Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9600
ISSN: 2155-9600
James Joseph
God��?s Own Food Solutions Pvt Ltd, India
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nutr Food Sci
For 60 years since its founding, Kerala took pride as the number one State in the country on life expectancy, receiving praise from world renowned global health expert, Professor Hans Rosling. He puts Kerala ahead of Washington DC on Human Health Index at a fraction of per capita income. However lifestyle diseases like diabetes is now in the order of an epidemic in the state reducing the life expectancy of our adult population above the age group of 30. For the first time Kerala lost out its number one position on life expectancy to Jammu and Kashmir due to an alarming drop in life expectancy after the age of 30 compared to J&K as per 2010 -14 census Data. Root cause of our problem with Diabetes and Lifestyle diseases is the rapid increase of starch in our diet over the past 60 years through rice, wheat and tubers like cassava. Through years of policy interventions we were able to make starch more affordable but the over correction is now hurting our health than helping it. In order for Kerala to get back and retain our number one position in life expectancy, we have to cut back our starch consumption from half a plate to a quarter and increase consumption of our grossly underutilized green jackfruits. This talk will scientifically explain why one of Kerala’s oldest traditions of eating green jackfruit as a meal is the perfect plate for diabetes and lifestyle diseases. Speaker will present results from the first glycemic research conducted on green jackfruit at Sydney University, first randomized control trial on green jackfruit meal showing reduction in HbA1c and finally will show new empirical evidence on a dramatic drop in diabetes medicine sales in Kerala during the first jackfruit season after it was elevated as the State’s Official Fruit. Will make a case to further elevate Kerala’s State Fruit as State Food for Lifestyle Diseases.
James Joseph is the author of the best seller “God’s Own Office - How One Man Worked for A Global Giant from His Village in Kerala” published by Penguin Books and released by Shri Oommen Chandy then Chief Minister of Kerala on October 8th, 2014. Malayalam translation of the best seller got published by Manorama Books and released by Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-Founder of Infosys in October 2015. He has a Masters in Engineering Business Management from University of Warwick, UK and has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram. He pioneering research helped Kerala government to elevate Jackfruit as its official State fruit.
E-mail: jamesjoseph@hotmail.com