How air pollution, diet, high BMI are triggering heart diseases

While the global rates of stroke and ischemic heart disease have been on the decline, certain regions are seeing a worrying upward trend, according to a study.
Published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS Global Public Health, researchers from Fudan University, led by Wanghong Xu, analysed data spanning three decades to understand these trends and the factors behind them.
The study examined global, regional, and national data on ischemic heart disease and stroke between 1990 and 2019. Worldwide, ischemic heart disease cases dropped from 316 to 262 per 1,00,000 people, and stroke cases declined from 181 to 151 per 1.00,000.
However, the rates in regions like East and West Sub-Saharan Africa, East and Central Asia, and Oceania are rising.
This increase has been linked to eight key factors:
Cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic heart disease and stroke, remain leading causes of death globally.
Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, occurs when blood flow to the heart is reduced due to narrowed or blocked arteries. This limits oxygen supply to the heart, causing chest pain (angina), fatigue, or heart attacks.
It’s often linked to factors like poor diet, smoking, and high cholesterol. Stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is disrupted, causing brain cell damage and leading to physical or cognitive impairments.
Together, these two conditions were responsible for 27% of global deaths in 2019. While wealthier nations have seen significant declines in these diseases due to better healthcare and lifestyle changes, regions undergoing rapid economic transitions may face rising risks due to lifestyle and environmental changes.
The researchers said that the role of socioeconomic development is helping shaping these trends. Countries experiencing rapid urbanisation and industrialisation often grapple with shifting lifestyles that increase risk factors, such as unhealthy diets and increased pollution.
Efforts to improve air quality, promote healthier diets, and address workplace risks could help reverse the trend, the researchers said.
“This research underscores the complex relationship between socioeconomic development, lifestyle shifts, and cardiovascular disease,” the authors noted, calling for more region-specific strategies to combat these health challenges.