ALKOHOL , does this have bad consequences ?

WE RAISE a glass to celebrate, sip wine to unwind, knock back a few beers while catching up with friends. Alcohol plays a central role in socialising in many cultures, especially at this time of year. In December, consumption is 41 per cent higher in the UK than during the other months.

Yet the warm glow of a holiday tipple may be tempered by a growing awareness of alcohol’s harms. Drinking can increase your risk of cancer, stroke and liver disease. It exacerbates the harms of smoking, can undermine your immune system, impair your judgement and make you more likely to have risky sex, injure yourself or hurt someone else. Each year, alcohol-related crime costs the UK a whopping £11 billion, and the country’s National Health Service spends £3.5 billion treating alcohol-related medical issues. That’s not to mention the £7.3 billion hangover in lost workdays.

So far, so clear. Booze is bad. But what about the steady trickle of findings that suggest, in moderate amounts, it may have some benefits? There is the seductive story of red wine staving off dementia, and the finding that regular drinking decreases your risk of heart disease and premature death. Do these stories stand up? In other words, can we really raise a glass to our health?

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Obesity Around the World Continues to Rise

A new medical report has found out that the number of obese people around the world has increased by 600% over the past 40 years. The report says that about 12% of the world's population suffers from obesity. Within the next decade 20% of the world's population will be overweight.

The report is based on the body mass index (BMI) , the relationship between height and weight. A normal, healthy person has a BMI of between 20 and 25.  People with a BMI of over 30 are considered to be obese.

It is no surprise that most of the world's obese people live in the wealthy countries of the world. Six countries - the US, Britain, Ireland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand account for a fifth of the world's obese people. China and the United States have the highest number of obese in the world. In contrast, the poorest countries have the lowest number of overweight people. In southern Asia and southeastern Asia, for example, 25% of the population are underweight.

Having too many overweight people puts an enormous financial burden on our health system, through rising costs for medication, doctors and hospitals.

Medical experts point out that obesity cannot be treated  with medication and exercise alone. It is also important to change your diet and consume less fatty food and sugary drinks. We also need to  eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce the intake of processed food.

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