Liberalization, globalization and the dynamics of democracy in India

In the closing decades of the twentieth century there has been an almost complete intellectual triumph of the twin principles of marketization (understood here as referring to the liberalization of domestic markets and freer international mobility of goods, services, financial capital and perhaps, more arguably, labour) and democratization . A paradigm shift of this extent and magnitude would not have occurred in the absence of some broad consensus among policymakers and (sections of) intellectuals around the globe on the desirability of such a change. There seems to be a two-fold causal nexus between marketization and democracy. The first is more direct, stemming from the fact of both systems sharing certain values and attitudes in common. But there is also a second more indirect chain from marketization to democracy, which is predicated via three sub-chains (i) from marketization to growth, (ii) from growth to overall material development welfare and (iii) from material development to social welfare and democracy. We examine each of these sub-links in detail with a view to obtaining a greater understanding of the hypothesized role of free markets in promoting democracies. In the later part of the paper we examine the socio-economic outcomes governing the quality of democracy in a specifically Indian context

Nasruddin and the Coin

Many problems can be solved through following clinical guidelines and algorithms. In this essay, however, I explore the importance of narrative by connecting an ancient Middle Eastern teaching fable to a contemporary story of healing. A middle-aged Latina, Magdalena, comes to my residency clinic with chronic hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, and depression. Using standard biomedical approaches, I attempt to manage and cure these chronic conditions. After several months of failure, I seek the guidance of an eccentric mentor, who points me toward broader and deeper interactions with my patient. Ultimately, Magdalena heals herself through revisiting her past. Her story suggests that the cause of illness may sometimes be found outside the usual biomedical framework of explanation

Store owners as potential agents of change: energy drinks in the interior of Alaska

Childhood obesity disproportionately impacts disadvantaged communities, including Alaska Native children. In part, lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables and over consumption of sugar sweetened beverages including energy drinks contribute to excessive weight gain in Alaska Native youth. This commentary reports the possibility of storeowners and workers partnering with community members to limit sales of nutrient-poor energy drinks through point-of-sale counselling in rural communities in the interior of Alaska. This model of intervention may be useful to implement in areas where there are limited health workers or others that can serve as health educators. This study reports preliminary evidence from rural Alaska and from other Arctic communities that store workers may effectively improve community health status by limiting or promoting specific products. Storeowners or workers may be helpful partners in the fight against childhood obesity as they are present at the point of sale of high-risk beverages to Alaska Native youth

First Nations Approaches to Childhood Obesity: Healthy Lifestyles in Canada Compared with Alternatives for Alaska Native Communities

Alaska Native and American Indian children have among the highest prevalence of obesity in the United States. Canadian Aboriginal populations including First Nations also have high rates of obesity but obesity rates among children are noticeably lower. We highlight some of the important differences between American and Canadian approaches to healthy lifestyles and Aboriginal/Native health, including diet and physical activity, which may in part explain the differences in obesity prevalence. Specifically, the Canadian government provides a food subsidy program to bring perishable fruits and vegetable to remote, rural Canadian areas and secondly supports the use of traditional foods and harvesting/gathering through a number of government supported programs. Lastly, there may be a better sense of community and overall life satisfaction for Aboriginals compared with Alaska Natives, in part because of the incorporation of healthcare and other services within the larger overall community, as opposed to separate services as is the case for Alaska Natives. This perspective provides insight into some of these potential differences

Beverage consumption in an Alaska Native village: a mixed-methods study of behaviour, attitudes and access

Background: American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have the highest prevalence of obesity for any racial/ethnic group. Previous studies examining risk factors for obesity have identified excessive sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and inadequate water consumption as major risk factors for this population group. The historical scarcity of water in rural Alaska may explain consumption patterns including reliance on SSBs and other packaged drinks. Methods: Our study was designed to assess SSB, water and other beverage consumption and attitudes towards consumption in Alaska Native children and adults residing in rural Alaska. During summer 2014, 2 focus groups were conducted employing community members in a small rural village more than 200 air miles west of Fairbanks, Alaska. Interviews were completed with shop owners, Early Head Start and Head Start program instructors (n=7). SSB and total beverage intakes were measured using a modified version of the BEVQ-15, (n=69). Results: High rates of SSB consumption (defined as sweetened juice beverages, soda, sweet tea, energy drink or sports drinks) and low rates of water consumption were reported for all age groups in the village. All adolescents and 81% of children reported drinking SSBs at least once per week in the last month, and 48% of adolescents and 29% of younger children reported daily consumption. Fifty-two per cent of adults reported consuming SSBs at least once per week and 20% reported daily consumption. Twenty-five per cent of adolescents reported never drinking water in the past month, and 19% of younger children and 21% of adults did not consume water daily. Conclusion: Alaska Native children and adults living in the Interior Alaska consume high amounts of SSBs including energy drinks and insufficient amounts of water. Interventions targeting beverage consumption are urgently needed for the Alaska Native population in rural Alaska

Risk Factors for Obesity at Age 3 in Alaskan Children, Including the Role of Beverage Consumption: Results from Alaska PRAMS 2005-2006 and Its Three-Year Follow-Up Survey, CUBS, 2008-2009

<div><p>Background</p><p>Prenatal and early life risk factors are associated with childhood obesity. Alaska Native children have one of the highest prevalences of childhood obesity of all US racial/ethnic groups.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) and the follow-up survey at 3 years of age (CUBS), we evaluated health, behavioral, lifestyle and nutritional variables in relation to obesity (95th percentile for body mass index (BMI)) at 3 years of age. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted using Stata 12.0 to evaluate independent risk factors for obesity in non-Native and Alaska Native children.</p><p>Results</p><p>We found an obesity prevalence of 24.9% in all Alaskan and 42.2% in Alaska Native 3 year olds. Among Alaska Native children, obesity prevalence was highest in the Northern/Southwest part of the state (51.6%, 95%CI (42.6-60.5)). Independent predictive factors for obesity at age 3 years in Alaska non-Native children were low income (<$10,000 in the year before the child was born (OR 3.94, 95%CI 1.22--17.03) and maternal pre-pregnancy obesity (OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.01-4.01) and longer duration of breastfeeding was protective (OR 0.95, 95%CI 0.91-0.995). Among Alaska Native children, predictive factors were witnessing domestic violence/abuse as a 3 year-old (OR 2.28, 95%CI 1.17-7.60). Among obese Alaska Native children, there was an increased daily consumption of energy dense beverages in the Northern/Southwest region of the state, which may explain higher rates of obesity in this part of the state.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The high prevalence of obesity in Alaska Native children may be explained by differences in lifestyle patterns and food consumption in certain parts of the state, specifically the Northern/Southwest region, which have higher consumption of energy dense beverages.</p></div

Percent Obese at Age 3 (≥95^th percentile) by Maternal Prenatal/ Postnatal Health Variables and Infant Feeding/Delivery Variables.

<p>Percent Obese at Age 3 (≥95^th percentile) by Maternal Prenatal/ Postnatal Health Variables and Infant Feeding/Delivery Variables.</p

Percent Obese at Age 3 (≥95^th percentile) by Psychosocial Variables, Dietary Intake and Lifestyle Variables.

<p>Percent Obese at Age 3 (≥95^th percentile) by Psychosocial Variables, Dietary Intake and Lifestyle Variables.</p

Percent Obese at Age 3 (≥95^th percentile) by Maternal Socio-demographic Variables.

<p>Percent Obese at Age 3 (≥95^th percentile) by Maternal Socio-demographic Variables.</p