Deaths due to NCDs see an upward trend in the country

IMA recommends following a healthy lifestyle to prevent the onset of these diseases

New Delhi, 03 August 2017: As per recent statistics, premature deaths due to non communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease have increased to 70% of all global deaths. This is up from the 42% incidence three years ago. As per the IMA, the burden of NCDs is on the rise in India, with one in four at risk of dying from the same before they reach the age of 70.

An NCD is a medical condition or disease that is non-infectious and non-transmissible among people. The major NCDs are due to four behavioral risk factors: unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and use of tobacco and alcohol. Preventive action against NCDs in India is marred due to a lack of understanding their patterns, the prevalence, and the causes.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, National President Indian Medical Association (IMA) and President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Dr RN Tandon – Honorary Secretary General IMA in a joint statement, said, “NCDs are a health and developmental emergency today. They are driven by many external sources including rapid unplanned urbanization, globalization of unhealthy lifestyles, and population ageing. The unhealthy diets that people follow today combined with the lack of physical activity can manifest in the form of high blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids, and obesity. Called metabolic risk factors, these can further lead to cardiovascular disease, the leading NCD and cause for premature deaths. Reducing the risk factors can help in controlling NCDs to a great extent.”

A recent study has outlined that there is likely to be a steady rise in NCD losses until 2030, and then it will increase sharply. Adding to this, the value of life lost, including out-of-pocket expenditure related to these illnesses, and loss of income will likely double over the next 20 years.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “The medications available to treat most of the NCDs are not very expensive. However, the most effective strategies for reducing the burden of NCDs actually lie outside the health system. It is imperative to take measures such as regulation of advertising, improving access to healthier foods, reducing exposures to tobacco smoke, addressing dietary salt consumption, and encouraging physical activity to combat this group of ailments.”

One can follow Dr KK’s Formula of 80 to prevent NCDs.

• It is important to keep your fasting sugar lower than 80 mg %
• It is best to refrain from consuming alcohol. For those who still wish to drink, they should restrict it to not more than 80 ml of alcohol in a day or 80 grams in a week
• To not consume more than 80 grams of caloric solid or liquid food in one meal, rather eat frequent but small meals
• Restrict your soft drink consumption to 80ml in one go. The tip is to add soda and dilute it to make it 200 ml
• Do not consume tobacco products otherwise you will end up with a surgery bill of over Rs. 80,000
• It is important to keep one’s blood pressure lower than 80 mm Hg and heart rate lower than 80 per minute.
• Do aerobic exercises for 80 minutes a week.
• Do stretching exercises for 80 minutes in a week.
• Consume at least 80 fruits and vegetables servings in a week.
• Do not consume more than 80 ml/gram of ghee, oil and butter in a week.