Bangladesh - consuming chewing tobacco is almost double than smoking tobacco..

February 16, 2010 - The prevalence of consuming chewing tobacco is almost double than smoking tobacco in the country, revealed a study yesterday. At the dissemination programme of the research findings at the National Press Club in the city, it was also revealed that women are taking more chewing tobacco than men.

The prevalence of non-smoking tobacco chewing is 43.2 percent while the tobacco smoking is 23 percent in the country, the study showed.

It found that 42 percent men and 1.3 percent women are habituated to smoking tobacco. On the other hand, 34 percent men and 41 percent women are taking chewing tobacco that include jarda, gul(tobacco dentifrice) and tobacco leaf.

The study titled 'Baseline Survey of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors' was conducted on 5,332 individuals of 3,668 households of Dhamrai area in 2008.

Prof Ridwanur Rahman, head of the department of medicine of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College was the principal investigator of the research.

The programme was organised by Non-Communicable Diseases and Other Public Health Interventions, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in collaboration with the University of New Castle, Australia.

Another study tiled 'Risk Factor of Acute Coronary Syndrome' was conducted from April-June 2009 on 400 samples. The study revealed that 70 percent of those who are suffering from cardiovascular diseases had previous record of smoking, whereas those who are not suffering from heart diseases had previous record of smoking for only 45 percent.

While presenting the research findings, Dr Abul Hasnat Milton, co-investigator and senior lecturer of New Castle University, said 30 percent of all deaths occur from heart diseases worldwide. "Some 213 per 100,000 individuals aged above 30 years have coronary heart diseases in the world and 80 percent of the people dying from cardiac diseases are from developing countries," he said, adding that those who don't take fruits regularly are four times more vulnerable to heart disease than those who take 80 grams of fruits regularly.

High blood pressure, stroke and mental stress also increase the risk of heart diseases, said the experts, adding that awareness should be increased in this regard and besides this, taxes should be imposed on chewing tobacco also.

Dr Mominuzzaman, chief consultant of United Hospital, moderated the session while Prof Ismail Khan of National Drug Control Committee, Dr Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan, health and family welfare secretary of Awami League, Prof Mujibur Rahman and Dr Rubina Yasmin, assistant professor of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, also spoke.

Reference: Chewing tobacco intake double than smoking
Reveals study, Staff Correspondent, The Daily Star, 2/17/2010.

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