In a new report, the World Bank said that Indians are very prone to heart attacks and suffer their first heart attack six years earlier than other groups worldwide. It is the same with the other South Asian countries.

“A recent study of 52 countries from all over the world, including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, found that South Asians were six years younger (53 vs 59 years) than those in the rest of the world at the time of their first heart attack. Indians also had high risk factors, such as diabetes, high lipids, low levels of physical activity and healthy dietary habits,” the report said.

Some of the highlights of the report titled, 'Capitalising on the Demographic Transition: Tackling Noncommunicable Diseases in South Asia':

•    Cardiovascular diseases would emerge as the main cause of death (36 per cent) in India by 2030.
•    Hypertension will rise to 213.5 million by 2025 from 118.2 million in 2000.

•    Heart diseases and injuries account for 12 percent of the country’s disease burden.
•    Non-infectious diseases account for 62 percent of the diseases in India.
•    Infections, nutrition deficiencies, and mother and child disorders account for 38 percent of the illness in the country.

“This unfair burden is especially harsh on poor people, who, after heart attacks, face life-long major illnesses, have to pay for most of their care out of their savings or by selling their possessions,” said co-author of the report Michael Engelgau.

The international bank also said that countries of South Asia have not prioritised their health care despite recording an average growth of six percent over the last 20 years.

“South Asia is at a crossroad with rising inequality; poor people struggling to get access to quality health, education, and infrastructure service; a growing share of the population aging unhealthily; and with health systems that are failing to adjust to people’s needs,” said Michel Rutkowski, the World Bank’s South Asia director for human development.

The report added that South Asians are becoming more vulnerable to heart disease, cancers, diabetes, and obesity because of inadequate health care facilities.

Read the report