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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2022 | Volume
: 18
| Issue : 4 | Page : 105 |
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Catch them young (or rather not)
Unnikrishnan Menon
Executive Editor, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences,
| Date of Submission | 14-Feb-2023 |
| Date of Acceptance | 14-Feb-2023 |
| Date of Web Publication | 20-Feb-2023 |
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Unnikrishnan Menon
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/AMJM.AMJM_3_23
How to cite this article:
Menon U. Catch them young (or rather not). Amrita J Med 2022;18:105 |
“Catch ‘em young”, is a catchphrase that intends to convey the benefits of initiating good practices in humans at an early age. As with all such intentions, the bad often follows the good. The present Issue has two articles that convey a warning message about the detrimental effects on our youth, of two practices seen in society.
Sports is something that is encouraged amongst the young ones, whether children or adolescents. The benefits need not be listed here. But what if sport itself becomes a vehicle for something that is harmful? That is by way of tobacco advertisements promoting sports events! A review article looks at the various ways in which tobacco companies target the populace, especially adolescents. As the author notes, “adolescent smoking is more likely to start as a result of tobacco advertising and promotion, which might result in a rise in the number of adult smokers in the future.” The article is an eye-opener at the subtle ways in which tobacco companies sell their products, bypassing or using loopholes in the laws to prevent such misuse. Along with the warning note, it also details the various methods in which legislation can be strengthened to weed out this menace in our society that threatens to “catch the young ones” for a potentially lifelong malaise.
Internet and the world wide web have opened up vistas that were once unthinkable. Information at one’s fingertips, access to endless repositories of knowledge, online education – the advantages of this fascinating facility of the modern era are endless. Yet again, the major beneficiaries are the young ones, especially adolescents. Sadly, yet again, this useful tool also has become a pathway to many forms of ill health. An original research work has looked at the prevalence of a modern day malady viz. “Internet Gaming Disorder” (IGD) amongst students of various engineering colleges in Ernakulam district. Although limited in scope in terms of the population studied and the tool used, the study manages to uncover the fact that all is not well with the adolescent sitting at his/her computer, apparently engrossed in some online game. This helps to sound an important warning note about the potential for IGD to become a serious maladaptive condition amongst our youth in the days ahead. Worrisome is the fact that, as compared to tobacco use, this one is rather more invisible, and likely to cause sinister mental health issues.
So, wake up, parents, teachers, and of course, adolescents, be aware of these threats to your health. Stay healthy, stay safe. I am happy that research is focusing on these issues, and feel a sense of satisfaction that the present Issue of AJM is highlighting these. May these be of benefit to society at large.
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