Awareness programmes to mark World Heart Day

Today, September 30 is World Heart Day. To mark the event, the Sri Lanka Heart Association (SLHA) together with Unilever's Flora and MTV is promoting the theme 'Make peace with your heart'.

The campaign which attempts to create awareness will kick off with a short health walk which will start at 7.30 a.m. from the Right Lawn of the BMICH. The walk will continue to Borella junction and back to BMICH and culminate in a Heart Health Lifestyle Fair which will enable participants to learn about 'how to live a preventive lifestyle'.

The fair will feature all the elements required for a healthy lifestyle and will offer participants free heart health checks, heart health tips and educational sessions by renowned doctors and cardiologists from key hospitals. The Lifestyle Fair will also have a range of interesting stalls showcasing gym equipment and demonstrations on the proper use of exercise machines, health food stalls, easy to fix health food recipes and several other activities related to keeping the heart healthy, all in a fun environment.

In the face of disturbing statistics related to heart disease, public support for the cause of heart health is critical. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Sri Lanka with 10 recorded deaths each day - of which seven are found to have contracted heart disease due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Heart disease and stroke are also the world's largest killer, claiming 17.5 million lives a year - 80% in low- and middle-income countries. Alarmingly, the numbers have shown an upward trend over the years.

Heart disease and stroke arelargely preventable if the main risk factors, including high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol and blood glucose, use of tobacco, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight and obesity and physical inactivity are reduced. The key to achieving these results is awareness and education.

The Heart Health Campaign launched by the Sri Lanka Heart Association (SLHA) together with Unilever's spread brand Flora and MTV is focused on creating awareness of how simple preventive measures and lifestyle changes lead to a healthy heart. The current trend in Sri Lanka is for people to take note only after they are affected by a heart ailment. For more information about World Heart Day 2007, visit www.worldheartday.com