Physical activity and risk of coronary heart disease in India.

Background: Physical exercise has been inversely associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in Western populations; however, the association has not been examined in India where physical inactivity levels in urban areas are now comparable with the West.

Methods: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study and collected data from 350 cases of acute myocardial infarction and 700 controls matched on age, gender, and hospital in New Delhi and Bangalore. We used conditional logistic regression to control for the matching and other risk factors.

Relation of serial changes in childhood body-mass index to impaired glucose tolerance in young adulthood.

Background: The risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus is increased in people who have low birth weights and who subsequently become obese as adults. Whether their obesity originates in childhood and, if so, at what age are unknown. Understanding the origin of obesity may be especially important in developing countries, where type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing yet public health messages still focus on reducing childhood "undernutrition.

Cardiovascular disease and the global tobacco epidemic: a wake-up call for cardiologists.

The global tobacco epidemic continues unabated with the recruitment of young people, including women, to join the ranks of smokers. Even though cardiovascular diseases account for some of the major tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, cardiologists and their professional societies have lagged behind in the crusade against tobacco. A great opportunity exists for more involvement and leadership role by cardiologists, especially in countries where tobacco control efforts are not well established.

Cardiovascular diseases in the developing countries: dimensions, determinants, dynamics and directions for public health action.

The global burden of disease due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is escalating, principally due to a sharp rise in the developing countries which are experiencing rapid health transition. Contributory causes include: demographic shifts with altered population age profiles; lifestyle changes due to recent urbanisation, delayed industrialisation and overpowering globalisation; probable effects of foetal undernutrition on adult susceptibility to vascular disease and possible gene-environment interactions influencing ethnic diversity. Altered diets and diminished physical activity are critical factors contributing to the acceleration of CVD epidemics, along with tobacco use.

Tobacco and alcohol use outcomes of a school-based intervention in New Delhi.

Objective: To reduce tobacco use among adolescents.

Methods: Thirty schools in New Delhi, India, were randomly assigned to 3 conditions: school-based and family-based intervention, school-based intervention only, or control group. Students were in the seventh grade at pretest (N = 4,776).