The Department of Health (DH) today (Sept. 29) urged the public to take positive steps to care for their hearts and prevent cardiovascular diseases. This appeal was made in support of World Heart Day held on Sept. 29 annually.
Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the leading cause of death globally. 80 percent of premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases are preventable by limiting risk factors and practicing heart-healthy behaviors. The most important behavioral risk factors of heart disease and stroke are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and use of tobacco and alcohol.
In Hong Kong, cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity. In 2023, there were 11,138 registered deaths attributed to cardiovascular diseases, including 7,258 deaths due to heart diseases.
To guard against cardiovascular diseases, members of the public are urged to lead a healthy lifestyle that includes eating a balanced diet with at least five daily servings of fruit and vegetables, reducing fat, salt, and sugar intake, being physically active, avoiding smoking, and refraining from alcohol consumption.
Local surveys revealed that risk factors for cardiovascular diseases were prevalent among the general population. Among persons aged 15 or above, 97.9 percent reported consuming an average of fewer than five servings of fruit and vegetables per day, which is the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), 9.1 percent were daily conventional cigarette smokers, and 8.7 percent consumed alcohol regularly (i.e. at least once a week).
Apart from healthy living, early identification and proper management of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, including diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HT), is another key strategy for lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The Government launched the three-year Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme) on Nov. 13, 2023, to subsidize Hong Kong residents aged 45 or above with no known medical history of DM or HT to undergo DM and HT screening services in the private healthcare sector. As of Aug. 7, 2024, around 40 percent of participants who have completed the screening have been diagnosed with prediabetes, DM, or HT. They can then receive long-term follow-up care in the community provided by Family Doctors, District Health Centre (DHC)/DHC Express, and other healthcare service providers according to clinical conditions. For more details, members of the public may browse the dedicated website of the CDCC Pilot Scheme.
For more information about healthy living, please visit the website of the DH.
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