Positive Gossip: Like Kashmir, Fat Fight is never “Dull”

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Jaipur, India – Kashmir is picturesque for shutterbugs. Some capture the serene nature and ‘Dal’ lake, other focus on its bleeding terrains with cross border terror, frenzied stone pelters and defensive Indian forces now in peacekeeping role. Media also picks the picture as it chooses; sale-ability is the bigger criteria for them. After revoking special status of the state and separating Ladakh from the state of Jammu and Kashmir after parliamentary debate, constitutional justification and voting process, the changed scenario will dump temporary dullness once scribes start reporting on development footprints in new union territories who are assured of statehood after normalcy is restored. After all, good health of the state is to be tracked when it is promised to be in safe hands.

Surprisingly, the overall health indicator of Jammu and Kashmir is above the national average on most of the categories, but obesity is a major health challenge that the state is faced with. Nearly 30 percent women and over 20 percent men are overweight in the state. This is staggering. As per Health of Nation’s States report (2017), in India over 35 percent of people above 40 years of age have heart and kidney dysfunction, high Body Mass Index (BMI) and high fasting plasma glucose leading to death and disability. Most of the mentioned health problems are linked with obesity. A book ‘Battling India’s obesity Crisis – Fight with Fat’ by Dr Kamal Mahawar delves deep into health delivery systems in India to point out that 5 percent Indians are suffering from obesity and much larger pool of overweight population is moving toward associated diseases. In stark contrast 200 million Indians with about 20 percent of men and 25 percent of women are underweight too. Meaning, India is harboring half the world’s underweight population. What makes this whole ‘Fat debate’ urgent is the fact that clinically both extreme spectrum of undernourished and over nourished or obese are counted as malnourished because both suffer from nutritional aberration.

So, when we read that India is the third most obese country and on the verge of pandemic, do we raise an alarm for our healthcare systems to address this? Kashmiri doctors have been asking for uninterrupted access to medical services for critical patients in current situation when every nook is on vigil, but generally the state must already be on high alert now for lifestyle anomaly and India must also address this health disorder with extra attention from policy makers and media both.

The myth must be busted that obesity is a disease of the rich or of big cities. I also have my domestic help who is not wealthy but she is obese. I have seen people in low income jobs, including laborers, farmers and vegetable sellers who have both belly and body fat. Clearly, it is not wealth or genes as much as the routine where one consumes more calories than they burn and excess calories in the form of carbohydrate or protein gets deposited as fat in the body. And calories and fat are interlinked.

The belly fat which is a big worry for most will melt down only by consuming fewer calories than required each day, suggests this UK based and India bred doctor who has also written a book ‘Ethical Doctor’ hammering hard on the greed of medical practitioners, practice of commission, forced operations, poor health care and clinical malpractices. He also underlines the importance of traditional cooking practices and food culture. We still have most Indian homes where cooking and eating together is a daily family ritual. It is a means to keep family time enjoyable and add a flavor of happiness after a not so healthy working environment making minds heavy each day and leading to stress induced diseases. We need to drop our weight at any cost, on body and mind both without incurring extra cost on preventive health care. Age old grandma cooking style is preferred, trusted for nutritional value and relished more as on YouTube home recipe videos have viewers in millions. And they are all free.

When Kashmiri Pandits also reminisce about good times before they were displaced from their homes to take refuge in their own country, they recall exchange of food and ‘kehwa’ as part of harmonious living without any religious differences. Food has tied people together, every age, every era. Unhealthy living or lifestyle issues were unheard of. Hearts had strong bonds, families shared values, each one cared for each other, and they spent time with people they loved, laughed heartily and never allowed to erect walls that were impervious to emotions. They dined together but never whined over the differences of any sorts. How then this proverbial ‘Fat’ which people could not consume or break down, deposited on their thoughts and spoiled their lifestyle? This has long been debated and argued upon without outcome. This stalemate needed to be broken, with all risks intact.

Unless we identify obesity as a disease the clinical procedures will remain in cosmetic category. The author of the book refers that United States has classified obesity as a disease and insurance industry is made to pay for it, public health resources are diverted for prevention and treatment. He also recommends food labelling with mandatory display of calorie count as well as carbohydrate, protein and fat contents of food for informed choices.

Makes sense. For our mental and physical wellbeing, healthy food and consumption habits, identifying our healthy weight range and monitoring it closely will help us as much as the manufacturing industry doing innovation to keep tasty food healthy too. Let none of our policy decisions cost us high in future and let our fat fight be fought with the weapons of knowledge, science and traditional wisdom. All Indian states must be mapped for obesity and malnourishment status of its population and shift sharply toward indigenous food, traditional cooking practices and quality family time to deal with it.

Dr Shipra Mathur
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Dr Shipra Mathur is the Consulting Editor.

Academic Background:PhD(Journalism), First candidate in Rajasthan to clearUGC - NETin Journalism year 1997,MJMC(Gold Medal), BJMC -President University Dept Student Union, MA(English Lit),BSc(Bio) – Vice President College Student Union, Diploma (Violin)

Fellowships/Scholarships:IVLP(3 weeks International Visitor’s Leadership Programme invite, US State Department, 2017);Media Strategies for Social Change(3 weeks programme invite Israel Agency for International Development Cooperation – MASHAV, 2013); Sacred Groves (2 year fellow Ministry of Cultural Affairs, 2010)

Action Campaign Editor (National):A unique designation which she chose for herself with role in decision making and breaking glass ceiling. With 20 years in Journalism (half in academia half in active journalism), she is now leading innovative - collaborative solution driven Journalism. Her key role is to plan News Campaigns, innovate for new approaches, take up issues; build linkages for Action and Impact. She has always followed unbeaten track with beginning phase as reporter then founding media departments in university affiliate colleges, later taking crucial role for launching evening newspaper, founding journalist training division of a media house, and now in her most crucial role since 2009 as founder of a division called Media Action Group (MAG) (www.mediaactiongroup.in)in the newspaper group embedded into core editorial. Her focus remains voiceless people, inspirational work, collaborative approach and people engagement to lead with passion and compassion. She has also been reaching out to grassroots people through speeches and her media programmes/platforms to help each of them become Changemaker. She is recipient ofWomen Icon Award – 2015and recentlySriphal Award – 2016for Public Service Journalism andInnovation Award- NIF, 2014. On the board of Amity University (JMC School), SWARAJ grassroots organization and many more.

Consulting Editor: India America Todaywww.indiaamericatoday.com

TV Show(Weekly) conceptualized, named and presented by her#SOULgersfor Patrika Rajasthan TV. This is with a purpose to cover work and philosophy of people who listen to their soul, walk on unbeaten path and work like a soldier.

As resource person had opportunity to share experiences on invitation of FICCI, CII, UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, IIM-A, RMP, ISKON, Artha, Skoll, CSO/VO consultations/ trainings, UNESCO, PLAN International, Govt of India platforms, Print Media Houses (esp Regional Language newspapers) and other discussion forum to propagate the idea of Public Service Journalism and to share about Empathy, Importance of Meaningful Work, Public Education, Collaboration and Change.

She foundedPENmedia foundation to build dialogue for better ways of People’s Engagement with News world. She is also Founder Secretarywww.krishnalimb.comdeeply involved with a cause to support Disabled (amputee animals) by installing Prosthetic (Artificial Limb – KRISHNA Limb) as service (non - profit).www.facebook.com/krishnalimb

Area of WorkShe has done major work for the benefit of the underprivileged, voiceless, marginalized or deprived community. Her major achievements have been in the areas of Right to Education; Democracy Drives during assembly and general elections (won National Media Award by President of India); Civic Engagement for Expression of Development ideas and Initiatives; Street Vendor Policy; Camel Trafficking, Gender Issues including female foeticide (won Gender Media awards for Teams at different editions), Sex Selection (she represented her state before Prime Minister of India’s dialogue with Women Sarpanch (8thMarch 2017 showcasing remarkable improvement in sex ratio), Child Marriage, Female Voices; Inclusion, Empathy and Accessibility for People with Disability, Environment Conservation; Awareness and Access to Ayurveda; Hindu Refugees (Religious Persecution) and Govt Schools among others. Govt School and Gender campaign (engaging more than 200 civil society groups) is closest to her heart with huge impact – policies, mind sets and practices. All these issues have been taken in campaign mode with critical engagement of all the stakeholders. It was always an ecosystem which operated underneath with experts, development sector, social workers, social jurists, active citizens and sometime the actual sufferers or beneficiaries also, which added desired direction and force to all what she undertook. She always took driver’s seat and designed ways, decided nomenclature, planned steps, facilitated engagements, offered slant and edited stories and fanned public movement keeping her teams in the fore front. Now writes only when it boils within and if it at all supports the cause, else invisible force is what she prefers to remain as.

In past 2 years she has built a dialogue forum calledKEYNOTE Idea Festfor Patrika mentoring and curating it for different editions and suggesting/inviting people who have worked with profound sense of commitment and who inspire with their work or thoughts.

Impact Campaigns(her brain child) in past years: Neenv, Ahsaas, Laado, Tabran ro Byaav, Bitiya Bachao, Vision – 2025, Vajood, Bitiya Padhao, Vanshalika Betiyan, Aao Padhayen Sabko Badhayen, Feri Walon par Fanda, Doob Raha Jahaaz, Ayushmaan, Live Park, Gamechangers

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