The Hindu : Front Page : ‘Keep an eye on your belly’

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Sunday, Dec 09, 2007
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‘Keep an eye on your belly’

Special Correspondent

Anybody with waistline more than 36 inches is a potential heart patient, warns US doctor

HYDERABAD: “Indians must not count their triglycerides. They eat rice, wheat, idly, dosa, et al, which are full of carbohydrates that shoot up triglycerides count. And that causes coronary heart diseases,” said Enas A. Enas, a Chicago-based cardiologist, here on Saturday.

Arteries begin thickening not at 20 or 40, but from the age of two. So, one must start exercising from then, he told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing annual cardiologists conference. Experts projected the possibility of one million deaths under the age of 40 in India by 2015.

“You can forget your birthday and anniversary. But you can’t ignore your cholesterol count. 150 is normal for Indians. Total cholesterol minus high density lipoproteins gives the count of bad cholesterol,” he said.

What was normal for Americans and Europeans was not normal for Indians. “If your waistline (precisely the belly) is more than 90 cm or 36 inches, you are a potential heart patient,” observed Dr. Enas.

Coronary heart disease was the most predictable, preventable, and treatable of all the chronic diseases. The most common suggestions like avoidance of tobacco, obesity, provision of adequate exercise, diet rich in vegetable and low in fat, and keeping BP, blood sugar levels and lipids in control, should sound the alarm bells in the Indian sub-continent. Heart diseases in the region grew by 300 per cent in the last 30 years and were still growing by 2-3 per cent every year. People in the region had a genetic predisposition which made them prone to heart diseases.

Is alcohol consumption ok? “It is a razor-sharp double-edged sword. If one can consume 30 ml on a daily basis, yes, it is good for health. But nobody confines to this limit. And, it proves disastrous.” There is no harm in taking five servings of fresh fruits (not ripened too much) even for diabetics. Say no to fruit juices.

Awareness

Dr. Enas urged the Government, media, NGOs, and all stakeholders to create awareness among people about the heart diseases.

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