Health

Diwali is almost here as it set to be celebrated from October 18 to October 23 across five days not only in India but across the world. Indians across the country are going to be celebrating the ‘Festival of Lights’ with a lot of good food, culture, tradition, but many for many it is not complete without bursting firecrackers, an activity that has become an important part of the festivities. The traditional crackers that not only produce a lot of smoke but also create a lot of loud sounds. This not only leads to air but also sound pollution, with the latter affecting humans and animals alike.  With Diwali festivities, mid-day spoke to Dr Paresh P Naik, Consultant ENT, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, and Dr Jarvis Pereira, Consultant ENT, Holy Family Hospital, highlight the effects ...

Even though preventable, lead exposure remains a serious global health threat and continues to affect millions of children and adults alike, said the World Health Organization on Friday, calling for immediate action to tackle the growing burden.  Lead is present in numerous everyday materials, including paint, batteries, cosmetics, and even spices. It contaminates air, water, and soil, resulting in persistent exposure in communities worldwide. It is linked to approximately 1.5 million deaths annually, primarily from cardiovascular disease, and causes irreversible neurological and behavioural damage, especially in children. Young children absorb significantly more lead than adults, leading to reduced IQ, learning difficulties, and behavioural problems. Lead exposure also harms the develop...

Maternal exposure to air pollution particles such as PM2.5 during pregnancy can affect brain development in newborn babies, according to a new study.  Researchers at Hospital del Mar, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and the CIBER area of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) in Spain analysed extremely small particles -- about thirty times thinner than a human hair. It was composed of harmful elements from combustion processes and toxic organic compounds, but also of essential elements for brain development, such as iron, copper, and zinc. The results, published in the journal Environment International, showed that newborns of mothers exposed to higher levels of fine airborne particles during pregnancy show slower myelination at this very early stage of life. M...

Costa Rica`s President Rodrigo Chaves further restricted access to abortion Wednesday, limiting it to situations when the mother`s life is in danger. The country`s previous regulations also allowed abortions if a pregnancy posed a threat to the mother`s health. No legislative approval was required for the change. In making the rule change through the Health Ministry, Chaves made good on a promise he had given religious conservatives at the Evangelical Alliance earlier this month. `Today the only reason for which an abortion can be done without penalty is when there are only two options: the mother`s life or the life of the being that is inside,` Chaves said during a news conference. While abortion access has advanced in recent years in some of Latin America`s largest countries, includi...

Developing a culture of health literacy and self-care in youth may help prevent the early onset of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension obesity and cancers, in India, said public health experts here on Tuesday.  The experts spoke at the third International Conference on Public Health and Nutrition (ICPHN 2025), organised by non-profit Sukarya. Dr. Zoya Ali Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner, Nutrition and Adolescent Health, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, underscored the national mission’s focus on preventive health and behavioural change. "We are witnessing a paradigm shift. Our effort is not just to treat illness but to prevent the early onset of non-communicable diseases by creating a culture of health literacy and self-care among young people,” Rizvi said. “The ai...

Popular drugs for diabetes management and weight loss, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, could also be effective in reducing alcohol use, according to a study.  The study, led by researchers at Virginia Tech, US, showed that GLP-1 agonists slow the speed at which alcohol enters the bloodstream, also slowing down the effects on the brain. "People who drink know there`s a difference between nursing a glass of wine and downing a shot of whiskey," said Alex DiFeliceantonio, Assistant Professor at the varsity’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. A standard serving of either has 0.6 ounces of alcohol, but the shot brings a rapid increase in blood-alcohol content. It feels different because of the way the body handles alcohol over time. "Why would this matter? Faster-acting drugs have a higher a...

Loneliness and social isolation can raise the risk of death from cancer as well as from all causes among those with the disease, according to a study.  In a pooled data analysis of 13 studies involving over 15 lakh patients, a team of Canadian researchers led by those from the University of Toronto found that loneliness is relatively common among people with cancer. The potential impact of loneliness on death from cancer was reported for 2,142,338 patients in nine studies, and pooled data analysis showed that it was associated with an 11 per cent heightened risk of death from the disease, after adjusting for small study sizes. "These findings collectively suggest that loneliness and social isolation may influence cancer outcomes beyond traditional biological and treatment-related factor...

One in three people worldwide is living with conditions that affect their brain, while 11 million lives are lost every year due to neurological disorders, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.  Stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy, neurological complications linked to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorders, and cancers of the nervous system were identified as the top 10 neurological conditions contributing to death and disability. The report stated that while these neurological conditions now affect more than 40 per cent of the global population, less than one in three countries around the world has a national policy to address the growing burden of...

The new antibiotic EVG7 has demonstrated the ability to fight the dangerous gut bacterium C. difficile with only a minimal dose, a new study showed.  C. difficile is a persistent intestinal bacterium that can cause severe illness, particularly in older people and those with weakened health. The bacterium produces a toxin that leads to severe diarrhoea. Current treatments are not always effective, as the infection often returns. "With existing antibiotics, C. difficile sometimes reappears just weeks after treatment," said researcher and lead author Elma Mons, from the varsity. "This happens partly because the bacterium leaves behind spores, which can develop into new bacteria, causing the infection to return," Mons said. The team investigated the effect of a low dose of EVG7 on C. diff...

Women, especially young, account for seven out of 10 patients with autoimmune diseases, said health experts, emphaising the need for increasing awareness and early screening among females.  Autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions where the body`s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues. Common conditions include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroiditis, psoriasis, and Sjogren’s syndrome. These diseases can affect joints, skin, blood vessels, and even internal organs like the heart or lungs. The condition is far more common among women, especially between the ages of 20 and 50, when hormonal and lifestyle factors are most active. Many times, with a lack of awareness and other burdens, women tend to ignore their symptoms, leading to worsening outcomes. “In my outpati...