Overeating can increase risk of heart attack

KARACHI - Excessive consumption of red meat during Eidul Azha usually lands people in hospitals increasing the risk of heart attack, kidney, liver, diabetes and gastroenteritis diseases, said health experts.

They advised the people to take balanced diet and consume suitable quantity of water as people being unaware with the complications every year visits emergencies on occasion of Eidul Azha.

Eating excessive consumption of meat during occasion of Eidul Azha is common but mostly people were not aware that overeating can increases the risk of heart, liver, diabetes, gastroenteritis and kidney problems said Dr Hamidullah, who is a cardiologist at National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).

He further said that excessive use of meat is very harmful of people, especially who have already been suffering from cardiovascular, liver and kidney diseases. He said eating excessive amounts of meat can also enhance uric acid and cholesterol level, which increases risk various diseases.

He advised the people to avoid eating excessive quantity of meat during Eid days whereas the people above 40 years should avoid eating spicy food during Eid days.

Talking to The Nation, Dr Seemi Jamali, head of emergency at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) said that traditional dishes of lamb, red meat and others served during Eidul Adha but they also carry the highest fat and harmful cholesterol contents. People should certainly enjoy their traditional dish but in moderation, swapping a few red meat-heavy meals for vegetarian.

She further added there are a variety of common conditions related to overeating that compel people to seek doctors’ help, especially food poisoning. Consuming excess red meat is not good for health in any way as it has been linked to causing various diseases including heart, diabetes and others. She said that last year numbers of people visited emergency ward of JPMC with complain of diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.

She further said that people should not store meat for long periods, even if kept in the refrigerator. Any kind of meat, if stored for more than a few days, is not good for consumption. Eating such meat may lead to food poisoning, added Seemi.

Commenting on excessive use of meat during Eid, Secretary General, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Centre, Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad said overeating could cause gastroenteritis and other stomach problems. He said binge eating of meat increases the risk various complicated diseases. He advised the housewives to prepare meat with vegetables and avoid very spicy foods during Eid days.

Dr Qaisar Sajjad said that the citizens must use plenty of water during and after the Eid holidays, as excessive use of water helps better functioning of stomach system.

It is pertinent to mention here that every year, public and private healthcare facilities receive scores of cases of various stomach and other illnesses after Eidul Azha due to more consumption of meat dishes.

Health experts were of the view in the upcoming days gastric patients will increase as many people have refrigerated meat and will consume it in the coming days. They asked the people to avoid eating meat more than once a day and consume vegetables instead.