Explaining the thought process behind this campaign,  Gautam Khanna, CEO, P. D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC said, “Cardiovascular cases are increasingly being reported in the younger population of our country. This can be attributed to a variety of reasons like stress, lack of exercise, increase in consumption of junk food, family history, etc. Through this association with Mumbai Dabbawalas, we intend to highlight the importance of consuming home cooked healthy meal with a few exercise tips for powering your heart and leading a healthy life.”

As per the campaign, P.D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC will reach out to 1 lakh individuals through these Dabbawalas and spread the message of maintaining a healthy lifestyle along with a few Heart Healthy tips which every individual can practice in their daily life. Also, people can participate in the Twitter contest by pledging for a healthy heart on Hinduja Hospital’s Twitter handle @wellnessmumbai.

Dr. C. K. Ponde, Consultant Cardiologist, P. D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC said, “India is going through an epidemic of coronary artery disease and unfortunately young people between 30 and 50 are primarily affected.  Abandoning smoking and following healthy life style which includes a healthy diet low in sugars and saturated fat and high in fibers combined with regular aerobic exercise will go a long way in halting this epidemic.”

Motivated with this idea, Bhausaheb Karvande, Chairman, Jevan Dabbe Vahatuk Mandal said, “It is a privilege for us to be a part of this awareness campaign. Food that we consume is the fuel for our heart. Through this campaign we want to educate and empower Mumbaikars to take correct measures to take care of their heart and live a healthy life.”

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have now become the leading cause of mortality in India. A quarter of all mortality is attributable to CVD. The Global Burden of Disease study estimate of age-standardized CVD death rate of 272 per 100 000 population in India is higher than the global average of 235 per 100 000 population. Some aspects of the CVD epidemic in India are particular causes of concern, including its accelerated buildup, the early age of disease onset in the population.