The World Heart Day will be celebrated worldwide on 29 September 2018. The event is organised annually by the World Heart Federation to raise public awareness about cardiovascular disease – the major cause of death in the world today.
The World Heart Day will be celebrated worldwide on 29 September 2018. The event is organised annually by the World Heart Federation with a view to raising public awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD) – the major cause of death and disability in the world today.
According to statistics presented by WHF, it is estimated that every year over 17.5 million people die from CVDs, including heart attacks and strokes. This means that about 31% of all deaths worldwide are caused by CVDs! It is almost twice as many as deaths from cancer and several times as many as deaths from malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined!
It is also a widely held myth that heart diseases mostly affect the more overweight or older male populations. In fact, CVDs can develop in all age and gender groups – statistically, 1 in 10 people aged 30-70 die from a CVD. Even worse, the disease can develop before birth – it is estimated that every year even one million children worldwide are born with a congenital heart defect.
An even more disturbing statistic is that 23 million people worldwide are predicted to die from CVD by 2030. We all know how essential the heart is, yet we often fail to give it the care it deserves. It is no secret that most of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease can be controlled using easily available methods. Being active, eating more healthily, maintaining a healthy weight, checking blood pressure and glucose regularly or quitting smoking – these might sound like clichés, but they are just some of the things that we can do to protect our hearts from the risk of CVD. It is estimated that even 80% of premature deaths from CVD could be avoided merely thanks to controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
For more information concerning the World Heart Day as well as the risks and prevention of CVD, visit the official website of the event.
Bydgoszcz is also going to celebrate the World Heart Day with the active involvement of NCU Collegium Medicum! The event will be held under the auspices of Rafał Bruski, the President of Bydgoszcz, and prof. Grażyna Odrowąż-Sypniewska, the Vice-Rector for Collegium Medicum.
The event is planned to include:
- free tests of: BMI, blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels,
- guidelines on healthy nutrition and free sessions with a nutrition specialist,
- health-related contests with prizes,
- bicycle rally – start and finish at the Mill Island [Wyspa Młyńska]; registration of participants between 11.00-11.30 am; start: 11.30; route: approx. 15 km along the streets of Bydgoszcz; gentle pace adapted to the youngest participants; finish: about 12.30; after the race, prizes for participants will be drawn (including 3 bikes!),
- Zumba fitness classes led by professional instructors from our Department of Medical Biology and Biochemistry, starting at 12.00 noon.
Join us!
Facebook event page: World Heart Day in Bydgoszcz