As a young, ambitious professional, many Hong Kong people work day and night, recklessly and restlessly, hoping to achieve career success in the future. However, such success doesn’t come without consequences. Having been neglecting their health for decades, these hard-working HongKongers will find “three highs” — high blood pressure, high blood glucose and high blood lipid level¹ — gradually knock on their doors once they hit 40s. If bad lifestyle habits continue, they will become prone to “metabolic syndrome” and even a target of various critical diseases.
Young metabolic syndrome patients face higher risks than senior patients
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of five cardiovascular disorders²:
- Central obesity
- High blood pressure
- High blood glucose
- High triglyceride level
- Low HDL-cholesterol
Since metabolic syndrome increases the risk of coronary heart disease³, it is undoubtedly a warning sign for our physical health. In fact, Hong Kong people’s health-neglecting lifestyle has caused two “senile diseases” – stroke and coronary heart disease – to spread amongst younger generations in recent years⁴ ⁵. Worse yet, chronic diseases are difficult to spot in early stages. If patients fail to obtain necessary treatment during young ages, they may face even more severe complications as they age⁶. Therefore, younger metabolic syndrome patients tend to be considered at a higher risk than senior patients.
Prevention before cure:Let’s start small
Metabolic syndrome opens the door to cancers, which can potentially deprive us of everything from wealth to health. Therefore, it is essential for us to stay healthy by developing these good habits⁷:
- Maintain a “three lows one high” diet (i.e. low in fat, low in sugar, low in salt and high in fibre)
- Do a 30-60min cardio exercise at least 5 times a week
- Avoid smoking
- Avoid drinking alcohol (especially for hypertension patients)
Besides developing good habits, we also need to protect ourselves by getting a medical insurance. When unexpected events strike, the insurance might just be the “lifesaver” we need. Take the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (“VHIS”) for example. Its Standard Plan offers a HKD420,000 total benefit coverage in every policy year. In case of any health conditions, it allows us to receive treatment and restore health as soon as possible.
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