In The News: Department of Social and Behavioral Health
Diabetes is a complex disease and has two common types: Type 1, in which pancreatic cells are destroyed by the immune system, necessitating the use of insulin, and Type 2, which usually occurs after age 45 years, in which cells develop insulin resistance. About 10% of Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and Type 2 is more common, affecting 90-95% of diabetics.

Authorities have filed 73 charges, including 50 felonies, against Crystal Scott, who is accused of posing as a nurse and administering insulin to children as young as five. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, which involves at least 12 Clark County School District students.
Sweden’s latest advertising campaign is going big on the health benefits of travel, so big in fact, that it claims travel to the country should be recommended by doctors. Visit Sweden’s ad is of course tongue-in-cheek, but the message that there’s a clear link between travel and well-being is a welcome strategy for those of us in the travel industry.
Sometimes, tea drinkers reach for fresh, grassy green tea (or matcha), while other times they prefer the bold, malty taste of black tea. But one thing remains unchanged: Green tea and black tea are two of the most popular drinks worldwide.
A movement highlighted by a new Sweden tourism ad campaign encourages doctors to prescribe travel for the health benefits of getting out into nature. Several organizations in North America have put the idea into action.
Poultry consumption in the West has long been touted for numerous benefits. These include consuming high-quality proteins, having water-soluble B vitamins with numerous benefits for salutary effects on the brain and metabolism, having several essential minerals that support muscle and bone health, and providing lower-fat options than many other meat products. According to the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 (USDGA), poultry has been defined as all forms of chicken, turkey, duck, geese, guineas, and game birds (e.g., quail and pheasant). These guidelines advocate consuming 100g as a standard portion of poultry and suggest its consumption one to three times a week.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-lasting autoimmune disease, meaning that one’s own immune cells start attacking the joints writes Dr. Manoj Sharma, Professor of Social and Behavioral Health and Internal Medicine,
According to a peer-reviewed journal article published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology (2023), more than 200 million people worldwide take metformin. According to Statista (2024), close to 90 million prescriptions for metformin were recently prescribed in the United States since it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994. This drug is the primary first-line foundational drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Metformin has distinct advantages for treating type 2 diabetes because of its proven effectiveness, low risk of causing low blood sugar levels while on treatment, no adverse effects related to weight gain, a long therapeutic track record of safety, and affordability (low cost).

We’re surrounded by a wave of breakthroughs—AI-driven diagnostics, gene therapies, wearable tech and mRNA vaccines—ushering in what many hail as a golden era of medical progress. But as I’ve learned over years of working alongside policymakers, healthcare professionals, innovators and change-makers, there’s a sobering truth beneath the excitement: Innovation, no matter how transformative, remains a privilege unless it is funded, scaled and equitably distributed.
Recently, in late August 2025, India enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill as a law. This is a great public health victory exhibiting resolute political will against vested profit-making interests in favor of public health and is especially beneficial for the middle class, youth, and women of India. Such policies need to be formulated and implemented by all countries worldwide. India has taken this lead by sheer fortitude shown by the Prime Minister Modi's administration.
India’s parliament has banned online gambling platforms. Of particular concern to the Indian tech industry is the hit to fantasy sports platforms, including popular, homegrown cricket apps. Manoj Sharma, a professor of social and behavioral health at the University of Nevada, tells The World’s Host Marco Werman how the ban gained momentum in the first place: Online gaming losses, he says, have devastated lives for many middle-class Indian families.
On August 22, India passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill.This is a bold move showing determined political will against vested interests in favor of public health and beneficial for the middle class and youth of the nation. This policy needs to be implemented by all countries around the world.