Cardiologist warns against sedentary lifestyle

James Ogunmodede, a Consultant Cardiologist, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has attributed sedentary lifestyle as a cause for increase in heart diseases.

Ogunmodede gave the warning on Thursday in Ilorin while presentating a paper at the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) symposium.

He spoke on “Ischaemic Heart Diseases (IHD); A rising Menace”.

The expert explained that Ishaemic Heart disease is caused by insufficient oxygen delivery to meet the metabolic demand of heart muscle.

He warned that cardiovascular diseases are a common cause of mortality for people at 45 years.

Ogunmoded said that global burden of IHD increases by 29 million between 1990 and 2010 due to population.

He added that local experience of UITH showed that between 1994 and 2004 there were 10 cases, noting that there is rise in incidence with 14 cases from 2006 to 2009.

He lamented that the figure from 2006 to the present is unknown and that this was only a micro tip of the ice-berg in what is real in the society.

The expert said the situation is four-folding of the cases that are on ground, as in just a few months ago more cases had been detected while majority of people do not come to specialist hospital.

He attributed the rise of IHD to the different phases of history human passed through, where the ancient man has to toil hard to hunt for his food.

He explained further that the modern man gets his food easily without too much toil which has led to sedentary lifestyle.

“Ninety per cent of countries worldwide have recorded increases in lifespan but are likely to develop cardiovascular diseases.

“This leads to risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, mental stress and hypertension affect a billion people worldwide,” he said.

The cardiologist advocated for national policies and programmes on food and nutrition.

He called on government at all tiers to implement comprehensive policies to discourage smoking.

The expert also urged people to be involved in programmes that would promote regular physical activity.

Ogunmodede also called on government to lay special emphasis on health education and support health of children, women and adolescent in the country.