The majority of India’s corporate executives are experiencing obesity, a recent report suggests. The Corporate India Fitness Report 2019 has found that six out of ten executives in India are overweight. Dr Sandeep Budhiraja notes “long working hours, irregular meals, intake of junk food, and lowered physical activity have made…employees unhealthy and prone to diseases […]
noncommunicable diseases
The health crisis in India’s food
Food and drink sold in India is among the unhealthiest in the world, research suggests. Could this add to the already substantial crisis of obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)? The research, published in the journal Obesity Reviews, looked at twelve countries – Australia, Canada, Chile, China, India, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, South Africa, […]
Air pollution and the risk of emphysema
Long-term exposure to air pollution ups the risk of developing emphysema in a similar way to smoking, according to a recent study. The research – carried out by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), both part of the US National Institutes of Health – […]
The burden of childhood cancer
Childhood cancer leads to 11.5 million years of healthy life being lost every year, new research published in The Lancet reveals. India ranks among those countries most affected by childhood cancer. The study marks the first time loss of healthy life due to cancer in adolescents and children has been conveyed through disability-adjusted life years […]
The end of e-cigarettes: Misplaced priorities in the war on tobacco products?
E-cigarettes and e-hookah could become unattainable in India as long-standing efforts by the Centre to ban them amidst the war on tobacco products seem on the cusp of bearing fruit. The Drug and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has cleared the way for the prohibition of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). This has been a pet […]
Production of trans fats warning reminds us why action is vital
Even as many countries regulate trans fats, more than five billion people worldwide continued to be exposed to them at risk to their health according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “Momentum is growing for the global elimination of industrially-produced trans fat, with nearly one third of the world’s population in 28 countries now protected […]
World Hypertension Day: Avoid high blood pressure, know your numbers
Hypertension is a silent disease. It affects millions of Indians and responsible for 10.8 percent of deaths in the nation. This year, World Hypertension Day is being observed with the theme “Know Your Numbers”, highlighting the importance of screening for high blood pressure and ensuring it is kept under control. The occasion is observed annually […]
Too much salt is an enemy you need to control and defeat
First, it is important to understand the dangers associated with too much salt and to what extent we are exposed to the risks. A recent study conducted by the George Institute of Global Health, India concludes that “salt intake in India is double [the] WHO prescribed limit of 5gm per day.” Indians consume 9.08 gm […]
Lung cancer: No longer just the disease of non-smokers?
Lung cancer is often thought of as a tobacco user’s disease, but new UK research suggests this may not be the case. Experts say non-smokers account for one in six lung cancer cases in the UK. Professor Paul Cosford – who himself is battling the disease, despite being a non-smoker – said “the absolute numbers […]
Asthma inhalers are bad for the environment
Asthma inhalers are a boon for lung patients, but they are damaging the environment according to UK researchers. The most commonly used asthma inhalers emit, per five doses, the same amount of greenhouse gases as a nine-mile journey by car. This has prompted the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to encourage […]