by Dr. Ramakanta
Panda, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai
Ms. Vibha Dixit, a 35
year-old professional, works late into the night & wakes up late.
Her working hours are
erratic and there is the constant race to stay a step ahead of her competitors
and move up the professional ladder.
Work is stressful and
leaves no time for herself. She hasn't exercised in months because "there
is no time for exercise," she says. Bouts of acidity have become common
& she is putting on weight. Her doctor has declared she is a potential
diabetic & is at risk for heart disease.
The problem with
Dixit is clearly her sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity can have serious
implications for people's health.
 |
| Dr. Ramakanta Panda, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai |
The World Health
Organization (WHO) has time & again warned that a sedentary lifestyle could
be among the 10 leading causes of death & disability.
It increases the
causes of mortality, doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and
obesity, and increases the risk of colon cancer, high blood pressure,
osteoporosis, lipid disorders, depression & anxiety.
According to WHO, 60%
to 85 per cent of people in the world, from both developed & developing
countries, lead sedentary lifestyles, making it one of the more serious, yet
insufficiently addressed, public health problems of our time.
It is estimated that
about two-thirds of children are also insufficiently active, with serious
implications for their future health.
Added to Dixit's
sedentary lifestyle is her poor diet & late night eating habits. She has to
incorporate moderate physical activity for up to 30 minutes every day, tobacco
cessation, and healthy nutrition.
She could also check
for genetic risk. Her lifestyle, coupled with high levels of stress, put her at
risk for diabetes.
According to the
American Diabetes Association, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes is:
One in seven, if one
of your parents was diagnosed with diabetes before the age of 50.
One in 13, if one of
your parents was diagnosed after the age of 50.
One in two, if both
your parents have diabetes.
She should
immediately check for measurable indicators & get into self-monitoring mode
about her health. These are body mass index (BMI), high blood pressure,
elevated triglycerides and cholesterol levels.
The good news for
Dixit is that the Diabetes Prevention Program study, a large study of people at
high risk for diabetes, has suggested that weight loss and increased physical
activity can prevent or / delay type 2 diabetes.
Blood glucose levels
also return to normal in some cases.
About the author
by Dr. Ramakanta
Panda, Vice Chairman at Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai.
Asian Heart Institute
G / N Block, Bandra Kurla Complex,
Bandra (E), Mumbai 400 051,
Maharashtra, INDIA.
Website: www.asianheartinstitute.org
Call : 022-66986601 6644 / 6599
9820027691 / 9920155000
Email: info@ahirc.com
No comments:
Post a Comment