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Time of India
21-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Study analyses intake of ultra-processed foods among South Asian countries
New Delhi: A study that analysed intake of ultra-processed foods among South Asians found that three-fourths of those living in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and north India reported consuming these foods in the 24 hours prior to the survey. Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK, the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai, and institutes in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka looked at the relation between consuming ultra-processed foods and sociodemographic factors of participants. The findings, published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, also show that 41 per cent of participants from south India and Pakistan reported having consumed ultra-processed foods in the 24 hours prior to being surveyed. These foods involve extensive industrial processing and additives such as added sugars, and are known to heighten risk of obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular conditions. Data of over 60,700 adults living in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India were analysed. The participants were recruited for the South Asia Biobank, a UK-based long-term study designed to understand reasons contributing to the high risk of life threatening conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity among South Asians. Across the four regions studied, ultra-processed foods were found to account for 13-17 per cent of one's total energy intake, with biscuits being a common source. Other commonly consumed foods included sweetened beverages in Pakistan, packaged salty snacks in south India, and breakfast cereals in Bangladesh, the study found. Further, younger age was a factor linked with consuming ultra-processed foods in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and older age in Bangladesh and north India -- and women across most regions were more likely to consume these foods. Consumption also was found to be lower among married people or those living together across the regions studied, compared to those who were single. The researchers said a 2023 study that examined the link between consuming ultra-processed foods and sociodemographic factors analysed data from 32 countries, but "revealed a significant evidence gap with no studies conducted in South Asian countries ". "This is the first study to assess the sociodemographic correlates of (ultra-processed foods) consumption in South Asia, using individual-level dietary recall data in a large population-based study of South Asian adults," according to the study. "In Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and North India, (nearly) 75 per cent of participants reported consuming (ultra-processed foods) during the previous day, versus 41 per cent in south India and Pakistan," it said. They added that the study's results provide valuable insights for developing targeted interventions. The South Asia Biobank is based at Imperial College London and funded by the UK's National Institute for Health Research.
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Study analyses intake of ultra-processed foods among South Asian countries
A study that analysed intake of ultra-processed foods among South Asians found that three-fourths of those living in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and north India reported consuming these foods in the 24 hours prior to the survey. Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK, the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai, and institutes in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka looked at the relation between consuming ultra-processed foods and sociodemographic factors of participants. The findings, published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, also show that 41 per cent of participants from south India and Pakistan reported having consumed ultra-processed foods in the 24 hours prior to being surveyed. These foods involve extensive industrial processing and additives such as added sugars, and are known to heighten risk of obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular conditions. Data of over 60,700 adults living in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India were analysed. The participants were recruited for the South Asia Biobank, a UK-based long-term study designed to understand reasons contributing to the high risk of life threatening conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity among South Asians. Across the four regions studied, ultra-processed foods were found to account for 13-17 per cent of one's total energy intake, with biscuits being a common source. Other commonly consumed foods included sweetened beverages in Pakistan, packaged salty snacks in south India, and breakfast cereals in Bangladesh, the study found. Further, younger age was a factor linked with consuming ultra-processed foods in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and older age in Bangladesh and north India -- and women across most regions were more likely to consume these foods. Consumption also was found to be lower among married people or those living together across the regions studied, compared to those who were single. The researchers said a 2023 study that examined the link between consuming ultra-processed foods and sociodemographic factors analysed data from 32 countries, but "revealed a significant evidence gap with no studies conducted in South Asian countries". "This is the first study to assess the sociodemographic correlates of (ultra-processed foods) consumption in South Asia, using individual-level dietary recall data in a large population-based study of South Asian adults," according to the study. "In Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and North India, (nearly) 75 per cent of participants reported consuming (ultra-processed foods) during the previous day, versus 41 per cent in south India and Pakistan," it said. They added that the study's results provide valuable insights for developing targeted interventions. The South Asia Biobank is based at Imperial College London and funded by the UK's National Institute for Health Research.
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
One in five women in WHO Southeast Asia region covered under health insurance, study estimates
About one in every five women in the WHO Southeast Asia Region, including India, are covered under a health insurance, a study published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia has estimated. One in eight women in the region — defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) — were enrolled in social security schemes. At the same time, only one in thirteen had privately purchased or commercial insurance, the analysis reveals. The 'WHO Southeast Asia Region' includes India, among other countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar and Indonesia. Researchers from Health Systems Transformation Platform and Population Council Consulting Private Limited, New Delhi, also found that one in four men in the region had health insurance coverage, with the highest prevalence seen in Indonesia at over 56 per cent and lowest in Myanmar at about 1.5 per cent. In India, the prevalence of health insurance uptake was 53 per cent among women and 56 per cent among men, the team found. The highest levels of health insurance coverage for women and men in the region were found in Indonesia, while the lowest levels were reported in Bangladesh and Myanmar, respectively. Addressing limited health insurance coverage Equity in accessing quality healthcare without experiencing financial hardship is key to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) — one of the core aims of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals — especially in low- and middle-income countries in the WHO Southeast Asia Region, the authors of the study said. They added that healthcare demands and costs are expected to rise in the region as populations age. However, high out-of-pocket expenditures remain a barrier despite health insurance programmes in the region, they said. The study analysed socioeconomic and demographic factors to estimate coverage under any health insurance, using data from Demographic and Health Surveys (2015-2022) conducted in the WHO Southeast Asia Region every five years. "Approximately one in five women in the region were covered by any form of health insurance," the authors wrote. "In contrast, one in four men in the region had any health insurance coverage, with the highest prevalence observed in Indonesia (56.6 per cent) and the lowest in Myanmar (1.4 per cent)," they wrote. Older age, higher education levels, and higher exposure to media were found to positively influence insurance coverage for both men and women in India, Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Beyond individual factors Further, beyond individual factors, contextual ones such as government commitment, design and implementation of insurance schemes and economic conditions are crucial in determining health insurance coverage, the authors said. Traditional beliefs and a lack of trust in formal financial systems can hinder insurance adoption among South Asian communities, they added. Evidence suggests that in rural areas of India, Nepal and Bangladesh, people relied on community-based informal support systems over formal insurance, reflecting cultural preferences that affect enrolment rates, the team said. Bridging the health coverage gap The study's findings, therefore, highlight that country-specific contexts need to be addressed to effectively expand health insurance coverage, the authors said. They suggested policies should prioritise building sustainable health financing systems, making healthcare infrastructures more resilient, and fostering widespread awareness in the community about the benefits of health insurance. Further, strategies aimed at resolving socioeconomic disparities and for the underinsured populations are vital in advancing equitable health insurance access and accelerating progress towards UHC, the team said.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Women face higher risk of cognitive decline from polluting cooking fuels: IISc brain scan study
A study by the Indian Institute of Science reveals a concerning link. Women using polluting cooking fuels face higher cognitive impairment risk. MRI scans show lower hippocampus volumes in affected women. This brain region is vital for memory. Researchers urge clean cooking fuel adoption. They emphasize community interventions for health literacy. This can reduce dementia risk in rural India. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Women exposed to household air pollution from cooking fuels may be at a higher risk of cognitive impairment than men, a study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru has study, published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, analysed MRI brain scans of ageing adults in the rural town of Srinivaspura in Karnataka, revealing that women might be at a higher risk of experiencing adverse effects in the brain.A team, which also included researchers from the University of Chicago, US, explained that burning solid fuels for cooking, especially in poorly ventilated spaces, can release air pollutants, such as oxides of carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and heavy metals, along with suspended particulate pollutants have been shown to affect the brain through varied mechanisms, primary ones being inflammation and oxidative stress, they researchers analysed more than 4,100 adults aged 45 and above, who are participants of the ongoing Centre for Brain Research-Srinivaspura Aging, Neuro Senescence, and COGnition (CBR-SANSCOG) study at IISc. MRI brain scans were taken for around a thousand of these impairment, they explained, affects memory, reasoning, and speech. It may precede conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's disease -- in which the affected person faces trouble performing daily routine study's authors wrote, "Polluting cooking technology users may be at a higher risk for cognitive impairment. Rural females, who tend to be more exposed than males, could have greater vulnerability to (household air pollution's) adverse effects on the brain."Given the increasing burden of dementia -- an ageing-related disorder -- in India, the findings have significant implications for public health, providing insights on how household air pollution can influence dementia risk, the team said."Policies promoting clean cooking fuel (or) technology adoption are imperative," they added that the findings support those from previous studies which showed a lowered cognition and ability to process visual information in space among people using polluting cooking upon analysing the MRI brain scans of women, the team found lower volumes of hippocampus -- a brain region critical for memory and known to be significantly impacted in Alzheimer's the study broadens the understanding of how pollution-causing cooking fuel is related with poor cognition, the authors said."Community-centred interventions to improve health literacy and clean cooking fuel adoption among rural Indians, could help reduce the substantial morbidities associated with polluting cooking fuel use, and reduce dementia risk," they study is the only one to employ brain scanning techniques in a rural population to examine how household air pollution can adversely impact the brain structurally, the authors said.
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
8 per cent infectious disease outbreaks during 2018-2023 spread from animals to humans, study says
Zoonotic outbreaks consistently peaked during June, July, and August, researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai said. Typically, about seven zoonotic outbreaks -- also sometimes called 'spillover events' -- occurred in a month, and such instances significantly increased over the years, specifically, post-pandemic, the study published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal found. Study highlights The team analysed a total of 6,948 outbreaks reported under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) to identify trends. Of these, 583 (8.3 per cent) were zoonotic -- Japanese encephalitis was found to account for 29.5 per cent of zoonotic outbreaks, followed by leptospirosis (18.7 per cent) and scrub typhus (13.9 per cent). Region-wise, the northeast part of the country contributed 35.8 per cent of zoonotic disease outbreaks, followed by the southern (31.7 per cent) and western regions (15.4 per cent), the researchers found. They added that late reporting of disease outbreaks has declined over the years -- 52.6 per cent in 2019, 40.9 per cent in 2021, and 5.2 per cent in 2023. Overall, a third of the outbreaks during the study period were reported late, the team said. "Of the 6948 outbreaks reported in IDSP, 583 (8.3 per cent) were zoonotic, with a median of seven monthly zoonotic outbreaks. Outbreaks significantly increased over the years," the authors wrote. Further research required The researchers said that while outbreaks of measles, chickenpox, and dengue have been individually analysed, zoonotic events from the national-level infectious disease surveillance system have not been comprehensively examined. A lack of analysis of geographical patterns and documentation of reporting delays hindered evidence-based decision-making and targeted interventions, the team said. "Critical gaps in weekly outbreak reports were identified, particularly the lack of follow-up documentation. To address these gaps, we recommend strengthening disease-specific surveillance systems in hotspot regions," the authors concluded.
