Health

The combination of air pollution, dense urban development and limited green spaces increases the risk of asthma in both children and adults, according to a new study. Improving these can help prevent one in 10 cases of asthma -- a chronic respiratory condition characterised by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, making breathing difficult. Previous studies have typically calculated the risk of one environmental factor at a time. The new study combined several environmental factors and described how they together affect the risk of developing asthma. This provided a better picture of environmental risks, as life in a city usually involves exposure to several environmental risk factors at the same time Researchers from Karolinska Institutet, in Sweden, found that 11.6 per cent of ...

Pedestrians and cyclists are among more than 330,000 deaths from road crashes in the Southeast Asia region in 2021, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, as part of the eighth UN Global Road Safety Week. The UN Global Road Safety Week is marked biennially, starting on the third Monday of May. The theme this year is “Make walking and cycling safe”, urging the world to make walking and cycling safe for everyone. Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia said that road traffic injuries are now the leading cause of death among young people aged 5 to 29 years, and they continue to be a pressing public health concern in our WHO South-East Asia Region. "In 2021 alone, our region accounted for more than 330,000 deaths from road crashes, representing 28 per cent of the...

Every year, World Hypertension Day is observed on May 17 to raise awareness about the condition that is also widely called ‘the silent killer’ globally. This year, the theme is ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer!’. While hypertension may seem like a complication, it simply means high blood pressure, which occurs when the force of the blood is continuously higher in the arteries.So, what are the causes of hypertension? Dr Swarup Swaraj Pal, senior consultant, Cardiovascular and Thoracic surgeon, Gleneagles Hospitals in Parel, explains, "Unhealthy lifestyle habits like high salt intake, lack of exercise, obesity, stress, smoking, kidney disease, or genetic factors can cause a surge in cases of hypertension among the Indian population. Hypertension is referred to...

Feeling lonely or older than your age at 40? According to a study, these negative perceptions about ageing could be early signs of frailty, even in your 40s. Usually associated with older age, frailty is a recognised medical condition, marked by reduced strength, energy, and ability to recover from illness. Pre-frailty is the reversible transition stage that comes before; however, experts say it`s ill-defined and requires more understanding. The research, published in the journal BMC Public Health, showed that it can begin much earlier with subtle psychological and social cues. "Many people assume frailty is something that happens when we get much older," said lead author Tom Brennan from Flinders University`s Caring Futures Institute in Australia. "But our research shows the psycholo...

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about half of the world`s population is now at risk of dengue, with an estimated 100 - 400 million infections occurring each year. In India, as per data from the National Centre for Vector-Borne Disease Control (NCVBDC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), dengue cases have increased from 1.57 lakh in 2019 to 2.33 lakh in 2024. While the monsoon season is popularly believed to exacerbate dengue and lead to a rise in cases, it is a myth that the disease only affects people when it rains. As Mumbai is experiencing intense heat with untimely rains, city-based experts warn that dengue can be prevalent even during summers. On National Dengue Day 2025, which is observed annually in India on May 16, mid-day speaks to Dr Parit...

Adopting cleanliness, checking mosquito breeding sites, and spreading awareness are key measures to curb the spread of dengue, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on National Dengue Day on Friday.   In a bid to promote awareness about dengue, the Ministry of Health had designated May 16 as `National Dengue Day` in 2010. This year’s theme is “Check, Clean, Cover: Steps to Defeat Dengue”. “The theme emphasises the importance of regularly checking for mosquito breeding sites, cleaning surroundings, and covering water containers to prevent the spread of dengue,” Nadda said in a post on social media platform X. Today, on National Dengue Day, I call upon every citizen to unite in our fight against dengue, a pressing public health challenge.This day serves as a platform to raise awareness an...

The Union government on Tuesday designated September 23 as Ayurveda Day, marking a significant shift from the earlier practice of observing Ayurveda Day on Dhanteras. The change was notified through a Gazette Notification dated March 23, the Ministry of Ayush said. Calling the decision to change the date as "landmark", the ministry said it will enhance "the global visibility and consistency" of Ayurveda which is India’s 5,000-year-old system of healing rooted in ancient wisdom and sustainable living. Notably, Dhanteras is a festival observed in the Hindu month of Kartik (usually October or November). Its date fluctuates each year, posing logistical challenges for organising national and international observances of Ayurveda day, the Ministry said. In addition, in the coming decade, the...

Increased sedentary behaviour, time spent sitting or lying down was associated with worse cognition and brain shrinkage in areas related to risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study on Tuesday. The study by researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the University of Pittsburgh aims to discover how lifestyle habits can impact the likelihood of developing the disease.  According to a new research study published in Alzheimer`s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer`s Association. “Reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease is not just about working out once a day,” said Marissa Gogniat, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Pitt.  “Minimising the time spent sitting, even if you do exercise daily, reduces the likelihood of developing Alzheime...

Scorching heatwaves fuelled by global warming are increasing the risk of dangerous complications during pregnancies across the world, a report warned on Wednesday. Being exposed to extreme heat while pregnant has previously been linked to a range of problems, including a higher risk of premature birth, stillbirth, birth defects and gestational diabetes. The new report from the US-based research group Climate Central sought to measure how much more pregnant women have been exposed to excessive heat since 2020 -- and to what extent climate change is to blame. In 222 out of the 247 countries and territories studied, "climate change at least doubled the average annual number of pregnancy heat-risk days experienced during the past five years", the report said. The biggest increases were in ...

People who develop type 1 diabetes in adulthood have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death, according to a new research. However, those diagnosed later in life do not have a better prognosis than those diagnosed earlier, according to the study conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, which pointed to smoking, poor glucose control and obesity as the main risk factors. Research on adult-onset type 1 diabetes is limited, so the team wanted to investigate the risk of cardiovascular disease and death in this group, particularly for those diagnosed after the age of 40. The study, published in European Heart Journal, identified 10,184 people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in adulthood between 2001 and 2020 and compared them to 509,172 matched people in the c...