The Government of India is working on the goal of making the country TB-free by the year 2050. However, several reports indicate that this target may be difficult to achieve given the increasing number of TB cases in the country over the past few years.
A total of 21.42 lakh cases of TB were reported in India in the year 2022, a 13 percent increase in the total TB cases this year. Researchers say the speed with which the number of patients is increasing in the country, can affect the goals of the TB elimination program.
A team of scientists researching how to reduce the risks of TB has found that with the help of nutritional support, the risk of this infection can be reduced in the country. A large trial conducted in the country found that it can help prevent TB and reduce mortality in people who are already infected.
The risk of TB disease can be reduced
The trial, conducted in four districts of Jharkhand between August 2019 and August 2022, found that if nutrition is taken care of, it can reduce the risk of this lung disease.
This study, published in The Lancet Global Health, found that this remedy can help reduce the risk of TB by 48 percent. During the six-month study, TB cases were seen in 122 people in the control group, compared to only 96 people in the intervention group.
Proper nutrition is necessary for TB patients
Members of the intervention group were given nutritional support every month for six months, consisting of 5 kg of rice, 1.5 kg of pigeon pea (arhar dal), and a micronutrient supplement. Apart from this, nutritional support was also given to 2,800 people suffering from TB.
The researchers found that people who got proper nutrition had a significant improvement in their weight and physical condition. Researchers report that weight gain in the first two months after a TB diagnosis can reduce the risk of mortality from TB by 60%.
What do researchers say?
Undernourishment or poor nutritional status can increase the risk of death in TB patients, says Dr. Anurag Bhargava of Yenepoya Medical College, Mangaluru. Malnutrition is one of the main risk factors for TB. Over 40% of new TB patients develop the disease each year due to malnutrition.
Other risk factors such as diabetes, HIV infection, smoking, and alcohol also need to be addressed, this is important in reducing the risks of TB in the country.
Along with treatment, proper nutrition is also necessary.
Earlier studies by NIRT (National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis), Chennai showed that TB patients who weighed less than 35 kg had a mortality rate four times higher than those who weighed more than 45 kg. That is, if patients get proper nutrition along with timely treatment, then it can also help in reducing the complications of TB and its mortality.
(PC: Freepik)
