Eating walnuts may help ward of several diseases: experts

Agencies

October 31, 2017

New Delhi, Oct 31: Eating a diet rich in walnuts may help prevent several diseases prevalent in India such as cardiovascular disorders, cancer and diabetes, according to an international team of researchers.

Researchers and medical professionals from the field of Nutrition, Cardiovascular, Cognition, Alzheimer's and Diabetes today held a scientific meet here to discuss the state of health in India, dietary patterns, chronic health conditions and promotion of healthy lifestyles.

The day-long Scientific and Health Research Meeting hosted by the California Walnut Commission (CWC) discussed the role of walnuts in disease prevention and maintenance of healthy lifestyle in the country.

Several research findings have shown positive outcomes of walnuts in health issues such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diseases of ageing and diabetes.

According to Dr Rekha Sharma, Former Chief Dietician, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, metabolic syndrome combined with physical inactivity and under nutrition co exists in India, as a double burden on health.

Obesity, hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease are like a rising inferno in India, particularly in urban areas and on the other side of the spectrum we have under nutrition, especially in children, she said.

Sharma quoted a Lancet study which found that India is the third most obese country in the world after US and China.

"Indian population should increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts in a daily diet," said Sharma.

"All nuts are rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and walnuts in addition also contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acid, making it heart healthy," she said.

Researchers said that the incidence of dementia in India has seen an increase of over 10 per cent from its 2010 estimates of 3.7 million to 4.1 million.

The present cost of care has also increased from 14,700 crore rupees to around 16,300 crores, they said.

"Walnuts in the diet may improve cognitive function in normal individuals, and reduce the risk or delay the onset or progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD)," said Abha Chauhan, from New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR) in the US.

The event saw the presence of several international researchers who talked about their area of study on walnuts.

"Walnuts are the only tree nut to contain a significant amount of the plant-based omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid, required by the human body," said Dr H K Chopra, who chaired the meeting.

"A handful of walnuts also offers four grammes of protein, two grammes of fibre, and is a good source of magnesium," said Chopra.

"With a variety of nutrients and a flavour profile that pairs well with an array of seasonal foods, they are an ideal ingredient any time of the year," he said.

The CWC has been actively highlighting walnuts to Indian consumers through marketing activities that promote walnuts of California origin, quality, taste and positive health benefits.

These health benefits have been demonstrated through over 180 research papers published since early 1990's when the commission actively began assessing the role of walnuts in diet and effect on chronic disease prevention.

"This Scientific and Health Research Meeting was an exceptional platform to discuss the state of health in India, dietary patterns, chronic health conditions and promotion of healthy lifestyles," said Michelle McNeil Connelly, CEO of the CWC.

"We hope that this meeting provides an opportunity to maintain a network of researchers and medical professionals who may contribute to walnut-specific health research in India," Connelly said.

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WHO: Virus surge due to peak in big countries

Agencies

June 23,2020

The record levels of new daily COVID-19 cases are due to the fact that the pandemic is peaking in a number of big countries at the same time and reflect a change in the virus' global activity, the World Health Organisation said.

At a media briefing on Monday, WHO's emergencies chief Dr Michael Ryan said that the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time.

Some countries have attributed their increased caseload to more testing, including India and the US But Ryan dismissed that explanation.

We do not believe this is a testing phenomenon, he said, noting that numerous countries have also noted marked increases in hospital admissions and deaths neither of which cannot be explained by increased testing.

There definitely is a shift in that the virus is now very well established, Ryan said. The epidemic is now peaking or moving towards a peak in a number of large countries.

He added the situation was definitely accelerating in a number of countries, including the US and others in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

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‘Heart attack prevention efforts lag for people with stroke’

Agencies

May 19,2020

Researchers have found that patients with peripheral artery disease or stroke were less likely to receive recommended treatments to prevent heart attack than those with coronary artery disease. All three are types of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Depending on the location of the blockage, atherosclerosis increases the risk for three serious conditions: coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease.

"Our study highlights the need for public health campaigns to direct equal attention to all three major forms of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease," said senior study author Erin Michos from the Johns Hopkins University in the US.

"We need to generate awareness among both clinicians and patients that all of these diseases should be treated with aggressive secondary preventive medications, including aspirin and statins, regardless of whether people have heart disease or not," Michos added.

Since atherosclerosis can affect arteries in more than one part of the body, medical guidelines are to treat coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease similarly with lifestyle changes and medication, including statins to lower cholesterol levels and aspirin to prevent blood clots.

Lifestyle changes include eating a healthy diet, being physically active, quitting smoking, controlling high cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure, treating high blood sugar and losing weight.

What was unclear was if people with stroke and peripheral artery disease received the same treatments prescribed for those with coronary artery disease.

This study compared more than 14,000 US adults enrolled in the 2006-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a national survey of patient-reported health outcomes and conditions, and health care use and expenses.

Slightly more than half of the patients were men, the average age was 65, and all had either coronary artery disease, stroke or peripheral artery disease.

These individuals were the representative of nearly 16 million US adults living with one of the three forms of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Compared to participants with coronary artery disease, participants with peripheral artery disease were twice more likely to report no statin use and three times more likely to report no aspirin use.

Additionally, people with peripheral artery disease had the highest, annual, total out-of-pocket expenditures among the three atherosclerotic conditions.

The findings showed that participants with stroke were more than twice as likely to report no statin or aspirin use.

Moreover, those with stroke were more likely to report poor patient-provider communication, poor health care satisfaction and more emergency room visits.

"Our study highlights a missed opportunity for implementing life-saving preventive medications among these high-risk individuals," Michos said.

The study was presented in the virtual conference at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care & Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions 2020.

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