Bhopal, Apr 6: Our lifestyle is getting changed almost every day which harms our health to a great extent. In place of the traditional roti and rice, we have started eating pizza, fast food and cold drink replaced pure drinking water. How can we expect to be healthy with this sort of eating habits? In fact, the Americans are aware of the health hazards accompanying the pizza and such fast food. They have already christened pizza and other fast food items as 'junk food'. To be healthy, we should change our eating habits.

It has become a matter of concern for us to maintain our health. This is not a problem faced by us Indians alone, but the humankind of the whole world. The World Health Day is being observed on April 7 to discuss and work out a solution to this serious problem. The World Health Organisation was set up in 1948 and it was decided in 1950 to observe April 7 every year as World Health Day. Since then, every year, a new problem is discussed on that day. The World Health Organisation was set up with a view to bring awareness about health. Every nation is concerned about the health problems and introduces several measures to combat them. In our country also, a large number of measures have been introduced so far. Nutritious food is a must to maintain health. For this purpose in mind, the government has introduced supplying of nutritious food to tiny tots in the schools.

Awareness of health among the youth has increased. At the same time it has been noted that the youths have also become careless towards health. Modern lifestyle is the main reason behind this. The children are either busy with the computer playing games or watching TV programmes. They do not like to do any physical work. For eating, they prefer chocolates, ice cream or pizza and any other fast food. In this scenario, how can you expect to maintain health? Earlier, serious diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, Blood pressure, Asthama used to attack you only in the 60s or 70s. These diseases were identified as old age diseases. But these days they have become diseases of the youth.

If you ask the youth, they would immediately say that they have no time to spend some time to keep them fit. In this connection Bhopal Today Team talked to doctors and youths to know their views.

Sultana Khanam, a student said that the competition has become so fierce that nothing could be done systematically. Since most of the day she is outside the home, eating habit has been disturbed. 'I don't get enough time to think of myself due to the busy schedule. Still I am aware of the health problems faced by me and I am trying to be alert'.

What doctors say?

Dr. Sanjay Kumar is a gastrologist agrees that these days people are so busy that it has become extremely difficult for anybody to spare time for himself. People are most of the time under tension. They are forced to change their daily routine. Not able to eat right food at right time. These are some of the reasons for becoming ill frequently. Still there is hope. More people are now aware of the problems but the change is slow.

Dr. Pradeep Chourey says that if you want to be physically fit, you should change your daily routine. Eating of fast food should be reduced if not completely. The children should take physical exercise regularly.

Dr. Puneet Tandon, Histro Pathologist said that it has been observed that the children and youth are suffering from such diseases which should not have been there at their age. Some diseases are due to genetic disorder. But mostly, the diseases are due to the habit of fast food, smoking and drinking, lack of exercise etc. He said he has noticed several complaints of stomach cancer among the youth.

What the youth say?

It was due to lifestyle of these days. Due to busy schedule, sparing time for one's own health is a real problem. Moreover, clean and healthy food is absent from the market. We have accustomed to such a lifestyle. If you don't adopt it, you will be a back-bencher.

Doctors' advice on World Health Day: How to overcome the health problems. It will be a success only if the youth are cooperating.