Is the rising concern for diabetes, weight problems, coronary heart ailments altering the meals habits of Gen X?
Modern-day ailments like heart illness, cancer and diabetes have been changing into main health issues in India and the WHO estimates that about 61% of all deaths within the nation have been brought on by such ailments the place the incidence of diabetes has gone up from about 41 million in 2007 to round 72 million in 2017. Similarly, there was an alarming rise within the variety of coronary heart illness instances the place the overall quantity of people that misplaced their lives as a consequence of coronary heart assaults jumped from 18,000 in 2015 to greater than 28,000 in 2021 however issues can change for the higher very quickly, led by these born between 1965 and 1980 i.e. Gen X – the technology that queued as much as eat quick meals and can also be the one which is able to dump the junk.
Almost half of the urban center class surveyed lately within the nation have modified their eating regimen to forestall the onset of way of life ailments. A examine carried out by The Indian Dietetic Association (IDA), Mumbai Chapter and Country Delight has discovered that intestine or digestive well being is the principle motive for modern-day or way of life ailments since dietary preferences have an enormous bearing on the general well being of an individual and alter within the eating regimen can result in the prevalence of many way of life ailments.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Safala Mahadik RD, CDE, Senior Dietitian at KEM Hospital in Mumbai, revealed, “While the traditional Indian food habits have been rich in fiber and important nutrients, there was a gradual shift towards processed foods and fast foods which caused the diets of many Indians to acquire the lethal combination of high-fat and low-fiber intake. This led to a significant imbalance in the gut microbiota, thus causing inflammation and various other health issues.”
Increasing consciousness
Safala Mahadik shared, “Thankfully there is a growing awareness among people about the linkage between Dietary preferences and disease. According to the survey, carried out by Country Delight in association with IDA Mumbai, about 80% of people believe that digestive issues lead to long-term lifestyle diseases. The survey has also highlighted the fact that 7 out of every 10 people suffer from some digestive medical condition and acidity or heartburn. Among those who suffer from these issues, about 59% underwent such conditions every week and 12% experienced it every day.”
She opined, “The marketing campaigns of certain large corporations and food companies may be one reason why there has been a shift in the food habits of people – from fiber-rich to fat-rich. Interestingly, more than 50% of people are aware that junk food or chemically processed food leads to gut health problems, yet a staggering 63% of people choose some form of junk or processed or packaged food every week. Among these, about 19% consume it every day, according to the survey.”
Dietary habits
Cautioning that poor dietary patterns can result in a number of well being points together with weight problems and different ailments, Safala Mahadik stated, “Dietary habits that include sugary drinks and high-fat foods can cause obesity which is a significant risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, etc. The poor effect of these kinds of food choices is evident from the fact that the survey respondents who said they consume junk or processed or packaged food every week, about 68% suffer from gastric issues. This is significantly more than those who consume such food items less than once a week.”
She advised, “To prevent present-day lifestyle diseases, it is paramount to curb the intake of processed foods, and chemical-laden food items. It is also important to curtail the intake of cholesterol and saturated fat that can play havoc with the health of the people. The bright side of the prevailing health quagmire in the country is that 6 out of every 10 people know that their diet played an important role in preventing lifestyle diseases and therefore has brought about alterations in their last few years. About 67% of the survey respondents also said that they look for chemically free natural food items for their daily diet. People in the age group of 35-44 years and quite a few women showed a higher preference for food items with fewer preservatives/ high nutritional value/ longer shelf life/farm fresh. The top purchase drivers that are emerging in the country include chemical-free foods followed by ingredients and nutritive value, something that bodes well for the health of the citizens of the nation.”
According to her, an extra push to make folks conscious of the alternatives of their meals on their well being may be fruitful from the standpoint of bringing down the well being care prices within the nation since such way of life ailments trigger a extreme drain on the monetary sources and well being infrastructure. Safala Mahadik concluded, “Efforts should also be made to check the marketing campaigns of brands that use more chemicals and push junk food. There can also be policy-level support for building an environment where food items and brands that promote natural food items can get more attention from consumers. Such a move will make India even more healthy and will help the nation reap the demographic dividend of being the youngest country in the world. ”