World Heart Day

Get involved
Celebrate World Heart Day on 29 September 2012. Activities will be organized by members and partners of the World Heart Federation across the world and may include public talks and screenings, walks and runs, concerts, sporting events and much more. We hope that this leaflet provides some ideas to kick-start your heart- healthy activity; for further inspiration visit: www.worldheartday.org

f join us: www.facebook.com/worldheartday l follow us: www.twitter.com/worldheartfed

#worldheartday Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including heart disease and stroke, take lives prematurely. In fact, they cause 17.3 million deaths each year and the numbers are rising. By 2030, it is expected that 23 million people will die from CVDs annually that is more than the population of Australia! It is a myth that heart disease and stroke only affect older, male, rich populations. CVDs affect as many women as men however, their risk is seriously underestimated. In fact, heart disease is actually the number one killer of women, causing 1 in 3 female deaths: shockingly, thats about one death per minute! It is vital that women learn the truth about their CVD risk and take action to protect themselves and their family! Children are vulnerable too: the risk for CVDs can begin before birth during foetal development, and increase further during childhood with exposure to unhealthy diets, lack of exercise and smoking. Children might suffer a double burden from heart disease and stroke. They may have to face the emotional consequences of seeing a loved one becoming ill, but they are also at risk of the physical consequences of heart disease and stroke. Modern society can expose children to risk factors such as diets with too few calories and high in bad fats and sugar; activities such as computer games that discourage physical activity; and in some countries, tobacco advertising that encourages tobacco use or environments lled with secondhand tobacco smoke.

About the World Heart Federation

The World Heart Federation leads the global ght against heart disease and stroke with a focus on low- and middle-income countries via a united community of more than 200 member organizations that brings together the strength of medical societies and heart foundations from more than 100 countries. Through our collective efforts we can help people all over the world to lead longer and better heart-healthy lives.

One World, One Home, One Heart.

29 September 2012

Financially supported by:

Women must take action and adopt heart-healthy behaviour not only to prevent exposure to risk factors for themselves, but also, for the wellbeing of their children.

www.worldheartday.org

To mark World Heart Day, the World Heart Federation and its members urge you to take action to save the lives of the women and children you love. Making even just a few changes can help to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke: encourage healthy eating and physical activity, and ban tobacco use. We understand that this is sometimes easier said than done, but we hope that the tips below will help you make a start. Today we have an opportunity to prevent the future impact of heart disease and stroke by adopting heart-healthy living from childhood and throughout adulthood. Are you ready to take action?

1. Get active
Physical inactivity causes six per cent of deaths globally. Risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes and lack of physical activity, present in childhood can greatly increase the likelihood a child will develop heart disease as an adult. Even 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity ve times per week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

3. Say no to tobacco
One in every two smokers will die of tobacco-related diseases, unfortunately, more and more children and teenagers are taking up smoking. Secondhand smoke kills more than 600,000 nonsmokers every year including children. In infants, secondhand smoke can cause sudden death. Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke reduces risk of heart disease and stroke.

2. Eat a heart-healthy diet

4. Know your numbers

By taking the steps above, you and your family can reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke wherever you are in the world, but it is important to keep a regular check on your heart health.

NeOhW A CT t e

More and more people are turning to processed foods that are often high in sugar, salt, saturated or trans fats. Unhealthy diets are linked to four of the worlds top 10 leading risk factors causing death. A heart-healthy diet which is rich in fruit and vegetables helps prevent heart disease and stroke.

to s a vs o f tho s e l i ve l o ve yo u
Heart disease and stroke are avoidable and often triggered by risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight and obesity, tobacco use, or the presence of diabetes. These can to a large extent be prevented and controlled through the consumption of a healthy diet, regular exercise and avoiding tobacco.

Urgent action must be taken to protect the heart health of children to avoid the future physical, emotional and nancial impact of heart disease and stroke.