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Whether you are all set to get rid of those extra kilos or simply want to give your life a healthy twist, small changes in your every day diet can go a long way. Now that the World Health Day is just around the corner, it is time to replace all the unhealthy stuff on your plate with all things nutritious and that, too, without compromising on taste. Here are 13 smart and healthy <keyword id="2018758" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="food-swaps">food swaps</keyword> to get you started. 
 
1. Porridge Instead Of Breakfast Cereals 
That bowl-full of packaged breakfast cereal may look like a healthier option but it is high on sugar. So replace it with porridge. It will not only make you feel full for a longer time but it is packed with essential nutrients as well. So what more do you want? Porridge is a slow energy releasing food with a low glycaemic index too! 
 
2. Bran Flakes Instead Of Corn Flakes 
If you can’t possibly resist your morning cereal, pick up bran flakes, instead of corn flakes. One cup of bran flakes is enough to give you a quarter of the fibre that you need during a day. 
 
3. Skim Latte Instead Of Skim Cappuccino 
Coffee lovers can add a dose of calcium to their day by replacing that cup of skim cappuccino with skim latte. That way, you would be packing 15% extra calcium. 
 
4. Vegetable Juice Instead Of Tomato Juice 
There’s another way to get some extra calcium in your diet. Just ditch that tomato juice for some nutritious vegetable juice. You won’t even notice the difference but you’ll have as much calcium as you get from a glass of milk. 
 
5. Salad Instead Of Kebabs &amp; Cheese Bytes 
Choose colourful and crispy salad over oily kebabs or fried cheesy bytes as starters. This not only helps you avoid calories, but also adds fibres, vitamins and minerals in your diet. 
 
6. Go For Olive Oil Instead Of Butter/Refined Oil 
Make your pasta or dip your bread in olive oil instead of butter. Rich in monounsaturated fat, olive oil is known to improve your heart health as it is loaded with antioxidants, including Vitamin E and polyphenols. 
 
7. Swap Salt With Herbs And Spices 
Season your dish with herbs and spices as much as possible and reduce your salt intake. Spice up your dishes with ginger and add flavours with basil and curry powder. You can also experiment with Italian seasonings. 
 
8. Nuts Instead Of Chips 
Snack healthy. Go for a handful of nuts rather than reaching out for that packet of chips, which will only add empty calories to your diet. Nuts are rich in essential fats and also a great source of fibre, magnesium, copper, Vitamin E, iron and zinc. 
 
9. Vegetables Instead Of Chips 
If you can’t stay away from that yummilicious dip, skip the chips and nachos and opt for some cut carrot, celery, cucumber or any other vegetable that you love. Vegetables are a great way to swap calories with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. 
 
10. Broth-based Minestrone Soup Instead Of Tomato-Basil Soup 
Tomato soup is far more calorie-laden than it appears to be. Moreover, it is high on cream and sugar. So next time, go for a broth-based soup with chunks of veggies in it. That will give you less calories than the red-hot tomato soup. 
 
11. Frozen Fruits Instead Of Ice-cream 
Satiate your craving for dessert with frozen fruits like banana, strawberry and mango. Not only you’ll escape loads of sugar but will also get a great deal of nutrients. Got some free time? Blend the frozen fruits for a minute and get a yummy and thick dessert. 
 
12. Tandoori Or Plain Roti Instead Of Naan 
If you are eating out, avoid naans made from refined white flour or maida and go for tandoori roti made with wheat flour. 
 
13. Dark Chocolate Instead Of White Chocolate 
Yes, eating chocolate is good for your health. In fact, dark chocolate with cocoa content of 70% and above have found to lower blood sugar. So gorge on dark chocolate that’s high on antioxidants and low on fat. 
 
Image courtesy: Thinkstock

World
Health Day: 13 Food Swaps That Will Keep You Healthy

<ul><li>Teenagers who use social media over half an hour are prone to have a mental diseases than those who don't. </li><li>Teens spend almost 9 hours a day on entertainment media that includes TV, browsing social media, streaming videos and listening to music online. </li><li>However, Pediatrics analysis says the question “how much” time is being spent may be wrong all along since most of the teenagers are online almost all the time. </li></ul>Teenagers who use social media over half an hour are prone to have a mental diseases than those who don't. Teens using social media like <keyword id="6354576" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword>, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for more than three hours are at a higher risk, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/are-certain-friend-types-on-social-media-affecting-your-mental-health/articleshow/71259620.cms">said recent study by JAMA Psychiatry. </a> “The influence of friends and peers on online social networks have been known to lead a series where an individual ends up feeling inept at social and communication skills,” <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/are-certain-friend-types-on-social-media-affecting-your-mental-health/articleshow/71259620.cms">said</a> Dr Gitanjali Narayanan, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS). ‘How much’ may be the wrong question According to another study, <a href="https://www.wvea.org/content/teens-spend-astounding-nine-hours-day-front-screens-researchers">teens spend almost 9 hours a day </a>on entertainment media that includes TV, browsing social media, streaming videos and listening to music online. However, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2751330">Pediatrics analysis</a> says the question “how much” time is being spent may be wrong all along since most of the teenagers are online almost all the time. Extreme shortage of psychiatrists To ensure the health of the vast number of teens and others in India, the government has been allocating money for it in the Budget. Last year, however, the National Mental Health Programme 2019-20 was down to ₹40 crore from <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/budget/budget-2019-modi-government-must-invest-to-improve-mental-disorder-treatment-in-india/1613270/">₹50 crore the previous year</a>. Added to that, India is short of psychiatrists and experts to deal with this crisis. According to World Health Organisation, India had 0·301 psychiatrists, 0·166 nurses, and 0·047 psychologists against 100,000 mental-disorder patients in 2011. In simple words, a single psychiatrist is treating 332,225 patients. How much India understands mental illness According to the WHO, 200 million people -- one in every five -- in India may suffer from depression at least once in their lifetime.It also tagged India as the most depressed country in the world, with 6.5% of the population suffering from severe mental health issues. Mental stigma along with lack of awareness deprives 82% of sufferers from seeking help. According to a recent survey, as many as 56% of Indians described people who talk to themselves, as mentally ill. Other 9% said mental illness is the same as depression. And 20% of respondents said people who call themselves crazy, stupid or mad are mentally ill. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/always-on-work-culture-is-affecting-mental-health-of-indians/articleshow/69522649.cms">‘Always On’ work culture is affecting mental health of Indians</a>

Here’s the maximum time a teen should spend on social media

<ul><li>One in every six people in India suffer from some form of <keyword id="6354774" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mental-health">mental health</keyword> issues, says a recent study of “Access to care, awareness and attitudes towards mental health in India.” </li><li>Over half of the Indians are unlikely to recognise the symptoms of mental disorders and people suffering from mental illness. </li><li>Lack of awareness explains misconceptions on mental disorders in India. Merely 8% of the respondents knew if their health insurance covers mental health. </li><li>India witnesses nearly 28% of global suicides despite accounting for 18% of the population worldwide.</li></ul>As India observes the <keyword id="57200" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Mental-Health-Day">World Mental Health Day</keyword> on October 10, a recent study of “Access to care, awareness &amp; attitudes towards mental health in India” says that nearly one in six people suffer from some form of mental health issues. Yet, the country lacks awareness on mental health and related disorders. Over half of the Indians are unlikely to recognise the symptoms of mental disorders and people suffering from mental illness, shows the analysis from the study published by Cosmos Institute of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences (CIMBS), and World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). “Surprisingly, even amongst those who had close interactions with a person with mental illness, 35% thought mental health issues were uncommon suggesting conversations on mental illness remain taboo. This could possibly be explained by 41% of those who had a person with mental illness amongst their near and dear ones feeling that other people were insensitive and likely to ridicule a patient,” said Dr Sunil Mittal, who was the principal investigator of the study. The National Mental Health survey of 2016 predicts that roughly 13.7% lifetime prevalence of mental illness among Indians. And, over 150 million are in need of active intervention. However, merely one in every four individuals felt that the government provided adequate support to persons with mental illness. “The nature of the caregivers’ role is invisible and complex, much like mental illness itself. The entire journey is laden with fears, insecurities, trauma, isolation and dysfunctionality. To add to it, the new laws do not cater to the concerns and needs of caregivers and their voice,” said Mitali Srivastava, Senior Psychologist at CIMBS. Lack of awareness and suicides Even when they aware, Indians do not know how to cure themselves. Merely 8% of the respondents knew if their insurance covered mental health. India witnesses nearly 28% of global suicides despite accounting for 18% of the population worldwide. Yet, almost 30% people did not consider suicide to be associated with mental illness — which explains the less likelihood of intervention. “There is a need for well-thought guidelines for a participatory approach to encourage non-governmental and private entities, and address concerns regarding medico-legal issues in mental health service delivery. Without which, it is difficult to bridge the huge treatment gap that exists today. Also, innovation and adoption of technology like tele-medicine need to be promoted,” said lawyer Mrinal Kanwar. The survey analysed responses from over 10,000 individuals across seven states in India. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/society/news/suicides-in-india-are-increasing-but-there-is-no-official-data/articleshow/71437559.cms">India stopped counting suicides 3 years ago — now, it’s the worst in all of South East Asia</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/article/fear-self-loathing-and-stress-affect-students-appearing-for-competitive-exams/articleshow/71392742.cms">Fear, self-loathing and stress affect students appearing for competitive exams</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/society/news/india-wants-more-iits-to-have-wellness-centers-to-curb-stress-and-depression/articleshow/71424045.cms">India wants more IITs to have wellness centers to curb stress and depression</a>

One in six Indians suffer from mental health issues, and are unaware of it

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and you must have planned something special for your mommy dearest. Or haven’t you done it yet? Don’t fret; it’s not very difficult to please the ‘mothers.’ After all, she doesn’t expect you to burn a hole in your pocket to please her. Just a simple act of affection and a little bit of your time can bring a million-dollar smile on her face. So here are the five things you can do for your mommy and make the D-day (May 11) really memorable for her! 
 
1. Send her a letter E-mail, voice and video calls, chats and social networking have made us so connected to our friends and extended family that we have actually forgotten to stay in touch with the people closest to us. So, this Mother’s Day, give your mom a hand-written letter and thank her for being a wonderful parent. Tell her how special you feel at having her around. This will be a priceless gift for her and she will cherish the letter for days to come. 
 
2. Indulge her Mommies are a busy lot. They overwork themselves to please everyone around them. Hence, there can be no better gift for a mom than some quality ‘relaxation.’ Take her out for a soothing spa session or a rejuvenating beauty treatment. And don’t take ‘no’ for an answer (well, no mom wants to spend a lot on herself, but you have got to change that). At the end, she will be the happiest person on earth and look gorgeous, too. Want to make things all the more fun? Book a massage for the two of you. 
 
3. Give her the gift of time As we grow up and get busy with our own lives, we don’t realise that someone out there loses a part of her universe. The woman, who was once your best friend and confidante, suddenly gets distanced when you grow up and some social networking site takes her place. You can’t tell her everything now as it’s not cool to confide in mom. But change all that; take a break and gift her a day from your life. Yes, spend an entire day with her and keep her company. You won’t have to do big, flashy things to impress her. Just allow her to do all that she wants to do for you and it will bring her immense joy. 
 
4. Go for a long drive/nature walk You’ll get many chances to drive around the world with your better half. But this Mother’s Day, go for a long drive or a long walk amidst the nature with your mom. This can be a great way to find some precious time for that hearty talk while you have loads of fun on the way. 
 
5. Plan to thrill her Ban her from the kitchen for a day. Do for her what she does for you all the time – cook a yummy meal. Serve her breakfast in bed; take her out for a hearty lunch and go shopping thereafter. In short, spoil her silly. 
 
Image courtesy: Thinkstock

5 Ways To Make Moms Feel Special This Mother’s Day

Goal line technology was finally approved for the 2014 World Cup back in July and now, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22002733">FIFA has chosen to use GoalControl</a>, according to BBC Sport.
GoalControl uses 14 cameras that track the ball as it passes the goal line. If a ball crosses the goal line, a referee gets a signal on a watch in less than a second.
Here's video that shows how GoalControl works:

From <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22002733">BBC Sports</a>, here's how it operates:
<ul>
<li>14 cameras, seven per goalmouth positioned high around stadium</li>
<li>All objects within camera range are tracked</li>
<li>Ball's position is continuously and automatically captured in three dimensions (X-, Y- and Z-coordinates) when close to the goal</li>
<li>Players and referee filtered out by GoalControl computer system</li>
<li>System shows the ball's position in 3D to within a few millimetres</li>
<li>If the ball crosses the goal line, the system sends an encrypted radio signal to the referee's watch in less than one second</li>
<li>Virtual 3D image of incident from any camera angle can be shown on screen</li>
</ul>
Hopefully this will prevent goals from being missed by refs, like this controversial disallowed goal by Frank Lampard in England's 4-1 loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup:

Here's The Crazy New Technology Referees Will Use To Determine Goals At The 2014 World Cup

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div>Spencer Platt/Getty Images</div>The 2014 World Cup will be hosted in many cities across Brazil. In preparation for the influx of soccer fans local businesses are offering English classes so employees can communicate with the visitors.
Prostitutes are not excluded from this group and in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/08/world/americas/brazil-prostitutes-english-classes/">Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the Association of Prostitution is offering free classes starting in March</a>, according to CNN.
CNN spoke to Cida Vieira, the president of the Association of Prostitution, who said it was just as important for prostitutes to learn English as taxi drivers:
"Across Brazil, lots of businesses in the private sector are getting prepared and making their workers more qualified for the Cup. Well, this is a profession, too," Vieira told CNN via phone.
Vieira added, "English will be very important to communicate with clients during the Cup. They'll have to learn how to work out financial deals and also use a specialized vocabulary with sensual words and fetishes."
Twenty prostitutes have already signed up, but Vieira expects at least 300 will take the classes.

Brazilian Prostitutes Will Take Free English Classes In Preparation For The 2014 World Cup

<ul><li><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/lakshmi-vilas-bank-gets-downgraded-by-care-ratings-to-negative/articleshow/78575709.cms">Lakshmi Vilas Bank gets downgraded by CARE ratings to 'negative outlook'</a>Earlier in May this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that there would be a ‘massive increase in mental health conditions in the coming months’ triggered by <keyword id="664094" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-isolation">social isolation</keyword> and anxiety.</li><li>There is still a stigma attached to mental health illness in India, making it more difficult for people to accept their conditions and seek proper treatment. </li><li>According to WHO, nearly half of mental health problems start by 14 years of age; however, many go undetected and untreated. </li></ul>The coronavirus pandemic has not only infected 10% of the world’s population but has also resulted in added psychological pressure for billions of people. The fear of infection and social isolation have disrupted lives indirectly. Earlier in May this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had sounded the alarm bells. WHO warned that there would be a ‘massive increase in mental health conditions in the coming months’ triggered by social isolation and anxiety. With more people working from home, increased stress and anxiety have added to the mental health crisis, given the social restrictions. Besides, there is still a stigma attached to mental health illness in India, making it more difficult for people to accept their conditions and seek proper treatment. The scope of mental health <a href="https://www.who.int/mental_health/management/en/">ranges</a> over a wide range of problems — from schizophrenia to depression to intellectual disabilities. According to WHO, many of these disorders can be successfully <a href="https://www.who.int/mental_health/management/en/">treated</a> if they get the right help. According to the <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/warning-signs-of-mental-illness">American Psychiatric Association</a> , these are the ten warnings signs of mental health illness that one should watch out for <ol><li>Excessive worrying or fear. </li><li>Feeling excessively sad or low. </li><li>Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning. </li><li>Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria. </li><li>Prolonged or intense feelings of irritability or anger. </li><li>Inability to carry out daily activities or handle everyday problems and stress. </li><li>Changes in eating habits, such as increased hunger or lack of appetite. </li><li>Avoiding friends and social activities. </li><li>Difficulties understanding or relating to other people. </li><li>Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and short on energy. </li></ol>According to WHO, half of the mental health problems started by 14 years of age; however, these cases often go undetected and untreated. The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is only making the disparity worse — especially when it comes to children. For them, staying at home can even lead to trauma, according to <a href="https://www.insider.com/mental-health-warning-signs-children-quarantine-2020-4#if-your-child-is-having-difficulty-concentrating-it-might-be-a-red-flag-1">psychological first-aid provider Karen Gross. </a> When suffering from <keyword id="6362072" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-illness">mental illness</keyword>, children may struggle to concentrate and can change their normal behaviour. “Some signs to look in young children can be as subtle as them being more quiet or withdrawn than usual, or in-your-face-signs such as a marked increase in tantrums or defiance,” <a href="https://www.insider.com/mental-health-warning-signs-children-quarantine-2020-4#any-change-in-normal-behaviors-or-patterns-could-be-a-symptom-of-other-conditions-2">mental health counsellor Jennifer Daffon told Insider. </a> Mental health experts <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/tips-for-good-mental-health#:~:text=Exercise%20and%20stay%20healthy,the%20doctor%20can%20all%20help.">suggest </a>a healthy diet, avoiding excess alcohol, complete sleep, and constant virtual interaction to help counter mental health issues. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/lakshmi-vilas-bank-gets-downgraded-by-care-ratings-to-negative/articleshow/78575709.cms">Lakshmi Vilas Bank gets downgraded by CARE ratings to 'negative outlook'</a>

Tackling mental health crisis during COVID-19 — Here are the top 10 warnings signs of mental illness

With terrible news pouring in from around the world, it's easy to think that life is grim for all but the world's most fortunate residents.
Rich countries generally have healthier citizens, it's true, but as new data from the <a href="http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2014/en/">World Health Organization</a> show, people who live in lower-income countries are much healthier than they were 20 years ago.
World Health Statistics 2014 includes data on 194 countries from a range of sources including government birth and death records, hospital records, household surveys, censuses, and United Nations databases, among others. 
Here are some of the indicators that show global health is improving, often quite drastically.
(In the charts below, AFR = Africa Region; AMR = Region of the Americas, SEAR = South-East Asia Region; EUR = European Region; EMR = Eastern Mediterranean Region; WPR = Western Pacific Region.)
<h2>1. People are living longer.</h2>
Since 1990 the average global life expectancy has increased by 6 years. This means a woman born today can expect to live an average of 72.7 years, and a man can expect to live 68.1 years. Liberia saw the greatest increase in life expectancy, with citizens born today expected to live almost 20 years longer than citizens born 20 years ago.
In the chart below, you can see that low-income countries made the largest gains overall:
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2014/en/">World Health Statistics 2014</a>Years gained in life expectancy 1990-2012</div></div>
<h2>2. Fewer children are dying.</h2>
In 1990, about 35,000 children under the age of five were dying every day. Over the last twenty years, childhood mortality has almost been cut in half. The decrease can be attributed to a range of factors including better nutrition and an increase in immunization rates for measles.
The rate of children dying before their fifth birthday has plummeted around the world, most sharply in low-income countries:
<h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2014/en/">World Health Statistics 2014</a>Neonatal and under-five mortality rates, 1990 and 2012</div></div>3. Children are getting better nutrition.</h2>
Children under the age of five are getting better nutrition across all regions of the world. The global proportion of underweight children has steadily declined from 25 percent in 1990 to 15 percent today:
<h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2014/en/">World Health Statistics 2014</a>Prevalence of underweight children under 5 years of age, 1990-2012</div></div>4. Sanitation is improving.</h2>
More than 1.9 billion people have gained greater access to sanitation since 1990. The greatest increase has been in the Western Pacific (WPR), followed by South-East Asia (SEAR).<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2014/en/">World Health Statistics </a>Proportion of population with access to improved sanitation in 2012 and corresponding percentage change</div></div>
<h2>5. Greater access to antiretrovirals means fewer people are dying from AIDS-related causes.</h2>
Greater access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), means that fewer people are dying from AIDS-related causes. In 2005, deaths from HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries peaked at 2.3 million. In 2012, the number was down to 1.6 million.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2014/en/">World Health Statistics 2014</a>Impact of antiretroviral use on the estimated number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS (millions) that would otherwise have occurred, 1995-2012 </div></div>

5 Inspirational Health Trends That Are Happening Around The World

<div class="image-container float_right"><div class="image">Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images</div></div>FIFA just officially announced the pots for the 2014 <keyword id="22177" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-cup">World Cup</keyword> draw, which will take place Friday in Brazil.
It's generally just as we expected.
Pot 1 consists of the top eight teams in the world based on FIFA's (flawed) ranking system. Pot 2 will consist of five teams from Africa, two teams from South America, and one other European team. Pot 3 consists of four teams from Asia and four teams from North America. Pot 4 will consist of eight teams from Europe.
There's also this new thing called "Pot X," which we'll explain below.
The groups will be made from these four pots (there are eight groups of four teams, one from each pot):
<div class="image-container"><div class="image">FIFA</div></div>
There's one small wrinkle, Pot X - which is a sub-pot within Pot 1 and consists of the four South American Pot 1 teams (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia).
This is how it works.
One of the European teams from Pot 4 will get randomly drawn into Pot 2 (so all pots will have eight teams). That team will automatically then be drawn with a "Pot X" team from Pot 1, so that three European teams cannot end up in one group.
In addition, the two South America teams from Pot 2 (Chile, Ecuador) can't be drawn into a group with a Pot X team - so they will be drawn with one of the other four teams from Pot 1.
Seems needlessly confusing! FIFA!
Again, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/world-cup-draw-pots-groups-2013-11">this could be a nightmare for the U.S. team</a>.
Pot 1:
<ul>
<li>Brazil (Pot X)</li>
<li>Spain</li>
<li>Argentina (Pot X)</li>
<li>Colombia (Pot X)</li>
<li>Switzerland</li>
<li>Belgium</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>Uruguay (Pot X)</li>
</ul>
Pot 2:
<ul>
<li>Ghana</li>
<li>Cameroon</li>
<li>Ivory Coast</li>
<li>Algeria</li>
<li>Nigeria</li>
<li>Chile</li>
<li>Ecuador</li>
<li>EUROPEAN TEAM X</li>
</ul>
Pot 3:
<ul>
<li>United States</li>
<li>Mexico</li>
<li>Honduras</li>
<li>Costa Rica</li>
<li>Iran</li>
<li>South Korea</li>
<li>Japan</li>
<li>Australia</li>
</ul>
<div>
Pot 4:
<ul>
<li>England</li>
<li>Netherlands</li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Portugal</li>
<li>Russia</li>
<li>Croatia</li>
<li>Bosnia-Herzegovina</li>
<li>Greece</li>
<li>France</li>
</ul>
</div>

Here Are The Official Pots For The 2014 World Cup Draw

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image">Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images</div></div>Author Simon Kuper wrote <a href="http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/worldcupcentral/id/1524?cc=5901">a story for ESPNFC</a> about the 2014 <keyword id="22177" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-cup">World Cup</keyword> in Brazil today.
It contains some great insights into why mega sporting events never have the economic benefits their organizers promise.
It also pinpoints the real reason why countries still host things like the World Cup and the <keyword id="6360967" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Olympics">Olympics</keyword>, despite the cost - they're fun and they make people happy.
Kuper argues that we misunderstand the nature of mega sporting events. These things aren't economic stimulus programs. They aren't infrastructural legacy projects with tangible societal benefits.
As he notes, "The things you need for a soccer tournament are almost never the things you need for daily life."
The country will spend $3.5 billion on stadium construction for the World Cup - a cost that has a miniscule long-term benefit because several of these stadiums are expected to fall into disuse after the tournament.
As far back as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/abandoned-venues-1984-sarajevo-olympics-2013-11">Sarajevo in 1984</a>, Olympic host cities have long been stuck with "white elephants" - costly structures that serve no purpose once the games are over. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/2004-athens-olympics-venues-abandoned-today-photos-2012-8">Athens is filled with them</a>.
Now, it's Brazil's turn.
None of this is new. In the last decade or so, study after study has shown that hosting events like the Olympics has a negligible economic benefit, or even <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/07/30/do-the-olympics-boost-the-economy-studies-show-the-impact-is-likely-negative.html">a negative economic impact</a>.
But countries continue to fight like crazy to host them.
Kuper says it's because they're fun:
"The Brazilian World Cup is best understood as a party. You don't host a party to get rich. You do it to have fun, and Brazilians will have fun. Yet there's something obscene about hosting an extravagant party in a country where millions of people need houses, electricity, doctors. That's what bothered the protestors."
So hosting World Cups is for suckers, right?
Not necessarily.
To extend Kuper's metaphor, parties are fun. They make people happy. And there's actually research that says hosting big sporting events results in a measurable increase in happiness for local populations.
In Kuper's book, Soccernomics, he wrote about just that:
"Georgios Kavetsos and Stefan Szymanskin (with a lot of help from Robert McCulloch, guru of happiness research) took the European Commission's happiness data for twelve western European countries from 1974 to 2004 and checked whether it correlated at all with sports tournaments. The obvious first question was whether people became happier when their national team did well. It turned out they they didn't: there was no visible correlation. Then Kavetsos and Stefan looked at hosting and happiness, and here they found a link. After a country hosts a soccer tournament, its inhabitants report increased happiness."
Hosting the World Cups does have a benefit. It's just not economic in nature.

Two Paragraphs That Explain The Real Reason Countries Host The Olympics And The World Cup

They built a huge clock, put it on Copacabana Beach in <keyword id="6355226" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Brazil">Brazil</keyword> and planned to have it count down the days, hours, and minutes until the 2014 <keyword id="22177" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-cup">World Cup</keyword>.
Now it's broken, stuck on 365 days when there are actually 314 days left until the World Cup, <a href="http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_307134/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=zqr9Nv9B">the AP reports</a>.
Organizers told the AP that the problem will be fixed soon.
Here's Pele with the clock a few weeks ago, when it was still working:
<div class="image-container" style="width:800px"><div class="image">REUTERS/Sergio Moraes </div></div>

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