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Improving access to new age medicines for obesity and diabetes over the next few years would be a key enabler for the growth of the domestic pharmaceutical industry, according to Sun Pharma Managing Director Kirti Ganorkar. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are drugs that treat type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar, and obesity by regulating insulin production. India, known for its generic drug industry, is rapidly transforming into a major hub for the global weight management industry, amid rapid increase in obesity-led disease burden. "Improving access to GLP-1 treatments in the coming years will be a key driver for the Indian pharmaceutical industry, helping address the growing burden of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes," Ganorkar told PTI. Combined with AI-enabled digital tools for early disease detection and monitoring, and personalised medicine choices, the industry will continue to drive innovation that supports accessibility, affordability, and ..
Cancer cases linked with obesity, previously observed as rising among the youth, could also be increasing in both young and older adults worldwide, according to a global analysis. Researchers from The Institute of Cancer Research and Imperial College London cautioned that new studies focusing solely on younger adults for rise in cancer cases should be carefully considered. The study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, which examined annual cancer incidence from 2003 to 2017 found that five obesity-related cancers -- thyroid, breast, kidney, endometrial, and blood (leukaemia) -- have risen in both adults aged 2049 and those 50 and older. All the five cancers are related to obesity, the team said. The data from 42 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America, and Australasia drawn from the International Agency for Research on Cancer's 'GLOBOCAN' database was analysed. Rates of cancer incidence were found to have increased among younger adults in
Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje called for collective efforts to combat obesity. She said, "Many people appear thin on the outside, but they have internal fat, which is more dangerous." Raje, while speaking at a programme, said obesity is becoming an epidemic worldwide and that the effort to curb it should not be the responsibility of politicians alone, but of everyone. She mentioned that she ensures her weight does not increase and follows regular exercise, intermittent fasting, etc., to maintain her health. She also stated that over a billion people worldwide suffer from obesity. "Losing weight is not the end goal but the beginning of a healthy and energetic life," she said. Raje highlighted that nearly 15 per cent of children in India are overweight, making it necessary to educate children about proper nutrition, similar to the practices in Japan.