Unhealthy lifestyle, food habits and a lack of physical activities are increasing hypertension and other diseases cases in the country. This was cautioned by renowned doctor and Pakistan Hypertension League Faisalabad chapter president Dr Ahmad Bilal on Tuesday during his public lecture at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad New Senate Hall. The session was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan.

Unhealthy lifestyle, food habits and a lack of physical activities are increasing hypertension and other diseases cases in the country. This was cautioned by renowned doctor and Pakistan Hypertension League Faisalabad chapter president Dr Ahmad Bilal on Tuesday during his public lecture at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad New Senate Hall. The session was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan. Dr Bilal also announced that Punjab Medical College students would launch a free screening campaign for students, employees and families regarding blood pressure, hepatitis, and diabetes. He said that people are careless to adopt hygienic food habits, exercise and other preventive measures. He advised walking at least 6000 steps a day. If a person makes his routine to walk at least 10000 steps daily would prevent him from heart disease, and hypertension. To walk 11,000 step a day, he said, makes oneself free from the risk of chronic diseases. He said that now-a-days, android phones are also providing the facility of step counting that may be used for the purpose. He said that the men waist should not increase by 35 inches and women by 31 inches. He also stressed the need to create the awareness about giving up the usage of soda drinks as its one bottle contains 8 to 16 spoons of the sugar that is harmful for the human health. He said that a cigarette reduces the life of a person 15 minutes. He said that smoking increases the risk of cancer and hypertension. Talking about hepatitis, Dr Ahmad Bilal said that Samundri and Faisalabad were one of the worst affected areas in the cases of hepatitis. He added that worldwide, 2.5 percent of population was affected by hepatitis while the ratio is at 7 percent in Pakistan. He that shaving at barber shops, and frequent visits at beauty salon increases the risk of hepatitis. He showed his concerns that people are deficient of vitamin-D. He said that to have the sun shine, in the morning and evening provides the vitamin D. Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad stressed upon the need to make the nutrition a part of school curriculum. He said that it was matter of grave concern that in a food self sufficient country with 6 million ton wheat surplus, a large number of children and women are zinc and iron deficient. He said that we are wheat depended and there is the need of food diversification. He said that flour mixed with flour can be adopted that will address the issue of malnutrition. He said that the UAF was working on One Heath project to address the nutrition and food habit of the people. He said that the cheese was untapped avenue on which work should be done to promote its consumption and production for solving nutrient deficiency issue. Chairman of the Forensic Department at PMC Dr Khuram Sohail Raja also spoke on the occasion and described the hypertension a silent killer of the human body.