The list of comorbidities approved by the Health Ministry is overly restrictive and complicated. Many conditions, including obesity, have been left out. The focus seems to be on people with severe diseases and combination of comorbidities. On February 27, the Health Ministry released a list of 20 comorbidities that will make a person in the … Continue reading Doctors say comorbidities list for COVID-19 vaccination is highly restrictive
Obesity
Enforcing fast foods sale ban near schools will be a tall order
Though sale and advertisement of tobacco products within 100 yards of a school is prohibited, violation is more a norm than an exception. The same will be the case with junk foods. In a welcome step, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified a draft regulation aimed at prohibiting the sale and … Continue reading Enforcing fast foods sale ban near schools will be a tall order
Adults from South, Northeast India have higher risk of cardiovascular disease
Two large surveys covering nearly 8 lakh adults between 2012 and 2014 have found the average 10-year risk of a cardiovascular disease event varying from 13.2% in Jharkhand to 19.5% in Kerala. The mean risk is 12.7% among females and 21.4% among males. And adults living in urban areas have higher risk than those in rural areas. Two … Continue reading Adults from South, Northeast India have higher risk of cardiovascular disease
Overweight, obese men at higher risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer
Men with more than normal body weight from an early age (17-19 years) are at higher risk of developing severe liver disease and even liver cancer in later life. The risk is increased when such men develop diabetes. The association between body weight and higher risk of severe liver disease has become clear in a … Continue reading Overweight, obese men at higher risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer
CCMB: Can alpha chain of clusterin protein control weight, fat gain in animals?
The two chains of clusterin protein, which are normally expressed in several tissues and can be found in several body fluids, when present together tend to lower lipid levels but administration of one of its chains — alpha or beta — results in completely different outcomes. Cells treated with a recombinant beta chain tend to … Continue reading CCMB: Can alpha chain of clusterin protein control weight, fat gain in animals?
Higher abdominal obesity triples breast cancer risk in Indian women
Immaterial of their menopausal and hormone receptor status, Indian women who have a high waist-to-hip ratio (central obesity) of over 0.95 have three times higher risk of breast cancer than those who have waist-to-hip ratio of less than 0.84, according to a study published on August 30 in the European Journal of Cancer. The association … Continue reading Higher abdominal obesity triples breast cancer risk in Indian women
Using fat tax to change food consumption behaviour
Using tax as a tool to alter consumer food preferences has been recommended by the World Health Organisation. Mexico provides us with proof that levying additional taxes on non-essential food items that are rich in fat or calories can effectively alter food choices. The country witnessed a 5.1 per cent dip in consumption levels in … Continue reading Using fat tax to change food consumption behaviour
Is Kerala’s fat tax a mere topping than health initiative?
In a bold step that might have a positive impact on public health, Kerala has become the first State in the country to introduce a 14.5 per cent tax on burgers, pizzas, donuts, sandwiches and pasta sold through branded restaurants. Introducing additional tax on fat-rich food products has been tried out in other countries … Continue reading Is Kerala’s fat tax a mere topping than health initiative?
Sin tax reduces intake of energy-dense food in Mexico
That taxing energy-dense, unhealthy food will result in a drop in consumption levels has come out unequivocally clear in Mexico. In January 2014, Mexico introduced 8 per cent tax on foods items with energy density of over 275 kcal/100 g and one peso per litre of sugar-sweetened beverages. Data of household consumption of nonessential energy-dense … Continue reading Sin tax reduces intake of energy-dense food in Mexico
One minute of hard exercise thrice a week has great health benefits
“I don’t have the time to exercise” can no longer be an excuse. A single minute of very intense exercise per week can produce similar health benefits as 45 minutes of continuous, moderate-intensity cycling a week, a study found. Even the one minute exercise was split into three short bouts of 20 seconds separated by … Continue reading One minute of hard exercise thrice a week has great health benefits