Health

With the advent of the digital revolution that ushered in a huge market for online casino and sports betting market, an estimated 80 million people globally experience gambling disorder or problematic gambling, with adolescents being the most affected, according to research published in The Lancet Public Health Commission on Friday. The Commission noted that children and adolescents are routinely exposed to advertising of gambling products in "unprecedented ways" and are the most affected. It is because children and adolescents remain "particularly vulnerable to the allure of easy money and the game-like designs of online gambling." They called for stronger global regulatory controls to reduce the impact of commercial gambling on worldwide health and wellbeing. An international team of ...

Even as air quality in the national capital continues to be in the `very poor` category, health experts on Thursday said that prolonged exposure to air pollution may be detrimental to the brain.  According to Central Pollution Control Board data (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) was 336 at 7.30 a.m. Various monitoring stations across the national capital recorded the air quality in the `very poor` category -- between 301 and 400. During the day, the air quality is expected to drop to the `severe` category at places where the AQI is near 400, as per the CPCB. A recent study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, showed short-term air pollution exposure claimed 33,000 lives annually in 10 cities in India, and Delhi topped the list with 12,000 deaths every year. Dr PN Renjen, senior...

While breast cancer is often perceived as a women`s disease, men also suffer from the deadly disease. However, stigma delays their diagnosis and treatment, potentially worsening outcomes, said experts on Wednesday. October is marked as Breast Cancer awareness month. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 0.5–1 per cent of breast cancers occur in men. While this percentage may seem small, it translates to thousands of men worldwide facing this diagnosis each year. “Despite its rarity, breast cancer in men is often diagnosed later than in women. Many men are unaware that they can develop breast cancer, leading to delayed detection. However, early detection significantly improves survival rates,” Dr. Ramesh Sarin, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer...

Even as air quality in Delhi fell to the ‘very poor’ category, city doctors on October 22 reported a 30 per cent surge in respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  A thick layer of smog enveloped Delhi on the morning as the city’s air quality deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 27 monitoring stations in the national capital fell in the red zone, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 317 recorded around 9:00 a.m. The health experts blamed changing weather and pollution levels for the rise in respiratory disease. Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are at the highest risk. Dr. Vikas Maurya, senior director and HOD Pulmonology, Fortis Hospital said that as winter is approaching and p...

Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease even at exposure levels below the regulatory limit, according to a new study on Wednesday.  The study led by researchers at Columbia University in the US is the first to describe exposure-response relationships at concentrations below the current regulatory limit (10 micrograms per litre). It also substantiates that prolonged exposure to arsenic in water contributes to the development of ischemic heart disease. For the study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, the team compared various time windows of exposure. “Our findings further reinforces the importance of considering non-cancer outcomes, and specifically cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of d...

While stress is known to significantly contribute to the onset of various health issues, a new study on Sunday showed how stress can worsen colorectal cancer (CRC).  A team of Chinese researchers showed that chronic stress disrupts the balance of gut microbiota, which then hastens the progression of CRC. By eliminating some gut bacteria and inducing stress, they found a particular bacterial species as a potential therapeutic target. The team from West China Hospital, Sichuan University of China, used an antibiotic cocktail -- vancomycin, ampicillin, neomycin, and metronidazole -- to eradicate gut microbiota. It was followed by faecal microbiota transplantation to find whether gut microbiota was necessary for chronic stress to fasten the progression of colorectal cancer. The results sho...

Loneliness is a major risk factor that increases the risk of dementia by over 30 per cent, regardless of age or gender, a review of 21 long-term studies involving over six lakh participants worldwide has found. Loneliness, which involves one feeling dissatisfied with their social relationships, was also linked with symptoms preceding the stage of being diagnosed with dementia, such as cognitive impairment or decline. Both conditions affect decision-making, memory and thought process. However, dementia`s symptoms are severe enough to interfere with one`s daily functioning. The psychological state of feeling disconnected from society is now widely regarded as a risk factor for ill-health, even though studies have shown that loneliness cannot directly cause the disease. "Dementia is spect...

Senior people who are socially isolated are more likely to have an insufficient intake of key micronutrients such as vitamin C and vitamin B6, increasing their risk of health problems, according to a new study. The researchers from University College London (UCL) found that people who were more socially isolated were more likely to have a lower than recommended intake of five micronutrients that are essential for health: magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, folate and vitamin B6. These micronutrients are typically found in small quantities in fruit, vegetables, legumes (such as peas, beans and lentils) and fish, suggesting a diet lacking in these food sources. “This is important as inadequate intake of these micronutrients puts people at greater risk of health problems as they get older,” s...

In a remarkable display of medical expertise and patient resilience, an 85-year-old woman has made a full recovery after undergoing a complex surgery for ovarian cancer at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre in Mumbai. Savitri Agarwal was initially diagnosed through a CT Scan with an ovarian mass two months prior, when her grandson brought her to Dr Vishnu Agarwal. While surgery was recommended, the family grappled with the decision due to the octogenarian`s advanced age and the associated risks. Unfortunately, Savitri`s condition deteriorated rapidly. A month later, she was admitted to Jaslok Hospital with severe vomiting, abdominal pain, and intestinal blockage caused by the growing tumour. Her condition was critical, leaving her with a life expectancy of mere weeks if left untreated....

Listening to music may help patients recover from surgery through a lower heart rate, reduced anxiety levels, less opioid use and lower pain, according to researchers. A reduction in cortisol levels when listening to music may play a role in easing patients’ recovery, according to a meta-analysis presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2024 in San Fransisco. “When patients wake up after surgery, sometimes they feel really scared and don’t know where they are,” said Eldo Frezza, professor of surgery at California Northstate University College of Medicine. “Music can help ease the transition from the waking up stage to a return to normalcy and may help reduce stress around that transition.” Dr Frezza and study co-authors noted that unlike some more active the...