Tuesday, 11 August 2015

12 August, 2015

Over 40 percent men in urban areas at risk of anaemia


New Delhi: Over 40 percent of Indian men above the age of 45 and living in urban areas are at a higher risk of contracting anaemia, a study has revealed.
The study stated that due to several factors, including micronutrient deficiencies, systemic metal toxicities and intestinal disorders, men have started suffering from abnormal haemoglobin levels, which till now were mostly associated with women in general.
The survey was conducted by the leading diagnostic chain SRL Diagnostic after they screened 30 lakh males across the country from 2012-14. The results showed 43.5 percent of men were found to to be having low haemoglobin levels.
According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of anaemia in all groups in India is higher as compared to other developing countries.
The analysis showed that prevalence of this abnormality was highest among men in the east of the country with 52.4 percent while the north and west had 48.6 percent and 39.3 percent, respectively. South India showed the lowest percentage with 27 percent.
"There is a significant need for reaching out and making people aware of the causes, symptoms, treatment and importance of testing for anaemia," said Leena Chatterjee, director of Fortis SRL Labs and SRL Strategic Initiative. 
"Most of the cases of anaemia are observed in infants and pregnant women. But SRL's analysis on men has shown that men are also almost equally prone to this condition."


12.08.2015



Keep pedalling at work to stay healthy


New York: Forget treadmill work stations, a portable pedalling device under the desk can provide a convenient way to keep sedentary workers active at work, and improving their health, says a new study.
People who sit all day -- even if they are active outside of work--are at increased risk for serious health conditions such as multiple chronic diseases, poorer cognitive function, and mental distress.
The researchers found that workers who pedalled more were more likely to report weight loss, improved concentration while at work, and fewer sick days than co-workers who pedalled less.
"We wanted to see if workers would use these devices over a long period of time, and we found the design of the device is critically important," said Lucas Carr, assistant professor of health and human physiology at the University of Iowa in the US.
Another essential component was privacy. Place a high-end exercise bike or treadmill desk in the hall as a shared device, and very few employees will use them, Carr said.
"It is a great idea in theory, but it does not work over the long haul for most people," Carr noted.
Carr's research over the years has found that the best way to get people moving at work is to change the environment in a way that makes being active easier -- a strategy his latest study shows can pay off for both employees and their employers who spend huge amounts of money in procuring fitness equipment for workers.
The new 16-week pilot study tested the effectiveness of portable pedal machines among 27 workers with sedentary jobs. 
At the end of the study, 70 percent of participants chose to keep their pedalling device.
The study appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

12.08.2015







Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin

  Mother Teresa


No comments:

Post a Comment