The rising consumption of processed and packaged food in India will likely affect health outcomes and policies may be required to regulate the nutritional content of these foods and promote healthier alternatives, a government paper has stressed.

According to the paper, titled ‘Changes in India’s Food Consumption and Policy Implications,’ by the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister, across regions and consumption classes, “we observe a significant increase in the share of household expenditure on served and packaged processed food”.

This increase was universal across the classes but more pronounced for the country's top 20 per cent of households and significantly more in urban areas.

“While food processing is a growth sector and a significant creator of jobs, this rising consumption of processed and packaged food will also likely affect health outcomes,” the paper warned.

US researchers have developed a novel problem-solving therapy that boosts brain functions to relieve symptoms of depression, giving hope to millions worldwide.

Depression is a common mental disorder, which affects an estimated 5 per cent of adults globally.

The study led by a team from Stanford Medicine applied problem-solving therapy -- a form of cognitive therapy -- on adults with both depression and obesity. The therapy reduced depression in a third of the hard-to-treat patient group.

The team targeted 108 adults diagnosed with both major depression and obesity, a confluence of symptoms that often indicate problems with the cognitive control circuit.

Regular consumption of junk food -- rich in sugar, salt, and fat -- hampers micronutrient absorption in the body and leads to nutrient deficiencies, affecting overall health, said experts on Saturday.

National Nutrition Week is observed annually from September 1 to September 7. The theme this year is ‘Nutritious Diets for Everyone’.

A nutritional deficiency occurs when the body doesn't get enough of a nutrient from food or has trouble absorbing it.

Junk foods typically lack the necessary vitamins, minerals, and fiber that facilitate proper digestion and nutrient absorption. Deficiencies can affect digestion, and bone growth, cause skin disorders, anaemia, dementia, nervous system damage, and more.

Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the duration of the common cold in children by two days, a new study led by an Indian-origin scientist has found.

Every year, children may suffer from up to 10 to 12 upper respiratory tract infections, commonly known as colds, which can significantly affect them and their families. There are medications that can alleviate symptoms, such as ibuprofen and paracetamol, but there are no cures for colds that can heal more quickly.

The study by the University of Edinburgh in the UK found that salt-water nasal drops can help reduce the duration of cold symptoms in children.

"Since salt water solutions are commonly used as a cure to nasal infections as well as for gargling, that was the inspiration for this idea, to check whether a homemade cure could be replicated in a large-scale trial as well," said Dr Sandeep Ramalingam, consultant virologist, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and honorary clinical senior lecturer, University of Edinburgh.

In a ray of hope for many across the world who suffer from LCA1, a team of US researchers have given patients with the rare, inherited blindness, functional eyesight for the first time.

LCA1 is an eye disease that causes severe vision loss and is caused by mutations in the GUCY2D gene.

Individuals who have the disease typically have very poor vision, which makes it hard or impossible for them to read, drive or use their eyes to navigate the environment.

The treatment which was developed by University of Florida scientists, essentially gene therapy, had minimal side effects, except inflammation which was rectified using steroids.

Health Ministry on Friday approved a new, shorter and more effective treatment regimen for multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in India to achieve the national goal of eliminating the disease by next year.

Around 75,000 MDR-TB patients in the country will now be able to avail benefit of this shorter regimen. There will also be an overall saving in cost.

The ministry approved the ‘BPaLM’ regimen as part of the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s to end TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global target for eliminating the disease under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

A first batch of 99,100 doses of mpox vaccines was delivered to Congo, the epicentre of the global health crisis.

"In total, that will make 200,000 doses on Saturday. Today, we received 99,100 doses, and the rest (will be received) on Saturday," said Roger Kamba, Congolese Health Minister, on Thursday, at Kinshasa's N'djili Airport, promising to contain the virus as quickly as possible, especially in the most affected provinces, such as the South Kivu and Equateur.

"It is first the vaccines for adults that have arrived," the Health Minister said, adding that the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) will be in charge of the vaccination campaign in the most affected provinces, without specifying the date for the launch of the vaccination, news agency reported.

A study shows new insights on how damaged cells interact with disease-infested micro environments following acute kidney injury (AKI).

AKI is a serious global health hazard, especially community-acquired AKI (CA-AKI).

In nations like India, the International Society of Nephrology's "0 by 25" slogan, with the goal to eliminate unnecessary fatalities from AKI to zero by 2025 is unachievable, presumably because there is a dearth of information and action to address this pressing public health concern, especially in third world countries that struggle with the most basic of needs, owing to factors like low GDP, income disparity, less access to resources, etc.

Have you ever been faced with a choice at a crossroads? A recent study may have finally figured out what our brains are doing when we indulge in spontaneous behaviour.

The Brain Institute at Chapman University in California, US, conducted a study on how the brain triggers impulsive behaviour like leaping off a high-dive platform or coming up with novel ideas.

They concentrated on a phenomenon where the human brain becomes more active one or two seconds before it takes action.

Since the 1960s, neuroscientists have believed that this ramping is an indication that our brain is getting ready to act following the completion of an unconscious, premeditated decision.

Spinal cord injury, one of the most devastating injuries to the human body, is becoming more common than ever, said experts on Thursday.

Spinal Cord Injury Day is celebrated each year on September 5 to bring about awareness about the spinal cord.

The spine is the backbone of the human body and maintaining its health is crucial for overall well-being, said the health experts.

“With the increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, poor posture habits, and the rise of technology use, spinal issues have become more common than ever,” Dr Arvind Kulkarni, Head - Spinal Surgeon, Mumbai Spine Scoliosis and Disc Replacement Centre, told.