Heart Disease In Los

'Put heart disease on national agenda'

Published on Nov 19 , 2004

Privy Councillor Prof Dr Kasem Wattanchai yesterday suggested that the government seriously tackle the problem of vascular and heart diseases and make it part of the national agenda.

Kasem said Thailand should start a health campaign against the two diseases and stress its importance as a national issue. More Thai people have been living sedentary lifestyles, eating unhealthily, exercising less and smoking, making them prone to heart and vascular diseases, he said.

"These risk factors accelerate the hardening of the arteries. If we successfully campaign against the two diseases, fewer Thais will suffer from strokes, because they are caused by the same risk factors,'' he said.

Kasem chairs the Academic Network to Prevent and Control Heart Disease and Vascular Disease.

He said that some developed countries such as the United States had made campaigning against the two diseases part of the national agenda. Each state passes laws to promote the reduction of risk factors and promotes lifestyles that would reduce them.

"They promote walking and bicycle lanes to schools and reduce the use of school buses. They also issue laws to curb oil and starch consumption,'' he said.

The US also has a "Healthy People 2010" campaign as part of its national agenda, he added.

In Japan, where many people suffer from strokes caused by high blood pressure, there are laws to enforce reduced salt consumption. "They have a campaign so that each family does not add salt to their food. They are trying to make this a national agenda,'' he said.

Kasem said that although the Health Ministry promotes exercise, so far the emphasis has been put on aerobics. "It should have introduced more [kinds of] exercise as there are many types suited to different ages and sexes,'' he said.