Central and state governments as well as private industry and universities are among some of the groups that should unite to enact policy changes addressing India's growing diabetes epidemic, say leading U.S. and global diabetes researchers.
The researchers include Karen Siegel, MPH, a research associate at MATRIX Public Health Solutions, Inc., K. M. Venkat Narayan, MD, MSc, MBA, of Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, and Sanjay Kinra of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. Their recommendations for diabetes prevention and control policies in India are published in the July 8, 2008 issue of Health Affairs.
"Diabetes is part of a larger global epidemic of noncommunicable diseases," says Narayan. "Because these diseases share many risk factors, policies that encourage healthy eating and active living will prevent not only diabetes, but also obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory illnesses and diet-related cancers. An integrated system can maximize disease prevention while avoiding the need to develop separate courses of action."
India is currently home to 35 million people with diabetes, a number that is expected to double by the year 2025. This places a large burden on India's health system, and threatens to cripple the country's rapidly growing economy. The World Health Organization estimates that India will lose $237 billion in national income due to diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
Siegel, lead author of the paper, adds, "Economic growth policies aimed at transforming India into a developed nation by 2030 are contributing to escalating diabetes rates that threaten to cripple the rapidly emerging economy. Research shows that diabetes is preventable through physical activity and healthy eating, but current conditions in India promote sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating.
"Updated policies and comprehensive action to address diabetes are needed to incorporate health as a national priority, and to encourage healthy lifestyles as well as economic growth," says Siegel.
Among the policy recommendations proposed by Siegel and Narayan are comprehensive, multisectoral national actions that address diabetes risk factors.
Players, they say, should include central/state governments, multilateral organizations, private sector, nongovernmental organizations, academics and researchers, public-private partnerships, health care sector and the media.
Siegel and Narayan also recommend "best buys" for diabetes prevention and treatment based on impact, cost and effectiveness, including:
• Working with the private sector to encourage investments in employee health Promoting physical activity, especially active transport
• Modifying agricultural policies and practices to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Creating research and development policies that focus on innovative ways to deliver affordable fruits and vegetables on a mass scale
• Spearheading national efforts to reduce salt, fat and sugar in processed foods
• Building capacity in public health schools, medical schools and other institutions
Showing posts with label diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diabetes. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
Oh crud, now they're going after caffeine...
Toxic Note: I hate posting this one. However, I am now heading off to search for some way to increase my serotonin (aside from exercising) so I can keep imbibing my caffeine. At least I now have an excuse for gaining weight. It's not 'cause I sit in front of the computer for most of the day, it's because I'm chugging caffeine while I'm sitting. I am a very happy person, not depressed in the least. Therefore, I declare the following partially bunk. Caffeine as an excuse for weight gain I can live with...
Caffeine Plays Critical Role in Obesity and Depression, Says Researcher Phoenix Gilman
ATLANTA, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The #1 most socially accepted, legalized drug is caffeine. Both young and old consume it daily - and at an alarming rate - be it in their lattes, energy drinks, ice teas, sodas, etc. Yet caffeine is highly addictive and it drastically depletes serotonin, a major neurotransmitter that governs critical aspects of the brain's ability to function properly.
Obesity is a frightening epidemic. Antidepressants are the most prescribed pharmaceutical drug. As such, researcher and international author Phoenix Gilman is urgently trying to inform others, through her book and interviews nationwide, that caffeine is contributing significantly to our health crisis.
Gilman says, "Caffeine, along with many other things, depletes serotonin. Side effects of low serotonin are numerous, ranging from carbohydrate cravings, binge eating, obesity, to anxiety, ADD, depression, alcoholism and suicidal behavior - not forgetting, insomnia, PMS, migraines, increased risks for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers. Shockingly, no one in the media is talking about this clinically proven research, research that has the potential to help millions live healthier. And though I'm thrilled to hear CA is considering labeling caffeine as a toxic substance, the awareness needs to go far beyond that."
About the author: Entrepreneur Phoenix Gilman is an internationally respected author and weight loss/wellness expert with 30 years of experience, from personal trainer and sports nutritionist, to researcher, product developer, consumer activist and speaker. Fed up with the misinformation and marketing scams running rampant within the diet, food and pharmaceutical industries, she vowed to make a difference. Her book, "DIET FAILURE ... THE NAKED TRUTH: The Brain Chemistry Key to Losing Weight and Achieving Extraordinary Health" is the result.
Her research has been recognized by many, including the Centers for Disease Control, Forbes.com, Focus Atlanta (CW television network), Citizens Commission on Human Rights and best-selling authors Michael Murray, ND, co- author of the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, and Diana Schwarzbein, MD, author of The Schwarzbein Principle. Phoenix has done over 200 interviews nationwide, from radio, print, to TV.
Caffeine Plays Critical Role in Obesity and Depression, Says Researcher Phoenix Gilman
ATLANTA, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The #1 most socially accepted, legalized drug is caffeine. Both young and old consume it daily - and at an alarming rate - be it in their lattes, energy drinks, ice teas, sodas, etc. Yet caffeine is highly addictive and it drastically depletes serotonin, a major neurotransmitter that governs critical aspects of the brain's ability to function properly.
Obesity is a frightening epidemic. Antidepressants are the most prescribed pharmaceutical drug. As such, researcher and international author Phoenix Gilman is urgently trying to inform others, through her book and interviews nationwide, that caffeine is contributing significantly to our health crisis.
Gilman says, "Caffeine, along with many other things, depletes serotonin. Side effects of low serotonin are numerous, ranging from carbohydrate cravings, binge eating, obesity, to anxiety, ADD, depression, alcoholism and suicidal behavior - not forgetting, insomnia, PMS, migraines, increased risks for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers. Shockingly, no one in the media is talking about this clinically proven research, research that has the potential to help millions live healthier. And though I'm thrilled to hear CA is considering labeling caffeine as a toxic substance, the awareness needs to go far beyond that."
About the author: Entrepreneur Phoenix Gilman is an internationally respected author and weight loss/wellness expert with 30 years of experience, from personal trainer and sports nutritionist, to researcher, product developer, consumer activist and speaker. Fed up with the misinformation and marketing scams running rampant within the diet, food and pharmaceutical industries, she vowed to make a difference. Her book, "DIET FAILURE ... THE NAKED TRUTH: The Brain Chemistry Key to Losing Weight and Achieving Extraordinary Health" is the result.
Her research has been recognized by many, including the Centers for Disease Control, Forbes.com, Focus Atlanta (CW television network), Citizens Commission on Human Rights and best-selling authors Michael Murray, ND, co- author of the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, and Diana Schwarzbein, MD, author of The Schwarzbein Principle. Phoenix has done over 200 interviews nationwide, from radio, print, to TV.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Nearly One in Five Americans Say They Can't Afford Needed Health Care
Nearly one in five U.S. adults - more than 40 million people - report they do not have adequate access to the health care they need, according to the annual report on the nation's health released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The report, "Health, United States, 2007," is a compilation of more than 150 health tables prepared by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
The report also contains a special section focusing on access to care, which shows that nearly 20 percent of adults reported that they needed and did not receive one or more of these services in the past year - medical care, prescription medicines, mental health care, dental care, or eyeglasses - because they could not afford them.
"There has been important progress made in many areas of health such as increased life expectancy and decreases in deaths from leading killers such as heart disease and cancer. But this report shows that access to health care is still an issue where we need improvement," said CDC Director Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H.
In 2005, nearly one in 10 people between the ages of 18 and 64 said they were unable to get necessary prescription drugs during the past 12 months due to cost. Nearly 10 percent said they delayed receiving needed medical care. This report did not study the relationship between access to health care services and health outcomes.
Other major findings of the report include:
* Young adults 18-24 years of age were more likely than children or older adults to lack a usual source of care and to be uninsured. About 30 percent of these young adults did not have a usual source of health care, and an equal percentage were uninsured.
* One in 10 adults ages 45-64 years did not have a usual source of health care, and more than 5 percent of adults in this age group who had diagnosed high blood pressure, serious heart conditions, or diabetes reported not having a usual source of medical care.
* In 2005, one out of five people under the age of 65 reported being uninsured for at least part of the 12 months prior to being interviewed. The majority of this group reported being uninsured for more than 12 months.
* One in 10 women aged 45-64 years with income below the poverty level reported delaying medical care due to lack of transportation.
* About one-third of all children living below the poverty level did not have a recent dental visit in 2005, compared with less than one-fifth of children with higher income.
The report features data on virtually every health topic from all stages of life, and does show a number of important gains:
* In 2006, 87 percent of children age 19-35 months received three or more doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, an increase from 41 percent in 2002.
* In 2001-2004, the age-adjusted percentage of adults with high blood cholesterol was 17 percent down from 21 percent in 1988-94.
* In 2001-2004 about 25 percent of adults 20-64 years of age had untreated cavities, down from nearly 50 percent in 1971-74.
The full Health, United States: 2007 is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/. For more information about the latest Department of Health and Human Services initiatives proposed to provide affordable health care coverage to every American visit www.hhs.gov/everyamericaninsured for more information.
The report, "Health, United States, 2007," is a compilation of more than 150 health tables prepared by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
The report also contains a special section focusing on access to care, which shows that nearly 20 percent of adults reported that they needed and did not receive one or more of these services in the past year - medical care, prescription medicines, mental health care, dental care, or eyeglasses - because they could not afford them.
"There has been important progress made in many areas of health such as increased life expectancy and decreases in deaths from leading killers such as heart disease and cancer. But this report shows that access to health care is still an issue where we need improvement," said CDC Director Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H.
In 2005, nearly one in 10 people between the ages of 18 and 64 said they were unable to get necessary prescription drugs during the past 12 months due to cost. Nearly 10 percent said they delayed receiving needed medical care. This report did not study the relationship between access to health care services and health outcomes.
Other major findings of the report include:
* Young adults 18-24 years of age were more likely than children or older adults to lack a usual source of care and to be uninsured. About 30 percent of these young adults did not have a usual source of health care, and an equal percentage were uninsured.
* One in 10 adults ages 45-64 years did not have a usual source of health care, and more than 5 percent of adults in this age group who had diagnosed high blood pressure, serious heart conditions, or diabetes reported not having a usual source of medical care.
* In 2005, one out of five people under the age of 65 reported being uninsured for at least part of the 12 months prior to being interviewed. The majority of this group reported being uninsured for more than 12 months.
* One in 10 women aged 45-64 years with income below the poverty level reported delaying medical care due to lack of transportation.
* About one-third of all children living below the poverty level did not have a recent dental visit in 2005, compared with less than one-fifth of children with higher income.
The report features data on virtually every health topic from all stages of life, and does show a number of important gains:
* In 2006, 87 percent of children age 19-35 months received three or more doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, an increase from 41 percent in 2002.
* In 2001-2004, the age-adjusted percentage of adults with high blood cholesterol was 17 percent down from 21 percent in 1988-94.
* In 2001-2004 about 25 percent of adults 20-64 years of age had untreated cavities, down from nearly 50 percent in 1971-74.
The full Health, United States: 2007 is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/. For more information about the latest Department of Health and Human Services initiatives proposed to provide affordable health care coverage to every American visit www.hhs.gov/everyamericaninsured for more information.
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