Health

According to the World Health Organization’s latest data, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths worldwide in 2022. About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime. The disease is a leading cause of death, with approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women dying due to it. In India, there were 1.41 million new cancer cases and 0.9 million deaths due to the disease in 2022. World Cancer Day is observed on February 4 every year to raise awareness about the growing cancer incidence and facilitate action for reducing disease risk and improving cancer care. Several biological, chemical and environmental factors can interact to cause the condition. While some of these are out of one’s control, deliberate lifestyle choices like consuming tobacco also contr...

Women who go through menopause later in life have healthier blood vessels which reduces their risk of heart disease, finds a study on Wednesday. Women are less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than men for most of their lives, but studies have shown that their risk spikes and overtakes male risk after menopause. The study, published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research, offers new insight into why females who stop menstruating at age 55 or later are significantly less likely to have heart attacks and strokes in their postmenopausal years. The findings by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder in the US could help lead to new therapies, including dietary interventions, to reduce the risk of heart disease -- the number one killer of women. "O...

Mumbai doctors have given a new lease of life to a Shirdi woman after successfully completing a kidney transplant. The Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre has achieved a ground-breaking milestone in kidney transplantation by successfully performing India`s first kidney transplant in a patient with the extremely rare “Bombay” blood group. The “Bombay” blood group (hh) is exceptionally rare, occurring in approximately 1 in 10,000 individuals in India and 1 in a million worldwide. Because it lacks the H antigen, which is present in all other blood types, even O negative blood can cause a severe reaction in individuals with the “Bombay” blood group. This makes finding compatible donors incredibly challenging. Pooja, the 30-year-old woman, had been suffering from kidney failure due to diab...

Obesity is the mother of many non-communicable diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer, said experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Tuesday. Joining together to raise awareness about the adverse health impacts of obesity, the experts noted that obesity is fully preventable in adults. It may also ease the health burden of the country. "Obesity is the mother of many non-communicable diseases, and that is why it has to be taken seriously," Dr. Naval Kishore Vikram, Professor of Medicine at AIIMS, told IANS. He noted that the most important effect of obesity is the development of insulin resistance and a pro inflammatory state. This insulin resistance can lead the development of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and over a period can also be ...

The latest entrant in the list of diet trends that have taken the social media world by storm is the popular ‘anti-inflammation diet’. This approach usually prioritises whole fruits, vegetables, grains, etc., and limits consumption of processed foods. While many are trying and advocating for the diet to reduce the body’s inflammatory response, celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recently took to Instagram to caution people against following fads. In a video, she said, “Every 5 years, the weight loss industry introduces a new diet, and everyone starts believing it to be the solutions to all health problems. Right now, the focus is on the anti-inflammation diet.” Stating that inflammation is a natural body response, she said, “Inflammation is normal and it is a process which allows the ...

Women who give birth to twin babies are two times more at risk of facing a heart problem than those with singleton births, according to a study on Monday. The research, published in the European Heart Journal, showed that the mother of twins is at higher risk of hospitalisation due to heart disease a year after birth. Notably, the risk is even higher in those who had a high blood pressure condition during pregnancy, also known as preeclampsia. The study, led by researchers from Rutgers University in the US, comes as “the rate of twin pregnancies worldwide has risen in recent decades, driven by fertility treatments and older maternal ages”. “The maternal heart works harder for twin pregnancies than for singleton pregnancies, and it takes weeks for the maternal heart to return to its pre...

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research – National Cancer Registry Programme (ICMR-NCRP), the estimated incidence of cancer cases is projected to increase from 14.61 lakhs in 2022 to 15.7 lakhs in 2025, the government had informed the Parliament in December 2023. The incidence of cancer has been steadily increasing in India over the last few decades. Addressing this challenge ahead of World Cancer Day, Dr Radheshyam Naik, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Hematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician, Sammprada Hospital, Bengaluru, said, “Over the years, cancer incidence has been steadily increasing because of factors like population growth, increasing number of aging people, improved diagnostic facilities and lifestyle changes involving smoking, alcohol, bad diet, obesity and lack...

South-East Asia region is expected to witness an 85 per cent increase in the number of new Cancer cases and deaths, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, ahead of World Cancer Day. Each year 4 February is commemorated as World Cancer Day. “The theme this year United by Unique is a reminder of the collective commitment against cancer,” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia. “WHO acknowledges every patient’s unique experiences and the value of people-centered care delivered jointly by healthcare providers, families, friends, and community,” she added. In 2022, the WHO South-East Asia Region had 2.4 million new cases of cancer, including 56,000 children, and 1.5 million deaths. “Among all the WHO regions, our Region had the highest number of cancers of...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition that affects millions worldwide. According to the World Health Orgnization, 18 million people worldwide were living with the condition in 2019. February 2 is observed as Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day every year to raise awareness about the condition, its causes, symptoms, treatment options and more. Despite advancements in medical science, several myths about RA persist, often leading to misinformation and delayed treatment. In a conversation with mid-day.com, Dr Vaibhav Bagaria, Director - Orthopaedics, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, busts five common misconceptions about the condition. Myth 1: RA only affects the elderly. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is primarily age-related, RA can affect individuals of a...

Lifestyle choices and workplace culture are critical for the mental well-being and thus, the productivity of the people in India, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25 on Friday. Tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Survey noted that mental well-being encompasses all our mental-emotional, social, cognitive, and physical capabilities -- construed as the mind`s composite health. It noted that beyond being an economic issue, mental well-being is the ability to navigate life’s challenges and function productively. "Data suggests that mental well-being is not static; indeed, there is a myriad of factors, including workplace culture, hours spent working, and lifestyle, that influence mental well-being," the Survey said. It highlights how lifestyle, work culture...