‘Improper diet a cause for heart diseases’

Link:http://www.thehindu.com/2009/12/21/stories/2009122156390200.htm
Shyama Rajagopal
After 30 years of research in cardio-vascular diseases, especially heart diseases, top researchers believe that simple things in life can make a lot of difference. Salim Yusuf, a top researcher in the field based in Canada, said that a diet that is lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables and high on fats (animal) and salt and lack of proper exercise have tilted the world’s epidemic from communicable diseases in the first half of the 20th century to heart diseases in the second half.

“Even among vegetarians, there is least consumption of leafy vegetables,” said Dr. Yusuf, who is professor of medicine and director of the Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University.

Smoking

Smoking stands out as one of the biggest causes for heart attacks across the world, said Dr. Yusuf. Keith Fox, president of the British Cardiovascular Society, said that within two-three years of a ban on smoking in public places introduced in Ireland and Scotland, asthma cases reported at various hospitals there showed a considerable decline. There was a 17 per cent decrease in coronary artery diseases too, he said, quoting from a study published in New England Journal.

Both the top researchers were in Kochi as international faculty participating in the recently concluded 61st annual conference of the Cardiological Society of India.

Other causes
The inter-heart study also found that abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and diabetes were the other prominent causes for heart diseases.

Another ongoing study has indicated high levels of disease causing factors in the sample population of 4,000 taken from Varkala and Thiruvananthapuram, said Dr. Yusuf, who hails from Kochi.