Government must tackle lifestyle sickness

AS the national charity for heart disease and stroke, the Irish Heart Foundation fully supports the views of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland and Prof John Nolan of St James’s Hospitalurging the Government to take a preventative approach to combat the rise in diabetes and obesity (Irish Examiner, November 14).

Mortality rates from heart disease have dropped dramatically over the past 20 years, down from 54% in 1984 to 36% in 2005.

But while the number of deaths are falling, the prevalence of heart disease is growing as a result of increased life expectancy and the fact that more people are surviving the disease.