Tuesday 23 June 2015

Children exposed to second-hand smoke may end up with weight issues

Children exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to face weight and metabolic issues, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Montreal, Canada, which concludes that smoking around young children may be just as harmful as smoking while pregnant.

Lead author Linda Pagani, a professor of psycho-education at the University and a researcher at the CHU Sainte-Justine, found that children whose parents smoked when they were toddlers were more likely to have a thicker waist and a higher body mass index (BMI) by the time they reached the age of 10.

She says some 40 per cent of children are exposed either sporadically or continuously to second-hand smoke in their own homes and that, by the age of 10, the children who had been exposed to smoke were likely to have waists that were up to three-fifths of an inch wider than their peers.

And their BMI scores were likely to be between .48 and .81 points higher.

“This prospective association is almost as large as the influence of smoking while pregnant,” Pagani said. “Everybody loves their children but sometimes we close our eyes to risk factors. We need to face these risk factors and stop this behaviour.”

Waist circumference in youth in particular, she said, has become an important risk factor for obesity-related diseases in adulthood — so the findings indicate that public health initiatives and parental sensitization aimed at reducing home-based second-hand smoke exposure during the critical early childhood years are needed.

Pagani believes women who are bold enough to smoke while pregnant will likely smoke after birth as well. And there are even more women who stop during pregnancy but revert to it after giving birth.

“We are looking at second-hand smoke where children live and play and sleep,” she said. “Most people smoke because they just can’t kick the habit. People rely on smoking for the psychological effects, the idea that it calms them down. That has to be rethought. There are other ways to calm down.”

For the study, Pagani used data collected from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, a vast survey of children born across the province which allowed her to focus on the behaviour of 2,055 families.

Furthermore, Pagani believes the statistics linking childhood obesity to exposure to parents’ smoking may underestimate the effect due to parents under-reporting the amount they smoked “out of shame,” she said.

With those parts of the brain that regulate metabolism not as finely tuned as they should be, Pagani explained, those who were exposed to second-hand smoke will find themselves putting on weight easily. Too easily.

“If you have an unhealthy fat distribution before puberty, your chances of being obese are quite high for the rest of your life,” said Pagani. The study published in Oxford Journal called Nicotine and Tobacco Research is the first to look at the effect of second-hand smoke on unhealthy body fat distribution.

While the increase she found may not sound significant, it occurs during a critical period of development which signals that the weight gain could have serious long-lasting effects. The exposure to second-hand smoke, she says, could cause endocrine imbalances or affect immune, neuro developmental and cardiovascular processes.

Pagani has also studied links between household tobacco smoke exposure and anti-social behaviour in later childhood, as well as the connection with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

“This is kind of a wake-up call,” she said, adding that it reinforces ongoing debates about smoking on terraces or about parents smoking in a car with children.

“Yes, it is our business, these are public health issues,” she said. “And in a system like ours, where taxpayers support the health system, I’m interested in any risks that can be controlled. It’s important.”

Courtesy: Montreal Gazette
Read more ...

Tuesday 16 June 2015

Singapore to ban existing and emerging tobacco products as pre-emptive measure

Singapore's Ministry of Health has announced plans to ban existing and emerging tobacco products in two phases as a "pre-emptive measure to protect public health against the known and potential harms of such products".

"Besides protecting the public from the health risks associated with the consumption of emerging tobacco products, the ban is aimed at ensuring that the targeted emerging tobacco products do not gain a foothold or become entrenched in the Singapore market," the statement said.

In addition to preventing these products from "stimulating demand for and thereby increasing the prevalence of tobacco consumption", it will also prevent such products from becoming "gateway" or "starter" products for non-smokers, it added.

In a statement released on 15 June, the ministry said under the first phase, tobacco products that are currently not available in Singapore will be banned with effect from 15 December 2015.

The second phase will cover a ban on products already available in the market and will take effect from 1 August 2016. The delay in the ban is to allow for businesses to "adjust their operating models and deplete their existing stocks of such products."

On 9 June, the Welsh government announced plans to put in place legislation to ban e-cigarettes in public places.



Read more ...

Saturday 6 June 2015

World No Tobacco Day 2015: Joining forces for a cause

Oncologists, cardiologists, researchers, Government, and civil society groups joined forces on World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) today – an annual occasion to drive home the harms of tobacco use and advocate policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

Dr MKC Nair, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Sciences while inaugurating the event said, “There is undisputable evidence that tobacco use causes cancer. The key is preventing initiation to tobacco products and refraining from developing this bad habit.” He appealed to children to be wary of these products and dissuade family members from its use. 

Dr Paul Sebastian, Director, Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in his presidential address said that developing sensitivities is critical in our society. “There are high levels of knowledge and awareness but people continue to use these products. Tobacco use victims sharing their experiences could be a powerful means of developing sensitivities.” 

Dr Sebastian also read out a message from the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Oommen Chandy. 

The theme of WNTD 2015 is “Stop illicit trade of tobacco products”. Dr KR Thankappan, Professor and Head, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies dealt on the theme as he delivered the keynote address on “Preventing illicit trade through 85 per cent pictorial warnings on all tobacco product packs”.

“Illicit tobacco trade creates huge revenue losses to the Government; during the year 2014-15 the Government lost Rs 2363 crores.” He also spoke about the rampant use of banned tobacco products by migrants in Kerala and called for speedy implementation of 85 per cent pictorial warnings on all tobacco product packs.

Dr N Sreedhar, Director of Health Services highlighted the various tobacco control activities of the Health Services such as making Kerala the first tobacco ad-free state in the country.

Former Secretary of Regional Cancer Association Shri Janardhana Iyer was honoured on the occasion. Shri Renjith Chathoth, Editor, Mathrubhumi Arogyamasika was given away the Best Cancer Awareness article instituted by Regional Cancer Association. 

The inaugural session was followed by a panel discussion on ‘Multi-sectoral interventions to counter illicit tobacco trade’ in which representatives of Police, Excise, Health, Food Safety, youth, media and tobacco use victim shared their thoughts. The panel discussion called for de-glamourisation of tobacco use and sustained, proactive and coordinated efforts at various levels.  

Shri PV Muralikumar, Joint Excise Commissioner; Dr AS Pradeep Kumar, Retd.Additional Director of Health Services; Shri D Shivakumar, Assistant Food Safety Commissioner; Shri Jawahar Janard, Assistant Commissioner of Police; Shri Rahul Easwar, Kerala Youth Mission Outreach Programme Coordinator; Shri Renjith Chatoth and Shri Jawahar, tobacco use victim were the panellists. Shri Surendran Chunakara, PRO, RCC moderated the session.

Dr Padmalatha, Deputy Director, Public Health, Directorate of Health Services; Dr M Sivaraman, Vice President, Regional Cancer Association; Shri S Jayaraj, State Coordinator, Tobacco Free Kerala; Shri Johnson J Edayaranmula, Director, ADIC-India and Dr R Jayakrishnan, Assistant Professor, RCC also spoke.

Kerala State Health Services; Sree Chitra Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology; Regional Cancer Association; Tobacco Free Kerala; ADIC-India and Kerala Voluntary Health Services (KVHS) partnered with RCC for WNTD 2015.

More than 200 participants including women members of Kudumbashree; Mahila Samakhya; National Savings Department; Student Police Cadets; Health Inspectors and Health Supervisors attached to Directorate of Health Services were present.

Read more ...