Page 3 - Advancing Life - January 2025

Starting Young, Living Long -
Promoting Cardiovascular Health from Childhood to Elderly Care in South Africa
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
remain a huge challenge in
South Africa. These are diseases
of the heart and blood vessels
and can cause heart attacks,
strokes, or blood clots in the legs
or the lungs.
The SAMRC Extramural Unit for Hypertension
and Cardiovascular Disease’s goal is to enhance
the quality of life by decreasing the prevalence
and impact of CVDs through increased
awareness, early intervention, and effective
treatment strategies.
The research involves early detection in children,
e.g. preventive cardiology addressing early risk
factors such as high blood pressure and early
vascular aging, to advanced stages of CVD
development in the elderly. The research unit
aims to understand disease development and
identify behavioural, lifestyle, and physiological
predictors, as well as early biological markers of
CVD, while also addressing genetic and lifestyle
factors unique to South African communities.
As part of outreach activities, the unit participated
in a global awareness initiative called ‘May
Measurement Month’, for hypertension
awareness and developed cartoon-style
educational materials for children on healthy
lifestyles that can protect against CVDs, which
Building Resilient Communities
There is an urgent need for communities to
boost their resilience against environmental
hazards and the impacts of climate change in
the face of increasing natural disasters and the
far-reaching consequences of a changed global
climate, which include changes in the water
cycle, bringing intense rainfall and droughts
to certain areas, an escalation in the melting of
the ice caps, rising sea levels that continue to
devastate coastal regions, as well as changes
to the ocean, including warming, more frequent
marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, and
reduced oxygen levels, all of which affect wildlife.
At the SAMRC, the Environment and Health
Research Unit (E&HRU), conducts population-
based research on environmental risks to health
Resource for children
Resource for Parents
were handed out at schools and clinics in the
The food-based dietary guidelines for the
region. Another example was a comic strip that prevention of CVDs
was designed to teach the public the importance
of salt reduction for blood pressure regulation. • Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit every day.
Prof Marlien Pieters, Unit Director, said • Use salt and food high in salt sparingly.
“Understanding the different causes of CVD • Use fats sparingly. Choose vegetable oils
amongst the different population groups in South rather than hard fats.
Africa is an important step in reducing inequalities • Use sugar and foods and drinks high in
in health in SA and developing evidence-based sugar sparingly.
targets for CVD prevention. These practices • Be active!
should be tailor-made to the South African • Eat dry beans, split peas, lentils and soya
context e.g., taking cultural diversity into account; regularly.
making use of locally available foods affordable • Enjoy a variety of foods.
to the broader public; considering the specific • Fish, chicken, lean meat or eggs can be
genetic make-up of the different population eaten daily.
groups and taking the co-existence of infectious • Have milk, maas or yoghurt every day.
diseases and the metabolic consequences of • Make starchy foods part of most meals.
their treatment into account.” • Drink lots of clean, safe water.
– with particular emphasis on those living in protect our health and ensure a safer, more
poverty. Addressing environmental factors can sustainable future.
protect and promote human health.
What can you do?
Why does it matter? • Learn and Share Knowledge about local
Environmental health encompasses the climate risks and disaster preparedness.
relationship between people and their Share this knowledge within your community
environment and especially how environmental to increase collective awareness.
factors impact our health and well-being. As • Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by making eco-
climate change accelerates, extreme weather friendly choices like reducing energy use or
events like tropical cyclones, floods, and minimising waste and opting for sustainable
wildfires become more frequent and severe. products.
These events not only threaten lives but also • Join local environmental or disaster response
strain and damage infrastructure and thereby organisations and volunteer for cleaning-up
disrupt communities. By addressing disaster efforts or participating in community planning
risks and adapting to climate changes, we can can enhance local resilience.