LIFESTYLE DISORDERS IN CHILDREN: AN AYURVEDIC OVERVIEW

Lifestyle Disorders (LSD) are common problems among upper-middle and higher society children. Lifestyle has long been associated with the development of many chronic diseases. It affects both genders. WHO has recognized Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), especially diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic lung disease, have everyday lifestyle linked risk factors like lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet and feeding habits and harmful use of alcohol. Worldwide, the current scenario of NCDs is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality, even in young children. According to WHO Report 2004, these account for nearly 60% of deaths and 47% of the global burden of illness. The rise in NCDs is substantially accelerating in most developing countries like India. In India, 53% of the deaths in 2008 were due to NCDs, and cardiovascular disease (CVDs) alone accounted for 24% of deaths (WHO). In 2005 India experienced the highest loss in potentially productive years of life globally, and the leading cause of death was cardiovascular disease. The cumulative loss of national income for India due to NCDs mortality for 2006-2015 was around USD237 billion. By 2030, this productivity loss is estimated to double to 17.9 million years lost. These major NCDs are preventable through effective Ayurvedic interventions by judiciously treating lifestyle-related modifiable risk factors. This review confers the current scenario of NCDs in children and their Ayurvedic Management.

Pesticides as an Occupational Hazard Facts and Figures

The chapter gives insight into the harmful use of pesticides in different professional environments. It portrays the use of pesticides as the potential risks to the health of users and third parties and a danger to the environment. The use of pesticides has increased at a phenomenal rate. Pesticides and their threat to the biological world have reached almost hysterical proportions. Their residues are found everywhere, particularly those of the so-called “hard pesticides” or organochlorine compounds, DDT. Herein, an attempt has been made to reflect pesticide exposure in different occupational settings and their harmful effects on humans. Excess use of pesticide in agriculture has placed workers in this industry at risk of lethal exposure. Personnel working in domestic pest control service is also from continuous exposure to the pesticide. Further, the chapter highlights various corrective measures to be taken by the people working in different occupational settings to combat the dangerous effects of pesticides in everyday life.

Psychiatry In-patient Substance Profile Changes in COVID year 2020 from 2019 in a Teaching hospital of Eastern Nepal

Subsequent time, after declaration of COVID-19 pandemic, witnessed variable changes in various aspects due to COVID circumstances around the globe. We report and reflect here over the observation regarding substance use and use disorder scenario in initial COVID year 2020 in reference to 2019 (year preceding COVID-19 pandemic). It is an observation in psychiatry in-patient service of a teaching hospital of eastern Nepal. There were 420 (284 male, 136 female) and 279 (194 male and 85 female) admissions in 2019 and 2020 respectively. The most striking and significant change was seen for Nicotine, both overall and use disorder-wise. Over all, the proportion increased for Nicotine (34.05 to 48.03%) and Cannabis (16.67 to 17.92%) whereas decreased for Alcohol (38.33 to 31.18%), Opiote (7.62 to 6.81%), Benzodiazepine (6.43 to 5.73%) and other substance (0.71% to nil) among the in-patients in 2020. Categorically, both the Use and Dependence syndrome (ICD-10) increased for Nicotine (8.81 to 21.86%% and 25.24 to 26.17%) and Cannabis (10.71 to 11.47% and 5.72 to 6.45%). Proportion of Alcohol use and Harmful use decreased whereas Alcohol dependence increased, Opiote use increased whereas Harmful use and Dependence decreased, Benzodiazepine use and Dependence decreased and other substances decreased too. The observation shows various changes in the pattern of substance among the psychiatry in-patients which indicates the need for some strategic and policy changes to tackle this pandemic situation.

An assessment of alcohol consumption using the alcohol use disorders identification test: self-report version questionnaire among students pursuing professional courses

Background: Harmful use of alcohol is accountable for 7.1% and 2.2% of the global burden of disease for males and females respectively. Alcohol is the leading risk factor for premature mortality and disability among those aged 15 to 49 years, accounting for 10% of all deaths in this age group. Objectives of current study were to assess the prevalence of alcohol consumption students pursuing professional courses and to know the factors associated with alcohol consumption among study participants.Methods: Current study is a cross sectional study with sample size of 410 (male: 49%, female 51%). The alcohol use disorders identification test self-report version by WHO was taken as study tool. Data Collection was done online through Google forms and data analysis was done using SPSS trial version.Results: Mean age of the participants was 21.95±3.03 years. Prevalence of alcohol consumption was found in 17.1% study participants.Conclusions: Alcohol use varies among different academic streams across varied socio demographic backgrounds. Interventions including in campus counselling are need of the hour.

Noncommunicable diseases risk factors in Bhutan: A secondary analysis of data from Bhutan’s nationwide STEPS survey 2014

Background Bhutan is facing an epidemic of noncommunicable diseases; they are responsible for 53% of all deaths. Four main modifiable risk factors, including tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet, are the causes of most noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to assess 1) the prevalence of NCDs modifiable risk factors in Bhutan’s adult population and 2) associations between the sociodemographic factors and the NCDs modifiable risk factors with overweight or obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Methods We used the 2014 Bhutan WHO Stepwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS) Survey dataset in this study. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions, constructed with overweight or obesity, hypertension, and diabetes as outcome variables and modifiable risk factors as independent variables. Results The prevalence of tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet (low fruits and vegetables intake) and physically inactive was 24.8% (95% CI: 21.5, 28.5), 42.4% (95% CI: 39.4, 45.5), 66.9% (95% CI: 61.5, 71.8), and 6.2% (95% CI: 4.9, 7.8), respectively. The prevalence of overweight or obesity, hypertension and diabetes was 32.9% (95%CI: 30.0, 36.0), 35.7% (95% CI: 32.8, 38.7) and 6.4% (95% CI: 5.1, 7.9), respectively. Multiple logistic regression showed that older age groups were more likely to be overweight or obese, hypertensive, and diabetic. Our analysis also found that tobacco users were less likely to be overweight or obese (aOR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52, 0.96), and to be hypertensive (aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56, 0.97); but they were more likely to be diabetic (aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.05, 2.56). Alcohol users were more likely to be hypertensive aOR 1.41 (95% CI 1.15, 1.74). Furthermore, vigorous physical activity could protect people from being overweight or obese, aOR 0.47 (95% CI 0.31, 0.70), and those consuming more than five serves of fruits and vegetables per day were more likely to be overweight or obese, aOR 1.46 (95% CI 1.17, 1.82). Conclusion The prevalence of NCDs modifiable risk factors and overweight or obesity and hypertension was high in Bhutan. We found strong associations between tobacco use and diabetes, alcohol use, hypertension, physically inactive, and overweight or obesity. The results suggest that the government should prioritize NCDs prevention and control programs, focusing on reducing modifiable risk factors. The health sector alone cannot address the NCDs epidemic in Bhutan, and we recommend the whole of government approach to tackle NCDs through the Bhutan Gross National Happiness framework.

Тhe impact of alcohol abuse on the development of non-communicable diseases (analytical review)

The harmful use of alcohol is a risk factor for the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal diseases, diabetes and others. In addition to morbidity, alcohol abuse increases mortality, especially at young ages. An important characteristic is the frequency and amount of alcohol consumed by a person. The more often and more a person abuses alcohol, the higher the risk of developing NCDs and the mortality rate. Purpose of the study: analysis of publications of the World Health Organization and scientific publications of foreign researchers on the influence of alcohol on the development of non-communicable diseases.Materials and research methods. Content analysis of documents of the World Health Organization and foreign studies on the assessment of the impact of alcohol In total, 48 documents of international organizations were analyzed, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-IARC) and the World Bank, as well as 211 scientific publications. Of these, 19 documents were selected, which included materials from WHO, UN, IARC and the World Bank on the impact of alcohol abuse on health, and 63 scientific publications on this topic. Selection criterion: the content in the documents of materials that adequately describe the impact of alcohol abuse on health as a risk factor for the development of various diseases.Results. An analysis of the documents and publications presented revealed a large massif of evidence that the harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor in the development of a number of noncommunicable diseases, an increase in mortality and disability at earlier stages of life, and the development of a link between harmful use of alcohol and a number of mental and behavioral disorders.

Comparative Study of Ethanol Intoxications in the Context of Covid-19 Pandemic Reported to the Year of 2019

Excessive alcohol consumption that causes disorders of social conduct, causes a rejection reaction with the intervention of the authorities. The paper compares trends related to people with the diagnosis of acute intoxication (F10.0) admitted to the "Elisabeta Doamna” Psychiatry Hospital in Galati, from the 1st of January to the 31th of December 2020 with the period from the 1st of January to the 31th of December 2019. In the retrospective study we selected people discharged with acute intoxication, code (F10.0), and harmful use (F10.1), excluding all patients with other psychiatric diagnoses from the database of the "Elisabeta Doamna" Psychiatry Hospital from 2020 to 2019. ICD-10 (Classification of mental and behavioral disorders) was used for diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. The data was processed statistically using: Microsoft Office-Excel, The Jamovi Project (2021). jamovi (Version 1.6) [Computer Software]. In 2020 there were 39.58% fewer discharges by a total of (7973 cases) compared to (13197 cases) in 2019. In 2020, acute intoxication (F10.0) accounted for 7.41% of total discharges compared to a percentage of (8.27%) in 2019, showing a decline by a percentage of 45.92%. Comparing the years 2020 with 2019 by gender (of the total number of discharges with acute intoxication (F10.0), there is an increase in the percentage of discharges by 1.16% (from 86.98% in 2019 to 88.14% in 2020), while in the female gender, the percentage trend has decreased by a percentage of 1.16% (from 13.02% in 2019 to 11.86% in 2020).

Dynamics of Ethanolic Intoxications between the 15th of March 2020 to the 15th of March 2021 in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic

In Romania, the consumption of alcoholic beverages has been and still is a cultural mechanism for socializing and reducing anxiety, regardless of age and gender. This paper evaluates the trends related to people diagnosed with acute intoxication (F10.0) and harmful use (F10.1) at the 'Elisabeta Doamna' Psychiatriy Hospital in Galati, during the pandemic, in the period between the 15th of March 2020 and the 15th of March 2021. We analysed the data base of discharges from the 'Elisabeta Doamna' Psychiatry Hospital from the 15th of March 2020 to the 15th of March 2021. ICD-10 (Classification of mental and behavioural disorders) was used for diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. We selected outpatients with the codes for acute intoxication (F10.0) and harmful use (F10.1) and excluded all patients with other psychiatric diagnoses. The data were statistically processed using: Microsoft Office-Excel, The jamovi project (2021) jamovi (Version 1.6) [Computer Software]. During the analysed period, there were 7614 discharges from the 'Elisabeta Doamna' Psychiatriy Hospital of which 1465 (20.08%) disorders were related to alcohol consumption. Disorders related to intoxication and alcohol use represent 13.14% (957 cases) of the total discharges and 65.46% of the total number of disorders related to alcohol. Disorders related to harmful use (F10.1) represent 30.31% (442 cases), and a percentage of 35.15% (515 cases) with disorders due to acute intoxication (F10.0) out of the total cases were related to alcohol consumption. From the view of the dispersion of the number of cases, there is a fluctuation in the tendency to follow the restrictions imposed by the authorities.