India heart disease risk rises among young workforce

Medical experts in India are warning of a significant rise in cardiovascular disease among younger populations, noting that heart attacks are increasingly occurring in individuals in their 20s and 30s.

A report by ekincare involving 200,000 employees found that 58.5% of workers under the age of 35 exhibited cardiovascular risk markers. Experts emphasize that traditional indicators like BMI can be misleading, as individuals with a normal weight may still suffer from high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, or diabetes.

Cardiologists highlight several contributing factors, including sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, chronic stress, tobacco use, and environmental air pollution. Genetic predisposition is also a major factor; individuals with a family history of heart disease face double the risk of the general population. Medical professionals recommend that high-risk individuals undergo preventive screenings as early as age 25.

Symptoms in women and younger patients can often be atypical or subtle, sometimes presenting as jaw, back, or neck pain, or even being mistaken for digestive issues. Common warning signs include chest heaviness, unusual breathlessness, or discomfort during physical exertion. On World Heart Day, insurance data from Universal Sompo also indicated a growing trend of cardiac claims originating from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, suggesting a shift in the geography of cardiac healthcare needs beyond major metropolitan areas.