Obesity and overweight in children, a public health issue

Overweight and obesity in children are increasing. This is one of the biggest challenges for public health in the 21st century. The percentage of overweight children increased from 3% in 1965 to 16% in 2000 1.

THE MAIN CAUSES OF OBESITY AND OVERWEIGHT IN CHILDREN

The overweight and obesity of the child are mainly explained by an increase in food intake and a decrease in energy expenditure. The caloric intake by the food being superior to the caloric expenses, the body fat increases.

Our lifestyle is more and more sedentary and the diet is often unbalanced with intakes of added fat and sugars often exceeding the recommended values.

Metabolic, genetic, psychological and social factors can also add to this imbalance and promote weight gain.

HOW TO DETECT EXCESS WEIGHT?

Overweight and obesity are defined by the WHO (World Health Organization) as “an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that poses a health risk“.

In children, overweight can be difficult to detect. However, some tools such as body mass index (BMI) and corpulence curves are available to monitor the corpulence of an individual.

In children, baseline BMI values ​​vary physiologically according to age. Thus, it is not possible to refer, as in adults, to a single BMI reference value. The French corpulence curves, present in the health books, thus complement the BMI. Some websites include data such as the site www.imc.fr .

Regular follow-up by your health care professional is recommended, he / she will be able to analyze your child's overweight data and give you the appropriate advice.

1 INPES (National Institute of Prevention and Education for Health), Assessing and Monitoring the Corpulence of Children, 2011

Source: Lescuyer Laboratory

Snacks yes, but healthy for health

Tasting is important in children, it allows to meet their energy needs and to hold until dinner. It must be taken at a fixed time and respond as far as possible to a balanced diet. Alternatives to industrial products, often too rich in fats and added sugars, are possible to offer your children more healthy snacks.

FRUITS FOR VITAMINS, MINERALS AND FIBERS

Fruits are rich in nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, and provide fiber. Some fresh fruit ideas:

• Banana: it is rich in magnesium. It is also an ally of choice to provide energy to your children,
• The apple: rich in fiber and water, it represents an excellent appetite suppressant,
• Citrus fruits (orange, clementine...) and kiwi: these are the kings of vitamin c which helps reduce fatigue and helps the immune system function properly.

Think also of dried fruits (apricots, prunes, dates...) which have a high energy content (3 or 4 are enough to taste).

Dried fruits are often forgotten, yet these oilseeds (nuts, hazelnuts, almonds...) are an excellent source of protein, minerals, and good fatty acids.

CEREAL PRODUCTS, RICH IN COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

Cereal products such as whole meal bread, rusks, gingerbread, are rich in complex carbohydrates, offer healthy energy and are low in fat.

The association bread and chocolate bar will certainly remind you of some memories. Chocolate is an excellent source of magnesium. Bet on cereal bread or whole bread, it will bring additional fiber, and on dark chocolate, less rich in sugar.

Practical, cereal bars are easy to carry and represents a quick snack.

DAIRY PRODUCTS FOR CALCIUM

A yogurt, a white cheese, or a glass of milk, bring calcium to the body that participates in the formation of bone. So you can incorporate them into the snack! Think of a vitamin D supplementation that participates in the absorption of calcium by the body.

GOURMET HOMEMADE RECIPES

From time to time, you can also offer homemade cakes, such as a slice of four-quarters with a fruit salad.

If your kids are crazy about spread, why not make one yourself? You control their composition and can vary the pleasures: chocolate, hazelnut, caramel, pistachio and even pineapple, there is something for everyone!

DO NOT FORGET HYDRATION!

Avoid giving your children sodas or sugary drinks, which must be consumed in an exceptional way. Prefer water or a juice pressed.

Source: Lescuyer Laboratory

Tips for children to eat vegetables

BET ON SOFTNESS AND COLORS!

Some vegetables have a softer taste in the mouth while being colored like carrot, peas, tomato or pumpkin. Both characteristics appeal to children. Note that fresh vegetables often have brighter colors and are richer in nutrients.

On the texture side, children also enjoy sweetness like purees, soups or smoothies to drink with a straw!

PLAY ON THE CREATIVITY AND PLEASURE OF THE EYES!

Because you also eat with your eyes, beautiful creative plates will stimulate your children's appetite. Decorate your dishes in a playful way to create a face, an animal, a flower, an object. Mice in the form of radishes, ladybugs with cherry tomatoes and black olives, sailboats in zucchinis or peppers ... ideas are not lacking!

MASTER THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE!

Why not make use of dishes known and appreciated by revisiting them? Do not hesitate to put some zucchini or sweet potato fries, vegetable tagliatelle or endives mini-burgers!

Conceal vegetables in quiche or soufflé recipes (e.g., carrot souffle). Breadcrumbs is also an effective technique for disguising vegetables. Kids love kibble and bread.

TRAIN YOUR APPRENTICE COOKS!

The ideal is to involve your children in the harvesting of vegetables from the vegetable garden, or to make them walk through the market stalls to arouse their curiosity.

In the kitchen, if the children get involved, they will be eager to taste the dishes they will have participated in.

Source: Lescuyer Laboratory

Omega 3, essential fatty acids!

The brain of children is extremely demanding because it is at the crossroads of all learning (walking, language, manual skill, relationships with others, self-awareness and others ...). The development of the brain is characterized by its long duration: about 15 years are necessary for the brain to reach its adult size.

Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids, the most important being DHA 1 and EPA 2. These lipids are the main constituents of cell membranes and as such play an important role in the brain: the composition of the membranes of the neurons (brain cells) allows synapses to function properly, zones of information exchange.

Thus, omega 3, possess many benefits. In children, DHA plays a key role. It contributes to the normal functioning of the brain and thus participates:

• To the formation of neurons,
• Learning mechanisms,
• To maintaining normal vision.

1 DHA: docosahexaenoic acid

2 EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid

Source: Lescuyer Laboratory

The lactic ferments, good bacteria

The intestinal flora of children is a source of balance, to build and to preserve. This is a major element of children's well-being:

At the digestive level: transit, digestive comfort,

At the level of the system of natural defenses.

Virtually non-existent at birth, the intestinal flora develops through the environment, the child's diet and can be altered by many factors such as taking medication.

It is therefore important:

For infants and young children: to help the intestinal flora to develop so that it is dense and diversified,

For older children: to ensure the preservation of the balance of this flora.

The lactic ferments associated with natural fibers are valuable assets to allow the flora to exercise its role within the organism.

Source: Lescuyer Laboratory

Children: specific needs in vitamins and minerals

Vitamins are essential nutrients for the growth and development of children and the proper functioning of their bodies.

VITAMINS AND GROWTH

Childhood is a period of high growth: between 4 and 10 years, children grow on average 5 to 6 cm per year!

To support this intense pace, their organization has special needs micronutrients and including B vitamins and vitamin D.

The vitamin D is vitamin reference regarding growth: it is necessary for growth and bone development in children. This vitamin is very often associated with calcium as it helps in the fixation of this mineral on the bones.

Vitamin D exists in nature mainly in 2 forms:

• Ergocalciferol or vitamin D2,
• Cholecalciferol or vitamin D3, the assimilation of which is greater than that of vitamin D2.

VITAMINS, MINERALS AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

In children, whose organism is still developing, many systems and functions are still immature. This is particularly the case for the immune system, the nervous system or even psychological functions.

The vitamin B1, also called thiamine, plays a key role in some of these systems contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous system as well as to the functions of normal psychological. In addition, vitamin B1 helps preserve their energy metabolism.

The iron facilitates cognitive development of children, and iodine also helps maintain cognitive function.

VITAMINS AND IMMUNE SYSTEM

Children have an immature immune system that makes them more vulnerable to external aggression . In addition, sometimes difficult climatic conditions and fatigue can further weaken their bodies. To help them and stimulate their natural defenses, nothing is worth the vitamins such as vitamins C, A or some of the group B.

Source: Lescuyer Laboratory

Some Melanoma Survivors Still Seek Out the Sun

1 in 5 had suffered a sunburn in the past year, study finds

THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Even after surviving the potentially deadly skin cancer melanoma, some people continue to go out in the summer sun without protection.

That's the stunning finding of a study of more than 700 melanoma survivors that revealed that 20 percent of them had suffered a sunburn in the past year. And only 62 percent said they "often" or "always" wore sunscreen when they were outside on a summer day.

But many melanoma survivors are more vigilant about sun protection than other people their age, the study also found.

"They're doing OK, but there's room for improvement," said study lead researcher Rachel Vogel. She's an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota's department of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health.

Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS), agreed.

"Survivors are doing better than other people, but that's not good enough," said Lichtenfeld, who was not involved in the study.

Until now, little has been known about sun exposure among melanoma survivors. So the new findings offer "important information" to doctors caring for those patients, he added.

"There can be an assumption among health care providers that patients are following our advice," Lichtenfeld noted. "But we can't assume."

The findings were published March 2 in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Melanoma is the least common -- but most dangerous -- form of skin cancer. The ACS estimates that roughly 87,000 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma this year, and nearly 10,000 will die of the disease.

While melanoma accounts for only 1 percent of all skin cancers in the United States, it is responsible for most deaths.

What's more, melanoma has been on the rise for the past 30 years, according to the ACS. There are probably multiple reasons for that, Vogel said, but people's greater exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun is thought to be one.

In general, doctors say, the most important step people can take to cut their melanoma risk is to limit their exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light -- from the sun or tanning beds.

And that advice certainly applies to melanoma survivors, to lower the chances of a recurrence, Lichtenfeld said.

"We do know that additional UV exposure adds to the risk. It's cumulative," he explained.

The new findings were based on a survey of 724 melanoma survivors and 660 adults the same age with no history of the disease (the "control" group). On average, the survivors had been diagnosed 10 years earlier, when they were between the ages of 25 and 59.

The good news, the study found, was that most survivors were more vigilant about sun protection compared to the control group.

But there was not-so-good news, too. Three-quarters of survivors, for instance, said they typically spent at least two hours in the summer sun on weekend days.

And that was often without optimal protection. Roughly 38 percent said they usually did not wear sunscreen when they were outside in the summer. And less than half said they typically tried to stay in the shade, the findings showed.

Overall, 20 percent of survivors said they'd had a sunburn in the past year. And 10 percent said they'd sunbathed with the aim of getting a tan.

What the study cannot answer is why.

But Vogel speculated on some reasons.

The passage of time could be one, she said: Other research suggests that melanoma survivors are fairly vigilant about sun protection soon after their diagnosis -- but that wanes over time.

It's also possible that some survivors do not understand how serious melanoma is, Vogel said. Unless they are fully educated about the disease, they might not realize it's different from the much more common, less aggressive forms of skin cancer.

Plus, Vogel said, "behavior change, in general, is difficult."

Lichtenfeld agreed. While staying out of the sun might sound easy, he noted, that's not always true.

Some people have jobs, or active lifestyles, that keep them outside, Lichtenfeld said. And they may not always remember to cover up or slather on sunscreen.

And, he added, "There is research showing that for some people, tanning can be addictive."

To Vogel, the findings have a clear practical implication: "Doctors and patients should talk about making sun protection routine," she said. "Make it a part of your daily life to use sunscreen, wear long sleeves and put a hat on."

But, that advice isn't only for melanoma survivors, Vogel said. It can also help protect people from developing the cancer in the first place, she said.

Amy Norton

Webmd

More Teens Turning Their Backs on Tanning Beds

Half as many high school students reported indoor tanning in 2015 versus 2009, survey finds

FRIDAY, March 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The number of U.S. teens who use indoor tanning has dropped by half in recent years, a new government study reveals.

Only about 7 percent of high school students said they used indoor tanning in 2015, down from almost 16 percent of students in 2009, according to results from a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey.

But that still leaves more than 1 million teens putting themselves at increased risk of skin cancer, including the most severe form, melanoma, by going to a tanning salon, said study lead author Gery Guy Jr.

Worse, their use of indoor tanning appears to give them a false sense of security when they step outdoors into real sunlight, said Guy, a health economist with the CDC's division of cancer prevention and control.

"We also found that among the 1.2 million high school students who are continuing to indoor tan, 82 percent of them experienced a sunburn in the past year," Guy said. That increases the danger, he added.

Just one blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence can nearly double your lifetime risk of melanoma, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Teens likely believe the myth that indoor tanning provides a "base tan" that will protect them against sunburn, Guy said.

"There is no base tan. Tanned skin is damaged skin," Guy said. "Individuals may think a base tan will protect them, when in reality it doesn't."

The CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey of thousands of high school students focuses on risky behaviors that could pose a hazard to kids' health and safety.

As part of the survey, teens were asked how often they'd used an indoor tanning device (such as sunlamp, sunbed or tanning booth) during the previous 12 months. They were also asked how many times they'd been sunburned.

Indoor tanning is most popular among white girls. But even that group experienced a large decrease in trips to the tanning salon -- dropping from more than 37 percent in 2009 to just over 15 percent in 2015, the findings showed.

Unfortunately, white girls' interest in indoor tanning appears to increase with age, and the study found that about one out of every four girls 17 or older was still using tanning beds.

Dr. Len Lichtenfeld is deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. He said, "The reality that one-quarter of women 17 and older are using indoor tanning is still very disturbing. It basically says there's a huge market for indoor tanning, and young people are still taking advantage of that opportunity."

A wave of state laws restricting teens' use of tanning beds likely has been the major driver in the observed decline, said Guy and Dr. Henry Lim, a dermatologist with Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Only five states had laws restricting indoor tanning in 2009, but by 2015 such laws had been enacted in 42 states, according to the report.

"Most of them are not bans, but restrictions that you have to get parental consent to go to a tanning booth," said Lim, who co-authored an editorial accompanying the study. "I think it is a sort of deterrent."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had proposed a federal rule restricting access to tanning beds for kids under 18, but it remains just that -- a proposal, Lichtenfeld said.

The World Health Organization has classified indoor tanning devices as cancer-causing. And, Guy said, in 2014 the U.S. Surgeon General's Office listed limiting indoor tanning as one of its strategic goals for skin cancer prevention.

Unfortunately, U.S. schools do not seem to promote sun safety, according to a second CDC study. Both were published online March 3 in the journal JAMA Dermatology.

Researchers found that sun-safety practices are not common among schools, particularly in high schools.

For example, only about 37 percent of high schools required teachers to give students time to apply sunscreen, compared to about half of elementary and middle schools.

Even then, kids who didn't bring their own sunscreen were mostly out of luck. Just over 13 percent of schools said they provide sunscreen for kids' use.

Lim believes that restrictions on indoor tanning and continued public education will continue to decrease the number of teens hitting the tanning salon.

"I think we're on the right track, and we need to keep going," Lim said. "It's similar to smoking. It takes a concerted effort to get people to change their behavior."

Dennis Thompson

Webmd

Lumière bleue : comment protéger ses yeux ?

La lumière bleue fait de plus en plus parler d’elle car elle est émise notamment par les écrans omniprésents. Y sommes-nous vraiment de plus en plus exposés ? La lumière bleue représente-t-elle un réel danger pour les yeux ? Faut-il s’équiper de lunettes anti lumière bleue quand on utilise beaucoup les écrans ? Réponses de spécialistes.

Une partie de la lumière spectrale peut être dangereuse pour notre rétine. Pour se protéger d’une partie de la lumière émise par nos écrans, des lunettes anti "lumière bleue" ont vu le jour. En quoi sont-elles utiles ?

La lumière bleue, qu'est-ce que c'est ?

La lumière bleue est une partie du spectre de la lumière, dont les longueurs d'onde se situent entre 380 et 500 nanomètres. Elle est émise par le soleil, mais aussi par les sources lumineuses artificielles : ampoules LED et écrans (tablettes, télévisions, ordinateurs, smartphones).

La lumière bleue potentiellement dangereuse représente une petite partie seulement de l’ensemble de la lumière bleue existante : ce sont les longueurs d'onde bleu-violet. "Le spectre de la lumière du jour ou de la lumière artificielle comprend des bandes de couleur. Parmi elles, du bleu turquoise, lumière bonne pour le moral, et puis du bleu-violet, lumière à laquelle nous sommes de plus en plus exposés", explique le Dr Petra Kunze, ophtalmologiste à Paris.

En effet, l’énergie qui atteint la rétine dans le cas de la lumière bleu-violet est plus forte que dans le cas de la lumière bleu turquoise. Les écrans tout particulièrement diffusent des pics de lumière bleue appelée lumière à Haute Energie Visible (ou HEV).

En 2014, les Français ont passé en moyenne 6 heures devant un écran. On estime qu'un enfant né en 2015 aura passé à l'âge de 7 ans l'équivalent d'une année pleine, jour et nuit, à scruter un écran. "En plus de cela, la couche d'ozone ne joue plus autant son rôle de filtre solaire", rappelle le Dr Kunze.

Nous voilà donc surexposés à cette lumière bleue, et cela dès le plus jeune âge. Cela n’est pas sans conséquences pour nos yeux. D’autant plus chez les enfants en dessous de 14 ans, dont le cristallin de l’œil ne filtre pas aussi bien et pour qui cette lumière bleue s’avère encore plus nocive.

La lumière bleue dangereuse pour les yeux

"Il a été démontré sur un modèle in vitro de dégénérescence maculaire liée à l’âge (DMLA) que la longueur d'onde la plus toxique pour les cellules rétiniennes est située autour de 415-455 nanomètres", explique le Pr Serge Picaud neurobiologiste et directeur Inserm à l’Institut de la Vision1. Cette zone phototoxique correspond bien à une lumière bleu-violet dans le spectre de l'arc en ciel.

Des recherches scientifiques ont conclu qu'une exposition prolongée au rayonnement de lumière bleue ou lumière HEV artificielle provoquait des lésions photochimiques de la rétine et du cristallin. "Plusieurs études épidémiologiques ont démontré que cette lumière bleue était bien un facteur de risque de la DMLA", rappelle le Pr Serge Picaud2,3. L'implication de la lumière bleue dans le développement de la cataracte est également suspectée.

Cependant, la lumière bleue peut aussi avoir des effets bénéfiques. Elle aide à nos rythmes circadiens (l’alternance veille/sommeil) et notre humeur. Cette fois-ci, c’est la lumière bleue turquoise (vers 490 nm) qui permet de recaler nos rythmes lors d’un décalage horaire. Cette dernière régule la production de mélatonine, notre "hormone du sommeil"4.

Une prévention grâce à des lunettes anti lumière bleue

"Il n’existe pas vraiment de protection possible, hormis de mettre des filtres entre les sources de lumière et nos yeux", informe le Dr Petra Kunze. Il existe des filtres anti lumière bleue pour les écrans, mais peu répandus.

En France, plusieurs marques proposent depuis peu des verres de "photoprotection sélective", en d’autres termes des lunettes dont les verres présentent un traitement filtrant. Leur principe ? Protéger l'œil des longueurs d'ondes lumineuses toxiques pour la rétine. Ces verres filtrent la lumière bleu-violet mais laissent passer la lumière bleue turquoise, afin de préserver les effets bénéfiques de cette dernière sur la vision et la régulation de l'horloge biologique interne. Ces verres présentent un léger reflet, bien évidemment violet.

Quid de leur efficacité ? "La démonstration de leur efficacité a été faite in vitro et n'est pas quantifiable pour l'homme dans l'état actuel des travaux", indique Jean-Manuel Finot, opticien1. "Ces verres bloquent une partie importante de la lumière parmi les longueurs d'ondes identifiées comme toxiques pour la rétine. On peut donc supposer qu'il y existe une réelle protection des cellules rétiniennes", rajoute le neurobiologiste Pr Serge Picaud.

Lunettes anti lumière bleue : qui est concerné ?

"Toutes les personnes exposées à cette lumière bleu-violet plus de 30 mn par jour pourraient bénéficier de ces lunettes anti lumière bleue", Dr Kunze. Soit presque tout le monde ! "En tout cas, si vous passez la journée devant un écran et surtout si vous aimez marcher à l'extérieur, c'est très recommandé", ajoute l'ophtalmologiste. Le spécialiste conseille en complément de faire des cures de 3 mois de compléments alimentaires pour les yeux à partir de 40 ans (à base de lutéine, vitamine E, zinc, antioxydants...), pour réparer les phototraumatismes.

"Si vous avez des antécédents familiaux de DMLA ou de cataracte, il est très fortement conseillé de se munir de ces verres anti lumière bleue", estime l’opticien Jean-Manuel Finot. Attention toutefois, tous les verres ne se valent pas : les différents modèles existant ne filtrent pas tous le même pourcentage de lumière toxique.

Il n'existe pas de contre-indication au port de ces verres anti lumière bleue. "Le seul facteur limitant est que ces verres empêchent la lumière bleue d’atteindre la rétine en la réfléchissant, ce qui entraîne un reflet résiduel, peu esthétique au goût de certains", souligne Jean-Manuel Finot. Cependant, ces protections oculaires devraient encore faire des progrès à l'avenir. "On peut espérer des verres plus protecteurs", annonce le Pr Picaud dont l'équipe continue à travailler sur ce sujet.

Côté prix, il faut compter entre 35 et 50 euros par verre pour une paire de lunettes filtrant la lumière bleue sans correction, pour les personnes de moins de 40 ans n'ayant aucun problème visuel. Un surcoût par verres dépendra de votre correction si vous avez des lunettes correctives.

Et comme autre piste de protection ? "Dans le futur, il serait utile également que tous les écrans aient des filtres intégrés, tout comme les ampoules", estime l’ophtalmologiste Dr Petra Kunze. Une façon efficace de protéger la vision de toute la population, sans avoir besoin de s'équiper en plus de lunettes

Témoignage de Victoire, 29 ans, journaliste (Paris)

"J'ai 29 ans dont 21-22 ans passés avec des lunettes. J'ai décidé d'acheter des lunettes avec des verres anti lumière bleue il y a deux ans après avoir vu des reportages et fait des recherches sur les dangers de la lumière bleue. Je passe près de 10 heures par jour sur mon ordinateur, sans compter le temps passé sur mon smartphone. En tout, j’ai payé environ 40 euros de plus par verre mais je ne regrette pas cet achat ! Mon confort visuel est inchangé. Mes interlocuteurs voient seulement certaines lumières reflétées en violet sur mes lunettes mais comme avec un antireflet classique. En revanche, depuis que je les utilise, j'ai beaucoup moins de maux de tête et les yeux moins secs qu'auparavant."

Anne-Sophie Glover-Bondeau

doctissimo

You can find older posts regarding ASEAN politics and economics news at SBC blog, and older posts regarding health and healthcare at IIMS blog. I thank you.

Malaysia - Turn hygiene into a culture

A health worker fumigating a residential area in Penang. People must take the threat of dengue and Zika seriously. FILE PIC

25 February 2017

KUDOS to the Terengganu Health Department for its proactive approach in containing the spread of dengue and Zika virus by Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes.

But, the war is not over yet and it never will be until the public adopts hygiene as a way of life. The threat will remain, but will be kept at bay through the efforts of health officers who risk themselves being exposed to mosquito bites.

These workers need to react to any signs of the disease before it reaches an outbreak proportion. They have to continue reminding the people to keep themselves and their surroundings clean to maintain good health.

Starting this month, health officers will be mobilised to step up inspections in urban areas that have been identified as breeding grounds for Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes.

Although in the past 65 days, Terengganu had no cases of dengue and Zika infection, the change in climate conditions, from wet to warm, may trigger an explosion in the mosquito population in small pools of water in discarded containers or in stagnant rainwater.

The Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes have a lifespan of about eight days, but their proliferation may cause an outbreak. This disease is life-threatening and the only time control measures such as fumigation can be carried out is when there is a confirmed case of infection.

Terengganu recorded five deaths with 343 dengue cases in January last year (1,935 cases in 2016), which was a 290 per cent increase compared with 92 cases in the same period in 2015. Dengue fatalities in Terengganu continued to increase last year, and by November, the state had registered its 19th case following the death of a 49-year-old woman from Hiliran Binjai, a sub-urban area in Kuala Terengganu.

She was among four who died due to dengue haemorrhagic fever. With no outbreak in the past four months, it could mean that the eggs of the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes could have been flushed away by the floods during the monsoon season, but some may survive desiccation in concealed containers for several months,

However, State Health Department director Dr Mohamad Omar said while the floods explained why there had been no dengue outbreak for a record period, this did not mean that the mosquito eggs were gone.

Some of the eggs could be trapped in containers and there was no way of controlling the hatching of the larvae, which take less than three days to grow into adult mosquitoes. The authorities will only know if there are dengue and Zika outbreaks when someone is hospitalised and diagnosed with the diseases.

Only then will the Health Department assemble a team to fumigate the area where the victim lives. But, all these costly manoeuvres in organising clean-up exercises and awareness programmes, which involve manpower from the various agencies, can be minimised if people take the threat of dengue and Zika seriously.

Community leaders, especially, can take the lead in organising fortnightly or monthly gotong-royong in areas under their jurisdiction and areas known to record high number of dengue cases with help from local authorities and health officers.

However, it was observed in several campaigns in Kuala Terengganu that some residents became onlookers of clean-up campaigns and “mandors”, while some even took the opportunity to request municipal council workers to clear their clogged drains.

It irked the municipal council workers and health officers who felt ridiculed by the residents, who were mostly from the working class and felt no shame or guilt about the mess they created for others to clean up.

This is the mindset that needs to be changed. It may take a few generations and more deaths before everyone gives priority to prevention than cure. The kindergarten is a good place to inculcate this habit and it must not stop until the child leaves school at 18. The Japanese have done it and they turned hygiene and cleanliness into a culture.

Rosli Zakaria

nst

You can find older posts regarding ASEAN politics and economics news at SBC blog, and older posts regarding health and healthcare at IIMS blog. I thank you.

Vietnam - APEC members hail health agenda set by Việt Nam

The theme of universal health coverage and sustainable development as well as five priority areas for discussion and action set by Viet Nam were praised by APEC delegates yesterday.— VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

February, 25/2017

The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Health Working Group is meeting in n Nha Trang City, Khánh Hòa Province.

Nguyễn Thị Giáng Hương, Director of the Health Ministry’s International Co-operation Department and Vice President of the APEC Health Working Group 2017, said the five areas prioritised by hosts Viet Nam were: updating progress made towards universal health coverage; intensifying the fight against emerging epidemics and antibiotic resistance; strengthening prevention of non-communicable diseases and paying due attention to the health of senior citizens; ensuring sustainable financial mechanisms to develop healthcare; and inserting healthcare into every development policy while reinforcing multi-sectoral co-operation to achieve goals.

A series of forums on policies for the elderly and prevention of non-communicable diseases and antibiotic resistance were highly valued by other APEC members.

The visiting delegates also spoke highly of Việt Nam’s success in preventing and controlling emerging epidemic diseases like SARS, avian flu A-H5N1 and A-H1N1 and Ebola.

This affirmed the important role played by the country’s health sector in the region, they said.

Việt Nam used the forum to learn from other members’ experiences in launching policies and programmes on aging population, antibiotic resistance and non-communicable diseases.

Yesterday’s forum was held within the framework of the first APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting and related meetings underway in Nha Trang.

VNS

You can find older posts regarding ASEAN politics and economics news at SBC blog, and older posts regarding health and healthcare at IIMS blog. I thank you.