Smoking Linked to Brain Changes That Can Increase Dementia Risk
A new study has found that smoking may increase the risk of dementia by triggering a chain of biological events that starts in the lungs and ends up damaging brain cells. The findings offer the clearest biological explanation to date for a link that population studies have observed for years without being able to fully explain.
India Undercounts Stillbirths, a Study Finds
A new study has found that India is undercounting stillbirths because a large share of pregnancy losses occur earlier than what official systems record. The research reached this conclusion by examining stillbirths at different stages of pregnancy, rather than counting only those that occur after a fixed point in pregnancy, pointing to a larger global issue in how stillbirths are counted.
Menopause Years Are Key to Preventing Alzheimer’s in Women
A new medical review that brought together evidence from many earlier studies on why women develop Alzheimer’s disease more often than men suggests that the years around menopause may be one of the most important periods for protecting women’s brain health. The findings are widely useful because they can help women reduce that risk.
The Spread of Nipah Virus in India: Should You Be Concerned?
Doctors in eastern India have identified at least five people infected with Nipah virus cases, including doctors and nurses, and nearly one hundred others have been told to isolate themselves at home. One patient is reported to be in critical condition. For many, this raises a basic but serious question, what is this virus, and should they be worried? The short answer is that panic is not necessary, but paying attention is.
Most Indians Die Without the State Verifying a Medical Cause
Nearly 78 percent of all deaths in India occur without any verified medical cause, according to a new report. The state does not know and does not even try to confirm what killed the vast majority of its citizens. The absence of basic data cripples the country’s ability to identify disease patterns, plan healthcare services, or respond to emerging threats.
Sudden Deaths in Young Indians Linked Mostly to Heart Disease
A new research has found that a significant number of young adults in India are dying suddenly, most often due to undetected heart disease, even though many appear healthy and have no known medical conditions. What is concerning is that these deaths frequently occur at home or during routine activities, and in a large share of cases, even detailed autopsies fail to identify a clear cause, leaving families without answers and risks unaddressed.
When Did You Last Check Your Blood Fats? Diabetes May Already Be Taking Hold
A new nationwide health report has revealed something most people don’t see coming. The body begins to show early signs of diabetes long before sugar levels rise. These warning signs are not picked up during routine checks. They lie in fat imbalances in the blood, especially in younger adults who don’t feel sick and may not look unhealthy.
India Faces Alarming Rise in Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, has become one of the fastest growing health threats in India, with over 138 million adults now affected, according to a major new study published in The Lancet. India ranks second only to China in the number of people living with CKD, making it one of the worst-affected countries in a global crisis that has seen total cases more than double since 1990.
Delhi Needs No Balance Between Diwali and the Air It Breathes
Calling it a “balanced” decision between tradition and the environment, Delhi’s Chief Minister welcomed the Supreme Court’s move to allow firecrackers this Diwali, even as the city’s air turned visibly toxic. There is no balance in that. There is evasion, political softness and a confusion between ritual and substance.
India’s Hunger Rate Stands Still as World Hunger Falls
October 16 is World Food Day. On this day, the 2025 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World reports that global hunger has fallen, with 8.2 percent of the world’s population undernourished in 2024, down from 8.7 percent in 2022. But the report also shows that India has made no real progress. The country’s three-year average undernourishment rate for 2022 to 2024 is 12 percent, the same as it was a decade earlier.
Why Do Officials Stay Silent on NCRB Suicide Data?
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has released its 2023 suicide statistics, once again through a quiet website upload with no official briefing, no explanation from any ministry, and no space for scrutiny. This silence demands questioning, as it blocks civil society and the press from holding departments accountable for mounting human tragedies.