QUESTIONS TO WHO
WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID A HEART ATTACK OR A STROKE?
What can I do to avoid a heart attack
or a stroke?
According to WHO over 17 million people
died of a cardiovascular disease such as
heart attack or stroke in 2005. Contrary to
popular belief, over 80% of these deaths occured
in low and middle income countries,
and men and women were equally affected.
The good news, however, is that 80% of premature
heart attacks and strokes can be prevented.
Healthy diet, regular physical activity,
and not using tobacco products are the
keys to success. These three simple measures
will not only dramatically reduce the
chance of a heart attack or stroke, but will
also help prevent most type 2 diabetes and
chronic respiratory disorders, as well as certain
types of cancer.
Eat a healthy diet: A balanced diet is crucial
to a healthy heart and vascular system:
includes plenty of fruit and vegetables,
whole grains, lean meat, fish and pulses, and
restricted salt and sugar intake.
Take regular physical activity: At least
thirty minutes of regular physical activity
every day helps maintain cardiovascular fitness;
at least 60 minutes on most days helps
to maintain healthy weight.
Avoid tobacco use: Tobacco is very harmful
to health, whether cigarettes, cigars,
pipes, or chew tobacco. Exposure to secondhand
tobacco smoke is also dangerous. The
good news is that risks of heart attack and
stroke start to drop immediately after a person
stops using tobacco products, and can
drop by as much as half after one year.
To be successful in reducing risks, people need supportive environments, such as easily- available and affordable healthy food choices, walking and cycling paths, and smoke-free public spaces. This is especially true for children and people living in poverty. They often cannot choose the environment in which they live, their diet and their passive exposure to tobacco smoke. Governments, with the support of civil society and the private sector, have a crucial role to play in creating supportive environments for all people.
What are the public health
implications of global ageing?
From 2000 until 2050, the world’s population
aged 60 and over will more than triple from
600 million to 2 billion. Most of this increase
is occurring in developing countries - where
the number of older people will rise from
400 million in 2000 to 1.7 billion by 2050.
This demographic change has several implications for public health. Good health is essential for older people to remain independent and to play a part in family and community life. Life-long health promotion and disease prevention activities can prevent or delay the onset of non-communicable and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.
When these conditions do occur in older
people, primary health services must provide
accessible, integrated and regular care.
Chronic diseases require monitoring in order
to minimize the development of associated
disabilities and negative effects on the quality
of life. The ongoing nature of the care
means it is more effectively provided in community-based settings, such as primary
health care centres.
Public health action can draw on the capacities of older people. For example, the world’s growing population of older people plays a critical role through volunteering, transmitting experience and knowledge, helping their families with caring responsibilities and increasing their participation in the paid labour force.
