Poor life style choices can impact the individual and the society : Dr. J Sreekanth

 








Live healthy as life is precious, exhorted Dr. J Sreekanth, Sr. Consultant - Internal Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, at  the Public Garden Walkers' Association (PGWA) 237^th Monthly Health Lecture on “Lifestyle Diseases : Life is Precious - Live Healthy” on Sunday at Indira Priyadarshani Auditorium, Public Gardens, Hyderabad. Morning walkers, general public and members of PGWA including Mr. Ghulam Yazdani, Chairman; Mr. Pramod Kumar Kedia, Vice President; Dr. Purshottam Das, Gen. Secretary; Mr. Vishwanath Agarwal, Jt Secretary; Mr. Sohanlal Kadel, Jt Secretary; Mr. B.L. Pershad Jaiswal, Treasurer; Prof Mohd. Masood Ahmed, Health Care Advisor & Patrons B. Sreekanth Reddy & G. Ekember Reddy, were present on the occasion.

According to Dr. Sreekanth, Life Style Diseases are diseases associated with the way a person or group of people live. These diseases appear to increase as countries become more industrialized and people live longer. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity with dyslipidaemia (atherosclerosis), heart disease, stroke, COPD, some of the cancers, cirrhosis of the liver, Alzheimer's disease, depression are some of the diseases that have been grouped in this category.

Poor life style choices such as smoking, over use of alcohol, poor diet, lack of physical activity and improper balancing of stress are the key contributors in the development and progression of these “preventable chronic diseases” of this new era. The impact of these diseases is huge, not only on individual basis but also on the society as a whole. These rob the person’s health at their prime age there by affecting the productivity and quality shattering the growth and economy of a country.

Prompt identification of these diseases by picking up the “signals” is done by the health care professionals. This includes a thorough clinical examination, interpretation of lab data and counselling. However, health promotion, specific protection forms the main stay of primary prevention while treatment of the disease is the secondary level. In already established diseases, disability limitation and rehabilitation is offered as tertiary level of prevention. In India, Apollo group has pioneered the art of offering these services involving a team of professionals lead by the medical fraternity. A lot needs to be done in curtailing this set of diseases considering the burden on the society to achieve the age old saying “Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavanthu”.