Tokyo, July 27 (IANS) The average life expectancy of Japanese people rose in 2023 for the first time in three years, due to a decline in deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic, government data showed.

The average life expectancy of women in Japan came to 87.14 years, up 0.05 from 2022, while for men it stood at 81.09, up 0.04, according to data released Friday by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The average life spans had decreased in 2021 and 2022, due to rising death tolls from the coronavirus, Xinhua news agency reported.

The health ministry pointed out that roughly 38,000 people in Japan died from the coronavirus in 2023, around 10,000 less than the previous year.

Meanwhile, the percentage of people who died of old age continued to trend upward in 2023, hitting 19.61 percent for women and 7.93 percent for men, while the proportion of deaths from diseases, including cancer and heart disease, decreased for both genders.

Japanese average life expectancy peaked in 2020, at 87.71 years for women and 81.56 years for men.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) India is witnessing a significant increase in the incidence of head and neck cancers, with projections estimating 2.1 million new cancer cases by 2040, healthcare experts said on Saturday.

On the World Head and Neck Cancer Day, experts said this alarming trend underscores the need for a comprehensive understanding of the underlying factors and the implementation of effective public health strategies.

A recent study by Delhi-based NGO, Cancer Mukt Bharat Foundation, highlighted that at least 26 per cent of cancer patients in India have head and neck cancer.

“India is seeing a surge in head and neck cancer cases, especially among young men, due to increased tobacco consumption and Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Around 80-90 per cent of oral cancer patients have been found to use tobacco in some form, be it smoking or chewing,” Ashish Gupta, senior oncologist who is heading Cancer Mukt Bharat campaign in India, told IANS.

According to Sanjay Deshmukh, Director, surgical oncology at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, tobacco use remains the most substantial risk factor for head and neck cancers in the country.

“Smokeless tobacco products like gutkha and khaini, which are widely consumed, contain carcinogens that significantly increase cancer risk. Alcohol consumption is another critical factor contributing to the rise in head and neck cancers,” Deshmukh informed.

When combined with tobacco use, the carcinogenic effects are compounded, leading to a higher incidence of these cancers.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights that alcohol consumption is associated with cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and oesophagus.

The use of betel leaf and areca nut, often combined with tobacco, is a common cultural practice in India.

“This practice, known locally as paan, is a well-established risk factor for head and neck cancers,” said experts.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified areca nut as a Group 1 carcinogen, and its use in combination with tobacco and slaked lime significantly increases the risk of cancer.

While HPV-related head and neck cancers have been more prevalent in Western countries, India is witnessing a rise in HPV infections.

HPV is linked to oropharyngeal cancers, and its increasing prevalence in India highlights a growing area of concern.

“The lack of comprehensive HPV vaccination programs and awareness further complicates the situation,” said Deshmukh.

According to Vineet Kaul, consultant-surgical oncologist at Oncology Centre, CK Birla Hospital in Gurugram, at an individual level, we can take certain preventive steps such as living a healthy lifestyle, which includes mild to moderate exercise on a daily basis.

“Maintain a well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water daily. People should undergo routine, annual oral examination by a dentist or an ENT professional to ensure that any cancerous growth which has started developing in the mouth can be detected early,” Kaul suggested.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) A team of scientists has revealed that a child is almost twice as likely to develop type 1 diabetes if the father has the condition than the mother.

The study, the largest of its kind and published in the journal Diabetologia, suggests that exposure to type 1 diabetes in the womb confers long-term protection against the condition in children with affected mothers relative to those with affected fathers.

Understanding what is responsible for this relative protection could lead to opportunities to develop new treatments to prevent type 1 diabetes, said researchers.

“Individuals with a family history of type 1 diabetes are 8-15 times more likely to develop the autoimmune condition – however, studies have shown the risk is higher if the affected relative is the father rather than the mother. We wanted to understand this more,” said lead researcher Dr Lowri Allen from Cardiff University in the UK.

Previous studies have suggested that maternal type 1 diabetes is associated with relative protection against type 1 diabetes in offspring during early life.

The new study involved 11,475 individuals who were diagnosed when they were between 0 and 88 years old.

The results show they were almost twice as likely (1.8 times more likely) to have a father with type 1 diabetes as a mother with the condition.

“Taken together, our findings suggest the relative protection associated with having a mother versus father with type 1 diabetes is a long-term effect that extends into adult life,” said Allen.

However, the timing of the parent’s diagnosis was important.

An individual was only more likely to have a father, rather than a mother, with type 1 diabetes, if the parent was diagnosed before the individual was born.

In other words, having a mother with type 1 diabetes only appears to provide a child with protection against the condition (relative to having a father with type 1 diabetes) if the mother has the condition during pregnancy, the findings showed.

Further research is needed to determine what it is about exposure to type 1 diabetes in the womb that is most important.

“Is it exposure to high blood glucose levels, insulin treatment, antibodies associated with type 1 diabetes, a combination of these, or exposure to another aspect of type 1 diabetes?” asked researchers.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) The Ayushman Bharat mission filled critical healthcare gaps during Covid, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel told the Parliament on Friday.

Patel told the Lok Sabha, in a written reply, that the Centre undertook several initiatives during the Covid-19 pandemic “to ensure effective management and availability of sufficient health care infrastructure to meet the increased demand during the pandemic”.

She also enlisted key schemes launched and implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare during the deadly pandemic.

“Pradhan Mantri- Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) was launched on October 25, 2021, with an outlay of Rs 64,180 crore to be implemented over five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26, to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research – spanning both the urban and rural areas,” she said.

It was also aimed at strengthening “the public health infrastructure and to effectively manage and respond towards any future pandemics and outbreaks”, she added.

The scheme focussed on developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels — primary, secondary and tertiary — and on preparing health systems to respond effectively to current and future pandemics/disasters. PM-ABHIM was a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS), and it also provided support to states/UTs for the “construction of Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) in rural and urban areas, establishment/strengthening of block public health units, integrated district public health labs in all districts and critical care hospital blocks”.

It also extended support on “enhancing capacities for surveillance and health emergency response, research, pandemic preparedness and One Health approach to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in animals and humans”, the Minister said.

Another scheme was the India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package (ECRP-I). Patel noted it was approved “by the Cabinet on April 22, 2020, for Rs 15,000 crore to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by Covid-19. Further, an amount of Rs. 8473.73 crore has also been released to states & UTs”.

The central sector scheme “aimed at building a resilient health system to support preparedness and prevention functions for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic and any such future outbreaks in India”.

The Centre in July 2021 extended the scheme, ECRP Phase-II, to provide support to Central hospitals, agencies and states/UTs, Patel noted, adding that it “was approved with the financial outlay of Rs 23,123 crore”.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) Liver diseases are significantly rising among young adults aged 23-35, said health experts on Friday ahead of World Hepatitis Day.

World Hepatitis Day is observed every year on July 28 to raise global awareness of hepatitis — an inflammation of the liver — and related diseases.

According to the experts, conditions such as alcohol-related liver disease, fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis are increasingly affecting this age group, leading to higher mortality and morbidity rates.

Early screening and management are crucial to improving outcomes for these individuals.

“Severe liver conditions such as acute viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, fatty liver, and NASH (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) are on the rise among young adults. This surge is linked to unhealthy lifestyle practices and excessive alcohol use, now seen as a social norm. The prevalence is nearly twice as high among men compared to women,” said Dr. Uday Sanglodkar, Senior Consultant Hepatologist at Gleneagles Hospitals Parel.

He also highlighted common symptoms such as jaundice, weight loss, nausea, weakness, and ascites, noting an increase in young patients in recent years.

“The rise in liver disease among young adults is also due to poor dietary choices, drug abuse, and unprotected sexual activity,” said Dr. Prakash Kurane, General and HPB Surgeon at Apollo Spectra Mumbai.

He urged awareness and early intervention to prevent severe complications, including the necessity of liver transplants.

The liver plays a vital role in detoxification, nutrient processing, hormone regulation, immune system function, and storing essential nutrients.

However, there has been a significant rise in liver-related issues due to factors like alcohol consumption, smoking, inadequate water intake, excessive sodium consumption, viral infections, and prolonged use of certain medications.

Additionally, health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol levels increase the risk of liver problems.

Cirrhosis and NASH can cause severe liver damage, leading to permanent scarring and fat accumulation.

Hepatitis, caused by various factors including viruses and toxins, remains a significant concern.

“Vaccines against Hepatitis A and B are essential for high-risk individuals,” Dr. Sanglodkar said.

–IANS

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