Health Matters | When nutrition calls the shots

This week, either by design or by accident, we wound up writing a lot about the importance of nutrition, the availability of adequate nutrition, the role of nutrition in health care recovery, support programmes by State governments, and a bit of history too, thrown into the mix. Not only is nutrition crucial for healthy living, it stands to reason that recovery from ill health is also facilitated by making sure the patient gets an appropriate and nutritious diet. If you have wondered, hypothetically or with serious concern because of the situation at home, if there is a ‘too much screen time’ limit for children and if so, what would be a safe viewing time, this story is for you: Aroon Deep and Sreeparna Chakraborty note that experts say that while very young children up to six years of age should mostly be kept away from screens, a more nuanced approach can be considered for older children based on when and what they engage with online. In other stories, Abhinay Lakshman reports that Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda called on experts and doctors to dispel negative notions in tribal people over screening blood for sickle-cell disease, and Zubeda Hamid speaks to Dr. Rajib Dasgupta for The Hindu’s In Focus podcast about One Health - an approach that recognises that the health of humans, animals, plants and their environment is interconnected, and a unified approach, across multiple sectors to tackle public health challenges, is necessary. Tamil Nadu Doctors flag issue of vacant posts after Minister’s action following inspection, reports Serena Josephine M. Coimbatore’s potential to maximise medical tourism hinges on vital interventions, say specialists.