‘Trans-fatty acids leading factors of CVDs’

Pakistan, like many other countries, is grappling with the adverse effects of industrial trans-fatty acids (TFA) consumption, which may cause serious health problems, including heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity.

“In Pakistan around 3 out of 10 deaths are caused by cardio-vascular diseases (CVD)”, said Dr Khawaja Masuood Ahmed of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination while speaking at an event in the capital pertaining to the World Health Day, which is observed on September 29 every year to raise awareness about the heart disease and its preventive measures.

CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease and other conditions. More than four out of five CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and one third of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age.

These heart disorders accounts for nearly 85% of total deaths due to cardiovascular ailments. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the most important behavioural risk factors of heart disease are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol.

“Life is short, but our negligence can make it even shorter,” said Mukhtar Ahmad Ali whose organisation Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives works in partnership with the Global Health Advocacy incubator to eliminate transfats from the food supply to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2023.