Effect of limited interventions on blood pressure- Findings from a Randomised controlled trial Content Editor: Dr. Ismail Rifai July 24, 2023 at 2:35:39 PM Non-communicable disease, lifestyle intervention, RCT, Primary prevention, Hypertension A non-blind cluster RCT as part of the Community-Based Intervention for Control of Hypertension in Nepal (COBIN) trial was conducted in Nepal to assess the impact of lifestyle modification on blood pressure. The study involved 1638 adults aged 25–65, divided into three cohorts based on blood pressure: normotensive, pre-hypertensive, and hypertensive. Female community health volunteers were trained to provide counseling four times during a 12-month intervention period for lifestyle modification. At the end of the intervention, SBP was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the usual care group. However, after 60 months, the mean SBP increased by 10.4 mm Hg (95% CI 9•1–11•6) in the intervention group and 6.0 mm Hg (4•6–7•5) in the usual care group. This highlights the need for regular and timely counseling to sustain the beneficial effects of behavior change interventions. A Nepal Study revealed that limited-duration lifestyle interventions are unsustainable for blood pressure control. Previous Next

Twenty-sixth session by the Commission on Science and Technology for Development Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal March 29, 2023 at 4:11:15 PM Science and Technology, sanitation Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) is a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations focal point for science, technology, and innovation (STI) for development. The themes pertaining to the 26th session are 1. Technology and innovation for more competitive, productive, and environmentally friendly production 2. Using science, technology, and creativity to provide everyone with access to clean water and sanitary facilities. The Commission will also receive presentations on ongoing policy assessments of science, technology, and innovation. It will also assess the results of the Global Summit on the Information Society's implementation and follow-up at the regional and global levels. It serves as a venue for strategic planning, the exchange of best practises and lessons learned, the provision of foresight about major trends in STI in significant economic, environmental, and social areas, and the spotlighting of cutting-edge and disruptive technologies. Previous Next

AI for climate change: Need for newer avenues Content Editor: Dr. Soundhar August 1, 2024 at 1:00:00 PM Climate change, Artificial Intelligence, Environmental health. The UN Secretary-General has declared a race to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the greater good , which would propel the world towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by supercharging climate action. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Mechanism initiative on AI for Climate Action explores AI's role as a powerful technological tool for advancing and scaling up transformative solutions for mitigation and action. These would be adopted in developing countries, focusing on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States(SIDS). In 2024, the Policy Body of Technology Mechanism and the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee are developing a technical paper on AI for climate action. They are also conducting the AI Innovation Grand Challenge , a global competition to identify open-source AI-powered climate solutions from and for developing countries. Experts, representatives, and decision-makers, especially from developing countries, will join forces to achieve the objectives set. Click here to read more. Previous Next

Strict Limits on Particulate matter by the US government January 25, 2023 at 5:24:40 AM Environment Fine particulate matter (PM), with a size of no more than 2.5 micrometres, is more prone to get logged in the alveoli, the functional unit of the lung where the gaseous exchange occurs. It is associated with the risk of developing heart attack, stroke and respiratory complications like COPD and asthma. The Biden administration proposed tightening fine particulate matter limits, a deadly air pollutant. Previous Next

8th Siddha Day - advancing public health through ancient wisdom Content Editor: Dr Anamika January 8, 2025 at 6:14:44 AM Siddha medicine, CCRS, AYUSH The 8th Siddha Day , themed Siddha for Public Health , was celebrated on December 19, 2024, in Chennai. It was organized by the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS ), Ministry of Ayush, in association with the National Institute of Siddha and the Tamil Nadu Government. The event was attended by 1500 participants. Awards were presented for academic excellence, contributions to Siddha medicine, and winners of mini-projects. A medicinal plants expo showcased 240 live plants, raw materials, ancient manuscripts, and therapies. The Siddha Formulary of India Part 3 (Tamil) and event souvenirs were released during the celebration. Previous Next

India develops its first indigenous Monkeypox testing kit Content Editor: Dr Manu October 25, 2024 at 1:00:00 PM Monkeypox, RTPCR, Diagnostics, Outbreak Management Visakhapatnam-based Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone, in collaboration with TransAsia Diagnostics Private Limited, unveiled India’s first indigenously developed Monkeypox (Mpox) diagnostic kit, named ‘ErbaMDx MonkeyPox RT-PCR Kit’ . The kit underwent strict testing by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR ) and received emergency authorization from The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO ) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW ). It can be stored at ambient temperature, making it easy to use in inaccessible regions. It also boasts a 12-month shelf life and 0 cross-reactivity with other orthopoxviruses , ensuring better diagnostic accuracy. The development of this kit thus signals India’s growing ability within the field of healthcare and diagnostics. Click here to read more. Previous Next

RISUG - The most effective contraceptive in history Content Editor: Dr Urmimala Maiti November 1, 2023 at 12:30:00 PM Sexual and Reproductive Health, Contraceptives, Research findings The journal Andrology has published a multicentric study on RISUG (Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance) conducted by ICMR at five sites across India. It is a prospective, non-randomized, open-labeled, phase III clinical trial. It studied the effect of RISUG by injecting 60mg of Styrene Maleic Anhydride (SMA) in a vehicle of Di-Methyl Sulphoxide (DMSO) in the vas deferens of 303 healthy, sexually active, married males (age group- 25-40 years) attending family planning clinics. The study reported that azoospermia observed in various centers ranged from 76.5% to 96.5%, with two centers reporting 100% azoospermia. The trend remained the same until the seven-year follow-up. Previous Next

Public Health Daily News Snippets WHO Bulletin Releases Special Edition on Traditional Medicine Ahead of Global Summit The WHO Bulletin published its first special issue on traditional medicine since 1977, featuring research and policy analyses. This release precedes the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine scheduled for December 2025 in New Delhi. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Global Health, Traditional Medicine Integration Read More Global Summit in Geneva Intensified Efforts to Curb Toxic Mercury Pollution A major international conference was held in Geneva from 3rd to 7th November 2025 to strengthen the global fight against mercury pollution . Delegates collaborated to accelerate the phase-out of this toxic metal from products and industrial processes, aiming to protect human health and the environment. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : United Nations Environmental Health, International Policy Read More Fitness & Nation-Building: Insights from the National Fitness & Wellness Conclave 2025 The first-ever National Fitness & Wellness Conclave 2025 in Mumbai brought together policymakers, athletes, and industry leaders to reaffirm one message: India’s progress towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 depends on how seriously we take fitness today. With icons from sports and cinema joining the conversation, the conclave highlighted fitness as both a cultural shift and a public health necessity. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fit India Movement, Physical Activity, Non-Communicable Diseases, Viksit Bharat Read More Global Evidence Review of the Inequality- Pandemic Cycle: UNAIDS report The UNAIDS established the “Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemic ” in 2023. Its report “Breaking the inequality-pandemic cycle ” released in November 2025 is based on evidence from more than 1500 peer-reviewed literature and reports from government agencies and research institutions across multiple pandemics and its own empirical studies over the past 2 years. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 2025 Pandemic preparedness, Social inequality, Global Health Read More Decomposition Analysis of Factors Driving Global Maternal Mortality Reduction A new Lancet Global Health paper highlights evidence that combining family planning with quality maternity services has driven a 41% global decline in maternal deaths since 2000. The study shows how contraception alone prevented more than 77,000 maternal deaths in 2023. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : The Lancet Global Health Maternal Health, Reproductive & Sexual Health, Gender Equality, Family Planning, Declining Global Maternal Mortality Read More Delhi’s Air Quality Sees Noticeable Improvement: CAQM 2025 Report The 2025 update from the C ommission for A ir Q uality M anagement (CAQM ) highlights significant enhancements in Delhi's air quality and a marked reduction in stubble-burning incidents in nearby states. The report offers data-backed evidence of collaborative efforts to reduce pollution through the use of cleaner fuels, improved waste management, and more stringent regulatory measures. Published on : Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Source : Press Information Bureau, New Delhi Air Pollution, Environmental Health, Public Health Policy Read More Genomic Collaboration for a Safer Future: India and Italy Unite for Pandemic Preparedness The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) round table in New Delhi emphasized the power of genomic research and collaboration in strengthening pandemic preparedness. Experts called for sustained global surveillance and rapid translation of genomic data to safeguard public health. Published on : Friday, November 14, 2025 Source : Press Information Bureau, New Delhi Genomic Surveillance, Pandemic Readiness Read More WHO Unveils Global Agenda to Strengthen Paediatric Clinical Trials The World Health Organization has unveiled a new global research agenda to close gaps in evidence on child health. It prioritizes equitable, high-impact paediatric trials to ensure that treatments for children are safe, effective, and grounded in sound science. Published on : Friday, November 14, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Health Research, Pediatric Health, Clinical Trials Read More WHO refutes Tylenol-Autism Link: Urges Evidence-Based Care A statement by the current US President, which linked Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism, prompted an immediate response from the World Health Organization. The WHO clarified that no scientific evidence supports this claim and urged reliance on medical guidance. Published on : Friday, November 14, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Maternal and Child Health, Health Communication, Global Health Governance Read More 2025 Lancet Countdown Report on Climate Change and Health Impacts of climate inaction have led to a 23% increase in heat-related deaths since the 1990s. Food insecurity affected 124 million more people due to extreme weather in 2023, with losses reaching $1.35 trillion. Addressing climate change has prevented 160,000 premature deaths from coal pollution and supported 16 million jobs in renewable energy. With COP30 ahead, WHO, along with member states, plans to emphasize climate action and a swift transition away from fossil fuels. Published on : Friday, November 7, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Climate change, food insecurity, Sustainability Read More WHO Introduces New Global Framework to Enhance National Health Emergency Response The World Health Organization has unveiled a new global guide, the National Health Emergency Alert and Response Framework, to bolster countries' readiness for health crises. Developed from lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides a standardized approach for managing emergencies. Published on : Friday, November 7, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Global Health Security, Emergency Preparedness Read More Training Modules to Strengthen Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response in India The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has introduced three specialized training modules to enhance India’s capacity for managing chemical emergencies. This initiative aims to build a skilled, coordinated response system across healthcare and disaster management sectors. Published on : Friday, November 7, 2025 Source : PIB Delhi Chemical Emergencies Preparedness, IHR, Disaster management Read More Daily News Snippets Monthly Archives 01-10 February, 2024 View More 14-20 January, 2024 View More 19-25th November, 2024 (26) View More 23-31stOctober, 2023 (18) View More 28-31 January, 2024 View More 7-13 January, 2024 View More 5-11th November, 2023 (5) View More 15-21st October, 2023 (12) View More 21-27 January, 2024 View More 26-30th November, 2024 (20) View More 01-04th November, 2023(4) View More 08-14th October, 2023 (5) View More March 27 - 31, 2023 (15) View More March 6 - 12, 2023 (24) View More February 23 - 25, 2023 (3) View More February 15 - 16, 2023 (8) View More March 20 - 25, 2023 (18) View More March 1 - 5, 2023 (8) View More February 20 - 22, 2023 (2) View More February 07 - 14, 2023 (5) View More March 13 - 18, 2023 (8) View More February 26 - 28, 2023 (15) View More February 17 - 19, 2023 (3) View More February 01 - 06, 2023 (5) View More Subscribe to get Latest Public Health Updates SUBSCRIBE

An analysis of the NFHS-5 data highlights the fact that eople living in the Northeast states of Mizoram, Assam and Tripura, parts of Eastern India and Goa had higher consumption of fried foods and . . . Public Health News Analysis Nutritional transition looms in North-East India – Findings from NFHS – 5 Image Credits : Flickr Content Editor : Dr Urmimala Maiti Updated on : February 19, 2023 NFHS-5, Nutritional Transition, Non-Communicable Disease An analysis of the NFHS-5 data highlights the fact that people living in the Northeast states of Mizoram, Assam and Tripura, parts of Eastern India and Goa had higher consumption of fried foods and aerated drinks compared to the rest of India Mizoram had the highest consumption of fried foods and Goa ranked highest in aerated drinks consumption. Consumption of beverages with added sugar has replaced a notable amount of the water previously consumed. Therefore, increasing weight gain with little change in solid foods. Increased access, in developing countries, to processed and cheaper foods that are high in fat, added sugar, and salt is one of the factors associated with the above change. Image source : NFHS-5 report Image source : NFHS-5 report The shift that has occurred in the human diet and activity patterns ( excess dietary energy intake and insufficient energy expenditure) is named as “ Nutrition transition”. Decrease in the intake of coarse cereals, pulses, fruits, and vegetables and an increase in the intake of meat products, added sugar and salt have resulted in rising levels of obesity, dyslipidemia, subclinical inflammation, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Men and women who are obese( BMI>25 KG/m2) are 23% and 24% respectively, with urban population showing a higher proportion than rural India. Global Burden of Disease Study Globally, 620,000 deaths and 35 million DALYs of type 2 DM have been attributed to high BMI in 2019, more than triple in 1990 as per the Global Burden of Disease Study. The biggest increase in high BMI-related type 2 DM burden between 1990 and 2019 was also found in South Asia, belonging to the low-middle socio-Demographic Index regions. Studies have shown that early nutritional deficiency when followed later by excesses may be predisposing to Non-Communicable Diseases later in life. Particularly in low- and middle-income countries undergoing rapid social and economic changes, the risk of obesity and associated illnesses is increasing with higher economic growth. Need for Healthy Public Policies While the daily consumption levels of fried foods and aerated drinks are higher in some States, in general across many states, levels have come down in 2019-21 as compared to 2015-16 . To keep this trend going and to maintain a healthier food environment, the public health sector has an important role to play Government programs and policies like ● Food and nutrition labeling, ● Promoting healthy, nutritional food at schools, ● Control on advertising and marketing of unhealthy foods, ● Awareness about the benefits of Increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary time are some measures that can be taken. Conclusion Give it a thought, How many processed foods you regularly eat, and think about how that could be changed. Processed foods are convenient, relatively inexpensive per calorie, and yummy, but they also wreak havoc on our health. References 1.International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) and ICF. 2021. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019-21 India Fact Sheet, India: IIPS; 2021 2. Popkin BM, Ng SW. The nutrition transition to a stage of high obesity and noncommunicable disease prevalence dominated by ultra‐processed foods is not inevitable. Obesity Reviews. 2022 Jan;23(1):e13366. 3. Misra A, Singhal N, Sivakumar B, Bhagat N, Jaiswal A, Khurana L. Nutrition transition in India: Secular trends in dietary intake and their relationship to diet‐related non‐communicable diseases. Journal of diabetes. 2011 Dec;3(4):278-92. 4. Zhang X et al. The global burden of type 2 diabetes attributable to high body mass index in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: An analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study. Frontiers in Public Health. 2022;10. comments debug Comments Rated 0 out of 5 stars. No ratings yet Rate the Article* Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. Join the team Public Health Chronicle! APPLY NOW

Unveiling smartphone dependency among the elderly: Patterns and risks Content Editor: Dr Sumana Mukhopadhyay March 14, 2024 at 1:30:00 PM Elderly care, Smartphone, Addiction A recent study by Kim et al investigated smartphone usage and overdependence risks in individuals aged 50 and above in South Korea. 2021 nationwide survey data was analyzed for content usage and overdependence risk in the 50s and 60s age groups. The following factors were compared: Demographic characteristics Smartphone Overdependence Scale scores Self-awareness Digital literacy Psychosocial factors The 50s group showed higher digital literacy, social relations, life satisfaction, and overdependence scores. Lower education was linked to higher overdependence odds in the 50s; whereas employment and e-commerce engagement are linked to lower odds. For those in their 60s, lower education and adult content/gambling use were linked to higher overdependence odds. The study emphasized the need to address overdependence among middle-aged and older adults, highlighting age-specific risk factors. Previous Next