Ozempic works by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which suppresses hunger and regulates blood sugar levels. All semaglutide medications work like that. These drugs are great for those trying to shed extra pounds in their body, however, there's a catch. All of these blockbuster weight loss drugs are synthetic and not sustainable in the long run. But wait, what if I told you that researchers have found a component in your everyday breakfast that can do just the same?

Beta-Glucan And Gut Microbiome

Comparing Different Types Of Fiber

Researchers also tested several types of dietary fibre, including dextrin, pectin, resistant starch, and cellulose. However, none of these fibres showed the same impact on weight reduction or fat loss as beta-glucan, despite significantly altering the gut microbiome. "We know that fibre is important and beneficial; the problem is that there are so many different types of fibre," explained Frank Duca, a biomedical scientist from the University of Arizona. The study aimed to determine which type of fibre is most effective for weight loss and glucose regulation, providing valuable insights for consumers and the agricultural industry.

Understanding Dietary Fiber

Dietary fibre is a plant-based nutrient found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It serves as the primary energy source for beneficial gut bacteria, playing a vital role in digestive health. Despite its importance, less than 5 per cent of people in the US consume the recommended 25–30 grams of fibre per day. A high-fiber diet is known to be protective against weight gain. Foods rich in fibre tend to have lower energy density, meaning they provide fewer calories per gram of food. This allows individuals to consume the same volume of food while reducing their caloric intake. Additionally, fibre-rich foods are often bulky and filling, promoting satiety.

Soluble fibre, such as beta-glucan, forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, slowing stomach emptying and extending the feeling of fullness. This delayed digestion also results in a slower absorption of sugars, helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels and prevent insulin spikes, which have been linked to obesity and an increased risk of diabetes.

Even as climate change is driving mosquitoes north, a new study warned that Europe and North America can be new hotspots for the chikungunya virus.

Alarmingly, the research indicated that 139 countries face risk, covering 21.26 per cent of global land area for chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease.

Further, the findings published in the journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology suggest that climate-driven vector expansion has significantly broadened the geographic scope of the CHIKV threat.

“We show that under climate change models, the virus will further expand northward into temperate regions, especially northeastern North America, central Europe, and East Asia,” said Dr Ye Xu, from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China.

Chikungunya is a viral illness transmitted to humans primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.

How Climate Is Linked To Mosquito Behavior?

Also Read: Climate Change Fueled Rising Salmonella Drug Resistance Over Decades: The Lancet Study

As the primary vectors of chikungunya, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are highly influenced by climate conditions.

These mosquitoes thrive in warm and humid environments, with temperature playing a major role in their breeding, survival, and ability to spread the virus.

The rising temperatures can accelerate larval development, increase mosquito reproduction, and shorten the virus’s incubation period inside the mosquito, making transmission more efficient.

In the study, the researchers explained that stable temperature patterns and seasonal variations are especially important for Aedes aegypti. The species is highly sensitive to colder temperatures, with egg hatching rates dropping significantly at around 12°C. This limits how far the mosquito can spread into cooler regions.

However, climate change and warming temperatures are making previously unsuitable regions in Europe and North America more favorable for these mosquito species, raising concerns about the growing risk of chikungunya outbreaks, the team said.

“Because this mosquito can tolerate cooler conditions better than the yellow fever mosquito, warming may allow it to establish in places that used to be too cold,” said Dr Yang Wu, Guangzhou Customs Technology Center, China.

“When suitable mosquitoes become established, the chance of local chikungunya transmission increases.”

Global Chikungunya Cases

Read More: 16 Million Indians Die Due To Hypertension Every Year: AIIMS Doc

In 2025, there were 502,264 reported chikungunya cases globally, accounting for 186 deaths across 41 countries and territories, according to the Pan American Health Organization.

This disease burden is projected to escalate under climate change, which is profoundly altering the distribution patterns of infectious diseases, the researchers noted.

“The public does not need to panic, but health systems should prepare early,” warned Dr Xu.

The researchers recommended that these regions implement proactive entomological surveillance and adaptive public health infrastructure by 2040 to mitigate the threat of emerging arboviral epidemics.

Among the proposed measures, researchers include

• tracking mosquitoes,
• training healthcare workers to quickly recognise the virus,
• strengthening mosquito control,
• setting up rapid-response plans before outbreaks occur.

Chikungunya Symptoms You Should Know

Most symptoms are generally self-limiting and last for 2–3 days. The disease is characterized by

• an abrupt onset of fever,
• joint pain
• muscle pain,
• headache,
• nausea,
• fatigue
• rash.

In recent times, there has been a noticeable increase in heart-related risks among Indians in their 20s. In the past, heart disease was mainly a problem of old age, but the changing lifestyles, poor eating habits, and rising stress levels have changed this trend. This has increased the number of doctors recommending a calcium heart scan also called a coronary calcium scan, even for young adults.

What Is A Calcium Heart Scan?

A calcium heart scan is a quick painless imaging test that checks for calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. These deposits are one of the earliest signs of atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaque builds up inside the arteries and restricts the flow of blood.

The significance of this test is that it can uncover hidden risk even before symptoms such as chest pain and breathlessness appear.

Why Young Indians Are At Higher Risk

Young Indians face multiple risk factors today. Sedentary lifestyles long working hours also lack of physical activity, smoking and increased intake of processed foods are major contributors. Ailments like diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension are also being seen at a much younger age.

Family history also matters a lot especially in the Indian population who are genetically more prone to early heart disease.

The worry is that many young people seem healthy on routine tests but may still have silent plaque build-up. This is where a calcium score is useful. The higher the score, the more likely you are to have future heart problems, and doctors can take early steps to prevent them such as lifestyle changes or medication.

Why Early Screening Matters

Another important point is that heart attacks in young Indians are often more sudden and severe. This makes early screening all the more important. Calcium heart scans don’t replace your routine check-up, but they do provide an extra level of insight in helping to identify hidden cardiovascular risk.

This scan is not about instilling fear but about early awareness and prevention. Heart disease if found early can often be controlled or prevented. This small step can help to protect young adults with risk factors for long term heart health.

(By Dr. Surendra Nath Khanna, Chairperson, Adult Cardiac Surgery & Heart - Lung Transplant at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram).

Climate change caused a 10 per cent global increase in Salmonella antibiotic resistance genes between 1940 and 2023, according to the first-of-its-kind study published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal today.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is mainly driven by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, which allows resistant bacteria to survive and spread.

However, rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns can influence how bacteria survive, mutate, and spread, potentially increasing the exchange of antibiotic resistance genes.

“The accumulated evidence suggests that climate change is an accelerating force behind the global spread of antimicrobial resistance,” the study authors wrote in the paper.

What Are The Findings?

The study provides supporting evidence that AMR doesn’t just increase steadily as temperatures rise, but that the number of resistance genes changes over time in a more complicated way, depending on both temperature and rainfall. This suggests that environmental changes can speed up how bacteria adapt to antibiotics.

“These findings reinforce the idea that climate change alters microbial ecological stability and accelerates resistance evolution across human, animal, and environmental reservoirs," said the global researchers.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The current study analyzed the genomes of more than 480,000 Salmonella samples from 139 countries, collected between 1940 and 2023, and compared levels of antibiotic resistance genes with changes in average temperature and rainfall over time.

Of the total, 82 per cent of countries saw increases in antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella, with the strongest climate-associated increases occurring in the Middle East and North Africa, followed by South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

While the study shows a link between climate change and antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella, it does not prove that climate change directly causes the increase.

The study also used a model to predict the change in antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella by 2100 under different climate emissions scenarios.

The model suggests that if countries meet low-emission climate targets and strengthen efforts to use antibiotics responsibly, levels of resistance genes could be 24% lower than under the highest-emission scenario. However, they caution that these projections, as with all models, involve uncertainty.

The researchers stressed the need to consider climate change when monitoring and addressing AMR. They add that stronger climate action, alongside responsible antibiotic use and improved disease surveillance across humans, animals, and the environment, will be important in limiting the future spread of AMR.

What Is Salmonella?

As per the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis. It can be spread by food handlers who do not wash their hands and/or the surfaces and tools they use between food preparation steps. It can also happen when people consume uncooked and raw food. Salmonella can also spread from animals to people.

Common symptoms of Salmonella include

• diarrhea,
• fever,
• stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria.

Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.