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Obesity is not a disease, but a lifestyle disorder that has emerged from the choices we make in terms of what we consume and how much we exercise. It is a challenge that has been evolving rapidly in recent years and is now ranked among one of the primary causes of preventable deaths across the globe. What's surprising is that 50 years ago, there was no disease as obesity, presumably because at the time individuals led more active lives, and did not have access to the high-calorie, processed foods that we have at present. Decoding the Primary Causes of Obesity One of the primary reasons for this disorder in the current generation is the absence of physical work on a day-to-day basis, individuals have become increasingly lethargic. Another major cause for a considerable surge in obesity rates is unorganized eating habits. There is not adequate awareness about the nutritive value of the meals we consume, and individuals usually eat without considering the effects on their health. Today, individuals frequently consume more calories than their body requirements, resulting in weight gain and gradual obesity. However, despite the significant challenges that our current lifestyle and obesity pose to our health, they can be overcome by following these simple strategies in our day-to-day life: Keep your Calorie Intake in Check To combat obesity, we must comprehend that our calorie intake should be proportional to our physical activity. This implies that we need to lead more active lives and consume meals that are nutritious and healthy. A healthy lifestyle is built on two pillars- Good nutrition and regular exercise. Disregarding either of these pillars will negatively influence our overall health. Aim for Natural Weight Loss It is also essential to note that the emphasis should be on natural weight loss strategies rather than opting for cosmetic surgeries like liposuction. While these surgeries may yield temporary results, they can be detrimental in the long run. Rather, we must focus on weight loss techniques that are sustainable and healthy. A Proficient Fitness Coach Can do Wonders! Another important element of fighting obesity is picking a fitness coach who has the required knowledge and expertise. Here, it gets crucial to understand the difference between a trainer and a teacher. While a host of individuals in the market claim to be fitness coaches, they lack the essential qualifications and experience. Hence it gets pivotal to shortlist a coach who possesses the necessary experience to advise us on the right path. Make Sustainable Changes in your Lifestyle One of the most efficacious methods to fight obesity is to enlighten ourselves about the significance of healthy living. We need to be conscious of the nutritional value of the food we consume and comprehend the impact of our choices on our health. A result-yielding strategy here would be to make short, sustainable changes in our lifestyle. For instance, we can begin by making minor changes in our diet, like lowering the intake of high-calorie, processed foods and increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables. We can also begin by including more physical activity into our daily routine, such as walking or cycling to workplaces. By encouraging healthy lifestyles and making healthy choices easier, we can prevent and address obesity, enhance overall health outcomes, and lessen the burden on healthcare frameworks. (Aminder Singh, Fitness Guru and founder of Team Aminder) Read More►Lifestyle Changes Help to Prevent Kidney Diseases: Experts

Any condition, whether it be cancer, heart disease, or arthritis, can be treated with awareness. It is common knowledge that arthritis can hurt, swell, and inflame one or more joints. Instead of referring to a single illness, it is an all-encompassing term used to describe a number of disorders. It's one of the most prevalent health problems in the nation. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but the most common are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis (OA) (RA). OA is the deterioration of the cartilage that covers the ends of bones, as opposed to RA, which largely affects the immune system and can harm joints, muscles, connective tissue, tendons, and fibrous tissue. Any joint, including the hands, hips, knees, and spine, can be harmed by it. There are more than 180 million cases of arthritis in India, making it more prevalent than many other well-known diseases including diabetes, AIDS, and cancer, according to an analysis of arthritis tests conducted in SRL Diagnostics' facilities. About 14% of Indians seek medical attention each year for this joint issue. Despite the fact that this condition is quite common, there are still a number of beliefs that prevent people from receiving the treatment they need to relieve their symptoms and enhance their quality of life. Dr. Biren Nadkarni, Senior Orthopedic Consultant and Joint Replacement Surgeon from Sitaram Bhartia Institute and Holy Family Hospital in New Delhi, dispels some common myths regarding arthritis in India. Let's look at it: Arthritis is An Old-Age Disease and Cannot Affect Children Fact: Although there are numerous varieties of arthritis that can afflict both children and young adults, the condition is more prevalent in older people. The most frequent kind of arthritis in children, juvenile arthritis (also known as childhood arthritis or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), can permanently harm joints. All Joint Pains Are Arthritis Fact: A number of illnesses, including tendonitis, bursitis, and other soft-tissue injuries, can cause joint pain and have a pain profile resembling that of arthritis. Therefore, it is crucial to obtain a precise medical diagnosis before treating any kind of joint discomfort. When You Start Experiencing Joint Pain, You Should Wait to See If It Goes Away on Its Own Fact: Absolutely false. Early detection and treatment of arthritis can not only save your joints but also protect your important organs from harm. Some types, like rheumatoid arthritis, can harm the heart, blood vessels, brain, skin, eyes, lungs, and skin. It is important to identify the type of arthritis you have as soon as possible since many treatments are available, and starting the right course of treatment can help you avoid suffering long-term effects. Exercising Will Worsen Your Condition Fact: Exercise helps lessen discomfort and swelling while boosting strength, range of motion, and flexibility. Inactivity can make the symptoms worse, causing the pain and swelling to worsen. Before you enrol yourself in any exercise program, it is also important to know what your limits are and what level of exercise you can benefit from. Heating Pads Relieves Sore Joints Fact: Joint pain can be relieved by ice as well as heat. Heat can ease pain and stiffness in joints and muscles when applied properly. The cold application might help to reduce soreness and joint inflammation. When a joint is stiff or hurting, people should apply heat before exercising. Additionally, cold can reduce pain and may be helpful if a joint is irritated, especially if there is swelling post - exercise. Hand And Feet Will Remain Deformed Fact: Deformities may result from untreated and undiagnosed arthritis. However, this can be avoided with early detection and treatment. Most patients with arthritis lead functional and productive lives. Dr. Biren Nadkarni concludes by saying, "despite advancements in medicine, there is still much to learn about arthritis. Simple precautions should be taken in order to stop the disease process from developing and affecting our life. Arthritis is accompanied by a number of controllable and non-modifiable risk factors. We should be aware that by maintaining a lifestyle that includes exercise and a nutritious, balanced diet, we may lower the risk of some types of arthritis and halt their progression, in keeping with this year's theme, it's in your hands, take action. Better treatments will undoubtedly develop as scientists continue to study these disorders". (Dr. Biren Nadkarni, Senior Orthopedic Consultant) Read More► Liver Cancer Cases, Deaths Estimated to Rise by Over 55% by 2040

Jerusalem: Pregnant women's exposure to air pollution has been identified as one possible factor for low-birth-weight in babies, which can further lead to poor health outcomes, researchers have shown. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, also revealed that mothers who are underweight and come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more exposed to the possibility of being affected by air pollution. Further, the study found that the association with air pollution was stronger among female babies and first births - a fact that is thought to be due to a biological mechanism that is yet to be identified. "It is now clear that governments need to set up the infrastructure to integrate environmental and health data at the personal level," said Professor Hagai Levine of the Hebrew University (HU)-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health. The team looked at the link between air pollutant PM2.5 and the birth weight of 3,80,000 singleton babies born to mothers all over in Israel between 2004-2015. Israel, a country with the highest fertility rate among countries under OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and high levels of the air pollutant PM2.5, made it an ideal location to look for an association between low birth weight and poor air quality. The team used personal, anonymised data and detailed high-resolution pollutant data to produce more accurate statistical analysis. The model included siblings, and it enabled the estimation of the variance in low birth weight to be accounted for by variances between different mothers, leading to more accurate estimates. The data used by the research team included: personal anonymised data on the mothers, including the area where they lived and the weight of their babies at birth; and daily air pollutant concentration over each square kilometre of Israel, derived from satellite data. The study clearly showed the association between the level of the air pollutant PM2.5 and low birth weight. The association of air pollutants with low birth weight raises the question of whether the governments should take the impact on the developing baby into account and increase its efforts to reduce pollution. (agency) Read More► 'Preventing diabetes among youth, pregnant women a challenge'

London: Treating babies with antibiotics in the first week of life is linked to a decrease in healthy bacteria necessary, among others, to digest milk and an increase in antimicrobial resistance, research suggests. According to experts, clinicians should consider using antibiotics in a way that causes least harm to the newborns microbiome the community of microbes that live in our body. Under current guidelines, antibiotics directed at a wide range of bacteria are prescribed to four to 10 per cent of all newborns for suspected infections. However, experts say that in most cases the antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily as only a small proportion of those who receive the drugs are eventually diagnosed with an infection. This overprescription is to ensure early treatment for those who are ultimately found to have an infection as any delay may quickly become life-threatening. The study, published in Nature Communications, found a change in 251 of 695 different bacteria after treatment, changing the balance between good and bad bacteria in favour of more potentially harmful microbes. Though gradually recovering over time, the changes to the microbiome and to antimicrobial resistance genes persisted for at least 12 months and did not improve with breastfeeding, which is known to help a baby's immune system. "We were surprised with the magnitude and duration of the effects of broad spectrum antibiotics on the infants' microbiome when compared to effects of those same antibiotics on adults' microbiota," said lead author Professor Debby Bogaert, Chair of Paediatric Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. "This is likely because the antibiotic treatment is given at a time that infants have just received their first microbes from their mother and have not yet developed a resilient microbiome,"Bogaert added. Researchers conducted a clinical trial involving 227 babies to analyse how antibiotics affect a newborn's microbiome. The samples were analysed for the microbes that made up their newly forming microbiome and for bacterial genes related to antimicrobial resistance. For newborns that had been prescribed antibiotics, there was found to be a significant decrease in the levels of different Bifidobacterium species compared with babies who had no antibiotic treatment. These microbes aid in the digestion of human breast milk and promote gut health, while also supporting the immune defence against infection. The team also found an increase in potentially disease-causing bacteria and in the number and abundance of genes related to antimicrobial resistance in the group that received antibiotics. Further, of the three antibiotic treatment regimens tested, the combination of penicillin and gentamicin, was found to have the least detrimental effect on a baby's gut microbiome and the number of antimicrobial resistance genes that emerge. (Agency) Read More► Infant Deaths From Respiratory Virus Much Higher Than Thought: Study