World Heart Day [September 29, 2023]

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : Mar 7, 2023, 15:38

Every year, on 29th September, World Heart Day is observed to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVD). As heart diseases are a leading cause of death around the globe, people must be educated about them and their timely prevention. To achieve this goal, World Heart Day was established in 1999 through the joint efforts of the World Health Organization and the World Heart Federation.

On World Heart Day, people are encouraged to break out of their sedentary lifestyles and improve their diet to avoid falling prey to heart diseases. Learn more about World Heart Day 2022, its theme, history, etc., from the information below.

What is World Heart Day?

World Heart Day is an annual event observed globally on 29th September. The aim of this day is to spread awareness about one of the leading causes of death in the world - cardiovascular diseases. This day is the right occasion for people to pause and ponder how they can safeguard themselves from heart diseases.

World Heart Day 2022 will be celebrated on Thursday, 29th September. The World Heart Federation has an official campaign for Heart Day this year, around the theme of “Use Heart for Every Heart.” Get a clear overview of the day from the table shared below:

Event Name

World Heart Day 2023

Established By

World Heart Federation and World Health Organization

Event Date

29th September 2023

World Heart Day Theme 2022

Use Heart for Every Heart

Aim

To reduce the number of deaths caused by heart diseases annually by educating people about cardiovascular diseases, and their prevention

World Heart Day 2022 Theme

The World Heart Federation sets a unique theme for Heart Day every year for its official campaign. The organizations and individuals worldwide who participate in the campaign follow the same theme for their own events.

The World Heart Day 2022 theme is “Use Heart for Every Heart.” As per the official World Heart Federation campaign, the key message of this theme can be derived from the following three pillars:

  • Use heart for humanity - To provide better support for people dealing with heart diseases, especially in low-income and middle-income countries.
  • Use heart for nature - To improve the overall air condition in the world, as air pollution contributes to 25% of CVD deaths.
  • Use heart for you - To put in effort for better mental health, as psychological distress puts people at a greater risk of strokes and other heart diseases.

Key Message of World Heart Day 2023

This year, World Heart Day aims to encourage people to look after themselves, others, and nature as well. Putting in coordinated efforts to improve one’s own lifestyle and diet and motivating others to do the same can lead to a reduced number of CVD cases.

What are Cardiovascular Diseases?

Cardiovascular diseases are related to heart conditions that cause disruptions in the normal functioning of the heart and blood vessels. These diseases are very common and amounted to 32% of total global deaths in 2019. Although widely prevalent, cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by improving lifestyle and diet. To know about the causes, symptoms, and prevention of CVD, read the information given in the table below:

World Heart Day 2023

Causes of CVD

Symptoms of CVD

Prevention of CVD

Sedentary lifestyle,

Tobacco use,

Obesity,

Raised blood pressure,

Psychological issues,

Stressful lifestyle,

Air pollution

Difficulty in understanding speech or fumbled speaking,

Numbness of the limbs, especially on one side of the body,

Severe headache,

Dizziness,

Difficulty in walking, loss of balance,

Unclear vision

Educating oneself about CVD and participating World Heart Day activities,

Maintaining a healthy body through regular exercise,

Following a balanced diet with food that is low in cholesterol,

Avoiding tobacco use,

Reducing alcohol consumption

Heart Day 2022 - Most Affected Regions

Cardiovascular diseases can lead to strokes, heart attacks, and other conditions. World Heart Day aims to highlight the causes of these diseases to help reduce the total number of people affected by these diseases. Many times, people developing heart diseases do not experience any extraordinary symptoms. However, a pattern has been observed in the regions where heart diseases are most commonly found.

Statistics show that people who are affected the most by cardiovascular diseases live in low-income or middle-income countries. The standard of living in these countries is generally low, and people live stressful, sedentary lifestyles there. On this World Heart Day, the WHF aims to target these regions and help people overcome their lifestyle challenges to reduce heart-related fatalities.

History of World Heart Day

The origins of World Heart Day can be traced back to 1999 when the World Heart Federation and World Health Organization together announced a day dedicated to spreading awareness about cardiovascular diseases. Over time, there has been a notable increase in the number of people dying due to heart disease, mainly coronary disease and strokes, each year.

Antoni Bayés de Luna, former president of WHF, conceived the idea for World Heart Day and announced the establishment of the same. Here’s what followed this announcement by the World Heart Federation:

  • Following this event, the first Heart Day was celebrated on 24th September 2000.
  • Till 2011, World Heart Day was observed every last Sunday in September.

Significance of World Heart Day

Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading cause of the total number of deaths each year in the world. Yet, only a small fraction of people are informed about cardiovascular diseases and their causes. As a lack of knowledge about such a prevalent disease can lead to an increased fatality rate, it is important to hold events like World Heart Day to spread awareness among people.

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FAQs on World Heart Day

Q1. What is World Heart Day?

World Heart Day is a day dedicated to talking about cardiovascular diseases and spreading knowledge about their causes and prevention. Heart Day was established by the World Health Organization and the World Heart Federation jointly in 1999.

Q2. When is World Heart Day celebrated?

World Heart Day is celebrated around the world on 29th September, every year. Earlier, the day was observed on 24th September annually. However, after 2011, the World Heart Federation designated 29th September as the official day for Heart Day celebrations.

Q3. What is the World Heart Day 2022 theme?

World Heart Day 2022 theme is “Use Heart for Every Heart.” The World Heart Federation decided on this theme keeping three aspects in mind -

  • Use heart for humanity
  • Use heart for nature
  • Use heart for you

Q4. Why is World Heart Day celebrated?

World Heart Day is celebrated to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of the total number of global deaths each year. As these diseases can be prevented, the WHO initiated Heart Day with the aim of educating people more about it.

Q5. Who established World Heart Day?

Antoni Bayés de Luna, who was the president of WHF from 1997–99, proposed the idea of World Heart Day, and it was established officially by the World Heart Federation and World Health Organization. The first Heart Day was celebrated on 24th September 2000.