KUWAIT: About 50 percent of Kuwaitis have high lipid levels in their blood, increasing their risk of heart disease, according to Dr Ahmad Al-Sarraf, head of the Lipid Diseases Department at the Sabah Al-Ahmad Heart Center.

Speaking at a conference as part of an awareness campaign on heart diseases and their risk factors, Dr Al-Sarraf highlighted that heart diseases and arterial sclerosis are major causes of death, not just in Kuwait but globally. Statistics show that approximately 4,000 Kuwaitis die each year from these conditions.

The conference, held by the Sabah Al-Ahmad Heart Diseases Center and themed “Healthy Heart for a Bright Future,” aims to educate people about the risk factors for heart disease, which can help reduce the chances of developing these conditions..

Dr Al-Sarraf noted that key heart disease risk factors include high rates of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and high cholesterol levels. He added that Kuwait ranks first in the Arab world for obesity, with statistics indicating that up to 75 percent of the population is classified as overweight. Some reports even suggest that Kuwait is the top country in the world for obesity, with a diabetes prevalence of 25 percent.

The Sabah Al-Ahmad Heart Center’s awareness campaign kicked off with a conference featuring speakers from Kuwait, Gulf countries, and the United Kingdom. This will be followed by a week of events at The Avenues to further educate the public about the causes of heart diseases.