A tribute to nutrio-diabetologist; Shanti S. Rastogi MBBS, MD, FRCP, FICN, FICC

Dr. Shanti Swarup Rastogi Fig. (1) who pioneered the Diet and Lifestyle guidelines of India was a staunch and steadfast friend who believed in the warmth of friendship. Dr. Rastogi gave his all love to those who were his friends and hence he was affectionately called Nawab Sahib. Once I (RBS) found him worried, because he was of the opinion that his son Dr. Sharad was not that liberal with his friends. He wanted him to be liberal and to be called at least Chhote Nawab by his friends. He was a shining light that guided us with his extraordinary enthusiasm and he would never say NO to anything. He was a visionary with ‘nutriological ideas’ and his work, ethos and energy were exemplary.In the last three decades, Dr. Rastogi co-authored approximately 200 research papers including some important classical articles that have been published in world-class journals. He presented these views in national and international conferences such as those held in Canada, UK, Japan, USA, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and in many other countries. We missed him in the 17th World Congress on Clinical Nutrition, Sofia, Bulgaria in which he was unable to preside due to aplastic anemia from which he was suffering for the past year. I posed the question with him; “Can drug eluting stents cause this illness” because another doctor friend with similar stents also developed aplastic anemia. We also humourously posed another question, “Why did you stop making the platelets”; his answer was, “because it is platelets which caused thrombosis resulting in heart attack”. Cardiologists asked him not to take aspirin to prevent stent thrombosis which he had about a year ago. The association of aplastic anemia with stents needs further studies

Sofia declaration for prevention of cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a scientific statement of the International College of Cardiology and International College of Nutrition

Background: There has been persistent emphasis from various health agencies including United Nations on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and other chronic diseases. This review focusses on the emergence of CVDs and other chronic diseases as well as on modern strategies for their prevention. Methods: A systematic and narrative review was conducted using such reference databases as MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and EBSCO, with additional secondary sources and grey literature searching. Opinions of experts were also sought and discussions followed. Results: The prevalence of primary risk factors for most chronic diseases is rapidly increasing in low and middle income populations due to the on-going economic development and progress. There is a decrease in such risk factors in the developed countries as due to education and adoption of preventive strategies result in a reduction in CVD mortality. Hypertension (5-10%), type 2 diabetes (3- 5%) and CAD (3-4%) are very low in the adult rural populations of India, China, and in the African subcontinent which has less economic development. It seems that it is not poverty, but the lack of health education, possibly due to ineffective policies of national and local governments. In urban and immigrant populations of India and China, which are economically better off, NCDs are significantly higher than they are in some of the highincome populations. Health education and promotion of healthier lifestyle and behaviour appear to be important for prevention in such countries. Conclusion: These findings may require modification of the existing American and European guidelines, proposed for the prevention of CVDs and other chronic diseases, in highincome populations