According to the World Heart Federation, Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the Middle East and North Africa, responsible for more than one-third of all deaths, or 1.4 million people yearly.
More than 11,000 people visited the health and safety campaign Kulluna for a Healthy Heart at Doha Festival City and Place Vendome in July, learning about the importance of taking simple measures to ensure better health.
In the region, the World Health Organisation (WHO) disclosed that nearly 40% of adults, or two out of every five people, have high blood pressure. Data also states that adults above the age of 15 have the highest rates of overweight and obesity, exceeding 70%, especially among women in several countries in the Gulf Corporation Council.
Physical inactivity rates in the region are also higher compared to other regions, with about 50% of women and over a third of men not engaging in sufficient physical activity. Tobacco use is also on the rise, with smoking prevalence among adult men ranging from 14% to 57%, WHO says.
In Qatar, a collaboration between Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), ConocoPhilips and Kulluna saw mall visitors across the country have access to free health consultations and practical health advice from physicians.
At the booths, visitors learned about BMI’s impact on heart health, effective management of cholesterol and blood sugar, safe medicine usage, the importance of physical activity for a healthy lifestyle, the dangers of smoking, the connection between obesity and heart disease, and the risks associated with high blood sugar.
At Doha Festival City, more than 6500 people were seen by the teams over the 14-day campaign; meanwhile, at Place Vendome 4500 visited over nine days, bringing the total to 11,000.
Assistant Director of Health Promotion and Community Engagement at the Hamad International Training Center (HITC), Dr. Mahmoud Younis said, underwent simple health tests, including blood cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, and BMI assessments. He added that the teams advised on the importance of having a healthy heart while emphasising that heart disease and related deaths are preventable and highlighting people’s role in reducing their risk of heart disease.
Furthermore, one can reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) in several ways, such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Eating a healthy balanced diet, engaging in more physical activities, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and a healthy blood pressure levels can help prevent cardiovascular diseases and manage them if already present.
