Date:27/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092761230300.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Pledge to keep heart healthy

Staff Reporter

THOUGHTS ON HEALTH: Cine actor Bhavana at the World Heart Day 2008 observance by Medical Trust Hospital in the city on Friday.

KOCHI: Around 2,000 children from 20 schools in Kochi participated in a community-based health awareness programme organised by the Medical Trust Hospital in connection with this year’s World Heart Day.

The ninth standard students took the message of the need to care for the heart, by posing questions based on a set questionnaire, to their parents and other family members.

Apart from helping shortlist people with cardiac problems, the endeavour helped in creating awareness about heart ailments and to detect problems in some people.

Risk factors

Those with high blood pressure, diabetes, stress and the ones who smoke, are obese and do not exercise regularly are vulnerable to heart ailments.

The children jotted down details of whether their parents have a history of any of these. The survey details will be published and the findings discussed, says a press release issued by the hospital.

The survey helped the children evince interest in the health of their family members and to be aware of the pitfalls of a reckless lifestyle.

Cine actor Bhavana was the chief guest at the inauguration of the hospital’s World Heart Day programmes, held on Friday at St Antony’s High School, Kacheripady.

Cardiac surgeon at the hospital Dr. E V John and school principal Elizabeth Xavier spoke at the function.