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Health risks take toll on corporate Bangalore
 
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December 05, 2007 10:43 IST

Around 35 per cent of Bangalore's corporate citizens fall in the medium health risk category and are likely to be affected by at least one among the ailments like hypertension, diabetes and cardiac disorders, a health study indicated.

The survey 'HealthTrac' carried out by PeopleHealth, a pioneer in Health Management Systems, on employees from the IT/ITeS segment between 25-50 years, suggested that 37 per cent of respondents suffered from moderate levels of hypertension; about 31 per cent have abnormal cholesterol; and close to 35 per cal economic loss to employers.

Krishnamurthy, CEO, PeopleHealth said, "Most corporates, when they talk of corporate health, refer only to the 'financial health' of a company. The study indicates the alarming rate at which the health of corporate Bangalore is deteriorating."

"We fear that the situation would be similar in most other metros in India. This calls for strong affirmative action, which ensures overall well-being of employees."

Krishnamurthy said one needs to take note of the fact that more than 25 per cent of the people assessed, have low awareness on health matters that directly affect them.

"An increased emphasis on preventive healthcare, as against curative healthcare that exists today, is imperative to the healthy future of corporate employees," he said.

The PeopleHealth study showed that 25 per cent of the population was prone to, or have suffered from, 1-3 health risks and 10 per cent was prone to more than three health risks. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, inactivity, high BMI (Body Mass Index), high stress, smoking, poor perception of health, poor life satisfaction, alcohol abuse and other major medical problems.

Adding to these issues are factors like stress, anxiety, depression, poor sleep, distance of travel, mode of travel and job shift patterns. Only 8 per cent of the respondents said that they were satisfied with their lives.

Among the 4,000 people studied, up to 66 per cent were below the age of 30 years, 31 per cent between 30 to 40 and the rest over 40 years.

PeopleHealth conducts these studies on a regular basis, to keep a tab on the health of corporate employees and suggests appropriate preventive measures to contain the risks.

Future studies will also be conducted in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune.


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