Better nutrition can cut risk of TB deaths by 60%, Indian study finds

Large-scale field trials that provided healthy food packages to sufferers and their families showed radical reductions in fatalities

Infectious, deadly and long associated with poverty, tuberculosis causes weight loss, while poor diets increase the likelihood of developing the disease. Now, a study in India has found that improved nutrition can cut the risk of death by 60% and reduce the chances of infection within families by about 40%.

India has the highest burden of TB and TB deaths globally and has launched an ambitious plan to reduce incidence and death rates by 80% and 90% respectively by 2025.