MIRI: Each year, about 17.5 million people in the world die of heart disease and stroke.

Stating this, Minister of Land Development Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said in Malaysia, heart disease had been the number one killer for past decades.

He said smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet and stresses are some of the important factors that adversely affected the health of the heart.

“Resulting diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity all have in one way or another lead to illnesses, hospitalisation and deaths, predominantly from cardiovascular cases,” said Masing when launching the Miri Heart Week 2013 at the Bintang Megamall here yesterday.

Among those present were the Sarawak Heart Foundation trustee Eric Lim, the executive chairman of the Miri Housing Group of Companies, Datuk Lau Siu Wai, and the director of Miri Hospital Dr Jack Wong.

Citing statistics from the National Health and Morbidity Surveys, Masing said 15.1 per cent of Malaysians aged 18 and above were suffering from obesity in 2011.

This, he said, is an increase from 14 per cent figure of the same demographic in 2006.

It was also reported that more than 2.6 million adults were obese while over 477,000 children below the age of 18 years were overweight.

As such Masing urged all children and teenagers to change their lifestyle now before it is too late.

Parents too must play their part as they have a great influence over the diet and lifestyle of their children from a very young age.

He also urged people with influence such as politicians, community leaders, and employers to live a healthy lifestyle to inspire others to follow.

Masing commended the organisers for holding the Heart Week and hoped that more such awareness programmes would be organised.

The two-day Miri Heart Week which ends today was organized by the Sarawak and Malaysian Heart Foundations, the Sarawak Health Department, Miri Hospital and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs).

Among the activities held were health screening, blood donation, children’s colouring competiton, exercise competition and various physical activities.

(Source : Borneo Post Online , 4 May 2013)