Health Monitor
Badr Al Samaa Goes Online with Multimedia Website
MUSCAT - Badral Samaa, the leading polyclinic in the Sultanate, has created another milestone by launching an interactive multimedia website to provide patients with relevant information on the World Wide Web. "In order to make our presence in the world wide web, the polyclinic has created this new website to cater to the growing number of net users in Oman and other parts of the world," said Abdul Latheef and Vinod, Directors, Badr Al Samaa. Designed in flash and hypertext format, the website provides information about various departments and doctors through easy navigation channels. Accessible at http://www.badralsamaa.com, the website ensures Badr Al Samaa's cyber presence accessible to all customers and health specialists. The interctivew multimedia website is designerd by V M Sathish, a former reporter with the Oman Daily Observer, who has joined the team of New York Times group.
"Coinciding with our first anniversary, we are going online with more than 18 doctors and about 60 paramedical and other supporting staff. Through the website we introduce our doctors with details of their specialization and consultancy facilities. Mini homepages for doctors link their respective departments to provide valuable information," said Latheef. "The website is one more step in achieving our motto - more than healthcare, humane care". Now net users can get an appointment with our doctors through an email message or send online feedback about our services."Badr Al Samaa Doctors Online section gives detailed reports and links to 18 well-qualified doctors and our specialty departments. The facilities section links browsers to various high tech facilities offered by the polyclinic to fulfill its objective of providing quality medical service at an affordable price," Vinod added. Badr Al Samaa provides various healthcare facilities including a state of the operation theatre, gynaecology department with Observation Room and Child Warmer and 24 hours ambulance services.
The website has special sections devoted to cardiology, dentist, ophthalmology, pathology, radiology, paediatrics, surgery, gynaecology skincare and a special medical advisory section. Dr. Benny Panakkal Medical Director of the Hospital has written informative reports about heart diseases.
Badr Al Samaa cardiology department is fully equipped for noninvasive assessment and is functioning under the supervision of Dr. Benny Panakkal MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Cardiology). Dr. Panakkal has more than eight years experience in cardiology and was working as Chief Cardiologist in Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur before joining Badr Al Samaa in March 2003. The site is designed and developed by journalist and designer V M Sathish with the support of Dr. Benny, Medical Director and director Abdul Latheef. It gives easy navigation through various sections and facilities of the polyclinic. Recently has designed more websites like http://www.decorstoneonline.com http://www.glassdesignersonline.com http://www.nrifederation.com http://www.educationindoman.com and al jassarllc.om He has also been closely associated with http://www.keralamonitor.com, the sensational news portal which has been a major source of exclusive news and Indian community news.
Badr Al Samaa website provides a virtual tour of human heart and explains in layman's language what happens during a heart attack and cautions public about various aspects of the deadly disease. In his first advisory column Dr. Benny explains the details of heart attacks with a warning - "prevention is better than cure. (url - http://www.badralsamaa.com/heartreports.htm).
Through the website Badr Al Samaa health specialists will regularly keep giving advise on the latest trends in the field of medicine and healthcare. "The Heart is one of the most amazing organs in our body. Situated in the centre of the chest and size about that of ones' clenched fist, it is actually a very specialized pump; the right side supports the pulmonary circulation which is concerned with collecting impure blood from the body, low in oxygen content and pumping to the lungs for making it oxygen rich again", writes Dr. Benny. "Try to lead a healthy lifestyle - avoid obesity and keep ideal body weight. Do regular physical exercise like brisk walking at least 30 minutes a day. Take plenty of fruits, vegetables, restrict fats, oils and avoid smoking. Check regularly your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and follow your doctors advise especially if you are above 40yrs of age. All this takes you a long way from having a heart attack!," he writes in the website. Other Badr Al Samaa health experts would regularly contribute valuable and in depth health reports through the website.
Badr Al Samaa anniversary pages contain good will messages from prominent expatriates and Omani citizens. They include prominent names like Panakkad Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal, leading Muslim League leader from Kerala, E Ahmed, Member of Parliament from Kerala, HE Karam Elahi Ambassador Embassy of Pakistan, Muscat, Oman. B S Bhatnagar Principal Indian School Al Ghubra, Dr. S A Pillai Principal Indian School Darsait, Anwar Ali Sultan Director W J Towell Group of Companies, Lujiana Mohsin, Omani businesswomen and Majlis A Shura Member. http://www.badralsamaa.com
February 11, 2004.
OBESITY - THE NEW EPIDEMIC
Dinesh C Sharma*
It is not a disease, yet it results in many complicated conditions in the human body. It develops over a period of time, yet people tend to ignore it. There are no magic cures for it, yet this has helped spin a fast growing industry for its cure in many countries. Governments don’t keep a count of it, yet it has been described as an epidemic. Yes. The answer to this puzzle is obesity.
‘Obesity, overweight and high body mass’ has been recognized as one of the top ten health risks to people, by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The figures are mind-boggling. The affected populations have increased to epidemic proportions - more than one billion adults worldwide are overweight and at least 300 million are clinically obese. These are estimates prepared by the WHO. Obesity rates have risen three-fold or more since 1980 in some areas of North America, the UK, Eastern Europe, the Middle-East, Australia and China. A new demographic transition in developing countries is producing rapid increases in Body Mass Index (BMI), particularly among young.
The problem is much more serious than popularly perceived. Obesity is leading to many diseases, for which it is an important risk factor. Experts believe that increases in free sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced physical activity, lead to obesity. In turn, overweight and obesity lead to adverse metabolic effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin resistance.
Risks of coronary heart disease, ischaemic stroke and type2 diabetes increase steadily with increasing BMI. Type 2 diabetes now affects obese children even before puberty. Modest weight reduction reduces blood pressure and abnormal blood cholesterol and substantially lowers risk of type2 diabetes. Raised BMI also increases the risks of cancer of the breast, colon, prostrate, endometrium, kidney and gallbladder. Although the mechanisms that trigger these increased risks are not fully understood, they may relate to obesity-induced hormonal changes. Chronic overweight and obesity contribute significantly to osteoarthritis, a major cause of disability in adults.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is commonly assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI), a height/weight formula with a strong correlation to body fat content. WHO criteria define overweight as a BMI of at least 25kg/m2 (m square) and obesity as a BMI of at least 30 kg/m2. These markers provide common benchmarks for assessment, but risks for disease in all populations increase progressively from BMI levels of 20-22 kg/m2. BMI increases among middle-aged and elderly people, who are greatest risk of health complications.
Globally about 58 per cent of diabetes, 21 per cent of ischaemic heart disease and 8-42 per cent of certain cancers are attributable to BMI above 21kg/m2. Although BMI offers a reasonable measure of fatness, the criteria for overweight and obesity vary in developing countries. A lower BMI cut-off has been recommended for Asian countries. This would only increase the magnitude of the obesity problem in the region.
Obesity has also got something to do with energy balance of the body. Our bodies generally require about 1600 calories of energy everyday. The food that we eat is converted into calories and is used for different body functions. When the food intake is higher in terms of calories, the body starts converting these calories into fat. About nine calories make one gram of fat. In medical terms, fat cells are called Adipose tissues, which are generally tucked away under the skin. And the whole process of intake control is regulated by the brain. Then there are hormonal factors that lead to obesity. In conditions like hypothyroidism, puberty, pregnancy and menopause, it is common for people to gain extra weight.
Though obesity has much to do with our changing lifestyles, scientists are searching for genetic basis for obesity. They are looking for genes or gene polymorphisms which predispose some people to obesity. Some important leads have been achieved in the past few years. One such significant finding is the new understanding of the functions of white adipose tissue (WAT). The traditional view that WAT is simply a fat storage depot has been replaced by the recognition that it is an endocrine organ. It communicates with the brain as well as the peripheral tissues through the release of a hormone, Leptin. Scientists believe that Leptin is one of the chemical signals that play a role in regulation of energy balance. But there are others who do not accept the genetic predisposition theory at all, pointing out that rates of obesity have doubled from 15 to 30 per cent in the past 20 years in the US, while the genetics has not changed.
Yet another school of thought believes that it is a combination of factors like genetics, abnormal eating behavior, lack of exercise, and cultural influences, as well as cerebral mechanisms that are not yet fully understood, lead to obesity.
Dieting, drugs, surgery and expensive weight-loss programmes are being touted as possible answers to obesity. But nutritionists and doctors say a balanced diet is perhaps the only sustainable way to remain fit and keep off obesity. A group of 30 international experts - commissioned by WHO- has arrived at broad guidelines on what constitutes a healthy diet. These recommendations include limiting fat to between 15 and 30 per cent of total daily energy intake, and saturated fats to less than 10 per cent. Carbohydrates should provide the bulk of energy requirements - between 55 and 75 per cent of daily intake, but free (i.e. added) sugars should remain beneath 10 per cent.
Daily intake of salt, which should be iodized, should be restricted to less than 5 grams a day, while the intake of fruit and vegetables should be at least 400 grams. The recommended protein intake is 10 to 15 per cent. This group says physical activity is a key factor in determining the amount of energy spent each day and is fundamental to energy balance and weight control. One hour per day of moderate-intensity activity, such as walking, on most days of the week, is needed to maintain a healthy body weight. There are no quick fixes, remaining healthy and fit is long-drawn affair. *Science Journalist and Columnist.
