 | | Our earlier health issue | India is going through what experts call a 'health transition', a term used to describe discernible shifts in demographics, changing lifestyles, behaviour and disease patterns. A decade ago, we worried about communicable diseases of childhood or the effects of malaria, polio, malnutrition, smallpox, tuberculosis, cholera and other traditional ailments. Today, we are more concerned with degenerative and man-made diseases like HIV, or lifestyle diseases like stress, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular problems stemming from unhealthy diets, smoking and lack of regular exercise. In all countries, economic changes have a major impact on the way we live, and die. In the Indian context, economic progress and better healthcare, or access to healthcare, has produced some remarkable shifts. Average life expectancy, in 1951, was a woeful 36.7 years. It is now close to 67 years and is projected to reach 75 years by the next decade. There has been a dramatic drop in total fertility rate and infant mortality rates, both key indicators of the health of a society. There has also been a radi cal change in the concept of good health. It now means much more than just running on a treadmill or taking a morning walk. Holistic health and wellness are the new mantras and they include a range of factors, apart from regular exercise. They encompass mental and psychological balance, our moods and the meals we eat, how we work, play and relate to family and friends. These are now considered equally important The rapid changes in urban life had brought increased affluence for millions of Indians but also a destructive lifestyle that led to a host of medical crises: sexual problems from over-performance at work and not in the bedroom, stress, mid-life crisis, ulcers, nervous disorders, hypertension, obesity, cardiac disease, diabetes-all lifestyle-related diseases. A combination of factors has led to a welcome change in mindset. Along with growing awareness, access to instant health information on the Internet and media coverage has been a dramatic shift in the healthcare industry, mainly private healthcare facilities and advances in technology, expertise and quality of service on offer. Health is such a vast and yet unexplored subject. Our cover story has focussed on the key areas: the changing health scene in India, the new scientific rules for fitness, what you can do to stay healthy and possibly prolong your life span, the healthiest foods to eat, the efficacy of fortified food and supplements and the impact of fashion fads on health. There is, invariably, confusion about which lifestyle is best, which diet is best, and which exercises are best suited for particular individuals. That's the beauty of health-it literally keeps you on your toes. Index
|
