There’s a fat chance of SA reducing heart disease and hypertension
More people are overweight and have hypertension now than ever before
More South Africans than ever are overweight and hypertensive‚ making it unlikely that premature heart disease and high blood pressure will be reduced within eight years. That is the warning from the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA ahead of World Heart Day on Friday. According to the foundation‚ the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to reduce premature heart disease and high blood pressure by 25% by 2025. "Over the past 25 years‚ neither heart disease nor blood pressure levels have improved in SA. In fact‚ given that more people are overweight and have hypertension now than ever before‚ SA may even see an increase in heart disease as obesity and hypertension are known contributors to cardiovascular disease‚" said Prof Pamela Naidoo‚ head of the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA.
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