Hyderabad techies turn a blind eye to hazards of smoking: Study

HYDERABAD: People employed in IT industry in Hyderabad, on an average, smoke around 1,600 cigarettes per year per person, increasing their chances of getting deadly Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD).

Various studies in India and worldwide, also cited in the World Health Organisation (WHO) report titled 'NCDs and development', point that prevalence of NCD is usually lower among educated population.

 

However, IT employees, most of whom are at least graduates, might be ruining their fair chance at staying healthy by taking up smoking.

As per WHO, around six million deaths across the world are due to tobacco consumption.

A first-of-its-kind study done in Hyderabad involving 675 people employed at 12 IT companies sprang some important facts.

While the study showed that on an average 4.62 cigarettes were smoked per day, speaking to researchers who conducted the study revealed that in specific cases it went up to even 15 a day, and a majority of them smoked around 7-12 cigarettes per day.

While smoking is high, regular physical activity is low, the study found. It shows around 33 per cent of IT employees regularly exercised, and this percentage mostly comprises women. Around 20 per cent



employees did not exercise at all.

COs can take initiative

Prakash Babu Kodali, who conducted the study and is a faculty member at School of Medicine and Public Health, Central University of Kerala said, "IT companies can play an important role in promoting healthy lifestyle. It is was observed during the study that approach towards lifestyle was healthier among employees of companies which promote physical activities at work."

Positive trend

A positive trend the study found was that with increase in age, there was an increase in frequency of doing exercise. While it was seen that around 24 per cent of those aged between 20-30 years were involved in regular physical activity, it was 43 per cent among those aged 31-40 which increased to 75 per cent among the 41-50 year olds. No such relation was seen between age and smoking.

Better early than late

Dr Vishwanath Gella, Consultant Interventional Pulmonologist at a corporate hospital, said, "Any number of cigarettes smoked per day, even one, is dangerous."

"Quitting smoking is beneficial at any age but it's always better to quit early. Usually if one smokes till the age of 35-40, the lungs get permanently damaged, the pulmonologist added.