Features

TOKYO — If you find you just  cannot spring out of bed on time every morning, you may be able to blame it on your genes, a new scientific study has found.

The research analysed a wealth of genetic data gathered from the DNA-testing website 23andme and a British “biobank” to better understand what makes someone a “morning lark” or a “night owl”.

“This study is important because it confirms that your morning or evening preference is, at least to some extent, determined by genetic factors,” said Michael Weedon, a professor at the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research.

The study is the largest of its kind — it looked at data from nearly 700,000 people — and found that significantly more genetic factors are tied to when people sleep and wake than previously known.

Researchers knew of 24 genes linked to sleep timing, but the new study published on Wednesday in the “Nature Communications” journal found an additional 327 play a role.

The analysis also showed that those with a genetic tendency to sleep later have a higher risk of mental health problems such as schizophrenia, though the authors cautioned that more work was needed to understand the link.

The initial phase of the research involved analysing the genes of people who self-reported as either a “morning person” or an “evening person”.

Because those terms can mean different things to different people, the researchers examined a smaller set of participants, who were using activity trackers.

They looked at information from the wrist-worn trackers of more than 85,000 participants in the UK Biobank to find objective data about their sleep patterns.

They found the genes they had identified could shift a person’s natural waking time by up to 25 minutes, but there were no apparent links between the genes and how long, or how well, people slept.

‘Morning person’

The study also looked at why certain genes influence when people sleep and wake up, finding differences in the way the brain reacts to light and the functioning of internal clocks.

To test long-standing theories about the links between sleep patterns and certain illnesses, the researchers also analysed the correlation between “morning” and “evening” genes and various disorders.

They found that a genetic inclination to sleep and wake earlier appears to be tied to a lower risk of depression and schizophrenia, and improved well-being.

However, Weedon acknowledged it was not immediately clear if the link was the direct result of being a “morning person”, or caused by the fact that early risers have an easier time in the nine-to-five work environment.

The researchers plan to look at whether “genetically evening people have worse outcomes if they are active in the morning, compared to those whose genetics and activity are aligned”, he said.

The study did not find evidence of a causal link between genes that affect sleep times and metabolic diseases, like type 2 diabetes.

But further research will look at the issue in individuals whose natural sleep inclinations are mismatched with their lifestyles.

“For example, are individuals who are genetically evening people, but have to wake up early because of work commitments, particularly susceptible to obesity and diabetes?” the study asks.

TAMPA — Aggressive treatment to lower blood pressure in older people has been shown to cut the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, a risk factor for dementia, US researchers said on Monday.

While the findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) did not find any significant impact on the likelihood of developing dementia, experts said the trial offers a glimmer of hope as the world’s population ages and dementia becomes a growing concern.

Dementia, including its most common, form, Alzheimer’s disease, is expected to affect 115 million people worldwide by 2050.

So far, the world’s best scientific minds have not found a way to reliably prevent, cure or treat dementia.

But some research has suggested that high blood pressure — which affects three-quarters of people over 75 — might be a modifiable risk factor.

For the the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), more than 9,300 people aged 50 and older with high blood pressure (systolic blood pressure of between 130 and 180mm Hg) were randomised to receive different interventions.

Some received intensive blood pressure control, with medications that targeted 120mm Hg.

Others aimed for a more standard treatment goal of less than 140mm Hg.

Patients were followed for about five years and given a battery of cognitive tests.

In the intensive treatment group, 149 participants were deemed to have probable dementia, compared with 176 participants in the standard treatment group.

In other words, the intensive blood pressure control “did not significantly reduce the incidence of probable dementia”, said the study.

However, researchers were cautiously optimistic about a secondary finding, that mild cognitive impairment occurred in far fewer participants in the intensive treatment group — 287 compared to 353 participants in the standard treatment group.

“This is the first trial, to our knowledge, to demonstrate an intervention that significantly reduces the occurrence of MCI, a well-established risk factor for dementia,” said the study.

An accompanying editorial in JAMA by Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco, also emphasised the possibility that more research could confirm the technique as an effective prevention strategy.

“For older adults, almost all of whom have concern about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, SPRINT MIND offers great hope,” she wrote. 

“The study demonstrates that among those with hypertension, intensive SBP control can reduce the development of cognitive impairment.”

She called for studying the approach along with other vascular health efforts, such as physical activity, and prevention.

Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, which is funding a two-year extension of the study to further probe any effects on dementia, called the findings “the strongest evidence to date about reducing risk of mild cognitive impairment through the treatment of high blood pressure.

“MCI is a known risk factor for dementia, and everyone who experiences dementia passes through MCI,” Carrillo added.

“However, the study’s outcome on reducing risk of dementia was not definitive,” hence the need for more research, she said.

Designed as a 7-seater from the outset, the Volkswagen Teramont is the German brand’s large SUV successor to the Touareg in certain markets like the US, where it is branded as the Atlas. Not released for European markets, the Teramont runs concurrent to a new and more luxuriously up-market Touareg in the Middle East.

Launched late last year, the Teramont is the more affordable of Volkswagen’s two bigger SUVs, and is designed with a strong emphasis on accessibility, practicality and refinement, with particular relevance for markets with big families.

Chunky and chiselled

A production interpretation of the chunky Volkswagen CrossBlue concept unveiled at the 2013 Detroit motor show and built in Volkswagen’s US and Chinese factories, the Teramont is also a successor to the US market Routan MPV. 

Abandoning the pricier Touareg’s longitudinal engine layout which it shares with yet pricier Volkswagen group SUVs, the Teramont is instead built on Volkswagen’s highly versatile, now ubiquitous and less costly transverse engine MQB platform. Available in front-drive and turbocharged four-cylinder engine entry-level versions, top-end versions, however, feature a V6 engine and four-wheel-drive, as tested.  

Sitting with a strong, statuesque and no-nonsense air of assertiveness, the Teramont’s fascia features squared-off deep-set headlight and a twin-slat grille running horizontally at the same height, while its bonnet features multiple sharp ridged.

Chunky and chiselled yet conservative and uncomplicated, Teramont’s side views feature muscularly squared wheel-arches, black lower cladding, defined character line and level waistline with an upward kink at the C-pillar. Well-proportioned, its profile features a short overhang and long wheelbase and rear overhang, while rear views include sharp clean lines, high-set lights and integrated dual exhaust tips.

Progressive and capable

Powered by a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre version of Volkswagen’s familiar compact narrow-angle transversely-mounted V6 engine, the Teramont develops 276BHP at 6,200rpm and 266lb/ft torque at 2,750rpm, which hustles its 2.1-tonne mass from standstill to 100km/h in a reasonably brisk 8.9-seconds and onto a 190km/h maximum. Eager, refined and progressive in delivery, the Teramont’s output is well-matched with a slick and smooth 8-speed automatic gearbox with a broad spread of ratios to maximise performance, mid-range versatility, cruising refinement and fuel efficiency, including aggressive first and second gears for unexpected off the line pep.

Driving the front wheels in normal conditions to reduce fuel consumption, the Teramont’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive can transfer up to 50 per cent power rearward through a centre clutch when additional traction is needed. Its electronic stability controls also deploy selective wheel braking to maintain traction over loose surfaces. 

Meanwhile, four driving modes re-map steering, accelerator, gearbox, adaptive cruise control, hill descent and hill start functions to optimise driving characteristics for on-road, off-road, and snow, while on-road driving includes sport, normal and comfort settings. On-and off-road modes can also be individually customised.

Smooth control

Riding on MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension with coilover dampers all-round and front anti-roll bars, the Teramont strikes a good balance between ride comfort and stability, and eager and manoeuvrable handling, for its segment. Reassuringly planted and settled on highway, the Teramont is a natural long distance cruiser. Meanwhile it proved unexpectedly steerable in town, with a tight 11.6-metre turning circle and reversing camera., the high and long bonnet requires one to initially be careful judging passenger-side front-side parking distances before soon adapting to its dimensions.

Smooth riding and with good vertical and lateral control for so high and heavy a vehicle, the Teramont also comfortably absorbs virtually all road imperfections and bumps in its stride despite large 20-inch alloy wheels and relatively low profile 255/50R20 tyres, as driven in top spec SEL guise. Over sudden jagged speed bumps, one of the smaller alloy wheel and taller sidewall tyre options available would likely prove suppler. The Teramont’s direct, well-weighted steering, was meanwhile a pleasant surprise, with quick 2.76-turns lock-lock and a smaller sporty steering wheel.

Spacious and functional

Turning tidily into corners and reassuringly grippy throughout the Teramont is first and foremost a comfortable, smooth, practical and well-equipped on-road family vehicle. However it is also competently set-up of off-road driving and features generous 203mm ground clearance and decent 20.4 degree approach, 22.4 degree departure and 17.5 degree break-over angles. 

Voluminously spacious inside, it offers terrific front and second row passenger space, and useable third row seats and accessibility for average size adults. Meanwhile configurable cargo space expands from a 583-litre minimum to a huge 2,741-litre maximum with rear rows folded.

Clean, functional, user-friendly and classy in an uncomplicated way the Teramont’s cabin features symmetrical layouts, good quality materials and soft textures. Airy and with good visibility for this segment, it also features a panoramic sunroof and a comfortable, well-adjustable driving position. 

Versatile and accessible, the Teramont features big doors, easy folding mid-row seats for access to the rear row and a total of 17 cup-holders and USB ports for the first to seat rows. Well-equipped with convenience, safety and driver-safety systems, the Teramont features an 8-inch infotainment screen with smartphone integration.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 3.6-litre, transverse V6-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 89 x 96.4mm

Compression ratio: 12:1

Valve-train: 24-valve, DOHC, direct injection

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Ratios: 1st 5.59; 2nd 3.14; 3rd 1.95; 4th 1.43; 5th 1.21; 6th 1.1; 7th 0.81; 8th 0.67

Reverse/final drive: 3.99/3.6

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 276 (280) [206] @6,200rpm

Specific power: 131.1BHP/litre

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 266 (360) @2,750rpm

Specific torque: 171Nm/litre

0-100km/h: 8.9-seconds

Top speed: 190km/h

Fuel capacity: 70-litres

Length: 5,036mm

Width: 1,989mm

Height: 1,769mm

Wheelbase: 2,979mm

Track, F/R: 1,708/1,723mm

Ground clearance: 203mm

Approach/departure angles/break-over: 20.4°/22.4°/17.5° 

Aerodynamic drag co-efficient: 0.34

Headroom, F/M/R: 1,048/1,027/972mm

Legroom, F/M/R: 1,055/955/856mm

Shoulder room, F/M/R: 1,563/1,544/1,395mm

Luggage volume, behind 3rd/2nd/1st row: 583-/1,571-/2,741-litres

Kerb weight: 2,105kg

Steering: Electric-assisted rack & pinion

Lock-to-lock: 2.76-turns

Steering ratio: 16.3:1

Turning Circle: 11.6-metres

Suspension: MacPherson struts, anti-roll bar/multi-link

Brakes: Ventilated discs, 335/310mm

Tyres: 255/50R20

Price: AED189,950 (UAE, as tested)

Native to Madagascar, the Leaf of Life love-bush symbolises the regenerative power of life with its green fleshy appearance. It moisturises our lives with its succulent properties.

Geological distribution

This wild herb, also known as Cathedral Bells, is found extensively in the Caribbean, Indian sub-continent, Brazil and the United States. It is a succulent perennial herb which grows up to 2 metres in height. 

Each plant grows as the leaf drops into the soil emerging as a new plant. It can adapt to water-stress like a sponge and retains water for dry times. Cathedral Bells grow from the black dot on the plant which acts as a seed. 

The edges of the leaves are jagged and the flower of the plant blooms over the stem at the very top. They grow in different colours ranging from pink, red and purple to greenish and the flowers usually appear in spring and winter. 

The incredible health benefits of this plant have attracted investors to grow it on a commercial scale to cater to the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.

Miracle leaf

The leaves, stems, roots and flowers all have therapeutic values and have rich antioxidant properties.

This wonder of nature, which spreads its aroma through its stems, is used extensively as herbal medicine. 

It works wonders as an alternative remedy for any type of respiratory condition, and arthritis. 

It is also known to have antibacterial, antifungal and antihistamine properties. 

The crushed leaves of this miracle leaf bring relief to insect bites, bruises and relieve pain and anxiety disorders. 

Culinary and 

cosmetic world

Herbal tea from the Leaf of Life plant leaves has cured shortness of breath, coughs and colds. 

Tea infused with the leaves acts as a diuretic and helps reduce high blood pressure, though mildly sedative in nature. 

The crushed leaves are mixed with coconut oil and are used for curing headaches. 

It is used widely for skin hydration. 

The plant should not be consumed during pregnancy and everyone should consult their doctor prior to using the Leaf of Life. 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

Voices of Jordan

Rana F. Sweis

London: Hurst and Co., 2018

Pp. 179

By telling the stories of 10 “ordinary people”, Jordanian journalist Rana Sweis shows the demographic diversity of the origins, talents, life styles and dreams that make up present-day Jordan. Like good journalists should, she also digs a little deeper to reveal a subtext: “The stories in this book are not entirely separate from each other; they are more like conversations taking place in different rooms of the same building… Although my main aim was to write for readers who live outside the region, the fact is that Jordanian lives do not often overlap, leaving us in the dark about each other” (p. 2-3).

“Voices of Jordan” is a story of transitions, both for individuals and for society as a whole. Based on extensive interviews, Sweis aims to show how people are coping with the aftermath of the so-called Arab Spring, as well as with the abrupt cultural, social and economic transitions that are under way with rapid urbanisation and technological advances. One of many results of these transitions is that: “Young Jordanians feel split between family obligations and their newfound individualism and ambition” (p. 5).

Most of the interviewees are engaged in a kind of juggling act, trying to fulfil different obligations and needs. Overall, one is struck by their great patience and determination in pursuing their various goals.

Some of those interviewed, like the unconventional political cartoonist Omar Al Abdallat, were inspired by the hopes and new-found freedoms generated by the Arab uprisings, only to be disappointed by increasing restrictions imposed in the aftermath. But Omar keeps on drawing, creating a new character that “represents a generation of intelligent, young, unemployed Arabs whose hopes and dreams are dashed because of their harsh environment but who use sarcasm as a way to deal with their uncertain future” (p. 11).

Others experienced only the negative side of the uprisings, such as Amal Sawaan from Homs, who was displaced eight times before crossing into Jordan, more than qualifying for the title of survivor. Still others hardly mention the Arab Spring, being absorbed with how to provide for their families. Via these personal stories, major political and socioeconomic issues are introduced, from the limitations imposed by a stagnating economy to government credibility.

A few of the stories are about well-known personalities, like Wafa Bani Mustafa, who became Jordan’s youngest member of parliament in 2010, and who boasts of the diversity of her constituency in Jerash, composed of Chechens, Kurds, Christians, Circassians, Palestinians, farmers, bedouin and others. The range of issues she must address as an MP gives an idea of the problems Jordanians face, from the high cost of medical care to the mismatch between the educational system and the job market, and the disparity between male and female employment levels.

Others are mostly known in their own community, like the Salafist Naser Farhan and his son in Russeifeh, an environment which Sweis feels goes a long way towards explaining who they are. Another chapter relates the life and thinking of Jeries Akroush, a manager in the civil service in Fuheis, who upgrades his family’s standard of living with his successful afternoon real estate business. Sweis mainly chooses subjects from economically-active generations, or even younger, such as Lina Assad, whom she dubs ‘the rebel reader’, a precocious teenager who lives in Hashmia Shamali, and is connected to other youth throughout the region via the Internet. To round off, there are chapters on Sultan Al Maznah of Wadi Rum, fashionista Shirene Rifai in West Amman, Jamal Shultaf who immigrates to Chicago and Sawsan Maani, who stubbornly pursues her dream of giving birth to a son, having seven daughters in the process, and doing a lot of other things besides.

Each chapter introduces one of those interviewed in the context of their family and place of residence, so the stories of 10 mushroom into many more. The book also chronicles the changes that have occurred in many Amman neighbourhoods, from Rainbow Street to Jabal Luweibdeh, and in towns outside Amman. None of these people are ‘typical’, yet all are a part of Jordan today. 

This book is a delight to read because of the sensitivity, sincerity and pure grace with which Sweis describes the character, lifestyle, dreams and disappointments of those she interviewed. It is also very current. While the book is light on historical background, it is heavy on the human side, going into depth about current issues and how they affect people’s daily lives. Sweis has succeeded in bringing the voices of ordinary people to the outside world: “By entering the living rooms of 10 ordinary people living in Jordan, this book offers an insight into their everyday lives — their struggles, their dreams and their perspectives on the region’s deeper problems” (p. 176).

“Voices of Jordan” can be found at Books@cafe and Readers.

People with diabetes who take soluble fibre supplements have slightly lower blood sugar levels than diabetics who do not add this type of fibre to their diets, a research review finds. 

Researchers focused on supplements containing viscous fibre, a type of soluble fibre that forms a thick gel when mixed with water. Foods like legumes, asparagus, oats and flax contain viscous fibre; supplements with this type of fibre include guar gum, psyllium and pectin. 

To examine the connection between viscous fibre supplements and blood sugar, researchers examined data from 28 clinical trials with a total of 1,394 participants with diabetes. People were randomly chosen to take viscous fibre supplements, or to use other types of supplements without viscous fibre, or no supplements at all. 

Among the people taking viscous fibre supplements, half consumed doses above 13 grammes daily, for periods ranging from three weeks to a year. Compared with participants who did not take viscous fibre, those who did had better blood sugar control. They had lower levels of hemoglobin A1c, which reflects average blood sugar over about three months. They also had lower blood sugar levels on an empty stomach, known as fasting glucose levels. 

These results “suggest that intake of around 1 tablespoon of concentrated viscous fibres such as konjac, guar, pectin or psyllium would result in reductions in A1c and other diabetes risk factors”, said senior study author, Vladimir Vuksan of St Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto in Canada. 

People with diabetes have long been advised to consume more fibre as one way to help lower their blood sugar. But many, particularly those who follow a typical Western diet with lots of meat and potatoes, do not get anywhere near enough fibre to make a meaningful difference to diabetes, the study authors note in “Diabetes Care”. 

Supplements have become an increasingly common way for these patients to get more fibre. While the reason viscous fibre seems to lower blood sugar is not clear, scientists think that it might work in a variety of ways, including improving microbial health in the gut. 

Most trials in the study focused on haemoglobin A1c levels. Readings above 6.5 per cent signal diabetes. Fibre supplements were associated with average A1c reductions of 0.58 per cent, which is greater than the minimum 0.3 per cent reduction the US Food and Drug Administration looks for in evaluating new diabetes drugs, the study authors note. 

In addition to HbA1c, other markers of diabetes, including fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity, were also improved. 

One limitation of the analysis is that some studies were too small and brief to draw broad conclusions about the long-term impact of fibre supplements on all patients with diabetes.

It is also possible that so-called publication bias, or the disclosure of only positive trial results, may have made fibre supplements appear more effective than they really are, the study authors note. 

“These results suggest that viscous fibre supplements could be considered in the management of type 2 diabetes,” said Nour Makarem, a researcher at Columbia University Irving Medical Centre in New York City, who was not involved in the study. 

“However, additional studies are needed to further examine the effects of different types of fibre on blood glucose regulation and to comprehensively study the health effects and the optimisation of incorporating viscous fibre supplements into a healthful diet pattern,” Marakem said by e-mail. 

ROME  — The pesticide exposure, antibiotic resistance, air and water pollution and other factors caused by industrial food production could kill 5 million people a year by 2050, a new report said. 

That is four times the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents globally.

Preventing that from happening requires producing food locally, using eco-friendly methods, eliminating waste, and designing and marketing healthier products, said a foundation set up by record-breaking British sailor Ellen MacArthur. 

Redesigning the food industry into a so-called “circular economy” model would reduce health costs, save land and water and create new business opportunities, said the report, launched on Thursday at the World Economic Forum. 

Cities could be important catalysts in this change as 80 per cent of all food is expected to consumed in cities by 2050, it said. 

Under the current linear system, food enters cities where it is processed or consumed and only a small portion of the resulting organic waste, in the form of discarded food, byproducts or sewage, gets used again. 

In a circular economy, raw materials and byproducts are reused and very little is wasted. 

Cities would need to source food produced locally in ways that regenerate the ecosystem, distribute the surplus to those who cannot afford it, and turn byproducts into new products from fertiliser to feed to materials for bioenergy. 

The benefits “could be worth $2.7 trillion a year to the global economy”, according to the report. 

In contrast, the “extractive, wasteful and polluting nature” of current food production costs society $5.7 trillion a year globally, through costs to human and environmental health, the report said. 

“What you eat matters, but how it has been produced matters as well. You could very well be eating healthy, but still be exposed to the negative impacts because of the way food is produced,” said Clementine Schouteden, the report’s lead author.

“We are at an absolutely critical point,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from Davos. 

Scientists are increasingly calling for systemic changes to the way food is being produced and consumed, saying industrial farming has led to a food system that contributes to climate change, cripples the environment and causes a malnutrition crisis. 

Agriculture, forestry and other land uses are responsible for a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions heating up the planet, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). 

Meanwhile, one third of all food produced, worth nearly $1 trillion, is wasted globally every year, FAO figures show, even as 821 million people go hungry and one in eight adults are obese.

Last week, scientists unveiled for the first time what they say is an ideal diet for the health of the planet and its people, recommending a doubling of consumption of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes, and a halving of meat and sugar intake.

PARIS — A French public health watchdog warned on Wednesday about the risks of several chemicals found in disposable nappies, leading the government to demand that manufacturers withdraw them from their products.

The Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses) health body stressed there was no medical study which had proved health problems caused by disposable diapers.

But “we cannot exclude a risk... because we have recorded some substances that are above healthy limits,” the depuby director of Anses, Gerard Lasfargues, told AFP.

The chemicals identified in the study — described as the first of its kind — include two artificial perfumes, as well as other complex aromatic products that are refined from oil, and potentially dangerous dioxins.

The investigation by Anses came after a report in January 2017 from French consumer magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs (60 Million Consumers) which sounded the alarm about chemicals in diapers.

The magazine reported that toxic chemicals had been found in the majority of the 12 brands tested, including glyphosate, which is used in weedkiller and is feared to be cancerous.

The French government called a meeting of nappy manufacturers on Wednesday morning and gave them 15 days to present a plan to withdraw the products identified by the watchdog.

“I want to reassure parents: Anses says that there is no immediate risk for the health of our children,” Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said after the meeting.

“Obviously we should continue putting nappies on our babies. We’ve been doing that for at least 50 years,” she said, while adding that the report did not exclude “a health risk for children in the long term”.

“That’s why, as a precaution, we want to protect our children from possible effects,” said Buzyn, who met the manufacturers along with the economy and environmental ministers.

She said that she wanted companies to stop using the chemicals within the next six months at most.

In a statement on Wednesday, market leader Pampers, which belongs to US consumer products group Procter & Gamble, said its diapers “are safe and have always been so”.

A group representing French manufacturers, Group’hygiene, also issued a statement to “reassure parents”, saying they could continue using disposable nappies “in complete safety”.

Scientists working for Anses tested 23 types of nappies in real-life conditions as they were worn by children, which it said was a world first.

“We calculated the amount [of chemicals] absorbed, calculated according to the time a nappy is worn, the number of nappies worn by babies, up to 36 months, and then we compared the results with toxicology standards,” Lasfargues said.

By Umberto Bacchi

LONDON — Developing countries swapping paper documents for digital identification systems could see their economies grow up to 13 per cent by 2030, researchers said on Wednesday in the first study to assess the technology’s economic value.

But the report’s authors and rights campaigners warned such systems also raised privacy concerns as they could be misused to track and profile people. 

More than 1 billion people globally have no way of proving their identity, according to the World Bank. 

This makes it almost impossible for them to open a bank account, get credit or start a small business, said study co-author Anu Madgavkar, of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), the research arm of global consultancy firm McKinsey.

“[They] can’t really participate in the modern economy,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

Another 3.4 billion people worldwide have some kind of identification but can not use it to securely prove their identity online — something that curbs their economic potential, according to the report.

Digital identity systems are already in use in numerous countries, linking biometric data, such as fingerprints and iris scans, to a unique digital code allowing for remote identification.

In Estonia, for example, digital ID cards are used for everything from voting to submitting tax claims and signing documents, while India launched the world’s biggest biometric database in 2009 to streamline welfare payments. 

MGI researchers said they analysed how, from increasing access to financial services to preventing identity fraud and reducing the time needed to vote or register a business, digital IDs could benefit the economy. 

The study focused on seven countries — Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States.

It found that if these countries were to extend digital ID coverage to a large part of the population, they could expect to “unlock economic value” equivalent to 3 to 13 per cent of GDP in 2030.

Benefits were higher in developing countries, where they averaged around 6 per cent of GDP against 3 per cent in developed nations, it said.

“Digital signing alone saves every working Estonian at least an estimated five business days every year, amounting to a total efficiency gain of 2 per cent of GDP annually,” said Estonia’s Prime Minister Juri Ratas. 

“As they say, time is money,” he added, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the study was launched. 

But the report warned that, if improperly designed, digital ID systems could be abused by governments and private companies.

“History provides ugly examples of misuse of traditional identification programmes, including to track or persecute ethnic or religious groups,” the authors wrote.

Tom Fisher, of London-based advocacy group Privacy International, added that the economic benefits of digital ID systems were often over overestimated. 

“Practitioners have learnt to take projected savings and benefits with a grain of salt,” he said.

“No system can become universal, denying people access through issues including biometric failure, bureaucratic problems or lack of Internet access.”

In India, campaigners have raised concerns about privacy and the safety of the data, the susceptibility of biometrics to failure and the misuse of data for profiling or increased surveillance.