Explainer: Addressing Disproportionate Risks of Heart Disease in South Asian Communities With HR 4914

Join That Desi Spark, ASANA Voices, and Indian American Impact for an educational webinar on the essentials of cardiovascular health. Learn valuable insights and strategies for fostering heart wellness from renowned experts and learn how you can advocate for legislative action.

Special guests include Dr. Alka Kanaya from the MASALA Study and University of California, San Francisco, and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal!

Register Today

COVID-19 is not the only illness sweeping across the United States. Heart disease continues to wreak havoc on the population, killing one person every 36 seconds and responsible for one of every four deaths every year.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women of all ethnicities nationwide. However, South Asians develop coronary artery disease an average of up to 10 years earlier than the general population. This community only comprises 25% of the world population and yet makes up 60% of all cases of heart disease.

Aggregating data and grouping all Asians into a single collective obscures the disproportionate incidence rate that South Asians face. Consequently, when viewed individually, South Asians have a higher risk of heart disease than other Asian groups like those from East Asia4.

But what causes this discrepancy? The exact cause is unclear, though scientists speculate that it could be due to genetic differences. Luckily, researchers have identified several risk factors that, if identified early, could be avoided through lifestyle modification.

Essential Considerations for Heart Health: Risks Factors and Lifestyle Changes

Certain genetic factors in South Asians pose an increased risk of heart disease. Studies have found that 44% of average weight South Asians have two or more metabolic abnormalities including:

high blood sugar
a higher level of fat stores
higher blood pressure
low levels of HDL cholesterol.

Furthermore, South Asians have about a six times greater tendency to develop type 2 diabetes than the general population, and diabetes in South Asians increases the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases by more than three-fold.

Diet also plays a significant role in cardiovascular health. Though meatless diets are generally considered healthy, there are many aspects of even vegetarian diets that, if consumed too frequently, can contribute to a decrease in heart health. These include white rice, cream sauces, and foods high in dairy that are often found in traditional South Asian cuisine. Such refined carbohydrates and saturated fats pose risks to cardiovascular health. Adding in the heavily processed foods popular in Western societies makes for a dangerous combination.

Lifestyle changes to increase cardiovascular fitness can also make a big difference. Research shows that cardiovascular health rises almost linearly with the amount of exercise. In other words, the more you exercise, the lower your chances of developing heart disease. The type of exercise matters as well – expert recommendations involve moderate to vigorous aerobic activity for 150-300 minutes a week.

There are ways to increase your heart health and reduce your odds of developing heart disease. One critical step is to support the South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act.

The South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act

The South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act, HR 4914, is a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal that aims to increase awareness of the aforementioned issues surrounding cardiovascular disease in South Asian communities. By developing key tools and promoting invaluable research in an area that has remained underdeveloped for too long, this bill will create a broad positive impact on the American public and South Asian communities specifically.

The bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to provide up to $10 million over five years to award/authorize grants to states and researchers to raise awareness around cardiovascular disease in South Asian communities.

Ultimately, supporting this bill means that the future of South Asian communities and the nation, as a whole, will be a brighter place less burdened by heart disease.

How You Can Help: