Brazil's life-like doll craze goes viral as online videos spark political reaction
Influencers have staged situations such as birth simulations and strolls in shopping malls with the hand-crafted baby figures, known as 'reborn' dolls, in a trend that has even prompted political reactions.
In Rio de Janeiro, the city council has passed a bill honoring those who make the life-like dolls, pending Mayor Eduardo Paes' signature. Meanwhile, legislators elsewhere across the country have debated fines for those seeking medical help for such dolls, following a viral video allegedly showing a woman taking one to a hospital.
Lawmakers have even brought the dolls into legislative chambers.
On Tuesday, Joao Luiz, a state lawmaker from Amazonas, appeared with a doll at the State House to announce plans to ban reborn dolls from receiving care in the state's public health system. However, local media reported that health authorities had never recorded any such cases.
Last week, congresswoman Talíria Petrone criticized the attention her colleagues were giving to the issue. 'Can we focus on what really matters? If someone wants to have a doll, let them. I have two real children and they're more than enough work,' she said.
Dozens of 'reborn mothers' gathered at Villa Lobos Park, in Sao Paulo, on Saturday for a 10th annual meet-up. Participants say criticism should be aimed at attention-seeking influencers, not the broader community.
The hyper-realistic baby dolls are often used for grief therapy or parenting practice.
Berenice Maria, a nursing assistant and longtime collector who owns eight dolls, says they offer emotional comfort. 'I love reborns, despite the hate we see out there,' she said. 'I want the right to go out with them … go to the mall, go to the park.'
Daniela Baccan, co-owner of a reborn doll shop in Campinas, Sao Paulo, said dolls sell from 700 reais ($124) to nearly 10,000 reais (nearly $1,800).
With the rising controversy, safety concerns are increasing.
'We're locking up the store more, adding cameras,' Baccan said. 'But at the same time, online demand has increased, and the store is seeing a much higher flow of people.'
___
Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
7 hours ago
- CNN
I'm a wellness writer, and I get overwhelmed by health advice, too. Here is how I prioritize
After a long day of work, I climb onto the couch to make plans for the rest of the week, and my mind buzzes with everything I could put on my priority list. I should spend less time on social media, but it is also good to stay connected to long-distance friends. I need to drink water regularly, but does my tap water have endocrine-disrupting chemicals? Eating leftovers rather than restaurant meals is healthier, but I shouldn't store food in plastic because I need to reduce my exposure to microplastics. I hate running, but I should give it a try. Will that one carrot salad that influencers like really make a big difference in my nutrition? What is a wellness writer to do? If I am overwhelmed by all the ways to improve wellness — and it's my job — I am sure you could be, too. Here is what I have learned about finding the balance. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I have received when it comes to wellness is 'first things first.' It is tempting to look for ways to cut sugar and salt out of my diet when I read a study on their health impacts or to spend the whole day researching the chemicals used in my homewares to see whether I should replace them. But then I am reminded to focus on the most immediate things. Am I eating enough? Am I sleeping well? Did I get some good movement in my day? Have I seen my friends and family? If the answer to any of those things is no, or even a not really, then nothing else is important to me. It is better that I make sure I am eating a meal that nourishes me than that I nitpick the calories or contents. It is better to sleep soundly and peacefully than to stress all night about microplastics. It is better to spend time laughing with people I care about than to sit in a room filled with red light panels. These aren't just my personal priorities. Regular exercise, good sleep and a balanced, plant-based diet have consistently shown to be key in a healthy, long life. And more evidence is pointing to the quality of social connections being an important aspect of longevity as well. (My colleagues wrote those stories.) Once those foundational bases are covered, then you and I can move on to fine-tuning the nutrition, exercise, products and wellness practices that make up our lives. Let's say you have those essential aspects of your life mostly managed, and you are ready to get more detailed in your wellness. Making changes often takes time, effort and money. There is a lot of research that many of the products commonly found in homes contain potentially dangerous chemicals such as PFAS or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The class of chemicals known as PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are sometimes called 'forever chemicals' because they don't fully break down in the environment and are commonly found in household products. They are endocrine-disrupting chemicals, according to the Endocrine Society. Chemicals in PFAS categories have been linked with cancers, endocrine-related conditions and developmental delays in children. It may not be realistic to get rid of everything in your home and start from scratch. Instead, find ways to make a reasonable change that can have a big impact. For example, finding a good water filter is one step that can address endocrine-disrupting chemicals, PFAS and other potential contaminants. The Environmental Working Group also has a tap water database so that people can search their drinking-water quality by ZIP code and use a water filtration guide to pick a system that is right for them. NSF, formerly the National Sanitation Foundation, also has a list of recommended filters. If you are hoping to change some personal care or other home products, start with the things to which you aren't particularly attached, said Dr. Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist on the healthy living team at the Environmental Working Group, in an earlier article. Friedman has curly hair, so she prefers a certain shampoo and conditioner, but she said there are other personal care products in which she might not notice as much of a loss if she were to switch to those with lower levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Plenty of reputable online databases are available to the public to search for safer personal care products, such as developed by allergists and dermatologists with the Mayo Clinic, and Skin Deep from the Environmental Working Group, said Dr. Michael Bloom, a professor of global and community health at George Mason University's College of Public Health in Fairfax, Virginia. Nutrition and exercise are other wellness categories in which an abundance of good guidance also creates plenty of ways to make you feel overwhelmed. How you eat. The Mediterranean diet, which focuses on plants, healthy fat sources, whole grains and lean proteins such as fish, nuts and legumes, has consistently ranked as one of the healthiest dietary patterns and has been linked to many health benefits. Studies have also shown the importance of reducing sodium and sugar for longer lives with less risk of chronic disease. How you move. Likewise, exercise has been linked to better mental health, lower risk of cognitive decline and reduction in chronic diseases. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity and two days of strength training a week, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But if all you can do now is get a couple of thousand more steps in your day, 10 minutes of exercise or more beans in your diet, those are good places to start, experts say. How to create a habit. The most sustainable way to alter diet and exercise habits is to do so in slow, manageable steps, according to a 2017 study. Adding something into your day — exercise, nutrients or even more sleep — takes willpower, which you can wrestle into place in the short term but isn't a good strategy for long-term change, said Katy Milkman, the James G. Dinan Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. But good habits and a well-established routine can help you make the choices you are trying to stick to, Milkman pointed out earlier. Try making small additions of health-promoting behaviors — even just one change a week to make it stick — to what you are already doing rather than scrapping all your habits and starting from scratch. As for me, I am going to keep adding to my small exercise routine next week. And I promise to come back and keep sharing the little changes that can make a big difference so you can try next. Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
CNN
7 hours ago
- CNN
I'm a wellness writer, and I get overwhelmed by health advice, too. Here is how I prioritize
After a long day of work, I climb onto the couch to make plans for the rest of the week, and my mind buzzes with everything I could put on my priority list. I should spend less time on social media, but it is also good to stay connected to long-distance friends. I need to drink water regularly, but does my tap water have endocrine-disrupting chemicals? Eating leftovers rather than restaurant meals is healthier, but I shouldn't store food in plastic because I need to reduce my exposure to microplastics. I hate running, but I should give it a try. Will that one carrot salad that influencers like really make a big difference in my nutrition? What is a wellness writer to do? If I am overwhelmed by all the ways to improve wellness — and it's my job — I am sure you could be, too. Here is what I have learned about finding the balance. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I have received when it comes to wellness is 'first things first.' It is tempting to look for ways to cut sugar and salt out of my diet when I read a study on their health impacts or to spend the whole day researching the chemicals used in my homewares to see whether I should replace them. But then I am reminded to focus on the most immediate things. Am I eating enough? Am I sleeping well? Did I get some good movement in my day? Have I seen my friends and family? If the answer to any of those things is no, or even a not really, then nothing else is important to me. It is better that I make sure I am eating a meal that nourishes me than that I nitpick the calories or contents. It is better to sleep soundly and peacefully than to stress all night about microplastics. It is better to spend time laughing with people I care about than to sit in a room filled with red light panels. These aren't just my personal priorities. Regular exercise, good sleep and a balanced, plant-based diet have consistently shown to be key in a healthy, long life. And more evidence is pointing to the quality of social connections being an important aspect of longevity as well. (My colleagues wrote those stories.) Once those foundational bases are covered, then you and I can move on to fine-tuning the nutrition, exercise, products and wellness practices that make up our lives. Let's say you have those essential aspects of your life mostly managed, and you are ready to get more detailed in your wellness. Making changes often takes time, effort and money. There is a lot of research that many of the products commonly found in homes contain potentially dangerous chemicals such as PFAS or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The class of chemicals known as PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are sometimes called 'forever chemicals' because they don't fully break down in the environment and are commonly found in household products. They are endocrine-disrupting chemicals, according to the Endocrine Society. Chemicals in PFAS categories have been linked with cancers, endocrine-related conditions and developmental delays in children. It may not be realistic to get rid of everything in your home and start from scratch. Instead, find ways to make a reasonable change that can have a big impact. For example, finding a good water filter is one step that can address endocrine-disrupting chemicals, PFAS and other potential contaminants. The Environmental Working Group also has a tap water database so that people can search their drinking-water quality by ZIP code and use a water filtration guide to pick a system that is right for them. NSF, formerly the National Sanitation Foundation, also has a list of recommended filters. If you are hoping to change some personal care or other home products, start with the things to which you aren't particularly attached, said Dr. Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist on the healthy living team at the Environmental Working Group, in an earlier article. Friedman has curly hair, so she prefers a certain shampoo and conditioner, but she said there are other personal care products in which she might not notice as much of a loss if she were to switch to those with lower levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Plenty of reputable online databases are available to the public to search for safer personal care products, such as developed by allergists and dermatologists with the Mayo Clinic, and Skin Deep from the Environmental Working Group, said Dr. Michael Bloom, a professor of global and community health at George Mason University's College of Public Health in Fairfax, Virginia. Nutrition and exercise are other wellness categories in which an abundance of good guidance also creates plenty of ways to make you feel overwhelmed. How you eat. The Mediterranean diet, which focuses on plants, healthy fat sources, whole grains and lean proteins such as fish, nuts and legumes, has consistently ranked as one of the healthiest dietary patterns and has been linked to many health benefits. Studies have also shown the importance of reducing sodium and sugar for longer lives with less risk of chronic disease. How you move. Likewise, exercise has been linked to better mental health, lower risk of cognitive decline and reduction in chronic diseases. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity and two days of strength training a week, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But if all you can do now is get a couple of thousand more steps in your day, 10 minutes of exercise or more beans in your diet, those are good places to start, experts say. How to create a habit. The most sustainable way to alter diet and exercise habits is to do so in slow, manageable steps, according to a 2017 study. Adding something into your day — exercise, nutrients or even more sleep — takes willpower, which you can wrestle into place in the short term but isn't a good strategy for long-term change, said Katy Milkman, the James G. Dinan Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. But good habits and a well-established routine can help you make the choices you are trying to stick to, Milkman pointed out earlier. Try making small additions of health-promoting behaviors — even just one change a week to make it stick — to what you are already doing rather than scrapping all your habits and starting from scratch. As for me, I am going to keep adding to my small exercise routine next week. And I promise to come back and keep sharing the little changes that can make a big difference so you can try next. Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
This test can predict how long a middle-aged person will live in just a few seconds
When it comes to longevity, it's not just about living for as many years as possible. The goal is to live healthier, and free of disease or injury, for as long as possible. Healthy aging often boils down to simple habits like exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet rich in fiber, getting enough sleep, and connecting with others. Even if a person practices these habits, is there a way to know how long they'll live? While there's no crystal ball for lifespan, there is a simple test you can take in middle age that may help predict how many years you have left. An exercise researcher reveals why this test can be a good indicator of longevity and a wakeup call to change your lifestyle. Longevity Tip of the Day: The Sitting-to-Rising Test May Predict How Long You'll Live The sitting-to-rising test (SRT) is a measure of how easy or difficult it is to sit on the floor without using the arms, hands or knees for support or balance, and stand back up again without assistance. The SRT assesses a person's non-aerobic physical fitness, which includes muscle strength, balance, flexibility, and a healthy body composition. These are also all indicators of healthy aging, Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo, a sports medicine physician and researcher at the Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio de Janeiro, told NBC News. New research led by Araújo shows that a person's score on this test may predict how many years they have left to live, according to a report published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Araújo's team administered the SRT to 4,282 adults aged 46–75, using a 0-5 point system. A perfect score (five points) required going from a sitting to rising position unassisted. Any time a body part was used to balance or get up, one point was subtracted. The researchers followed up 12 years later and found that the vast majority of people with perfect scores were still alive, compared to less than half of those who scored four points or less. The authors concluded that the SRT was a strong predictor of natural and cardiovascular mortality. While the test doesn't directly prove that a perfect score results in a longer lifespan, 'it is quite reasonable to expect this,' Araújo told NBC News. Why It Matters 'Aerobic fitness is important, but muscle strength, a healthy body mass index, balance and flexibility are also vital for healthy aging,' Araújo said. The SRT is not perfect, but it is a reliable indicator of longevity because it assesses these factors. However, the real value of this test may be that it can serve as a warning sign to start changing your habits. Fortunately, the score you get on the test is not final. Instead, it can give a snapshot of your fitness level and what you need to improve upon — especially if you're in your 50s, which is an ideal time to start building healthy aging habits. If your SRT score is low, you can work on these deficits by building strength and balance to score higher, Araújo said. How to Get Started Always consult with your doctor before trying the test at home, especially if you have underlying health issues or injuries. In order to do the sitting-to-rising test, all you need is another person to keep score (you can use a 10-point system). Here's how: Start from a standing position. Slowly sit on the floor crosslegged without using any other body part to balance. Stand up from this position, without any assistance. Subtract one point every time you use your hand, knee, forearm, or side of your leg to help. If are able to sit down and stand back up with no assistance, you score a perfect 10. If you couldn't get off the ground, you score a zero. A good score would be considered eight or higher. TODAY's Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more. This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
