India Environment Portal Knowledge for change

About us Contact us
downtoearth-subscribe

Browse by subjects

Be Indian...

Be Indian... THERE is less risk of developing coronary Heart diseases if vou lead the traditional Indian lifestyle oIf good food, joint farmly, morning players and good education. This was the message delivered at the end of a four year comparative study undertaken by IvIonilek Hospital and Research Centre (MHRC), Jaipur.

The reseatch led by Raleev Gupta, frad of tire department of medicine at the MHRC, involve,] a laige scale survey for determining prevalence of coronary heart disease and LOronai y i isk factors among 5,30 individuals in rural and urban populations of Rajasthan. After conducting intei views and carrying out physical examination and ECC tests, the researchers concluded that the disease individuals of was widespitiad among years and more. The overall pievalence of coronary, heart disease in rural Rajasthan WaS found to be 3-5/1000 and rucre thin double at 76/1000 in Li than individuals. These figures are higher than those found in other states where Stich studies were conducted. But the news is Hot so good for Delhi's population, where the prevalance of heart disease is higher than the figures in Rajasthan.

When compared with previously conducted studies since the '60s. corn nary heart disease has gone up in the country. I lie urban ill areas have experienced a nine-fold increase and in the rural areas it has gone up by three times. I'wo studies conducted in Delhi had hither figures of 97/1000and 75/1000.

The team also studied the prevalence of risk factors in developing core nary heart disease. It was found that 46 per cent men and 10 per cent women Smoked. Nine per cent of the target group suffeied from high blood pi essure considei i rig WHO standards of BE > 160/90 and if Ls standards of it, > 140/90 is considered then the riumbei goes ill, to 25 per cent. Eight Pei cent Of the Study population was obese and 12 per cent had abdominal obesity. Patient ilicclical historv revealed that _5 Pei cent had diabetes. Factors other thin smoking were more prevalent in urban areas, while smoking in rural areas was higher.

The MHRC study also took into account social and other risk factors which are termed as unconventional coronary risk factors. They found that illiterates and less literate persons were more prone to smoking and had higher BP. It also showed that people living in nuclear families, in small congested houses with more children carried higher risk to heart disease. In contrast, men who lived in large joint families in houses with lots of open spice had lesser corollary heart disease. Also it was found that people who had a daily ritual of playing were healthier.

Related Content