Today is World Health Day - April 7

World Health Day is annually celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. Each year, a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world.

The theme for 2013 is 'High Blood Pressure'. High blood pressure which is also known as hypertension increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heart beat and heart failure. The risks of developing these complications are higher in the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes.

According to WHO, one out of three adults worldwide has
high blood pressure. The proportion with age from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s. Prevalence of high blood pressure is highest in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.

However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable. The
risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by:

- reducing salt intake
- eating a balanced diet
- avoiding harmful use of alcohol
- taking regular physical activity
- maintaining a healthy body weight and
- avoiding tobacco use
The ultimate goal of World Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes. For more, please visit WHO website.