Is India Winning the War Against Rising Non-Communicable Diseases? The latest health statistics paint a concerning picture: diabetes, heart disease, and cancer rates are climbing, impacting millions across the country. From rural healthcare access to the burgeoning urban health crisis, challenges remain significant. This week, we delve into the crucial initiatives underway – government policies, technological advancements in telemedicine, and the rising role of preventative healthcare – that aim to address this national health emergency. Experts weigh in on the effectiveness of current strategies and the critical need for increased public awareness campaigns targeting lifestyle diseases. Are these efforts enough? Explore Abtak.com's in-depth coverage on healthcare in India and discover the vital information you need to protect your well-being and the future of public health. Stay informed; stay healthy.
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Adopting a healthier lifestyle is more effective than using the anti-diabetes drug metformin, with the benefits persisting over 20 years later, according to a study. The US Diabetes Prevention Program, launched in 1996, enrolled 3,234 patients with prediabetes from 30 institutions across 22 states. The study aimed to compare the benefits of metformin and a lifestyle modification that included exercise and a healthy diet. Researchers from The University of New Mexico, US, found that making lifestyle changes lowered the development of diabetes by 24 per cent, while the anti-diabetes drug lowered it by 17 per cent. The findings are published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal. The team noted that differences between the two approaches -- taking metformin and adopting a healthy lifestyle -- were seen in the first few years since the study's start and were durable. After the first three years, lifestyle interventions, such as weight loss and increased physical activity, led to a 58 per cent reduction in the onset of type 2 diabetes, compared to a 31 per cent reduction with metformin. "The data suggests that those people who didn't get diabetes also didn't get diabetes after 22 years," author Vallabh Raj Shah, professor emeritus at The University of New Mexico's School of Medicine, said. Participants in the lifestyle modification group experienced an additional 3.5 years without diabetes, while those in the metformin group gained an extra 2.5 years. "Within three years (since the study started), they had to stop the study because lifestyle was better than metformin. That means lifestyle, which everybody is banking on, is more effective -- that is the news," Shah added. The authors wrote, "During follow-up, compared with placebo, diabetes incidence rate was reduced in the (intensive lifestyle intervention) group (by 24 per cent), and in the original metformin group (by 17 per cent), with corresponding increases in median diabetes-free survival of 3.5 years and 2.5 years." PTI KRS KRS MPL MPL
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) No COVID-19 case was reported in Mumbai on Friday, the feat achieved for the first time in about two months, the metropolis' civic body said. In a release, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also said no new or concerning variant of the virus has been detected in the city as per the Whole Genome Sequencing Report. Mumbai recorded six COVID-19 cases between January and April this year, before a surge in May saw the detection of 435 cases, while the figure for June stood at 539, the release informed. As on Friday, there are 62 active COVID-19 cases in the city, though ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): The Indian government expressed regret on Tuesday over the reported demolition of the ancestral property of celebrated filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh and expressed its willingness to extend cooperation in its restoration. "We note with profound regret that the ancestral property of noted filmmaker and litterateur Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, belonging to his grandfather and eminent litterateur, Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, is being demolished," the Ministry of External Affairs said. Also Read | India Urges Bangladesh ...Read More >
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged five individuals, including goldy Brar, in relation to the 2024 Gurugram club bombing plot, as revealed in a recently filed chargesheet. This case involves a conspiracy to bomb two clubs, aiming to disrupt communal harmony in Haryana, with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) implicated. The NIA's investigation highlights the severity of the plot. Those charged include satinderjit Singh (Goldy Brar), Sachin Talian, Ankit, Bhavish, and Randeep Singh. News Directory 3 provides crucial updates on sensitive cases such ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 15 (PTI) No increase in deaths among cardiac patients or a rise in the number of admissions for cardiac ailments, Karnataka Minister Sharanprakash Patil, said on Tuesday, stating that the findings from Karnataka correspond with those of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. "So, people need not panic. There is no correlation between the COVID vaccine and these deaths," Patil told PTI Videos. Also Read | 'Welcome Back': Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati Hail Shubhanshu Shukla's Return to Earth After Completing Historic Axiom-4 Space Mission. Medical Education ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 26: Abbott, the global healthcare company, today announced the launch of the FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor, Abbott's latest addition to the FreeStyle Libre sensor portfolio. This innovative device offers automatic glucose readings every minute straight to your phone, empowering people with diabetes to manage their condition with confidence, precision, and ease. People living with diabetes can see their glucose readings, without having to scan, and receive alerts automatically on their compatible[3] smartphone when low glucose levels [4] or high glucose leve ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) Veteran journalist and writer Humra Quraishi, who died due to heart failure and diabetic complications, was known as an advocate for truth, justice and as a champion for the marginalised. Quraishi breathed her last at a hospital in Gurugram on Thursday, her daughter Sarah Quraishi told PTI. She was 70. Also Read | Indian Army's 'Sambhav' Smart Phone Used During China Border Talks for Secure Communication. Born in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh on April 25, 1956, Quraishi worked as a Delhi-based writer and columnist. Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: 'Bring a S ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana joins names such as Kamal Haasan, Ariana Grande, and Jeremy Strong at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year. Ayushmann along with names such as Kamal Haasan Naomi Ackie, Gillian Anderson, Branford Marsalis, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Graham, Jodie Comer and Jason Momoa are among 534 individuals who were invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on June 26. "We are thrilled to invite this esteemed class of artists, technologists, and professionals to join the Academy," said Ac ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Drug Controller General of India to consult experts and relevant stakeholders in deciding a plea over drug combinations sold in the market for weight loss treatment. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the petitioner to give a representation to the DGCI, which was asked to decide the matter within three months. Also Read | 'Janaki' Title Row: Malayalam Film Industry Holds Protest in Front of CBFC Office Against Renaming of Suresh Gopi Film. A plea filed by Jitendra Chouksey said license ...Read More >
BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 26: Abbott, the global healthcare company, today announced the launch of the FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor, Abbott's latest addition to the FreeStyle Libre sensor portfolio. This innovative device offers automatic glucose readings every minute straight to your phone, empowering people with diabetes to manage their condition with confidence, precision, and ease. People living with diabetes can see their glucose readings, without having to scan, and receive alerts automatically on their compatible[3] smartphone when low glucose levels [4] ...Read More >
Bangalore Gold Rate Today: Shattering all hopes of retail jewellery buyers of some relief amid the ongoing Navratri festival, gold rates in Bangalore, and other Indian cities broke another record on Monday, September 29. The price of gold in Bangalore, aka Bengaluru, witnessed a sharp surge bringing 24 karat gold Rs 16,000 above the historic Rs 1 lakh mark. The gold price rally in Karnataka capital mirrored the surge in gold rate in India and across the world. The sharp rally in precious metal is on its path to beat the record-rally of 1979. Multiple factors like US Fed rate cut, trade becau ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Dietary approaches like intermittent energy restriction, time-restricted eating, and continuous energy restriction can all improve blood sugar levels and body weight in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to a study. Although researchers identified improved HbA1c levels, and adverse events were similar across the three groups, the IER group showed greater advantages in reducing fasting blood glucose, improving insulin sensitivity, lowering triglycerides, and strengthening adherence to the dietary interventions. IER typically involves periods ...Read More >
Lucknow, Sep 15 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a new initiative to strengthen women's health and improve wellbeing of families, an official statement issued here on Monday stated. Under the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the "Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar" campaign will be conducted statewide from September 17 to October 2, it said. As part of the campaign, health camps, nutrition awareness drives, and distribution of maternity benefits will be organised across Uttar Pradesh. The initiative aims to promote women's health, improve family well-being, and contrib ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sept 29 (UNI) On World Heart Day, voices from the government, medical fraternity, and public figures united in urging Indians to adopt healthier lifestyles to combat the rising threat of cardiovascular diseases -- especially among the youth. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the world's leading cause of death, claiming an estimated 19.8 million lives in 2022 alone, according to the WHO. These accounted for 32% of all global deaths, with heart attacks and strokes responsible for 85% of the toll -- highlighting the urgent need for prevention, early detection, and accessible care. ...Read More >
Ahmedabad: Indian Institute of Public Health in Gandhinagar (IIPH-G) in collaboration with state-based endocrinologists will map the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in Gujarat in a longitudinal study. The project, announced on Monday, will be a ten-year long study and will be one of the biggest to explore various aspects of the condition including comorbidities, mortality, and rural vs urban divide, among others.Dr Komal Shah, lead, NCD Advocacy and Research Collaboration (NCDArc) Centre at IIPH-G, said that a stakeholders' meeting was held on Monday with participation from state education and s ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 15 (ANI): After some media reports claimed that Indian snacks like Samosa, Jalebis, etc will carry health warnings, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Tuesday issued a fact check stating that display of Sugar and Oil boards is general advisory to make people aware of hidden fats and excess sugar in all food products, and not specifically to any particular food product. It further clarified that the advisory of the Union Health Ministry has not been selective towards Indian snacks and does not target India rich street food culture. In a social media post on X, the P ...Read More >
Bengaluru: A physics lecturer from a private college in Dakshina Kannada and two of his friends have been arrested by Bengaluru police for allegedly blackmailing and raping a student.When the mental torture by the trio became intolerable, the girl narrated to her parents how she was being exploited. Subsequently, she went to Marathahalli police station along with her parents on July 5 and lodged a complaint seeking action against the perpetrators. Acting swiftly, the cops arrested the trio the following day. The accused are Narendra, a physics lecturer, Sandeep, a biology lecturer -- both work ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked schools to set up "oil boards" to educate students and staff about harmful effects of consuming high-fat foods and oils and to serve as daily reminders promoting healthier eating habits, according to officials. The directive comes two months after the board asked schools to set up "sugar boards" to monitor and reduce the sugar intake of children. Also Read | Chandan Mishra Murder: Pappu Yadav Meets Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Demands President's Rule in State Citing Law and Order Collapse (Watch Video). ...Read More >
Biocon Biologics, in collaboration with Diabetes Africa and St Paul’s Hospital in Ethiopia, has launched the Embedding Specialist Nurses in Diabetes Care project. The initiative focuses on training nurses to become diabetes specialists to address the country’s growing diabetes crisis. With Ethiopia ranking among the top countries in sub-Saharan Africa for diabetes prevalence, this project aims to integrate diabetes care into primary healthcare, enhancing accessibility and care quality. By upskilling nurses and establishing a structured pathway for them, the program seeks to improve diabetes ma ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 7 (ANI): On the occasion of World Food Safety Day 2025, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda, delivered the keynote address at a special programme themed 'Stop Obesity by Eating Safe and Healthy' at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru on Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a release. JP Nadda said that a healthy India is necessary for Viksit Bharat, and that can be ensured through the right types of food, healthy food habits, and lifestyle. Organized by the Food Safety an ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 14 (PTI) The Union health ministry has urged all ministries, departments and autonomous bodies to display "oil and sugar board" mentioning the sugar and oil content in Indian snacks such as samosa, kachori, french fries and vadapav to promote healthy lifestyles and combat obesity and non-communicable diseases. It has also called for printing health messages on all official stationeries such as letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders, etc and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity. Also Read | Will Japanese Bullet Train Not Run Between Ahmedabad and Mu ...Read More >
Kolkata, Jul 15 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hailed the safe return of Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from space, calling it a matter of national pride. Shukla, a 39-year-old Indian Air Force officer and test pilot, on Tuesday returned to the Earth after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station. Also Read | Will Samosa and Jalebi Display Cigarette-Style Health Warnings? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake News, Says Health Ministry's Advisory Doesn't Mention Warning Labels on Indian Food Products. "Welcome home, Shubhanshu Shukla! We are r ...Read More >
62% calories comes from carbs, added sugar intake higher than recommended India's rapidly changing eating habits are fueling an alarming spike in diabetes and obesity with at least 21 states and UTs exceeding the national recommendations of less than 5%E (total energy) for added sugar intake while overall protein intake was suboptimal averaging 12% of the daily calories, according to the findings of the survey as part of the study by Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Jun 27 (PTI) The mother of jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and another person accompanying her died after being shot at by unidentified bike-borne people in Punjab's Batala, police said on Friday. Harjit Kaur was critically injured after the incident on Thursday late evening and was referred to a hospital in Amritsar, but she succumbed to the bullet injuries, a senior police official from Batala said over the phone. Also Read | Mounjaro KwikPen: Eli Lilly and Company's Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity Drug Gets Approval in India, To Compete With Novo's Weight-Loss Drug Wegovy. The ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has dismissed over 200 petitions of the Ministry of Defence challenging the Armed Force Tribunal's order holding a number of defence personnel entitled for disability pension for their respective disabilities. Disability pension cannot be denied to defence personnel solely on the ground that the onset of the disability occurred while they were posted at a peace station or by contending that it is a lifestyle disease, it said, while noting that military service is inherently stressful due to a combination of factors. A bench of Justices Navin Chawla ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 7 (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday decided to treat sudden deaths as "notifiable disease" and conduct postmortem in such cases. State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said there will be more screening of people above the age of 15 years in the state. The minister's remarks came in the wake of a spate of heart attacks in the state, especially in Hassan district. He also sought to clarify that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement linking Covid vaccine with the spate of heart attacks was not with any malafide intention. "We have decided to announce sudden deaths as ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) 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 S ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 15 (PTI) Karnataka Minister for Medical Education Sharanprakash Patil on Tuesday said there has been no rise in cardiac deaths or hospital admissions in the state, vis-a-vis covid-19 vaccination and that the findings align with those of AIIMS, New Delhi. Data shows no such correlation, he said. "So, people need not panic. There is no correlation between the covid vaccine and these deaths," Patil told PTI Videos. Patil along with Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, was addressing a press conference at Vikas Soudha to highlight the findings of reports by the Bengaluru-based Natio ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) Veteran journalist and writer Humra Quraishi, who died due to heart failure and diabetic complications, was known as an advocate for truth, justice and as a champion for the marginalised. Quraishi breathed her last at a hospital in Gurugram on Thursday, her daughter Sarah Quraishi told PTI. She was 70. Born in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh on April 25, 1956, Quraishi worked as a Delhi-based writer and columnist. Having spent long years covering Kashmir as a journalist, Quraishi published "Kashmir: The Untold Story", a volume of her collective writings based on her cov ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): The clarion call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight obesity and reduce oil consumption has received wide support as people from different walks of life, including actor Akshay Kumar, sportspersons and people from medical fraternity lauded the message to follow healthy routine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave a clarion call to fight obesity and reduce oil consumption. This has received wide support from doctors, sportspersons as well as people from different walks of life. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the 38th National G ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 7 (ANI): Union Health Minister JP Nadda has called for a unified effort from the government, industry, academia, and citizens to promote safe and healthy eating practices across the country, particularly among children. Speaking during the launch of 'Stop Obesity by Eating Safe and Healthy' initiative on World Food Safety Day 2025 at NIMHANS in Karnataka's Bengaluru, Nadda underscored the importance of food safety and nutrition. He announced a new government initiative within the NCERT curriculum aimed at educating students about healthy dietary habits. 'I ...Read More >