• The AusDiab (Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study), conducted over 12 years, reveals a complex relationship between vegetable consumption and type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk.

• The research, which tracked the dietary habits of Australian adults, found that a higher intake of vegetables (recommended daily intake of at least 5 servings), particularly green leafy varieties, is associated with improved markers of T2D, such as lower fasting plasma glucose and better insulin sensitivity.

• These vegetables, rich in essential nutrients, play a protective role against the onset of diabetes. Conversely, frequent consumption of potato fries and chips correlates with an increased 31% risk of poorer insulin sensitivity, a 25% lower acute insulin response, increased glucose tolerance, and T2D.

• Vegetables, particularly cruciferous ones, were found to be linked to a 25% lower risk of developing T2D over the follow-up period. The study underscores the importance of incorporating a variety of vegetables into the diet for better health outcomes and suggests that diet plays a crucial role in managing and potentially reducing the risk of diabetes.

• However, the study's limitations include recall bias, inaccuracies in dietary assessment, and the observational nature of the study.

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Content Editor: Dr. Shubham

• The Joint FAO/IAEA(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations / International Atomic Energy Agency) Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture is organizing the International Symposium on Food Safety and Control.

• It aims to highlight the role that nuclear techniques in improving agricultural productivity and food safety.

• Over 400 national and international research institutes and experimental stations are involved in over 25 coordinated research initiatives that are annually coordinated and supported by the Joint FAO/IAEA Center.

• The symposium, which highlights the enormous influence of nuclear technology on global food and agriculture, is a critical turning point in the continuing cooperation between FAO and IAEA.

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Content Editor: Dr. Prayag

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National and State Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) aims to reduce tobacco-related diseases and deaths through comprehensive tobacco control programs.

• Despite a decline in overall tobacco use, significant disparities remain among various U.S. populations, prompting targeted interventions at multiple levels..

• The program provides technical assistance and funding to states and territories, supporting comprehensive tobacco control initiatives and quitline services.

• Recipients of the NTCP funds must implement evidence-based policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies.

• The four main goals are to prevent youth initiation of commercial tobacco products, promote quitting among all ages, eliminate secondhand smoke exposure, and advance health equity by addressing tobacco-related disparities.

• Grounded in CDC’s Best Practices, core components include state and community interventions, mass-reach health communication, tobacco dependence treatment, surveillance and evaluation, infrastructure support, and enhanced quitline systems.

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Content Editor: Dr. Chinmay

• The Food and Safety Department of the Delhi government may soon take action against outlets that are unlawfully utilizing "liquid nitrogen," as there have been a few reports of the chemical being consumed and causing injuries in eateries in other areas of the country.

• Officials claim that restaurants frequently utilize liquid nitrogen to give food products a smokey appearance, occasionally injuring customers in the process. This stuff is great for quickly chilling ice cream, mocktails, cocktails, and baked goods.

• Various such incidents have recently been reported where people had to be rushed into hospitals after consumption of liquid nitrogen:
  1. A 12-year-old girl in Bengaluru required emergency surgery after consuming liquid nitrogen-infused paan at a wedding, resulting in perforation peritonitis—a hole in her stomach.
  2. A young businessman from Gurgaon several years ago had to get nearly half his stomach removed after consuming a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen, highlighting the dangers of this practice.
  3. In Gurgaon, 5 consumers suffered burns after using a liquid nitrogen mouth freshener.

• Alarmed by reports of injuries, the FSSAI(Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) banned the direct addition of liquid nitrogen in food service, citing non-compliance as grounds for legal action under the FSS Act.

Content Editor: Dr. Sakshi

• The Household Consumption and Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23 employed the CSQ (Consumption Survey Questionnaire) and DGQ (Durable Goods Questionnaire) to assess non-food item expenditure.

• The HCES included a comprehensive range of non-food items to capture an accurate picture of household spending.

• The broad categories evaluated included pan, tobacco and intoxicants, fuel and light, education, medical, conveyance, consumer services excluding conveyance, miscellaneous goods, entertainment, rent, taxes and cesses, clothing, bedding, footwear and durable goods.

• The expenditure pattern on non-food items in India is as follows ;

1. Rural: 54% of MPCE of which Conveyance (7.55%), Medical (7.13%), Durable goods (6.89%), Fuel and light (6.66%), Clothing and miscellaneous (6% each).

2. Urban: 61% of MPCE of which Conveyance (8.59%), Durable goods (7.17%), Miscellaneous goods, entertainment, and rent (6.56% each).

• Key takeaways

1. The share of non-food items has increased for both urban and rural households in comparison with previous surveys.

2. Non-food expenditure constituted a major part of total MPCE in urban areas.

3. Urban and rural households spend significantly more on conveyance.

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Content Editor: Dr. Mohammed Kashif

• The  Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) compiles the average Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE), an indicator of living standards.

• MPCE is defined as the total monthly consumption value of household goods and services divided by household size.

• Expenditure Patterns on food items are as follows: 

1. Rural: Constitutes 46% of MPCE, of which Beverages, refreshments, and processed foods (9.62%), Milk and milk products (8.33%), Vegetables (5.38%), and Cereals (4.91%).

2. Urban: Constitutes 39% of MPCE, of which Beverages, refreshments, and processed foods (10.64%), Milk and milk products (7.22%), and Fruits and vegetables (3.8%).

• State-wise variations in food and cereal expenditure: 

1. Food Expenditure (as % of MPCE)

• Rural: 39% in Kerala to 54% in Bihar and Assam.

• Urban: 35% in Telangana to 47% in Assam and Bihar.

2. Cereal Expenditure (as % of MPCE)

• Rural: 3% in Haryana, Kerala, and Punjab, and 7% in Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.

• Urban: 3% in Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu, and 6% in Bihar and Jharkhand.

• The key takeaways include the following:

1. The share of expenditure on food has gradually declined in rural and urban households compared with previous surveys.

2. Urban households spend more on food in absolute terms, constituting a smaller percentage of their total expenditure.

3. Beverages, refreshments, and processed foods receive the highest food budget allocation in both rural and urban areas.

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Content Editor: Dr. Mohammed Kashif

• The two global organizations, namely, CEPI and GAVI, have again partnered to accelerate progress toward global health.

• These organizations were part of the COVAX multilateral mechanism (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access), which expedited global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

• This partnership will include:

1. Promote rapid development, production, and access to vaccines against other diseases with outbreak potential.

2. Develop policies to advocate for and enhance the global pandemic preparedness architecture.

• The main aim is to provide equitable access to these vaccines, irrespective of people’s ability to pay, which aligns with their motto, “No one is safe until everyone is safe.”

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Content Editor: Dr. Swathi Shenoy

• Some important recommendations following the 6th meeting of the India Expert Advisory on Measles and Rubella (IEAG-MR) are as follows:

1. Ensuring children under two years of age are vaccinated with two doses of MR vaccine

2. Ensuring active case searches for all sporadic cases

3. Regular State Task Force and District Task Force meetings on immunization should be held.

4. Updating the MR outbreak preparedness and response plans

5. Readiness assessments and outbreak simulation exercises should be regularly conducted at the subnational level, and in the event of an outbreak, ensure outbreak response immunization

• Every district needs to achieve a coverage of  >95% with both the doses of MR vaccine with an NMNR (Non-Measles Non-Rubella) of >2/100,000 population and zero transmission of the virus in the community.

• Following the implementation of these recommendations, currently, 198 districts have achieved >95% coverage for both doses of the vaccine, and 610 districts have achieved the desired benchmark of NMNR.

Content Editor: Dr. Prachi

• The year 2026 has been declared the year of Women Farmers by the FAO.

• This platform will help adopt policies and address the barriers and challenges women farmers face in agrifood systems.

• This will help promote gender equality and empowerment among women in agriculture.

• According to these reports, women still face discrimination and difficulties despite making up 39% of the global agriculture workforce:

1. The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems

2. The Unjust Climate

• This initiative aims to increase awareness and develop policies that will help build an efficient, inclusive, and sustainable food system.

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Content Editor: Dr. Swathi Shenoy

• The Mediterranean diet consists of:

1. Nutritional Elements: fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, salmon, nuts, and vegetables (but not potatoes).

2. Fats:healthy fats, such as olive oil, are preferred as the proportion of monounsaturated is higher than saturated fatty acids.

3. Meat Intake: contains less red and processed meat than the median (80g/day).

• The Mediterranean diet is frequently cited as a beneficial eating style that can enhance the results of cardiovascular disease and cardiometabolic health. 

• Adherence to the Mediterranean diet affects mortality rates among women, according to a 25-year-long cohort study, conducted in the US among 25315 women as part of the Women’s Health Study.

• The key findings include:

1. A 23% lower risk of death from all causes is linked to a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet.

2. The decreased risk is largely explained by biomarkers associated with inflammation, triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, body mass index, and small molecule metabolites. 

• The study examines various mediators that could account for this correlation, taking into account elements such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic well-being.

• These findings demonstrate the Mediterranean diet's potential health advantages in lowering women's mortality risk. 

• The study highlights how crucial it is to take dietary trends into account when evaluating long-term health effects.

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Content Editor: Dr. Shubham

• As of April 2024, there were 27,696 new cholera cases reported globally, with a 31% increase in cholera-related deaths compared to the previous month.

• Regional Highlights: The Eastern Mediterranean Region had the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the European Region, and the South-East Asia Region.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized the global reemergence of cholera as a grade 3 emergency, signifying an extremely high worldwide risk.

• There is a severe shortage of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV), with 82 million doses requested but only 3.2 million doses available as of May 2024

• WHO continues to support countries with coordination, surveillance, laboratory support, and vaccination campaigns despite challenges such as natural disasters, data quality, and resource limitations.

• The WHO has outlined steps for addressing these as these outbreaks are complex due to factors like population mobility and climate change. 

• This is aggravated by key challenges that include natural disasters, data quality, and insufficient OCV stocks. 

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Content Editor: Dr. Chinmay

• Food safety officials in Chennai cracked down on a warehouse selling breast milk bottles and sachets following an order by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India warning against the commercialization of such products.

• Three hundred eighty-eight bottles of Neolacta Pasteurized Human Breast Milk (Neolacta PHBM & Neolacta PHBNM 70), 450 sachets of milk powder, and human factors (Neolact powder & NeoLact MMF) were seized from the store.

• Meanwhile, 51 bottles of standardized and pasteurized human breast milk were seized, and a freezer and a room in the distributor’s office were sealed.

• The officials received a tip from officials in Tiruvallur, who raided a shop in Madhavaram after the Neolacta Life Sciences Private Limited company complained about a staff member who had recently quit to start a human breast milk distribution unit.

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Content Editor: Dr. Manu