World Heart Day: One in Five Young People in the Country Is at Risk of Heart Disease

World Heart Day will be celebrated on September 29 with the theme 'Take care of heart with heart'. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In Bangladesh, there has been a high trend of heart attacks among young people in recent times, which is very worrying.  

One in five young people in the country is at risk for heart disease, according to a study. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a goal of eliminating trans fats from the world's food supply chain by 2023 to reduce the risk of heart disease and premature death from heart disease worldwide. Eating trans fat is one of the leading causes of heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, Bangladesh is one of the 15 countries with the highest risk of dying from trans fat heart disease. Therefore, if the transfat control regulations are not finalized quickly, the risk of heart disease will continue to increase at an alarming rate.

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The speakers were speaking at a webinar titled 'Transfat Heart Disease Risks and Actions in Bangladesh' organized by Pragya (Knowledge for Progress) and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh with the support of Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) on Tuesday ahead of World Heart Day. According to the webinar, trans fat is a harmful food ingredient, which increases the risk of heart disease and premature death from heart disease. Dalda or vegetable ghee and various foods, fast food, and bakery products made from it contain trans fat. It is to be noted that Bangladesh Safe Food Authority has prepared ‘Draft Trans fatty Acid Control Regulations, 2021’. It is awaiting finalization at the end of the required vetting.

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Professor Dr. webinar. Sohail Reza Chowdhury said, "We hope the government will finalize the regulations as soon as possible." ‘Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI)’ s Bangladesh Country Lead Md. Ruhul Quddus said, "Failure to eliminate trans fats in the diet will increase the risk of trans fats in the country, increase the cost of treatment and we will be economically disadvantaged." ABM Zubair, executive director of Pragya, said, ‘Young people eat more trans-fat-rich foods. If trans fat is not eliminated from the diet, the younger generation will be at serious health risk.