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Background Health benefits of physical activity measured in terms of metabolic equivalent minutes (MET-minutes per week) have been established. However, factors affecting physical activity, like age, gender, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, particularly in rural communities have not been documented on a large sample. Methods Baseline physical activity data of more than 4000 subjects over 30 years of age, who were enrolled in a randomised community-based study on non-communicable diseases, were analysed. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used and anthropometric measurements were classified according to the MONICA study manual. Three domains of physical activity were measured as MET-minutes per week - activity at work, travel to and from places and recreational activities. Association of MET-minutes with sociodemographic variables and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases was studied. Results Mean MET-minutes per week of females were found to be significantly lower than that of males and decreased with advancing age and higher BMI in both genders. Married persons, normal BMI, normal waist-hip ratio, lower leisure time activity had demonstrated higher MET values (P = 0.000). In our study, the prevalence of inactivity ( 1200. Nearly 50% of the subjects had leisure time ranging from 121 to 240 minutes per day. Conclusion A large majority of adults over 30 years of age in a rural community in Karnataka (96.2%) had very high MET-minutes per week of >1200 per day. Abnormal BMI, higher waist-hip ratio and more leisure time were associated with lower MET-minutes which are modifiable. About 50% had more than 2 hours of leisure time per day. It is recommended that health promotion for active lifestyle should be encouraged.

Smaller health care facilities especially clinics though believed to generate lesser quantum/categories of medical waste, the number of clinics/small health care settings are considerable. The movement to manage biomedical waste in a safe and scientific manner has gathered momentum among the medium and large hospitals in Bangalore, but there has been a little understanding and focus on the smaller health care facilities/clinics in this aspect. It is important to gather evidence regarding the current situation of bio-medical waste (BMW) management and issues in smaller health care settings, so as to expand the safe management to all points of generation in Bangalore and will also help to plan relevant interventional strategies for the same. Hence an exploratory study was conducted to assess the current situation and issues in management of BMW among small health care facilities (sHCF). This cross sectional study was conducted in T. Dasarahalli (ward number 15) under Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) of Bangalore. Data was collected from a convenient sample of 35 nursing homes (

Reports of increasing rates of cancer of the corpus uteri in several countries prompted this analysis of time trends. This study reports the trends in the incidence rate of cancer of the corpus uteri in Indian women. The data published in Cancer Incidence in Five Continents for various Indian registries for different periods and/or publication by the individual registries served as the source material. The mean annual percentage change in the incidence rates was computed using the relative difference between two time periods (latest and furthermost) and estimation of annual percentage change (EAPC) was also computed by the Poisson regression model. In 1998-2005, the incidence rate of cancer of the corpus uteri [age standardized rate (ASR)], was highest in Delhi and lowest in Pune and Imphal West (4.4 and 0.0 per 100,000 woman-years, respectively). The incidence rate in most of the registries between the two time periods showed an increase with few exceptions. Estimation of EAPC carried out in Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore PBCRs for the period 1983-2002 showed statistically significant increases in crude rate, ASR, and age-specific incidence rates (ASIR). The largest EAPC in ASR was in Bangalore (6.4%) and the smallest in Chennai (1.8%). Incidence trends for cancer of the corpus uteri appeared to result from an increase in the prevalence of risk factors and in improvement in diagnostic procedures. Most cancer of the corpus uteri is environmental in origin. Limiting fat consumption and avoiding excess energy intake may result in some reduction in the incidence of cancer of the corpus uteri.

Background: Bengaluru, in India has more than 1148 practicing dentists for a population of 8.42 million. The amount and type of dental health care waste (DHCW) generated by the dental practitioners has to be assessed prior to chalking out and implementation of an effective DCHW management plan. Currently, there is no evidence available regarding the quantity, type, and method of disposal adopted by these practitioners. Hence, this study was conducted with the objective of estimating the quantity of DHCW by the private dental practitioners in Bengaluru city. Materials and Methods: The sample size was estimated to be 110. The sampling frame was constituted from the registered dental practitioners in Bengaluru with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Karnataka. Sampling strategy employed included a probability proportional sampling strategy for the four zones in Bengaluru followed by a simple random sampling of clinics from each zone. Standardized weight method was followed to estimate the quantity of different category of waste. Three data collectors who were trained and calibrated collected the information regarding the type and quantity of waste generated, the nature of practice and years of establishment. Results: Total quantity of waste generated was 0.161 kg/clinic/day with 0.130 kg and 0.026 kg of infectious and recyclables, respectively. The projected data for the actual number of private practices in Bengaluru city showed alarming figures of 41,535 kg and 8307 kg of infectious and recyclable waste being generated every year. Data also showed poor management practices of lead foil and plaster of paris and alarming figures projected annual quantity. Conclusion: The data demonstrated large quantities of hazardous waste generation and poor segregation practices of the practitioners. This warrants the immediate need for collective, voluntary measures to be initiated for appropriate and effective management of DHCW.

Purpose: To assess the status of baby friendly hospital initiative in selected teaching hospitals in Bangalore. Methods: Implementation of Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in two selected teaching hospitals in Bangalore, South India was assessed through a cross sectional study where post natal mothers and staff in charge of postnatal wards were interviewed using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire, and also direct inspection of hospital was done using a check list. Results: Early initiation of breast feeding was seen only in 12% and 10% of mothers in government hospital and private hospital respectively. Practice of giving colostrums was found to be better in government hospital (p

The objective was to analyse time trends of rectal cancer for the Indian population by gender, year of diagnosis, and age. Published data for Indian registries were obtained from "Cancer Incidence in Five Continents" and /or individual Indian registries for different time periods. Mean annual percentage change (MAPC) in incidence rates for seven Indian registries was computed using relative difference between two time periods (earliest and latest) and estimation of annual percentage change (EAPC) was computed for three registries by log-linear regression model using SAS version 8.1. The age standardized incidence rate (ASR) of rectal cancer during 2004-2006 ranged from 0.0 to 5.0 per 100,000 population with a male preponderance in most Indian registries. Among males, excepting for the Southern cities, all other registries revealed a decreasing trend/no change in the MAPC both in crude incidence rate (CR) and ASR. However, in females, an increase in MAPC in CR was noted in several registries. Statistically significant increase in EAPC in CR was observed in all the three registries ranging from 1.45% to 3.99% in males while in females the increase was 1.13% in Mumbai and 1.76% in Bangalore. Further studies are required to understand these changing trends and factors that operate in the aetiology of rectal cancer in the Indian scenario. Higher incidence in males indicates the need for greater attention to understand the causes of gender disparities.