Every year, approximately 17.1 million lives are claimed by the global burden of cardiovascular disease,[i] and yet most heart disease and stroke is preventable. On World Heart Day (26 September 2010) the World Heart Federation and the UK’s heart rhythm charity, Arrhythmia Alliance are encouraging both employers and employees to take simple steps to improve heart-health in their workplace. Dr Kathryn Taubert, Senior Science Officer, World Heart Federation. “As many of us spend over half of our waking hours at work, the workplace is the ideal setting to encourage behaviours to minimize a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease.” For example, Employers could:
— Promote physical activity via gym memberships or cycle to work schemes.
— Encourage stress-free moments – taking time for lunch away from the workplace to get some fresh air and take regular breaks during the day
— Provide regular heart-health checks or other wellness initiatives
Employees could help their heart health by:
— Ensuring they eat healthily at work and stop smoking.
— Include physical activity in their working schedule – cycling to work, taking the stairs, going for a walk during lunch break
Trudie Lobban, Founder of Arrhythmia Alliance said, “World Heart Day is a major international awareness day for heart health and we are glad to support it. So many more people in the UK now lead sedentary work-lives that finding other ways to exercise and stay fit are important to maintain a healthy heart. Both employers and employees can play a part in this to ensure that their workplace is a healthy one.”
Arrhythmia Alliance is encouraging its supporters to support WHD and donate £1 to Arrhythmia Alliance, Atrial Fibrillation Association or STARS (The Blackouts Trust) to help the vital work they carry out.
On the 10th anniversary of World Heart Day, the World Heart Federation is also launching the ‘State of the Heart’ CVD Report. The report – the first of its kind – reflects on the great achievements in cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the past decade, and raises awareness of the challenges still ahead of us in the fight against the number one killer worldwide.
Source: Arrhythmia Alliance