74% urban Indians at risk of heart disease: Study

Chennai: Changing lifestyle pattern, coupled with lack of physical exercise has put 74 per cent of urban Indians at risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVD), a recent study has revealed.

The study, jointly conducted by Saffola Life and Indian Public Health Association across 22 cities over the last two years, has found that 72 per cent of women in the 40-44 age-group are at high risk of heart ailments, compared to 57 per cent in the 30-34 age group. Noted cardiologist Professor Muthuvel Somasundaram, who is one of the members of the research team, said the reason behind the increase of heart-related risks was lack of physical exercise, improper food practices and smoking. The study was released ahead of the World Heart Day on September 29, he said. Somasundaram said the research has found that 59 per cent of people between the age group of 30-49 years have high risk levels of cholesterol, while an additional 61 per cent in the 30-49 year age group are with dangerously low levels of HDL cholesterol. In the 30-34 age group, 96 per cent of those who were taking medication for controlling blood pressure were at high risk of developing CVDs, he said. Somasundaram said the number of cardiovascular disease related deaths was projected to reach 25,84,000 by 2020 from 11,75,000 in 1990, with a majority of them in the 30-44 years age group. The study also said one in six persons smoked and most of them belonged to the younger age group. Somasundaram also said Chennai has emerged as the `Diabetes capital` with 17 per cent of Chennai people suffering from the disease, closely followed by Hyderabad and Bangalore with 16 per cent each. PTI