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Lifestyle diseases on the rise

Burn what you eat, says doctors to people on World Heart Day

Hyderabad: Thirty per cent of deaths these days are due to cardio-vascular diseases because of increasingly changing lifestyle, stress and transition in diet, leading to a surge of non-communicable diseases, said experts for World Heart Day, which is observed on September 29.

They say that the problem of cardio-vascular diseases is increasing not only in the urban areas but also in rural areas as the level of physical activity has reduced drastically.

A recent survey found that ischemic heart diseases and strokes account for mortality rates of nearly 31 per cent in rural areas in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. With over 200 stent operations done per day in both private and government hospitals in the city, clogged arteries are becoming a cause of worry. By-pass surgeries are recorded at 1,500 per month in private hospitals.

Instances of heart attacks in men before the age of 45 years have risen to comprises 15 per cent, indicating an urgent need for changes in lifestyle and for people to understand the need to be fit.

Read: Doctors say 30 minutes of physical activity must to lead a healthy life

Dr Manoj Agarwal, senior consultant interventional cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals said, “Burn what you eat. This can best be done by carrying out physical activities at home and at the work place. There is a need to move and walk around so that all the muscles of the body are active. If it is a sitting job, walk for five minutes after every hour. Take a 15-minute break after two hours and walk around the office. The problem is that there is a high intake of rich, fatty food but there is no method to burn the same.”

Recent researches have come up with alarming statistics wherein one-fifth of young men aged 30 to 34 years already have advanced deposits of fat in their coronary artery, making them prone to heart attacks and strokes.

Dr Sai Sudhakar, senior interventional cardiologist at Global Hospitals said, “Men are more than twice as likely to be affected by cardio-vascular diseases than women of the same age. The reason could be that women work both at home and offices, hence there is physical activity involved, which helps them. It is very important to educate parents to inculcate the proper food habits in their children at an early age. Healthy options like fruits, vegetables and cereals must be encouraged and fast foods must be only once in a while affair. Parents must also ensure that their children play outdoor games, which will help them to build their stamina and stay fit. An active child will be a healthy adult.”

( Source : dc correspondent )
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