72% of Indian urbanites heart-unhealthy
Good cholesterol spells bad news for Mumbaikars. A new survey analyzing risk factors for heart diseases among Indians shows that 54% of Mumbaikars over 30 have low levels of good cholesterol, better known as HDL. Since HDL draws out the body's excess fatty cholesterol molecules and ejects them through the liver, Mumbaikars have a reason to worry.
But it isn't only Mumbai. The survey found that across Indian urban hubs, the number of heart-unhealthy people is high at 72%. "This means 72% of the total respondents had a moderately high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD)," said cardiologist Dr Akshay Mehta from the Asian Heart Institute while releasing the results in the city on Friday.
That is not all. Around 64% of the respondents between 30 and 34 years had more than one elevated risk factor, implying that young India is far from healthy. If one considers the 40-44 age group, the 'at risk' population goes up to almost 80% across the country.
Ahead of the World Heart Day on September 29, experts said the growing epidemic of heart disease among Indians could be traced to two main factors — improper diet and poor activity levels.
"One should eat five servings of vegetables or fruits every day and dedicate 150 minutes for physical activity every week. But Mumbaikars rarely follow this rule," said Dr Saloni Benjamin, chief dietician of the BMCrun Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central.
A new survey released underlined the diet-lifestyle problem among Indians. It said that almost 80% of the respondents in the 40-44 years age group had a very unhealthy diet and lifestyle : they ate fried or fatty food four times a week and worked out once a week.
On the physical activity front, 72% of the respondents in Ahmedabad confessed to doing 15 minutes of exercise less than 4 times a week, thereby exhibiting a sedentary lifestyle. Mumbai, too, fared poorly with only 36% doing exercises more than four times a week. The saying — An apple a day keeps the doctor away —is not enough to get Indians to have their fruits. The study found 94 % Indians failed to take the requisite 3-5 servings every day. Both Mumbai and Delhi were on a par with the national average, but Ahmedabad was worse with 96%of the respondents confessing to staying away from fruits.
"Low consumption of fruits, vegetables and salads and wholegrains, together with low levels of physical activity, affects heart health. This has been observed simultaneously in both the genders and across age groups ,"said D r Benjamin atthe release of the survey's results on Friday.
Dr N O Bansal , who heads the cardiology department of JJ Hospital in Byculla, said Indians have to modify their diet and lifestyle to ensure that their hearts stayed healthy . "We have to stop adopting western diets that are high on fat and sodium ," he said.
Prevention of heart disease , he said , is as simple as consuming only cow's milk, avoiding the yolk of the egg , sticking to lean meat and eating many colourful fruits and vegetables . "Indians have a wrong notion that only a walk in the morning helps . Brisk walking at any time of the day is good exercise . People should at least take up yoga."
Join the MedScape Life project Team and help the people life...........
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/72-of-Indian-urbanites-heart-unhealthy/articleshow/16499117.cms?intenttarget=no
No comments:
Post a Comment