Improved CHD death rates threatened by rising obesity
Death rates from coronary heart disease in the UK are falling but this trend is threatened by increasing levels of obesity, according to new research published by the British
Heart Foundation to mark “heart week” which ends on 13 June.
The BHF research shows that the number of people living with CHD is increasing.
Heart disease has now been diagnosed in 12 per cent of the population
compared with 7 per cent in 1989. Prescriptions for drugs to treat heart
disease have increased from 162 million in 2002 to 180 million in 2003,
which is three and a half times as many as 1983.
Although the number of people who are living with CHD has increased,
fewer people are dying from it. In 2002, 117,500 people died of CHD compared
with 121,000 in 2001. Despite this fall, the UK mortality rate from CHD
is still one of the highest in Western Europe. Now the BHF says that
the falling CHD death rate could be reversed by an obesity epidemic.
Britain has the fastest growing rate of obesity in the developed world.
Charles George, medical director of the BHF, commented: “Most heart
disease is avoidable if we take simple measures to improve our lifestyle.
Too many people in the UK are exercising too little, eating diets too
high in fat, salt and sugar, and consequently becoming overweight or
obese. This trend has real and worrying implications for the future rates
of CHD in the UK.”
Statistics show that 37 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women take
the recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five times a
week. Saturated fat intake is too high in 88 per cent of men and 83 per
cent of women, and salt intake is excessive in 85 per cent of men and
69 per cent of women.
The theme for this year’s heart week was the “Big red fightback” and
it encouraged people to take the stairs instead of escalators and lifts
for the week. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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