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The Star
5 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Tunku Azizah wins acar buah competition
Compiled by CHARLES RAMENDRAN, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN ATTENDEES of the recent Pahang Women's Institute Carnival were in awe when the winner of the acar buah (spiced fruit pickle) competition was announced. Up against 10 other participants, Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Almarhum Sultan Iskandar emerged the winner of the competition, which she secretly participated under the pseudonym Aminah Mahmood, Utusan Malaysia reported. Participants were required to prepare their dishes at home before submitting their entries at the event. Her Royal Highness kept her identity hidden from both the judges and fellow contestants. The competition chief judge, 74-year-old Siti Rokiah Lebai Rahmat, was emotionally overwhelmed when the true identity of the winner was revealed. 'In all my 39 years as a food judge, I have never tested Her Royal Highness' dishes. 'Our judging is solely based on the quality and extraordinary taste of a dish. 'The gravy of the acar prepared by Her Royal Highness was thick but not oily. Every slice of fruit was well marinated with balanced flavours and spices. 'It was so special and appetising,' she said. The Tengku Ampuan Pahang, who is known for her passion for traditional cuisine and culinary arts, said the pickle recipe was what she usually prepared for her family. > A study revealed that cases of mental illness have surged by 70% in Asean countries over the past 35 years, affecting more than 80 million people. According to Berita Harian , the study, which was published in The Lancet Public Health, also revealed that the rise was mainly among teenagers aged between 15 and 19. It also revealed that the number of smokers in Asean countries rose by 63% in the same period, with 137 million people currently in the habit. The study found that smoking-related diseases was the cause of 11% of deaths in the region. Singapore recorded the lowest mortality at 70 deaths for every 100,000 men while Cambodia the highest at 350 deaths. The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
Business Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Business Times
South-east Asia sees near 150% rise in heart disease, study shows
THE number of people with cardiovascular disease has surged by 148% in South-east Asia over the past three decades, with the condition becoming the region's leading cause of death, new research has found. In 2021, 37 million people in the region had cardiovascular disease, and 1.7 million died from it. The findings by researchers at Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and the National University of Singapore are based on analysis of health data between 1990 and 2021 drawn from the 10 South-east Asian countries in the Asean bloc. The results, published this week in a special edition of The Lancet Public Health dedicated to the region, throw the spotlight on the growing burden on public health, including cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, smoking and road injuries. The main reasons contributing to cardiovascular disease were high systolic blood pressure, dietary risks, air pollution, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and smoking. The ageing population in the region is also contributing to the big jump in case numbers, said Marie Ng, the lead author and affiliate associate professor at IHME and associate professor at NUS. 'Without immediate action from each of the countries, these preventable health conditions will worsen, causing more death and disability across Asean,' said Ng, who has sought proper resource allocation from governments. It is worth noting that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the incidence of deaths from cardiovascular disease rose more than predicted, and that a separate study from 2023 flagged the risk of cardiovascular disease in children born to mothers infected with Covid during pregnancy. The new study in The Lancet Public Health also found that more than 80 million people in Asean have major mental disorders – a figure 70 per cent higher than in 1990. Going y age brackets, 15- to 19-year-olds registered the steepest climb in numbers, at nearly 11 per cent. Here are excerpts of other key findings:
Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Hearing aids could help reduce falls among older adults, results from clinical trial suggest
New Delhi: Providing hearing aids to older adults, along with counselling their families, were found to reduce falls by nearly 30 per cent over a three-year period, according to a study published in The Lancet Public Health journal. Falls -- a leading cause of injury and major health concern among the elderlies -- have been linked with hearing loss, among other factors, including a decline in physiological responses, mobility and cognitive skills. Researchers, including those from Edinburgh Napier University, UK, provided hearing aids and counselling to family members of half of 977 adults in the US, aged 70-84, with untreated hearing loss and without substantial cognitive impairment. The other half -- 487 participants -- were the 'control group' and given health education. Results from the 'ACHIEVE' trial revealed that the average number of falls over three years among those receiving hearing interventions -- hearing aids and counselling -- was 1.45, compared to 1.98 in the control group. "The intervention group had a 27 per cent reduction in the mean number of falls over three years compared with the control group," the authors wrote. The team said that evidence from previous studies that examined the link between using hearing aids and falls has been contradictory. The ACHIEVE trial is the "first large-scale" randomised control trial that has explored the potential effect of hearing intervention on falls, the researchers said. Findings from the trial suggest that hearing aids and counselling may reduce falls among older adults with hearing loss, even as further research is required to examine the longer-term effects of hearing intervention on falls. A study, published in 'The Evidence' journal in March 2024, found that prevalence of falls among older adults in India (aged 60 and above) was 11.43 per cent. Data of 28,710 participants from the Longitudinal Aging Study of India (LASI), collected during 2017-2019, was analysed. The study attributed the risk of falling to chronic conditions, such as diseases of bones and joints, and vision problems. Self-reported poor health emerged as a strong predictor for falls, emphasising the interplay of physical health and self-perception in risk of falling, it said. Further, women were found to be at a 31 per cent higher risk of falling, compared to men.
Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
South-east Asia sees near 150 per cent rise in heart disease, study shows
A total 37 million people in South-east Asia suffered from cardiovascular disease in 2021 and 1.7 million died from it. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO The number of people with cardiovascular disease surged by 148 per cent in South-east Asia over the past three decades, with the condition becoming the region's leading cause of mortality and morbidity, according to new research. A total 37 million people in the region suffered from cardiovascular disease in 2021 and 1.7 million died from it. The findings by researchers at Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IMHE) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) are based on analysis of health data between 1990 and 2021 from 10 South-east Asian countries that make up the Asean bloc. The results, published this week in a special edition of The Lancet Public Health dedicated to the region, highlight the growing burden of public health, including cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, smoking and road injuries. The main reasons contributing to cardiovascular disease were high systolic blood pressure, dietary risks, air pollution, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and tobacco use. The aging population in the region also contributes to the big jump in case numbers, according to Dr Marie Ng , the lead author and affiliate associate professor at IMHE and associate professor at NUS. 'Without immediate action from each of the countries, these preventable health conditions will worsen causing more death and disability across Asean,' said Prof Ng, who sought proper resource allocation from governments. It is worth noting that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the incidence of deaths due to cardiovascular disease rose more than predicted and a separate study from 2023 flagged the risk of increase in cardiovascular disease in children born to mothers infected with Covid during pregnancy. The latest study published in The Lancet Public Health found that more than 80 million people in Asean suffered from major mental disorders, 70 per cent higher than in 1990. A closer look by age showed 15 to 19-year-olds had the steepest climb in prevalence at nearly 11 per cent. Here are excerpts of other key findings: Smoking remains a major public health concern. Since 1990, the number of smokers in every Asean country has increased, and the total number jumped by 63 per cent to 137 million, although the smoking prevalence has declined. Tobacco smoking accounted for about 11 per cent of all-cause mortality across the region, with the death rate varied from less than 70 per 100,000 males in developed Singapore to more than five times higher in Cambodia. Injuries killed hundreds of thousands of people in 2021 across South-east Asia, with road accidents being the leading cause in most countries, followed by falls, self-harm, drowning and interpersonal violence. Road injuries were particularly severe in Thailand, where 30 deaths per 100,000 people were reported in 2021. The global average death rate is 15 per 100,000. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Research reveals that around 740,000 global deaths from suicide occur each year - one death every 43 seconds
Shocking recent research has revealed that around 740,000 suicides are being recorded each year. This frighteningly makes as average of one suicide every 43 seconds. This revelation is the latest work conducted by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington's School of Medicine in Seattle. In order to find this disturbing statistic, researchers analysed data from the Global Burden of Disease according to region, country, year, age, sex and suicide by firearm. The data was collected from between 1990 to 2021 and the research found that in the last three decades, the global age-standardized mortality rate for suicide declined by nearly 40 per cent. This drop is equivalent to nine deaths per 100,000 compared to a previous 15 deaths per 100,000. This drop indicates that invention and prevention is working. READ MORE: Ex-gang member bit taxi driver's face in violent robbery down dead-end lane READ MORE: Donald Trump denies he's going to Moscow to meet 'pal' Vladimir Putin For women, the rate dropped by over 50 per cent, however the decline was only 34 per cent in men. In terms of regions, East Asia had the largest decline in rate by 66 per cent, while China recorded the biggest drop in the region. While these significant numbers seem to be encouraging, the latest work published in The Lancet Public Health shows that the rate of decline is not universal. Four regions recorded increases in suicide rate for both sexes, with Central Latin America having a increase of 39 per cent. More startlingly however, was that Mexico reported a stomach churning 123 per cent increase in suicide rate for females alone. High-income North America registered a seven per cent increase, with females rates in the U.S. having a 23 per cent increase. In 2021, suicide was ranked 21st in the global causes of death for both sexes combined, with the highest mortality rates from suicide being from Eastern Europe, Southern sub-Saharan Africa and Centra sub-Saharan Africa. For men alone, suicide was the 19th most common cause of death, with it being more common in Eastern Europe. For women, it was 27th with South Asia taking the top spot. Dr Mohsen Naghavi said: "While the progress made in declining suicide rates is encouraging, it is clear that suicide continues to impact some countries and populations more than others. Removing suicide stigma and barriers to access mental health support systems remain critical measures, particularly among people with mental and substance abuse disorders." Previous studies have shown that the most common reasons to commit suicide are being a victim of violence, sexual assault and childhood trauma. Poverty and social deprivation have also been previously linked to the increasing level of suicide. In terms of men and women, the research has shown that man are more than twice as likely to die from suicide, but females are 49 per cent more likely to attempt it. This translates to the mortality rate for suicide in men being 12.8 per 100,000 population, whereas for women is it 5.8 per 100,000. Additionally, it was found that every minute four men and six women are needing inpatient treatment due to suicide attempts. Project officer Emily Rosenblad said: "Men tend to choose more violent and lethal methods of suicide such as guns, while women are more likely to choose less fatal means such as poisoning and overdosing, which have a higher survival rate". The study found that suicide prevention is most effective when communities work together through awareness, intervention and support systems. For anyone needing support, it is advised that you talk to loved ones around you as well as contacting a helpline such as Samaritans or NHS 111.
