New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) Adopting healthy lifestyles can help significantly reduce risk of heart disease, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday on World Heart Day.
World Heart Day is observed every year on September 29 to raise awareness about various heart diseases and the importance of early detection.
“World Heart Day highlights the importance of cardiovascular health and encourages proactive measures to prevent heart-related illnesses. It provides a vital platform to spread awareness about maintaining a strong and healthy heart through balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and stress management,” Nadda said in a post on social media platform X.
“By adopting healthy lifestyles, individuals can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall well-being. Observing this day inspires communities to prioritise early detection, timely treatment, and heart-friendly habits for a longer, healthier life,” he added.
The theme of World Heart Day 2025 — ‘Don’t Miss a Beat’ — emphasises the importance of knowing the health status of the heart before symptoms appear.
The Ministry of Health suggested some measures to tackle heart disease. This includes reducing salt consumption, eating healthy food, limiting alcohol consumption, quitting tobacco, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Senior cardiac surgeon Dr. Ramakant Panda told IANS that heart diseases have increased in the last 10 years, especially among young adults. He blamed lifestyle changes for the rising health condition.
“Heart disease was not so common, but in the last 30–40 years — especially over the past decade — it has increased significantly. Due to changes in our lifestyle, even young people are now facing heart problems,” Panda said.
“The main reasons include lack of exercise, rising stress levels, and unhealthy eating habits. In the past, people ate natural food, but nowadays most of what we consume is artificial and processed,” he added.
Another reason for the increase in cardiac cases among the young is the lack of symptoms, the cardiologist said.
“About 30-40 per cent of people do not have any symptoms — called silent ischemia — it is more in the youth, it is a little dangerous,” he said.
The expert stressed the need for early cardiac check-up and called for proper control of diabetes, blood pressure, and stress, and also suggested yoga, eating less salty food to reduce the chances of heart disease.
–IANS
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