Obesity cuts lifespan by 10 yrs: UK report

Your lifespan could be shrinking in proportion to your growing waistline. In the largest-ever investigation of how obesity affects mortality, British scientists have found that seriously obese people die 10 years before they should. Even worse, even moderate obesity has been found to shorten lives by three years.
Oxford University researchers reported their finding in Wednesday’s issue of medical journal The Lancet after analyzing the body mass index (BMI) of a million people who had been weighed and measured in 57 separate studies in Europe and North America. People in the study were followed for up to 20 years, during which time 100,000 died.
Those with a BMI of 30-35 lost three years while severely obese people with the BMI of 40-50 had reduced life expectancy by about 10 years.
Epidemiologist Dr Gary Whitlock, who led the analysis, said, “Excess weight shortens human lifespan. If you are becoming overweight or obese, avoiding further weight gain could well add years to your life.” The study’s main statistician, Sir Richard Peto, said people should make a conscious effort against piling on the pounds, which most often happens between the ages of 25 and 50. The study said most obese adults die of heart disease and stroke, although cancer figures are also rising.
According to the international BMI scale, more than 25 is considered overweight and more than 30 obese. However, Indian standards differ. Recent guidelines released by India put the country’s new diagnostic cut-off for being considered overweight at 23. As far as obesity is concerned, Indians with a BMI of 25 are now clinically termed as obese.
According to diabetes and metabolic diseases expert Anoop Mishra, by the new Indian standards, the BMI of a rural Indian is 19.6, those living in urban slums is 20.9, those residing in urban cities is 22.4 and of Indians living in foreign shores is 24.7. In comparison, the average BMI of the Chinese is 22.8, Whites 26.3, Blacks 28.5 and Mexicans 25.7. “The best BMI to have, say Oxford researchers, is 24—the group with the lowest mortality rate. In Indians, it would be those with a BMI of 20,” Dr Mishra said.
THE BIG ISSUE
Oxford University scientists took into account 57 studies done on 10 lakh people in Europe and North America. During the two-decade-old study, one lakh people died
Those with a BMI (body mass index) of 30-35 lost three years while severely obese people with the BMI of 40-50 had reduced life expectancy by 10 years

Source : The Times of India, 19/3/09, Mumbai edition

Comments

MCI Dec 2009 Amendments for Minimum Qualification for Teachers

MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA AMENDMENT NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 15th December, 2009 No.MCI-12(2)/2009-Med.Misc./56925. - In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 33 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956), the Medical Council of India with the previous sanction of the Central Government, hereby makes the following Regulations to further amend the “Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations 1998”, namely: - 1. (i) These Regulations may be called the “Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions (Amendment) Regulations, 2009 - Part-III”. (ii) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the “Minimum Qualification for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations, 1998”, the following additions/modifications/deletions/ substitutions, shall be, as indicated therein: - 3(a). In Clause 4(A) under the heading “Professor” as amended vide “Minimum Qualification for Teachers in Medical I...

Maharastra Medical Council CME Guidelines

Medical Science is dynamic and there is no end of learning for a doctor. This is in essence the concept of continuing medical education (CME). Tremendous advances are taking place in the field of medical sciences, which are continuously changing the concept, approach to management and the outcome of several diseases. The rapid pace of these advances makes it mandatory for doctors to keep themselves updated so that they may apply this information to their patient’s well being and improve the quality of care rendered to them. A doctor must never be satisfied with his/her current level of proficiency and must always strive to enhance his/her competence and knowledge by keeping abreast with the latest developments in the field. The Central Government of India has notified the new Ethics regulations in the Gazette of India on April 16, 2002, provides that “ A Physician should participate in professional meetings as part of Continuing Medical Education Programmes, for at least 30 hours ever...

MCI rules ammended and favours young Professors

AMENDMENT NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 21st July, 2009 No.MCI-12(2) /2009-Med. -22654 - In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 33 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (102 of 1956), the Medical Council of India with the previous sanction of the Central Government, hereby makes the following Regulations to amend the “Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations 1998” , namely: - 1. (i) These Regulations may be called the “Minimum Qualifications for Teachers in Medical Institutions (Amendment) Regulations, 2009” . (ii) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the “Minimum Qualification for Teachers in Medical Institutions Regulations, 1998” , the following additions/modificat ions/deletions/ substitutions, shall be, as indicated therein: - 3(i)(a). In Schedule I, Clause (2), the words “The Heads of these departments must possess recognized basic university medical degree qualification or equivalent q...

Dr. Vikram .R. Lotwala

Search This Blog