“Town planning should have open space focusing health aspect”

By Vikas Vaidya

“The city’s town planning should have open space focusing health aspect. The town planning of respective cities should be made in a such way that open spaces should be created where people can exercise, have a healthy walk or children can play,” pointed Dr Prashant Jagtap, Interventional Cardiologist of Wockhardt Hospital.
Dr Jagtap said, “There should be lobbying for creating places where recreational activities can be conducted. There should be place where there can be green space for children to play. Lack of planning have ill-impact on people. The proper planning can create healthy atmosphere ultimately helping citizens to get healthy lifestyle.”
According to Dr Jagtap not only addiction but societal factors influence heart attack. In Japan due to cohesion, and social equality, incidences of heart diseases are very less. In countries like Russia and others which were part of USSR, socio-economic inequality created after the split of USSR. There is surge in heart attack cases in these countries, added Dr Jagtap.
Males are more prone to heart attack as far as job aspect is concerned. Many of the males are not satisfied in their respective jobs that increases stress level in them and there are chances that they might suffer from heart attack.
Dr Jagtap said, “In fact, heart disease is actually the number one killer of women, causing one in three female deaths. It is vital that women learn the truth about their cardiovascular disease risk and take action to protect themselves and their family. Secondly elderly people who are heart patients can also take precautions which can enable them to lead longer healthy life if they should not stop consuming medicines without consulting doctors.”
Heart disease begins when a child attains an age of 15 years. Obesse children are likely to remain obesse into their adulthood inviting troubles like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, strokes). Healthy children lead to healthy adults, healthy adults lead to health family and society. Parents should become role models for their wards so that they should not become prone to heart ailments, says Dr Prashant Jagtap.
Dr Jagtap pointed out that this year’s theme is focussing on a life-course approach to the prevention and control of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with a focus on women and children because healthy children lead to healthy adults and healthy adults lead to healthy families and communities.
Dr Jagtap said, “As far as heart ailment is concerned we should follow three things-- one is say no to tobacco, encourage healthy diet and encourage physical activity.”

Parents should be role model

Dr Prashant Jagtap warned, “It is important, how parents can be a role model for their wards. In the sense generally child observes its parents, their lifestyle and adopt the same. If either of the parents is in any kind of ill-habit, then the child may get addicted to it leading to so many diseases. Parents should educate the children on the risks of tobacco. They should be encouraged to physical activity.”

Send children out to play

Present generation has become habitual of spending time watching Television, playing computer games and video games. Dr Jagtap advised, “As a family you should eat together. Eating together makes members of family consume proper diet. Communication on dinner table makes family healthy. Emphasize should be given on children’s play. In our family we don’t ask children to play because of which obesity in childhood is on rise. They should play more. In most of the homes children don’t play games, especially outdoor ones which is very dangerous. This sedentary lifestyle makes children obesse.”

Nine risk factors to prevent heart attacks

Dr Prashant Joshi, Head, Department of Medicine, Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH)Our research the INTERHEART study published inn the prestigious JAMA -  Journal of American Medical Association shows that the following  9 Interheart risk factors account for 90% of risk of heart attacks even in Indians. Controlling these 9 risk factors would prevent 90% of Heart attacks
These risk factors are: High cholesterol, Tobacco use or cigarette and beedi smoking, Diabetes, Hypertension, Lack of exercise or physical activity, Lack of intake of fruits and vegetables, Psychosocial stress, Abdominal obesity, Alcohol intake
Prevention should begin before birth in the fetus. Good maternal nutrition is crucial for birth of a normal weight baby. Low birth weight babies have higher chances of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, since under-nutrition during pregnancy results in 'irreversible in utero programming of the fetus" in which the fetus is adapted physiologically  to survive under nutrition.

Educate women about CVD risk

Dr Mukund Deshpande, Head, Department of Cardiology, Super Speciality Hospital said, “Educate women about their CVD risk (heart disease is the number one killer of women), and encourage them to take action to protect themselves, as well as their family. Educate people that the threat of heart disease can begin even before birth, and that children’s risk increases during childhood with their exposure to risk factors such as unhealthy diet or exposure to tobacco smoke. Unless action is taken to enable heart-healthy activity, the children of today are at increased CVD risk later in life.”