The Ministry of Health and Wellness is inviting all persons to “Beat Your Sneaks”, in recognition of World Hypertension Day 2024 on Friday, May 17.
This year, the day will be held under the theme Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, and Live Longer.
Persons are encouraged to take photographs of themselves wearing sneakers (or soft wear shoes) and tag the National NCD Commission (@ncdcommissionbarbados) and Ministry of Health and Wellness (@mohbarbados) on their social media platforms.
Hypertension is the world’s leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. In Barbados, the Health of the Nation Survey showed that women suffer from hypertension more than men, and over 42 per cent of adults, 20 years and older, suffer from high blood pressure.
Some lifestyle changes that persons can implement to help lower and prevent hypertension include:
- Regular exercise
- Reducing salt intake
- Limiting or eliminating alcohol consumption, and
- Managing stress The Ministry urges members of the public to invest in their health now to avoid complications in the future.