What’s Causing A 300 Percent Increase In Cancer Cases In India?

Cancer rates have increased a lot in India in the last two years. The economic distress of the previous 2-3 years may have had a critical role to play in this, by causing a change in the dietary pattern for a lot of people.

An article in Times of India today shows that there has been a massive 300% increase in cancer cases detected at public hospitals. Even accounting for the increased number of investigations, this is a 50-100% increase in just 2 years.

Tobacco use, by gutkha, bidis and cigarettes would be a major cause, but have they also contributed to the increase? That’s unlikely because tobacco use has probably not gone up a lot in the last 2 years?

Air pollution will be a significant contributor. The air pollution across the northern plains has been particularly harmful in the last 2-4 years, and would be responsible for many cancers. This could be leading to a part of the increase.

Then there is the indiscriminate use of pesticides by farmers and traders. Often, illegal chemicals are used, and usually in illegally high doses. This could see an increase this year due to the extended monsoon and erratic rain patterns. Humidity is a significant source and cause of the pests that these people try to destroy.

The most significant contributor may be the abdominal obesity epidemic we are seeing, combined with toxicity from standard kitchen practices. People are eating enormous quantities of carbohydrates and sugars. They are also exposed to toxicity from heated/oxidised cheap vegetable oils. The rates of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancers are galloping ahead as a result. 

The economic stress in India of the last 2-3 years is sure to have increased the consumption of cheap grain, sugar and potatoes, and reduced the use of expensive vegetables, beans, pulses, dairy, meat and fish. This would cause a considerable increase in factors leading to lifestyle disease, including cancer.

Read the Times of India Article Here: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cancer-cases-rise-by-over-300-in-1-year/articleshow/71872746.cms