How healthy are Bangaloreans?

It is indeed a disturbing view: Neither the city nor its inhabitants are healthy. The reasons are many, says an expert.

“We don’t have adequate open space compared to western countries. If we compare the green space of Bangalore with that of London or Paris, our city is very congested, and dusty. And it’s getting filthier with every passing day,” says Dr Radheshyam Nayak, medical oncologist with Health Care Global Enterprises (HCG).

Dr Umapathy Panyala, CEO of Apollo Hospital, agrees with him. “If we consider the greenery, Bangalore is good enough compared with many cities.

However, if we are talking about lung space, it is abysmal here. Why do we need pavements if trees are planted on it? There are not many parks where we can go for morning walks either,” he says.

Moving from the city to its residents, one finds that most of them are becoming health conscious, thanks to the penetration of internet. However, this awareness is never seen in action.

“While most of them are taking precautions in time and adopting a healthy lifestyle, food still remains a weak point. Even today, they prefer deep fried food. Their carbohydrates intake is high. They should change their food habits,” says Dr Panyala.

People tend to take it easy when it comes to physical fitness. The young are drawn by the many diet and fitness fads found in magazines and television shows. Although they all want good health and a better body, their habits stand in the way.

“Smoking and binge drinking still remain a fad among city youth. Moreover, their eating habits are deteriorating every day. Hence, there is urgent need for them to adopt our traditional food habits for a better health,” says Dr Nayak.

Bangalore is no longer a healthy city, feels Dr Adithya Shetty, co-founder and head, sports medicine, of the luxury health and fitness club Zela. Dr Shetty has worked with actor Shah Rukh Khan as fitness trainer during the making of the Bollywood film Chak De.

“Considering that most youth have a desk job in this IT capital, the amount of exercise as well as the kind of food they have access to are poor. Lack of exercise, poor dietary habits and mounting stress have led to a rise in the number of lifestyle diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol, obesity etc,” he says.

The state government should ensure good health for the city and its people. “A better municipal function is required. The city needs to retain its greenery with more parks and playgrounds. Health insurance should be provided to all. Moreover, public transport should be strengthened so that the city is less polluted by private vehicles,” says Dr Nayak.

Widening of the roads is the need of the hour. The government should ensure that citizens have enough walking space. Apartments in colonies should rise vertically with enough space left for greenery, Dr Umapathy adds.

“Currently, the government is continuously working on providing basic infrastructure such as footpaths, parks, sanitation, drinking water and more green cover to the city. We believe that the government as well as medical professionals can play an important role in building awareness among citizens about healthier lifestyle. Such education will cover subjects like basic hygiene, individuals’ role in improving their health in terms of nutrition, healthy lifestyle habits etc,” says Dr Shetty.