Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi have conducted a study to identify the most significant risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among adults aged 45 and above in India. 

The research team utilised data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), a nationally representative longitudinal survey of 73,396 individuals aged 18 and above covering all Indian states and Union Territories. The data were collected from wave 1 of the study launched under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, being the nodal agency. The researchers included 59,073 older adults aged 45 and above, after cleaning the data. 

The study found that environmental exposure is a significant risk factor for the occurrence and progression of CVDs in older adults in India. A majority of the population of India resides in rural areas and uses unclean fuels for cooking and other purposes, exposing them to harmful smoke emitted from burning them. Second-hand smoke exposure, commonly referred to as passive smoking, is believed to have similar cardiovascular effects and risks comparable to active smoking.

The study also identified behavioural risk factors such as physical inactivity leading to CVDs. The study showed that the effect of physiological factors, which include diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, and being overweight or obese, is particularly serious. The sedentary lifestyle of people, the adoption of fast-food culture, and urbanization are some of the reasons for the prevalence of these physiological factors.