'Don't miss a beat', the time to prevent cardiovascular disease is now

When I attended a lecture on cardiovascular health given by a renowned doctor early this month, I found most audience members were older than me – in their 60s or 70s.

No wonder, I murmured to myself. I knew heart disease was particularly prevalent among older people. I even went so far as to assume that such disease was an ailment exclusive to the elderly.

But before moving on to details about how to protect one's heart, especially in autumn when the whether began to cool down, the doctor said there had been a rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD) among young adults in recent years.

"This morning, before coming to this lecture, I just treated a 25-year-old cardiac patient," he said to the surprise of the audience. "The young patient was overweight, habitually played video games late into the night, and relied heavily on junk food."

The doctor didn't elaborate on his prescription for the young patient, but his message was clear: Lifestyle matters.

World Heart Day

This year the World Heart Day falls today with the theme "Don't Miss a Beat."

Indeed, we should kindly take care of every beat of our heart. But how? Just rely on medicines or surgeries after one succumbs to heart disease?

On September 14, the National Library of Medicine of the United States published a lengthy analysis of lifestyle's impact on cardiovascular health, concluding that lifestyle interventions were "highly effective in maintaining cardiovascular health."

To be specific, the article suggested that fiber-rich low-fat meals and weekly exercise of 2.5 to 5 hours would help maintain cardiovascular health.

Why eating and exercise matter?

"In contemporary society, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle pose a significant challenge, superimposed with other conditions; therefore, exercise and a healthy nutritional diet have become the most significant and principal lifestyle interventions to prevent CVD before it progresses as a potential concern," the authors of the article explained.

"Exercises like running, soccer, basketball, and other group activities have been proven to enhance physical and mental well‐being, reducing stress significantly."

Here is a caveat from the authors: Although optimal cardiovascular benefits are likely achieved with 2.5 to 5  hours per week of moderate or vigorous physical activity, exceeding 10  hours per week may diminish these benefits.

The Paper, a leading news media outlet based in Shanghai, published an article on September 23, noting that worldwide, 31 percent of adults and 80 percent of adolescents had failed to meet the optimal exercise intensity, such as that suggested by the World Health Organization.

Such a failure would only translate into a growing risk of CVD for people young and old. If everyone gets enough exercise and cultivates healthy eating habits, our chance of acquiring CVD will be substantially reduced.

The Geneva-based World Heart Federation says that an estimated 80 percent of CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is preventable, and the main elements of CVD prevention include healthy diet, physical activity and avoiding tobacco.

The time to prevent CVD is now. We cannot wait.

Citing a latest Lancet report, The Paper noted in April that Chinese people were "growing fatter collectively," with the number of those aged 25 and above who were overweight and obese exceeding 402 million by 2021, ranking the highest in the world.

The Paper also cited the World Obesity Atlas 2025, which predicted that, by 2030, half of the world's adults would be found to have a high body mass index (indicating overweight), and there would be more than 500 million overweight and obese people in China. The atlas was released by the London-based World Obesity Federation in March.

Back to the 25-year-old patient mentioned at the beginning of this article. Medical treatment won't be as effective as expected if he sticks to his sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits.

Exercising well and eating well are every bit as important as seeing a good doctor, if not more important.