‘BP, joint diseases common in people living in high-rises’

Noida, Aug 1 (IANS) Lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure and joints-related issues are becoming common among people living in high-rises, revealed a survey on Tuesday.

The survey, which was result of a free medical screening camp, also revealed that nearly 20 per cent of adults between 40-55 age group had blood pressure levels between 140-159, which is an indication of prehypertension.

According to the World Health Organization, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure.

Blood is carried from the heart to other parts of the body in vessels. Each time the heart beats, it pumps blood into the vessels. Blood pressure is created by the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels (arteries) as it is pumped by the heart. The higher the pressure, the harder the heart has to pump.

In the health screening camp, 40 per cent of the senior citizens, above 60, had more problems of joints-related issues, such as arthritis or osteoarthritis.

Doctors say that India may become the osteoarthritis capital of the world with over 60 million cases by 2025.

"The factor which was found common among both the age groups, which according to the doctors was adding to the health woes of the respondents, were lack of mobility and physical activity due to staying in the high rise buildings," said the survey.

The free health screening camp was organised by Polo Foundation, a pan-India NGO, working in the areas of health, Information Technology education and solar energy at corporate multi-storey societies in Noida.

The doctors who took part in the social initiative were mostly from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences and some private practitioners.

Over 100 people, mostly adults and senior citizens, attended the screening camp.

According to the survey, many complained of high BP and other lifestyle related problems despite being on various forms of medication.

The survey supported a similar finding almost 26 years ago by Japan based Fumio Osaka of Tokai University Medical School. It had said that women in their 50s who live on the top floors of high-rise apartments are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure than those living on lower floors.

The residents of upper floors tend to suffer from a self-induced cabin fever, a tension caused by confinement in a closed space, because they often lack the initiative to go out and exercise, according to the findings of Fumio Osaka.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)