Hina Khan, who is battling Stage 3 breast cancer, is continuously sharing her treatment and recovery journey with fans, updating them about personal decisions, challenges and more. She recently took to Instagram to reveal that she is struggling with ‘mucositis’, a painful side-effect of chemotherapy. She wrote, “Another side effect of chemotherapy is mucositis. Although I am following the doctors advice to treat it, if any of you have been through it or have known any useful remedies, please suggest. It's really hard when you can't eat. It will greatly help me.” Less than a week after this development, she took to Instagram Stories to give an update on her fight against mucositis, revealing that the condition is better now. Posting a selfie, she wrote, "This is for each one you.. My Mucositis is much better.. I read all your comments and suggestions.. You all hv been a great great help.. Sending you all tons of love". Mucositis is a common side effect of chemotherapy and proper information and guidance is key to combat it. Mid-day.com speaks to medical experts who reveal the symptoms, causes and measures to navigate the condition. What is mucositis? “Mucositis is inflammation of the mucosa, the mucous membranes that line your mouth and your entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract,” reveals Dr. Pritam Kataria, Medical Oncologist, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai. He further explains, “Between 20-40 per cent of patients with solid tumours receiving chemotherapy develop mucositis, usually within five to fourteen days of starting treatment.” Explaining why chemotherapy causes mucositis, Dr. Atul Narayankar, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, says, “Cancer patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy can suffer from this condition as these treatments are known to damage the cells of the mucosa and tend to take a toll on the mouth and abdominal organs.” Dr. Kataria further clarifies, “Cancer treatments are a common cause of mucositis. Whether or not they are targeting cancer, the following treatments frequently cause mucositis: chemotherapy, radiation of the head, chest or neck and bone marrow transplants.” “The cells in the body’s mucous membranes divide rapidly, similar to cancer cells. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy attack cancer cells and any other rapidly dividing cells, including those of the mucous membranes along the oral cavity and GI tract.Also Read: National Nutrition Week 2024: Planning to fast this festive season? Mumbai dieticians explain why nutritious eating is essential How does mucositis affect the body? Given how common this condition is, it is important to be prepared for its effects while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Dr. Kataria states, “Mucositis can cause difficulty in eating or loose stools, leading to loss of appetite and weight loss. Also, there could be fatigue and pain while eating.” Dr. Narayankar adds, “One known to have this condition will experience severe pain owing to radiation therapy and will find it difficult to eat food or drink liquids. It can also cause bleeding while one is brushing teeth. This condition can further cause mouth infection and severe mucositis can lead to interruptions or reductions in cancer treatment, leading to a bad prognosis of the disease. This condition can impact one’s quality of life as one will have nutritional problems.” Although generally severe, the condition doesn’t impact everyone in the same way. “The incidence and severity of mucositis vary between chemotherapeutic agents, the number of chemotherapy cycles, the dose of chemotherapy, and from patient to patient,” informs Dr. Kataria. Dr. Narayankar states, “This is a temporary condition and will go away on its own after a while. One with this condition shouldn’t panic and seek timely help from the expert.” What are the symptoms of mucositis? For early diagnosis and intervention, one must look out for the following signs and symptoms of mucositis. “The signs and symptoms of this condition include having extremely dry and sore mouth ulcers that can be painful, mouth infection causing bad breath, bleeding, white patches with pus, high saliva production and swallowing difficulty,” explains Dr. Narayankar. Most symptoms of mucositis affect the mouth. However, the GI tract is also affected. Dr. Kataria states the following GI symptoms:• Diarrhea• Blood in the feces• Stomach crampsAlso Read: ‘8-10 lakhs could save your life’: Mumbai experts on building financial shields How to prevent and treat mucositis? Dr. Kataria shared the following measures for managing mucositis. • Sometimes, mucositis could be caused due to reduction in blood count. So, managing WBC count is important. • Doctors may prescribe topical pain relief medications, antifungal lozenges or antiseptic mouthwash.• Keeping the oral cavity clean is important. Measures for prevention of oral mucositis include: • Avoid all tobacco products.• Stay hydrated.• Keep the lips and mouth moist.• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.• Avoid hot, spicy or salty foods.• Limit the intake of hot, fizzy or alcoholic drinks.• Avoid hard or crunchy foods.Dr. Narayankar suggests the following measures to manage mucositis: • One should suck on ice cubes from time to time, opt for a sugar-free gum to keep the mouth moist. • Tackle the problem of dry lips with the help of a lip balm recommended by an expert. • Eating soft, moist foods like soup, jelly, frozen fruits and vegetables, ice-cream, milkshakes, cheese, mashed potatoes, eggs, custards and puddings can be beneficial for patients. • Be sure to avoid foods loaded with sugar. • Brushing teeth with a soft brush and drinking enough water is advised for patients. • Use a mouth wash only after consulting an expert. Nutritional aspects of mucositis Since mucositis mainly affects the mouth and the GI tract, eating becomes a challenge. In such a situation, it is difficult for the body to get desired nutrients for functioning properly. How can this be navigated? Fauziya Ansari, Dietitan, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai, says, “When dealing with mucositis, maintaining healthy nutrition levels can feel like a daunting task. One may experience difficulty in eating food or even swallowing a few sips of water.” In order to navigate that, she says, “Look for foods that are easy to chew or swallow that do not trigger your mouth ulcer or inflammation. For optimal nutrition, you can add additional nutritional shakes, smoothies or juices made from a range of vegetables, fruits or protein powders. Focus on foods that provide maximum protein such as yogurt, lentils, chia seeds, tofu, paneer, milk, soybean, mushroom, spinach, rajgira (amaranth) barley, oats and dry fruits.” She further states, “Ensure that you drink an adequate amount of water to stay hydrated. You can try eating in smaller portions, making it easier for you to chew or eat while maintaining a nutritional balance. Be mindful about your eating habits. Chew your foods slowly and savour each bite to create a better connection with the food during this tough time.” She gives the following tips: • If you are dealing with mucositis then you need to make mindful decisions when it comes to food. • Select foods that are gentle on your digestive tract and mouth as they can further lead to allergic reactions causing diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, and vomiting. • In case you feel difficulty chewing then you can blend or puree blanched vegetables into soups or stews. • Opt for soft fruits like bananas, strawberries, avocados, papaya, grapes, plum, kiwi, dragon fruit, watermelon, oranges and cheery. These fruits are packed with essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fibers, antioxidants, zinc, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. • Avoid foods that are spicy, acidic, oily, rough textured or hot food.• Opt for healthy drink alternatives like coconut water, almond milk or soy milk for maximum nutritional intake.Disclaimer: This information does not replace professional medical advice. Kindly consult a qualified medical professional for personalized guidance.
13 September,2024 11:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Raaina JainChildren whose families use screens a lot tend to have weaker vocabulary skills, and video games have the biggest negative effect on kids’ brain development, according to a study on Thursday. Scientists from Estonia surveyed the parents of more than 400 children about their screen use, their children’s screen use, and their children’s language skills. The findings, published in the Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, found that parents who use screens a lot also have children who use screens a lot and that children’s higher screen time is associated with poorer language skills. “The research shows that during the first years of life, the most influential factor is everyday dyadic face-to-face parent-child verbal interaction,” said lead author Dr Tiia Tulviste of the University of Tartu, Estonia. In the survey of 421 children aged between two and a half and four years old, the team asked parents to estimate how long each family member would spend using different screen devices daily. The parents were also asked to fill out a questionnaire evaluating their children’s language ability. The researchers sorted both children and adults into three screen use groups -- high, low, and moderate. They found that parents who used screens a lot had children who also used screens a lot. Analysing the language development of these children, the team found that children who used screens less scored higher for both grammar and vocabulary. No form of screen use had a positive effect on children’s language skills. Tulviste noted that reading ebooks and playing educational games may offer language learning opportunities, especially for older children. But, using screens for video games had a notable negative effect on children’s language skills, regardless of whether parents or children were gaming, the researcher said. Also Read: Spend too much time in front of screens? That coupled with no exercise may lead to digital dementia This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 September,2024 02:27 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSIf you are suffering from chronic pain in your body, it may be time to actively work towards losing that belly or abdominal fat, suggests research on Wednesday. Reducing belly fat may help reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain particularly if it’s at multiple body sites, especially in women, revealed the study, published in the open-access journal Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. Musculoskeletal pain, which affects about 1.71 billion people globally, affects bones, joints, ligaments, tendons or muscles. Previously published research has shown that obesity is associated with musculoskeletal pain, but it’s unknown if excess fat tissue is linked to chronic musculoskeletal pain at multiple body sites, said researchers from the universities of Tasmania and Monash in Australia. “Abdominal adipose tissue was associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain, suggesting that excessive and ectopic fat depositions may be involved in the pathogenesis of multisite and widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain,” said the team. They suggested reducing abdominal adiposity for chronic pain management. The study analysed data from 32,409 participants -- half (51 per cent) were women, and their average age was 55. All participants underwent MRI scans of their abdomen to measure the amount of fat around the abdominal organs (visceral adipose tissue or VAT) and the amount of fat just under the skin that can be pinched (subcutaneous adipose tissue or SAT). About 638 people were assessed again after two years. The team found a significant link between the number of chronic pain sites and VAT, SAT, the ratio of the two, and weight (BMI). The findings showed women were two times more affected compared to men. Sex differences in fat distribution and hormones may be the reason why women are more affected, the researchers explained. However, they noted, “This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish cause and effect”. Also Read: World Physical Therapy Day: The benefits of physiotherapy for mind, body & soul This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 September,2024 10:26 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSPeople suffering from common laryngopharyngeal dysfunction like chronic cough, hoarseness, recurrent throat clearing, especially after Covid, may be at significant risk of developing a heart attack or stroke, warns a study on Wednesday. Researchers from the University of Southampton observed a reduction in baroreflex sensitivity -- a measure of how much a person's heart rate changes in response to changes in blood pressure -- in patients with throat symptoms. The team noted that the findings could be explained by the Vagas nerve -- which controls the autonomic nervous system -- prioritising protection of the airways over less urgent functions, such as blood pressure regulation. “Our immediate survival depends on the throat being able to separate air and food passages each time we swallow,” said lead author Reza Nouraei, Professor of Laryngology and Clinical Informatics at the University of Southampton. “The throat does this using delicate reflexes, but when these reflexes are disturbed, for example, due to a viral infection like Covid or exposure to reflux affecting nerves in this region, the control of this critical junction becomes compromised, giving rise to symptoms like the feeling of a lump in the throat, throat clearing, and coughing,” Nouraei added. The study, published in JAMA Otolaryngology, showed that “in patients with a faulty throat, the heart, specifically a function called baroreflex, is less well controlled”. This can “likely impact long-term survival, as patients with reduced baroreflex function are more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke in years to come,” Nouraei said. In the study, the team involved 23 patients admitted to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery with aerodigestive symptoms like choking episodes, chronic cough, and difficult or painful swallowing. These patient’s heart rates, blood pressure, and baroreflex sensitivity were compared with 30 patients admitted to Gastroenterology with digestive (esophagogastric) symptoms. The aerodigestive tract involves lips, mouth, tongue, nose, throat, vocal cords, and part of the oesophagus and windpipe, While reflux was a common cause of symptoms in both groups, people in the aerodigestive group were found to have a higher resting heart rate and lower resting blood pressure. They also had lower baroreflex sensitivity than those in the digestive group. “Now, and especially since Covid which damages nerves, we are seeing more patients with throat symptoms,” Professor Nouraei said. “This study helps us to think about patients more holistically. As a clinician, if you can fix a problem in the throat that is potentially taking away bandwidth from the Vagus, then it frees up the nerve to give to the rest of the body”. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
11 September,2024 04:45 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSMore young people die by suicide in India than in other countries, said experts on World Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday. World Suicide Prevention Day is observed every year on September 10 to raise awareness and fight stigma. The theme this year is “Changing the narrative on suicide”. It has been estimated that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among the late adolescent age groups (15–19 years) in India. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), more than 40 per cent of all cases of suicides are among young adults below the age of 30. “In India, the magnitude of the young people dying by suicide is unfortunately very high. The number of young people who died by suicide in India is almost double in comparison to the global average. Approximately 160 young persons die by suicide daily in India,” Prof Nand Kumar, from the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS said. “Some of the common reasons that precipitate the idea of suicide to death by suicide are; stressful family environments; unstable emotional health; substance use, failed relationship; poor bonding between the friends, and loneliness,” he added. The NCRB data showed that 1.71 lakh people died by suicide in 2022. “Suicide, a leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 39, is one of the most pressing public health crises we face globally and in our country,” Dr. Shyam Bhat, Psychiatrist and Chairperson, LiveLoveLaugh, said. Dr. Jyoti Kapoor, Founder-Director and Senior Psychiatrist, Manasthali said that the government has launched initiatives like the National Mental Health Programme and the Kiran Helpline to address the mental health crisis and prevent suicide. “However, greater awareness, access to care, and addressing underlying socioeconomic issues are essential to reducing suicide rates. We also need to change the narrative of suicide to have open, compassionate conversations that break the stigma surrounding mental health struggles,” she said. The experts stressed the need for collective participation of society to prevent suicides and to help those struggling with emotional challenges to easy access to support, free from stigma and shame. Kumar said the effective suicide prevention strategy must include steps focusing on factors beyond the screening for the person at risk of suicide. “The policy needs to emphasise various interventions to enhance the social and emotional connectivity, physical and emotional activity, and mindfulness,” he added.
11 September,2024 04:41 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSApart from the much-anticipated iPhone 16 series, Apple also launched the Apple Watch Series 10 and new features for AirPods Pro 2 at the ‘It’s Glowtime’ event on Monday in California. The company has added groundbreaking health features to its newly-launched Apple Watch which will deliver sleep apnea notifications, while its AirPods Pro 2 will feature the world’s first all-in-one hearing health experience. “With Apple Watch, we continue to offer our users the ability to uncover important health conditions with new sleep apnea notifications. And on AirPods Pro, powerful features put users’ hearing health front and centre, bringing new ways to help test for and receive assistance for hearing loss,” said Sumbul Desai, MD, Apple’s vice president of Health, in a statement. The sleep apnea detection feature is a first for the Apple Watch, beginning with the Series 10 model. It will be supported on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Cupertino-based company said the new sleep notification algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning and an extensive data set of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. The innovative breathing disturbances metric will track users’ sleep, analyse sleep patterns and notify them in the event of an apnea -- a serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts. The breathing disturbances metric uses the accelerometer to detect small movements at the wrist associated with interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep, and then notify users if it shows consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. Apple revealed that the sleep apnea feature will roll out in 150 countries once it receives approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the next few months. Other standard health features like the Afib alerts, cardio fitness, and the ECG app, from the previous Apple Watch models are also present in the latest model. The newly launched smartwatch is slimmer than its predecessor and features a larger display. It also offers the fastest charging time yet, reaching 80 per cent battery in just 30 minutes. For fitness enthusiasts, the watch includes advanced features such as a depth gauge for diving up to 20 feet and water temperature readings. The new Tides app provides real-time coastal data, making it ideal for surfers, swimmers, and fishermen. Further, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 comes with active Loud Sound Reduction -- a clinically validated hearing test feature -- and an over-the-counter hearing aid feature. The first-of-its-kind software-based hearing aid feature helps make access to hearing assistance easier than ever at an approachable price point. The hearing test and hearing aid features are expected to receive marketing authorisation from global health authorities soon and will be available this year in more than 100 countries and regions. Since launching the Health app in 2014, Apple has introduced meaningful features that focus on 18 areas of health and fitness across Apple Watch, AirPods, iPhone, and iPad. (With inputs from IANS) Also Read: Apple Intelligence is the highlight of new iPhone 16 series: Find out more about the AI system
10 September,2024 03:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNational strategies aimed at preventing suicide should include measures to address social issues to prevent people from reaching "crisis point," even as clinical services for those in crisis are critical, argue authors of a new six-paper series published in The Lancet Public Health journal.The international team of authors, including those from the Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi, called for a change in the narrative around suicide -- to move away from presenting it as a purely mental health issue and acknowledge the impact of social risk factors, such as poverty, domestic violence, addictions and isolation.This was particularly relevant for India, which released the National Suicide Prevention Strategy in November 2022, and grounded most of its proposed solutions within the mental health scope, despite police data showing that factors, including gender, employment, and stressful life events have important roles to play, the researchers said.The strategy is aimed at lowering deaths in the country due to suicide by 10 per cent by 2030. Objectives include setting up effective surveillance systems for suicide and integrating a mental well-being curriculum across educational institutions.Published on World Suicide Prevention Day, the series' authors described six aspects of a public health approach to preventing suicide. They included a model that looks at social determinants of suicide to show how suicide might arise."With over 170,000 lives lost annually due to suicide in India, addressing the underlying socio-economic pressures in addition to mental health is a critical national priority. By taking a public health approach and fostering collaboration among various sectors, we can create a more supportive environment that prioritises early intervention, reduces stigma, and ultimately saves lives," said series author Rakhi Dandona, Professor of Public Health at the Public Health Foundation of India.The public health approach should also look at national policies aimed at cushioning the effects of economic downturns, including maintaining minimum wage levels, and how exposure to instances of suicide -- either through media or in real life -- can heighten suicide risk, according to the authors.In one of the series' papers, the authors said there is a link between poor economic status and suicide in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).In India, more suicide rates are seen in men in states with higher levels of unemployment, they said and added that unemployment was one of the most important risk factors among women too.They also said that a model that accounted for farmers with marginal land holdings, indebted farmers, and the proportion of land used for non-food crops (or cash crops) could explain 75 per cent of changes in suicide rates between states.In another paper, the authors drew attention to "transmissibility of suicide" for arriving at optimal ways to address the issue. Transmission can occur when one is exposed to suicide-related information, including another person dying by suicide, which draws attention to or highlights specific suicide methods.They called for "restricting the cognitive availability of means through attention to media and other representations of suicide methods.""In simple terms, it means that media needs to consider if the reporting is necessary, how should it be reported that does not increase the risk for others, and is an accurate reporting of circumstances along with promoting help-seeking to those who need. Guidelines are available in this regard," Dandona told PTI.In the fifth paper, the authors described a range of interventions that might address four major risk factors for suicide -- alcohol use, gambling, domestic violence and abuse, and suicide bereavement.At an individual's level, there are signs that can be watched out for such as the language one uses while conversing, Dandona said."It is important to listen to what people have to say, the language of despair they may use to indicate these risk factors. Anecdotal evidence suggests that such statements highlighting suicidal thoughts are many times missed or not taken seriously," she said."This means that for these conversations to happen, people need to feel to be in supportive environment to be able to share what they are going through and to be taken seriously," Dandona said.Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among those aged 15-29 years and is estimated to claim over 7.2 lakh lives every year, according to the World Health Organization. About three-fourths of suicides around the world happen in low- and middle-income countries, it said.
10 September,2024 11:35 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIWith over 170,000 lives lost annually due to suicide in India, it is imperative to focus beyond mental health to prevent suicide cases in the country, said an expert in a new study published in The Lancet journal on World Suicide Prevention Day, on Tuesday. Suicide is a major public health challenge, with more than 700,000 deaths each year globally. India has one of the highest number of suicide deaths. World Suicide Prevention Day is observed every year on September 10 to raise awareness about the importance of reducing stigma and encourage open conversations to prevent suicides. The theme this year is “Changing the narrative on suicide”. In line with the theme, a new six paper Series published in The Lancet Public Health, argues that a change in the narrative is needed to move from presenting suicide as a purely mental health issue to acknowledging the impact of social risk factors. “Suicide so far, unfortunately, has been stigmatised as a crime, but suicide is actually a complex public health issue. Focus to date has been on mental health for suicide prevention, which is important, but we have enough data now to show that we need to broaden our focus beyond mental health for suicide prevention,” Series author Dr Rakhi Dandona, Professor of Public Health at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), told IANS. The Series highlights how clinical treatment services are critical for people in a suicidal crisis, but upstream measures that address social factors must also be included in national suicide prevention strategies to prevent people from reaching crisis points. This is particularly relevant for India, which released the National Suicide Prevention Strategy in 2022, with the experts in suicide prevention highlighting the need for the country to widen the way suicide is viewed to also include social risk factors -- such as poverty, debt, domestic violence, addictions, and social isolation -- alongside mental health. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 1.71 lakh people died by suicide in 2022. The suicide rate has increased to 12.4 per 1,00,000 -- the highest rate ever recorded in India. Worryingly, more than 40 per cent of all cases of suicides are among young adults below the age of 30. A young Indian dies by suicide every eight minutes, which is a loss to the family, society, the economy, and the future of the country. Data from the NCRB reports based on police records that are published every year highlight the reasons why people take their lives. Dandona noted these “include poverty, debt, financial hardships, domestic issues, domestic violence, family relationship issues, bullying, peer pressure”. The Lancet Series showed that in India, higher suicide rates in males are observed in states with higher levels of unemployment. Unemployment also appears to be one of the most important risk factors for suicide in Indian females. The suicide rate among unemployed females in India was found to be 94·8 per 100,000 people, compared with 12·6 per 100,000 people for professional or salaried employees, 11·6 per 100,000 people for those who were self-employed, and 4·3 per 100,000 for students. “All of these means that we really need to start thinking about suicide with a broader public health approach to address these risk factors for suicide within their social and economic policies to make that difference to this large number of suicide deaths that happen in India,” the public health expert told IANS. Currently, the suicide prevention programme in India lies under the National Mental Health Programme. The expert noted that it can continue to do so for mental health interventions, for suicide prevention, for those who are suicidal. “But we really need a larger whole government public health approach to ensure that people do not reach the suicidal stage,” Dandona said. “Addressing the underlying socio-economic pressures in addition to mental health is a critical national priority. By taking a public health approach and fostering collaboration among various sectors, we can create a more supportive environment that prioritises early intervention, reduces stigma, and ultimately saves lives,” the expert said.
10 September,2024 10:44 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSA report released by the Lucknow-based Nur Manzil Psychiatric Centre has found that India ranked 38 globally in suicide deaths. The Centre is a chain of psychiatric hospitals under a national mental health care organisation. The report also suggested that as per the National Crime Records Bureau, 12 suicides per lakh of the population was recorded in 2021; and Uttar Pradesh was among the states that experienced highest percentage increase in suicide rates that year. Organiser of the workshop and clinical psychologist at Nur Manzil, Dr Anjali Gupta said: “It is important for people to know, especially with growing reports of youths committing suicides these days - that it is not enough to relate the suicides to simply depression.” The report released for public referral and awareness by the psychology department of the establishment focuses on how timely intervention is key to preventing suicides. It details possible causes leading to suicide, warning signs of suicidal tendencies, resources and helplines for suicide prevention, and more. It describes suicide as “a complex public health issue affecting people of all the ages, genders, and backgrounds”. Before every suicide, the victims, particularly those suffering from chronic ailment, show symptoms which if understood and taken seriously can help prevent suicide, said experts. “Patients of chronic diseases suffer between severe and moderate depression levels. If the mood is from severe to moderate things are alright but when this goes from moderate depression to severe level, suicidal tendency can be witnessed,” said Dr Devashish Shukla, medical superintendent of the Kalyan Singh Super Speciality Cancer Institute and Hospital (KSSSCIH). Shukla, who is an expert in psychiatry, said: “Among basic symptoms you may notice that a patient has stopped talking to people around him, gets filled with hopelessness and feels tired quickly after doing just a little work. These symptoms become noticeable all of a sudden and without any visible reasons. If so, the family should get alert.”
10 September,2024 10:42 AM IST | Lucknow | IANSNight owls -- a person who is habitually active or wakeful at night -- tend to have a higher body mass index (BMI), larger waists, and more hidden body fat and thus are almost 50 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) than those who go to bed earlier, shows new research on Monday. Previous studies have indicated that late chronotype -- people who prefer to go to bed late and wake up late -- live an unhealthy lifestyle, and are at higher risk of obesity and metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes. The new study showed that a late chronotype had a 46 per cent higher risk of developing diabetes, which suggests that the increased risk of T2D can't be explained by lifestyle alone. "We believe that other mechanisms are also at play," said lead researcher Dr. Jeroen van der Velde, from Leiden University Medical Centre, in the Netherlands. "A likely explanation is that the circadian rhythm or body clock in late chronotypes is out of sync with the work and social schedules followed by society. This can lead to circadian misalignment, which we know can lead to metabolic disturbances and ultimately type 2 diabetes," van der Velde added. To explore, the team studied the association between sleep timing, diabetes, and body fat distribution in more than 5,000 individuals who were divided into three groups: early chronotype (20 per cent), late chronotype (20 per cent), and intermediate chronotype (60 per cent). The team measured all participants’ BMI and waist circumference, while visceral fat and liver fat were measured in 1,526 participants, using MRI scans and MR spectroscopy, respectively. About 225 were diagnosed with diabetes after a follow-up of 6.6 years. Late chronotypes were found to be at higher risk of developing diabetes, had a 0.7 kg/m2 higher BMI, 1.9 cm larger waist circumference, 7 cm2 more visceral fat, and 14 per cent higher liver fat content, compared with those with an intermediate chronotype. More visceral fat and liver fat were responsible for making people with a late chronotype to be at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, van der Velde said. The findings will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (September 9-13). Also Read: National Nutrition Week: All you need to know about nutrition for women’s health This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 September,2024 11:26 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSThe rising consumption of processed and packaged food in India will likely affect health outcomes and policies may be required to regulate the nutritional content of these foods and promote healthier alternatives, a government paper has stressed. According to the paper, titled ‘Changes in India’s Food Consumption and Policy Implications,’ by the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister, across regions and consumption classes, “we observe a significant increase in the share of household expenditure on served and packaged processed food”. This increase was universal across the classes but more pronounced for the country's top 20 per cent of households and significantly more in urban areas. “While food processing is a growth sector and a significant creator of jobs, this rising consumption of processed and packaged food will also likely affect health outcomes,” the paper warned. The Indian food and beverage packaging industry is experiencing substantial growth, with market size projected to increase from $33.73 billion in 2023 to $46.25 billion by 2028, driven by factors like rising consumption. According to the paper, further research is needed to understand the nutritional implications of the growing consumption of packaged processed foods and policies may be required to regulate the nutritional content of these foods and promote healthier alternatives. The paper also analysed the relationship between nutritional intake and dietary diversity on the prevalence of Anaemia. “As expected, we found that average Iron intake was inversely related to the prevalence of Anaemia; however, we discovered a significant negative relationship between the prevalence of Anaemia and dietary diversity in sources of iron,” it noted. This strong inverse relationship was observed across state/UTs. The analysis revealed that policies that aim to reduce anaemia among children and women would need to focus on improving iron intake and, more importantly, consider the dietary diversity of iron sources. The report, however, acknowledged the limitations of excluding served and packaged processed food from the micronutrient analysis. “A separate study on this aspect is recommended due to its potential health implications. Further research could explore the relationship between dietary diversity and other health outcomes,” read the paper. The paper also observed a significant decline in the consumption of cereals in terms of cooked food by approximately 20 per cent, and this would be reflected in the average daily intake of micronutrients, because cereals are an essential dietary source for many micronutrients, such as Iron and Zinc. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
08 September,2024 07:48 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSADVERTISEMENT
