Health

Higher levels of air pollution may not only harm your lungs but also worsen health for people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a multi-national study, that strengthened the connection between environmental health and sleep medicine.  While OSA is a common condition, many people do not realise they have it. People with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and they may wake up several times. The study, presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, revealed that, overall, for every one unit increase in PM10 -- tiny particles, 10 micrometers or smaller, released into the air by vehicle exhausts and industrial processes -- there was a modest but measurable increase in the patients` apnoea hypop...

A common gene variant may be delaying diagnoses of type 2 diabetes in millions of men worldwide, and increasing their risk of serious complications, according to a study.  G6PD deficiency is a genetic condition that affects more than 400 million people worldwide, and is especially prevalent among those with African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean backgrounds. It is more common in men and usually goes undetected because it rarely causes symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends routine screening for G6PD deficiency in populations where it is common, but it is not widely implemented in many other countries. Researchers from the University of Exeter, in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), found that men with G6PD deficiency are, on average, d...

Heart attack, stroke, or heart failure come with warning signs in 99 per cent cases, according to a large study that refuted the notion that these devastating events often strike people without warning signs.  The study led by Northwestern Medicine, US, and Yonsei University in South Korea, showed people with these deadly cardiovascular diseases -- which remain the leading cause of death worldwide -- had at least one risk factor above an optimal level beforehand. "We think the study shows very convincingly that exposure to one or more nonoptimal risk factors before these cardiovascular outcomes is nearly 100 per cent," said senior author Dr. Philip Greenland, professor of cardiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "The goal now is to work harder on finding ways t...

A reinfection with the SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind Covid-19 disease, doubled the risk of developing long Covid among children, according to a large study published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.  The findings involving over 460,000 children and adolescents across 40 paediatric hospitals in the US found that after the first Covid infection, about 904 children per million developed long Covid within six months. Following a reinfection, this number more than doubled to approximately 1,884 children per million. The kids were more likely to suffer from a wide range of rare but persistent and sometimes serious conditions, including heart inflammation (myocarditis), blood clots, kidney injury, cognitive difficulties, fatigue, and respiratory problems. “These findings add to p...

The rapidly changing eating habits with high intake of carbohydrates and saturated fat, with low protein levels, are behind the dramatic increase in diabetes and obesity cases among Indians, according to the latest evidence generated from the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study on Tuesday.  The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, showed that most Indians get a staggering 62 per cent of their calories from carbohydrates -- one of the highest in the world. Much of this comes from low-quality sources like white rice, milled whole grains, and added sugar -- associated with increased metabolic risk (diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity). White rice dominates diets in the South, East, and Northeast, while wheat is more common in the North and Centr...

Skincare isn`t a one-size-fits-all journey, and as the seasons change, so should your routine. Navigating the shift from the humid monsoon season to the drier post-monsoon months can be challenging for your skin.  This transitional period often brings a frustrating mix of lingering oiliness, stubborn breakouts, and new concerns like dehydration and sensitivity. However, making a few simple, targeted adjustments to your skincare routine and lifestyle, can easily help you maintain skin that`s resilient to seasonal changes.  This comprehensive guide, featuring expert advice from leading dermatologists, provides a clear roadmap to help your skin thrive as the weather changes. Most common skin concerns in SeptemberAs the high humidity of the monsoon season begins to subside, your skin faces ...

A newly developed blood test may aid in predicting the risk of developing severe liver disease within 10 years, according to a study.  The study, by researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, showed that the simple blood analysis, if applied in primary care, may accelerate the detection of cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. "These are diseases that are growing increasingly common and that have a poor prognosis if detected late," said Rickard Strandberg, affiliated researcher at the Institutet`s Department of Medicine, who developed the test. "Our method can predict the risk of severe liver disease within 10 years and is based on three simple routine blood tests," Strandberg added. For the study, published in the journal The BMJ, the researchers evaluated how well the method ...

Adopting healthy lifestyles can help significantly reduce risk of heart disease, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday on World Heart Day.  World Heart Day is observed every year on September 29 to raise awareness about various heart diseases and the importance of early detection. “World Heart Day highlights the importance of cardiovascular health and encourages proactive measures to prevent heart-related illnesses. It provides a vital platform to spread awareness about maintaining a strong and healthy heart through balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and stress management,” Nadda said in a post on social media platform X. “By adopting healthy lifestyles, individuals can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall well-being. Observing this day inspires ...

New research shows that liver fat, rather than bodyweight, is the key factor predicting which children with obesity will develop serious health problems, Israeli scientists announced on Sunday. A study by Tel Aviv University and the Dana Dwek Children`s Hospital in Tel Aviv suggests that obesity in children does not automatically spell poor health. Instead, researchers found that the amount of fat in the liver -- not bodyweight alone -- may be the key factor in predicting whether obese children develop serious illnesses. Fatty liver in children can lead to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and even liver cirrhosis later in life. The team examined 31 Israeli children with obesity, seeking to understand why some develop metabolic complications while others remai...

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of disease burden, causing one in three deaths worldwide in 2023, according to a study on Wednesday.  The study showed that the number of cardiovascular disease deaths worldwide has risen sharply, climbing to 19.2 million in 2023 from 13.1 million in 1990. The heart-related mortality was driven by population growth, ageing, and exposure to a broad range of risks, including increasing rates of obesity and diabetes, as revealed by the report based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study, and published today in JACC. Ischemic heart disease affected an estimated 240 million people in 2023, while lower extremity peripheral arterial disease impacted 122 million; stroke remained a leading cause of death and disability across all region...