Enjoying the fruits of economic growth and riding the development wave has its flip side too. That seems to be largely the case in India today, where rapid progress has also led to an increase in lifestyle diseases in people. This is precisely what the former science editor of an English daily, Dinesh C Sharma’s second book “Know Your Heart” (KYH) — published by Harper Collins — delves into and points out how it is approaching epidemic proportions.
The author had worked for many years in different media organisations covering science, technology, health, environment among other fields. Reporting regularly as a scribe in the decade of 2000 about the emergence of lifestyle diseases, Dinesh says, “That was the starting when it was being perceived as a major threat and I experienced several cases in my immediate family, neighbourhood and among friends and colleagues.” The preface mentions that the writer’s elder brother suffered a massive heart attack. “This has always remained in the back of my mind,” he adds.
“The doctors had been advising those afflicted to eat healthy food, stop tobacco consumption, and exercise regularly— the basic dos and don’ts. The World Health Organisation too had been drawing attention to its different reports on the subject. Being aware of lifestyle changes over the years and the remarkable developments in the healthcare sector, I found that the problem still persisted. It is then I decided to get to the root of it,” says Dinesh. “The book is an attempt to explore the unseen connections between heart disease and the policies that impact the risk factors.”
Started in 2008, KYH was completed in 2013 and is infused with a plethora of health reports, research and data collected by the writer from different sources, thereby showing the hidden links between the State policies, corporate greed and the health of heart. “I already had statistics by virtue of attending press conferences, seminars, meetings, etc. On deciding to pen the book, I actively gathered more information through books, journals, internet and interviewing several experts in the subject, to supplement and complement it,” says the writer. An example in the narrative that an estimated 30 million Indians suffer from coronary heart disease and three million die of it every year, gives a rude shock.
“My idea was to explore the changes in the physical and food environment which occurred post-liberalisation,” says Dinesh but adds, “I do not blame the process, since it has brought about several appreciable alterations, like availability of a large variety of products and goods, increase in income, etc.” The emergent problems coupled with faulty policies adopted by the Government in the form of promotion of processed food sector, tobacco industry and lack of proper planning of the urban areas have converted it into an epic proportion.
“We need to recognise that we need to do something extra to overcome and offset the adverse impact of economic growth. You cannot tell the people not to aspire for goods but we need corrective steps.” He cites the example of promotion of cycling and creation of city centres free of cars, like in the West.
The author says the book is targeted at policymakers to make them draft and implement healthy policies. “The general public through this book can become aware of the actual problem and take up the issues collectively at a community level,” says Dinesh.
