Warnings of increasing heart disease in Asia

William Atkins
Wednesday, 01 October 2008 20:00

Science - Health

A Chinese researcher is warning of the increasing risk of heart disease to Asian people as the result of the same things that are already causing major problems with obesity and heart disease in the United States.


Chinese cardiologist RunLin Gao, also a professor of medicine and course director of China Interventional Therapeutics (CIT), spoke to medical experts in Shanghai, China, on Sunday, September 28, 2008.

His talk concerned heart disease rates in China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Dr. Gao, a doctor at Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital, reported to the medical group that he performed a survey of 3,000 adults over the age of 40 years from ten different Asian and European countries.

He found that 80% of them had at least two risks that are prevalent for heart disease.

The major risks for heart disease are diabetes, family history, obesity, and smoking.

Dr. Gao, who is also the president of the Chinese Society of Cardiology, warned that heart disease rates in Asia “are skyrocketing thanks to fast food diets, smoking, cars and other symbols of affluence,” as reported by TheAge.com.au (“Heart deaths rocket up in Asia”)

Page two contains Dr. Gao's comments on heart disease in Asia, along with the number of people at risk from heart disease in China.