Optimal diet for cardiovascular and planetary health-challenging aspect: Dr Sushil
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: With the pandemic of unhealthy diet looming over community and ever increasing incidence of cardiac ailments and lifestyle diseases Head Department of Cardiology GMCH Jammu Dr Sushil Sharma conducted a day long Cardiac awareness cum health check up camp organized by BJP OBC Morcha JKUT at Trimurti Mandir area of Janipur here for educating masses regarding the importance of healthy diet in primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases so as to reduce the morbidity in the future generations to come.
While interacting with the people, Dr Sushil Sharma stated that Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), specifically coronary heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death and disability-adjusted life years for all regions of the world.
Currently, approximately 80 per cent of CVD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where health care infrastructures and access to treatment are limited, Dr Sushil said. Therefore, he added, effective approaches for the prevention of CVD are crucial to reduce the future disease burden and improve population health.
Among the many established risk factors for CVD, diet plays an important role. In the past several decades, numerous studies have enhanced our understanding of the relationship between diet and cardiovascular health.
He elaborated that based on the current evidence, the optimal dietary pattern to reduce CVD is one that emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and moderate dairy and heart-healthy vegetable oil intake; this pattern will likely reduce the CVD risk. This healthy dietary pattern needs also to be low in refined grains, added sugars, trans-fats. The traditional Mediterranean-type diet provides a well-tested prototype for this healthy dietary pattern. Secondly he advocated that the challenge to create and sustain what is healthy and change what is unhealthy is compelling because improving the nourishment that goes into our bodies can have wide-ranging benefits in improving the health of societies and environments.
Another major challenge is to identify and implement effective food systems and solutions and evaluate the national and local level policy actions underway to improve our diets, Dr Sushil said.
He further added that Reduction in excess calories and improvement in dietary composition may prevent many primary and secondary cardiovascular events. Current guidelines recommend diets high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes; moderate in low-fat dairy and seafood; and low in processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, and sodium. Supplementation can be useful for some people but cannot replace a good diet. Factors that influence individuals to consume a low-quality diet are myriad and include lack of knowledge, lack of availability, high cost, time scarcity, social and cultural norms, marketing of poor-quality foods, and palatability.
Governments should focus on cardiovascular disease as a global threat and enact policies that will reach all levels of society and create a food environment wherein healthy foods are accessible, affordable, and desirable. Health professionals should be proficient in basic nutritional knowledge to promote a sustainable pattern of healthful eating for cardiovascular disease prevention for both healthy individuals and those at higher risk, he said.
Management committee of BJP OBC Morcha Sunil Prajapati , Sunita Gupta ( Corporator), Raman Chalotra, Nitu Verma, Ram Lubhaya, Jagdish Verma, Vikas Singh and Ravish Mengi appreciated the efforts of Dr Sushil and his team for conducting cardiac awareness cum health check up camp for the welfare of Society. Vibodh Gupta ( Former MLC ) also graced the occasion.
Others who were part of this Camp includes Dr Venkatesh Yellapu, Dr Saransh Bahl and Dr Akashdeep. Paramedics and volunteers includes Raghav Rajput, Maqsood Ahmed, Amit Kumar, Sandeep Pal, Paramveer Singh, Maninder Singh, Rajinder Singh, Sahil Sharma, Vinay Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Sharma, Mushtaq Moosa, Fasial Rashid, Kamal Sharma, Ranjeet Singh, Nirvair Singh, Vikas Kumar, Gourav Sharma, Aman Gupta and Jatin Bhasin.
