets, hotels, and rental homes.

The solution, he says, is for regulators to set concrete rules that govern fee disclosures and advertised prices so that they are transparent. With regulation, Goldberg says consumers would have better price information and businesses would be competing on a more level playing field.