Unhealthy lifestyle can increase HTN prevalence among youths

Prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and heart disease increases among the youths of Bangladesh due to various reasons, including unhealthy lifestyle and dietary habits, speakers observed at a webinar.
Screening for hypertension and availability of anti-hypertensive medicine must be ensured at all community clinics and upazila health complexes across the country, they viewed.
The webinar titled 'Risks of Hypertension, Heart Diseases and the Youths of Bangladeshj' organised by research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), marking International Youth Day-2023 on Saturday.
Supported by Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), the event was jointly organised by youth organisations - Youth Club of Bangladesh, Kashful Foundation, It's Humanity Foundation, Give Bangladesh, and Sandhani.
One in every four adults in Bangladesh suffers from HTN and this vulnerability is growing increasingly among the youths.
The country's current youth population is 45.9 million which is one-fourth of Bangladesh's total population.
Effective measures need to be taken urgently to protect this large group of youth population from the risks of HTN and heart disease.
Prof Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of the Department of Epidemiology & Research, National Heart Foundation, said, "Increased prevalence of hypertension and heart diseases is being noticed among the youths along with adults which can be reduced by changing lifestyle, dietary habits and measuring blood pressure."
Dr. Mohammad Sabbir Haider, programme manager (CBHC), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said the government is implementing various programmes related to lifestyle modification to combat the risks of HTN among the youths.
"A decision has already been taken to provide anti-hypertensive medicine from all community clinics and its implementation will reduce the prevalence of hypertension among the entire population of the country, including the youths," he added.

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