Rates of Heart Disease Set to increase by 50% by 2040

1 Hour daily exercise, no smoking, and eating food with Omega-3 can reduce the risk factor by 50%

HONG KONG, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Cardiovascular Health Day 2012, the founding president of the Hong Kong Society of Medical Professionals, Dr Bernard Kong, said that global studies reveal rates of heart disease around the world will increase by 50% by 2040. Even more worrying is that cardiovascular disease - the second leading cause of death in Hong Kong, claiming several thousand lives in the territory every year -- is increasingly affecting younger people. On a positive note, individuals have the power to knock more than a decade off the age of their hearts through simple lifestyle choices -- regular exercise, not smoking, limiting consumption of alcohol, and eating food with Omega-3.

The founding president of the Hong Kong Society of Medical Professionals, Dr Bernard Kong

(Left to right) Kar-Sheung Chan, Wai-Fong Lee, Dr Bernard Kong and Angela Remedio shared health tips at the Cardiovascular Health Day 2012

Two professional physiotherapists led an exercise for the good of the heart, in which more than a hundred participants took part.

Organisers also gave away 2,000 cans of 900 gramme Nestle Carnation Hi-Calcium Milk Powder to participants.

An expert in geriatrics and gerontology, Dr Kong said, "We have got an ageing population in Hong Kong. As our society gets wealthier and works harder, we are eating less healthily and doing less exercise leading to more and more people being either overweight or clinically obese. This in turn has driven a dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes, and more people have high blood pressure and high cholesterols. All these things increase the prevalence of heart disease."

Three real cases shared at the press conference clearly showed the impact of individual lifestyle choices on both health and longevity. Angela Remedios, a middle-age professional working in Central, has managed to incorporate plenty of exercise into her busy daily routine. Angela said that when she was in her 20s, she had poor health and gasped when she walked.  Now her body mass index (BMI) is 19 and heart rate 42 beats per minute (bpm).  Dr Kong said her heart is stronger than that of professional athletes.  Their heart rate is usually around 55 bpm.  Angela works out at the gym every day. She does not smoke or drink, eats healthily and takes Omega-3 supplements. 

The second case shared was one involving ex-restaurant and bar manager, Kar-Sheung Chan.  At the age of 38, Mr. Chan's BMI is 29.9 and heart rate 99 bpm.  Mainly due to job reasons, Mr. Chan smoked, drank wine and ate out too much in the past. He is now diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. His doctors say he has a cardiovascular age of 64 and his overall body health is that of a 70-year-old man.

"I was shocked. I'm only in my thirties and never thought something like this would happen to me this young, and had not thought of going for a health check," said Mr Chan. "Now health is the most important thing to me.  I can plan my future only if I have a healthy body.  If there was a piece of gold in front of me, I'm not fit enough to pick it up."

The final person on stage was a remarkable lady, Wai-Fong Lee, who was born in 1911 and at 102 years-old is still healthy without the need to rely on medicine. Her BMI is 26 and heart rate 64 bpm. Recently appeared in a televised interview with CNN, Ms Lee is an iconic representative as one of the eldest women in Hong Kong.  A factory worker when she was younger, Lee still gets up at 5:00am every morning and makes sure she spends an hour a day stretching and lightly exercising. She has always enjoyed lots of fish in her diet, but believes the secret of her good health is her special daily milk tea, which she makes with four spoons of Nestle Carnation Hi-Calcium Omega-3 Milk Powder and three spoons of oatmeal. Doctors say Lee's heart is 12 years younger than she is.

Dr Kong concluded, "Every Hong Kong citizen can sustain the cardiovascular age younger than his or her actual age if you exercise for at least one hour per day, refrain from smoking and drinking, and eat healthy food containing Omega-3 and vitamins."

Cardiovascular Health Day 2012 is part of an effort by the Hong Kong Society of Medical Professionals to raise public awareness about cardiovascular health -- especially among older people -- in an attempt to reverse current trends. The Society is a non-profit making organisation formed by a group of medical professionals from different disciplines who care for the wellbeing and betterment of the Hong Kong community.

The event saw an overwhelming response with nearly 2,000 participants.  Twenty doctors and nurses from the Hong Kong Society of Medical Professionals provided complimentary health checks on-site to people over the age of 50 or above. Each health check will include tests for cholesterol levels, diabetes and cardiovascular age. Two professional physiotherapists led an exercise for the good of the heart, in which more than a hundred participants took part. Organisers also gave away 2,000 cans of 900 gramme Nestle Carnation Hi-Calcium Milk Powder to participants.

Major recommendations for successful aging:

The daily routine of Angela Remedios

The daily routine of Wai-fong Lee