A scene during the media engagement
Physician Specialist, Department of Cardiology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Florence Koryo Akumiah, has disclosed that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana, contributing to 18% of total national deaths.
According to the landmark 2023 WHO STEPS survey, one in five Ghanaian adults (approximately 3.7 million people) lives with hypertension, with a higher prevalence among women (25.3%) than men (18.2%).
She stressed that high rates of overweight, obesity, and elevated cholesterol particularly affect women, while men show lower rates of blood pressure control and higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use. Furthermore, younger adults aged 35 to 45 are increasingly presenting with severe complications such as strokes, kidney disease, and hypertensive emergencies.
She made this presentation at the Meatless Monday Health Journalists Engagement World Heart Day 2026, organised by the Communication Initiatives for Change (CiC) – Meatless Monday Ghana to strengthen the capacity of health journalists to provide accurate, evidence-based and sustained public education on the theme for this year’s World Health Day.
According to her, the vast majority of CVD risk factors are driven by everyday lifestyle habits. “Excessive sodium intake is a major driver, compounded by hidden salt in stock cubes, seasoning powders, instant noodles, fast foods, and traditional delicacies like koobi, momoni, and kako. Salt sensitivity among Black populations exacerbates this risk.”
Dr. Akumiah stated that, “physical inactivity due to sedentary occupations, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, alcohol intake, and the growing popularity of shisha and vaping amongst the youth aggravate the population’s cardiovascular risk profile.”
According to her, addressing this crisis requires coordinated, multi-level action under the global World Heart Day mandate to “Don’t Miss a Beat”. Individuals must prioritise routine screenings, increase physical activity, and reduce salt intake.
She added that community and public institutions need to foster healthier environments and debunk treatment myths. At the national policy level, public health leaders must enforce sodium and trans-fat labeling, integrate routine cardiovascular screenings into primary care nationwide, and ensure affordable access to essential cardiac medications.
The Programmes Manager, Diet and Healthy Living Program, Nutrition Department, FHD, Ghana Health Service, Mrs. Catherine Adu-Asare explained that non-communicable diseases are an issue of grave concern, with 45% of deaths attributed to them. “While these conditions used to be seen as far away, we now have children as young as 15 or 16 developing stroke and hypertension,” she stated.
Mrs. Adu-Asare disclosed that a study showed that only about 15% of people eat for health and nutrition reasons, while the majority eat out of convenience and cost. Processed foods contain preservatives and hidden chemicals that are unhealthy when consumed in large portions. Additionally, 9.9% of people do not meet minimum physical activity recommendations, as modern lifestyles limit exercise.
According to her, consuming unhealthy diets high in salt, sugar, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, yet low in fiber, negatively alters blood pressure. Bad cholesterol deposits plaque within the blood vessels, narrowing the pathway for blood flow and causing elevated blood pressure. This plaque buildup, alongside inflammation and clot formation, ultimately leads to heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
To address these risks through nutrition, she outlined the structure of a four-star diet for a healthy person without underlying conditions. The first star consists of staples like maize, rice, cassava, and plantain, which form our base but contain starch. The second star consists of legumes and seeds, such as beans, cowpeas, lentils, and agushis. The third star consists of fruits and vegetables, which are given three stars due to the high importance of consuming them, and finally, the fourth star consists of animal-source foods.
“Additionally, fiber is your heart’s best friend. Dietary fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol levels and regulates blood sugar. You obtain fiber from whole grains, oats, brown rice, local unrefined grains, beans, legumes, as well as whole fruits and vegetables. Instead of drinking fruit juice where the fiber has been strained out, eat the whole fruit. That way, you receive both the vitamins and the fiber that protect your heart and digestive system,” she stated.
According to the Executive Director of Communication Initiatives for Change (CiC) – Meatless Monday Ghana, Mr. Emmanuel Fiagbey, Meatless Monday is an initiative aimed at managing cardiovascular diseases and broader non-communicable diseases through dietary choices. Founded in 2003 with Johns Hopkins University’s Center for a Livable Future, the campaign has expanded globally to promote overall health preservation.
By Janet Odei Amponsah