Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : April 27, 2020 1:31 PM IST
The leader, who is overweight and has a history of diet-related illness – reportedly underwent a heart surgery on April 12.
As rumours of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's health continue to do the rounds, South Korea has issued a clarification stating that he is alive and in fine health.
Moon Chung-in, the top foreign policy adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae told a news channel that Kim Jong Un is alive and well and he has been staying in the Wonsan area since April 13.
Recently, several reports surfaced claiming that the North Korean leader is on a "vegetative state" after a heart operation went wrong because his doctor's hands were shaking heavily while performing a stent insertion procedure. Speculation about his whereabouts and health started floating since April 15 after he skipped the 108th birth anniversary events of his grandfather and the founder of North Korea, Kim Il-sung. His absence from North Korea's Military Foundation Day on Saturday added fuel to the reports about his ill health.
Some unconfirmed media reports claimed that Kim was taken to hospital after he collapsed while out in the countryside. The leader reportedly underwent heart surgery on April 12. He had a procedure to insert a stent, but it went wrong because the surgeon was terrified and his hands were shaking heavily, the reports claimed. Kim is overweight and has a history of diet-related illness. Could obesity be the cause of his heart failure?
Studies have linked obesity with many serious health issues, namely, heart disease. Obesity can cause a spike in bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It can also lower good high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, which helps remove bad cholesterol from the body to reduce the risk for heart disease.
Obesity can cause an increase in blood pressure. This is because obese people require more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their bodies, which means more pressure to move this blood around. High blood pressure is a common cause of heart attack, is more common among obese individuals.
Those who are obese also have a much greater chance of developing diabetes and most diabetics also have heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, individuals with diabetes are two to four times more likely to be at risk for heart disease.
Obesity is also identified as a major risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection. So, it becomes more important to bring your weight into a healthier range. Below are some tips to deal with obesity.
If you're obese, losing weight is the best way to reduce your risk of developing heart disease. There are some steps you can take to lose weight and get healthy: These include:
Eat a nutritious, balanced diet: Consult your doctor for creating a diet that works best for you based on your current health status.
Cut intake of sugar and saturated fats: Excess consumption of sugar can cause weight gain and diabetes. Saturated fats can raise your cholesterol levels and increase your chances of heart disease. So, choose foods that are low in sugar and saturated fats.
Exercise regularly: Being physically active not only can help in weight loss, but it can also be extremely beneficial for your mental health. Exercise is known to be an effective in reducing depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. Even modest amounts can help reduce stress, improves memory, and lift your mood.
Keeping a food journal: If you don't keep a track of what eat you eat in a day, you may end up eating many calories. Keeping a food journal will help you control overeating, make dietary improvement, and pay attention to portion sizes.
