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Cheaper junk food is aiding faulty lifestyle, says expert

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Dr Suresh Nair Krishnan, Specialist Registrar at the Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Centre at Dubai Hospital, said, “While the health sector continues pushing for adaptation of healthy eating habits, there is no support coming from the economic decision-makers. ”

He said that adolescent obesity can be a cause for disease in later stages of life. “Obesity can cause disease such as diabetes, which can eventually damage the heart,” he said, adding that it was also a leading cause of increase in heart disease in the UAE.

The expert also called for a strategic approach that includes aggressive primary and secondary prophylaxis, damage control during a cardiac event, adequate management of the symptoms of pending decomposition, effective treatment of the hospitalised patient and a programme for palliative and terminal care. “Optimal management represents an academic challenge and requires considerable expertise and well structured multi-disciplinary teamwork,” he said, adding that the challenge was to translate over sophisticated knowledge into an efficient care delivery system.

“Proper exercise can cut down the need for medicines by cutting down blood cholesterol and stress levels,” explained the doctor.

He also said that though heart diseases were caused due mainly due to genetic factors, lifestyle, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, increased body weight and mass, high cholesterol and, especially lack of exercise were major contributing factors in the increase.

Dr Krishnan stressed the need for a cardiac rehabilitation programme in the UAE. “We need to have a multi-disciplinary style of management of the matters of the heart,” he said.

Dr Quraitulain, Specialist Registrar at the Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Centre at Dubai Hospital, said that an awareness programme was held two years ago to push schools and parents to adopt a healthy lifestyle. “But this needs to be a continuous process,” she adds.

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