MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

World Heart Day will emphasize awareness on air pollution risk

Poor air quality is ranked as the 4th cause of Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY), one lost year of ‘healthy life’, says latest Global Burden of Disease study

This year the World Heart Federation (WHF) is raising awareness of an increasingly important CVD risk factor: air pollution. World Heart Day takes place this Saturday. The latest scientific evidence by Nature warns that exposure to nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter air pollution is clearly linked to CVD mortality. Poor air quality is also ranked as the 4th cause of Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) – one lost year of ‘healthy life’ – according to latest Global Burden of Disease study .

Professor David Wood, WHF President: “On World Heart Day, we are raising awareness of poor outdoor and household air quality as an increasingly important risk factor, and bringing together all those involved in cardiovascular health from every country in the world in the fight to reduce CVD.”

Created and led by WHF, World Heart Day aims to combat the rising number of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD), by promoting the importance of living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

On September 29, people all around the world will unite to fight CVD by holding awareness activities, sharing the campaign video, organizing fundraising activities for their local heart foundation and illuminating iconic landmarks and buildings.

The campaign, in partnership with Manulife and Philips, includes a call to action: Make your heart promise . A promise to eat more healthily, to do more exercise and to say no to smoking. A promise as a healthcare professional to continue working to reduce the impact of CVD. A promise as a politician to implement a noncommunicable diseases action plan. A simple promise… for MY HEART, for YOUR HEART, for ALL OUR HEARTS.