Advertisement

Instead of blaming faulty genes for cardiovascular or heart diseases, people should blame their pot bellies. Experts say more than genes, it is how you live your life that puts you at risk of heart diseases and strokes.

"Over 90 per cent of heart disease depends on how we live our lives, our stresses, what we eat and how active we are," Dr Salim Yusuf, Professor of Cardiology at the McMaster University, Hamilton, On- tario, Canada, said.

Dr Yusuf headed the INTERHEART Study, which followed 28,000 participants from 52 countries and found that more than where you were born, what you did or how old you were, 90 per cent of first heart attacks could be attributed to nine risk factors. "These factors are smoking, an abnormal ratio of good and bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal obesity, stress, not enough fruits and vegetables in the daily diet and a lack of daily exercise. Modest alcohol consumption - three-to-four drinks a week - has been determined to be a preventative measure," Yusuf, who is India for the 13th Annual Symposium of the Ranbaxy Science Foundation, said.

What puts Indians at higher risk is fat distribution. "A Canadian study of four ethnic groups - South Asians, Chinese, aboriginal populations and Caucasians - showed that for the same level of body mass (weight), south Asians had more body fat.

Since Asians also accumulate fat around their abdomens that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, factors such as controlling weight become very important," Dr Yusuf said.

So Indians better watch what their diet and step on the treadmill. "A study of villagers in Navasari near Surat and those who had migrated to the UK showed that lifestyle changes related to affluence associated with migration caused their weight to increase by 20 per cent," Professor Kennedy Cruickshank, University of Manchester, UK, who led the study.

Smoking also went up among the first-generation migrants, which put them at higher cardiovascular risk. "Indians think they have a healthy diet because they are vegetarian, but the diet is often wrong. Heart-protecting good cholesterol is associated with a high protein diet, while low levels are due to lack of exercise and a high carbohydrate diet," Dr Yusuf said.

Indians at risk

A Canadian study of four ethnic groups - south Asians, Chinese, aboriginal populations and caucasians - sowed that for the same level of body mass (weight), south Asians had more body fat. Since Asians also accumulate fat around their abdomens that increases risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
 
Risk factors
Smoking, an abnormal ratio of good and bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal obesity, stress, lack of daily consumption of fruits and vegetables and sedentary lifestyle.

Drink to this
Modest alcohol consumption (three-to-four drinks weekly) is said to be a preventative measure.