RIYADH, 28 December 2003 — There have been 251 deaths of Indian expatriates this year over the three-month period from October to December. The deaths occurred in the Central and Eastern provinces according to the Indian Embassy.
The deaths were divided into two groups: Traffic accidents (152) and natural ones (99).
In the natural death category, the Indians were middle-aged, employed in supermarkets or businesses requiring long hours of work with little chance for moving around.
“In some cases, they worked eight to ten hours at a stretch. When they went home, they sat in front of a TV while consuming rich food washed down with carbonated beverages. This caused their blood pressure and weight to shoot up, with all the associated consequences,” an embassy spokesman explained.
According to Dr. Abid Moiz, a nutritionist with the Ministry of Health, a sedentary lifestyle, overweight, obesity and stress are known to cause ischemic heart diseases (IHD) and sudden death among the young.
He said the trend was noticeable among Indians elsewhere and cited a UK study which showed that a section of the Indian community there had a higher incidence of IHD than their contemporaries in India.
He advised both citizens and residents to maintain their weight within the normal range, lead an active life and try to avoid stress as much as possible. In addition to the high incidence of heart disease among Indians, Dr. Moiz pointed out another problem was their enjoyment of lively social occasions at which they ate and drank to excess.
“I urge my fellow Indians to cut off fats and saturated fats, eat more vegetables and fruits, avoid too much partying and eat light easily digestible food as much as possible,” he added.
