World Heart Federation

The World Heart Federation, is a nongovernmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland dedicated to the prevention and control of heart disease and stroke, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. It comprises 195 member societies of cardiology and heart foundations from over 100 countries covering the regions of Asia-Pacific, Europe, East Mediterranean, the Americas and Africa.

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Activities

World Heart Day, organized by the World Heart Federation and its members and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO and United Nations Sport for Development and Peace initiative, is the World Heart Federation's most important advocacy event and aims to increase public awareness and promote preventative measures to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke. Begun in 1999 with the vision that all World Heart Federation members could collectively help to curb the global pandemic of cardiovascular disease, which claims some 17.5 million lives world-wide annually, World Heart Day is now celebrated by members and non-members alike in more than 100 countries around the world.

World Heart Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in September every year (September 30 in 2007). This system was chosen so that it always falls on a day when many individuals and families are free to attend the organized activities. Many events take place on the day itself, or in the weeks leading up to or just following World Heart Day.

World Heart Federation members, comprising 195 cardiology societies and heart foundations in more than 100 countries, organize activities for World Heart Day. A large number of non-members, whether hospitals, cardiac clinics, universities, schools, individuals and a number of other organizations, also join in by organizing events.

While the continuous slogan for World Heart Day is "A Heart for Life", each year the Day is dedicated to a special theme, as listed below.

• 2007 Team up for Healthy Hearts!
• 2006 How Young is Your Heart?
• 2005 Healthy Weight, Healthy Shape
• 2004 Children, Adolescents and Heart Disease
• 2003 Women, Heart Disease and Stroke
• 2002 Obesity, Physical Activity and Nutrition
• 2001 A Heart for Life
• 2000 Physical Activity

Woman and Cardiovascular DiseaseThe World Heart Federation is committed to saving the lives of both men and women, and acknowledges that women's cardiovascular health is an under-recognized aspect of cardiovascular care worldwide. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are among the foremost health challenges for women, just as they are for men.

Women are known to have a different risk profile compared with men, and this has implications for gender differences in risk definition, possible differences in intervention targets and risk modification. Women also have difficulties with access to care.

WHF develops international activities to raise public awareness about the CVD and stroke issue among women.

Children and Youth A healthy heart is vital for living life to the full, regardless of age and gender. Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and smoking are the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. These unhealthy lifestyles are increasingly common among children and teenagers and are being adopted at an alarmingly early age. WHF creates awareness all over the world, to show how important it is for children and youths to have a healthy heart for life.

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