Unemployment & High Blood Sugar Linked To Elevated Heart Disease Risk In India: ICMR Study

A study led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed that unemployed adults in India are at a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease over the next 10 years. The research, which also identified high blood sugar levels as a major risk factor, analysed data from nearly 4,500 adults aged 40 to 69 years. The study, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, utilised surveys and questionnaires, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO), to assess participants' physical activity levels and other health indicators.

The findings showed that approximately 85 per cent of the study group had a very low risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, with a less than 10 per cent likelihood over the 10-year period. However, around 14.5 per cent of participants were at a moderate risk, with a 10-20 per cent likelihood, while 1 per cent were at a high-to-very high risk, exceeding a 20 per cent likelihood.

The study also highlighted gender disparities, with men having twice the risk of developing heart disease compared to women. Specifically, women with high blood sugar levels faced an 85 per cent increased risk of heart conditions over 10 years, while men faced a 77 per cent increased risk. Additionally, obesity was found to significantly raise the risk, with obese women having a 71 per cent higher chance and obese men having a 55 per cent higher chance of developing heart conditions.

Urban residents were found to be at greater risk than their rural counterparts, with 17.5 per cent of urban participants having more than a 10 per cent risk of heart disease, compared to 13.8 per cent of rural participants. The study noted that urban women had an 86 per cent higher probability of elevated 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared to rural women.

The study's most striking finding was the elevated risk among unemployed participants, who were found to have a significantly higher chance of developing cardiovascular diseases compared to employed individuals or homemakers. While 87-88 per cent of employed and homemaker groups had a low risk, only 54 per cent of unemployed participants fell into the low-risk category.

The ICMR researchers emphasised that this is the first national estimate of heart disease risk in India using the non-laboratory-based WHO charts, filling a gap left by previous studies that were limited to geographically localised samples.

(Based  on media reports)