Breastfeeding can cut child deaths, save Rs 4k crore per year
https://archive.is/N5jgd
The Lancet study found that cognitive losses associated with "not'' breastfeeding, which impact earning potential, amount to $302 billion worldwide annually. Extensive marketing by formula makers remains a big barrier to increase the number of breastfed children. Low and middle-income countries lose more than $70 billion annually, while high-income countries lose more than $230 billion annually due to low rates of breastfeeding.
The health benefits extend to the mother as well, with reductions in risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Based on all the existing research and according to new estimates created for this report, rise in breastfeeding could prevent extra 20,000 deaths from breast cancer each year globally. For India, considering the 7% protection provided by breastfeeding, it translates to preventing 4,915 deaths annually out of 70,000 deaths that occur now.
India has estimated obesity of 20% and breastfeeding provides 26% protection. Increasing breastfeeding could therefore provide 5.2 % reduction in obesity. This could be a useful addition to the effort towards control of non-communicable diseases.
India has a national law - Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act - that has placed restrictions on sales of milk substitutes. However, there has been very little awareness created on the benefits of breastfeeding over the years.
https://archive.is/APlX5
Sex ratio worsens in small families, improves with 3 or more children
This, says Kulkarni, indicates a strengthening of the mentality of son preference that is driving the whole calculus.
Sex-selective abortions, with all the legal fencing, are still prevalent and may be used to determine the first and especially second births. The overall sex ratio is primarily affected by such illegal practices and not by sex selective stopping. The Census data also gives the number of surviving children for each type of family. This throws up an unexpected finding - the gap between survival rates of boys and girls is closing.
https://archive.is/Kv18G
The importance of being amorous: Why Valentine's Day, kissing and PDA mean revolution in India
More young Indians are realising it's ok to love and live - and more young Indians are asking why it's not ok to let live. That is possibly, despite chubby teddies and weird perfume, the greatest gift of Valuntyne Day.
https://archive.is/732wE
Centre okays Rs 4,000 crore for 7 drought-hit states
https://archive.is/1vln8
India third most disaster prone in 2015: UN report
https://archive.is/DXk0a