Johannesburg, South Africa  – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today hosted its first “Cardiac Conversation” an interactive panel discussion with leading experts in healthcare, and wellness around the importance of lifestyle changes and healthy food preparation as preventative measures against developing heart disease. The panel discussion was undertaken during the Johannesburg stopover of Philips’ fifth consecutive pan-African Cairo to Cape Town roadshow; and is part of Philips’ commitment to drive discussions to address Non Communi

cable Diseases (NCD’s) in Africa; and aligns with the upcoming National Heart Awareness Month in South Africa.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) today is responsible for approximately one-third of deaths worldwide¹. According to The Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, heart disease is the number one killer in South Africa; one in three men and one in four women will have a heart condition before the age of 60². There is therefore a great need for a better understanding of both the prevalence of heart diseases and the associated risk factors among South Africans and a need to translate such information into effective health policies, health programmes and services. Lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, stress, smoking and an unhealthy diet are key contributors to high blood pressure and cholesterol which could subsequently result in heart disease and heart attacks.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) today is responsible for approximately one-third of deaths worldwide¹. According to The Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, heart disease is the number one killer in South Africa; one in three men and one in four women will have a heart condition before the age of 60². There is therefore a great need for a better understanding of both the prevalence of heart diseases and the associated risk factors among South Africans and a need to translate such information into effective health policies, health programmes and services. Lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, stress, smoking and an unhealthy diet are key contributors to high blood pressure and cholesterol which could subsequently result in heart disease and heart attacks.

The South African National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 2012 (SANHANES1) also revealed that two out of five participants (39.7%) ate a diet of poor nutritional quality with almost one out of five participants (18.3%) eating foods with high levels of fat and sugar. On average, South Africans scored five out of nine when it came to general nutritional knowledge, with nearly two thirds of men and women thinking they were eating and drinking healthily, and needed to make no change to their diet. Yet South Africans already number among the highest sufferers of hypertension worldwide. High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer”, because there are no warning signs or symptoms and people don’t realise they have it.

Education and awareness have a big role to play in controlling cardiac disease in South Africa. To discuss this important topic, the Philips Cardiac Conversation brought together Dr Zambakides, cardiologist at Life Bedford Gardens Hospital, Gabriel Eksteen, Dietician at the South African Heart and Stroke Foundation, Stacey Holland, TV presenter, USN ambassador and fitness ambassador, Letshego Zulu, biokineticist and personal trainer and John Hamlett, professional running coach and owner at N.E.W, in an interactive panel discussion hosted by Robert Marawa, Supersport presenter and heart-attack survivor.

The panellists took advantage of the platform to weigh in on a conversation that they are individually passionate about, and engage with an audience made up of other invested healthcare professionals, as well as lifestyle and healthcare media.

Key highlights from the discussion include:

· Take responsibility for your lifestyle. Set health goals, educate yourself and consult professionals to help you achieve these goals.

· Know your risk profile. Don’t guess what your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers are; it can’t be left to chance.

· There is no quick fix; good health has to be a sustainable way of life so tweak your lifestyle to work for you.

· There is no one type of diet that fits all. We have to individualise what we eat and how we exercise as each person is unique.

· Always consults your doctor before you embark on a fitness programme and get ‘the all clear’.

As an improved diet and correct nutrition can play a key factor in preventing heart disease, Philips’ consumer lifestyle sector has introduced several innovative kitchen appliances for the South African market that enable consumers to prepare a variety of meals in a healthier way. These include the Philips Avance Airfryer, Viva and Avance juicers and a wide collection of handheld and glass blenders, all of which address the needs of consumers to prepare nutritious meals in the comfort of the home. These were showcased at the panel discussion, including the Philips Avance Airfryer which is a revolution in home cooking that uses little or no oil as it fries. Conventional deep fat fryers use large amounts of oil to cook food; however the Philips Airfryer uses patented Rapid Air technology to circulate hot air around a grill component, creating delicious meals with up to 80% less fat.

"Interactive platforms like the one Philips provided today are so important when it comes to sharing and discussing the healthy heart message with the general public and media leaders. I urge South African’s to have their blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol tested regularly. Heart disease is called the silent killer because people are blissfully unaware of what their cardiac risk really is until it’s too late. Healthy food preparation is vital to heart health; weight management can help control diabetes and greatly decrease the risk of developing heart disease", stated Dr Zambakides, Cardiologist at Life Bedford Gardens Hospital.

“By inviting South Africans to join the Cardiac Conversation with Philips, we want to inspire people to make a difference to their health and live better, longer lives. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring, expensive or complicated; it can be as simple as making small changes to your family’s favourite dishes through clever food preparation. Philips prides itself on developing innovations that address a need amongst consumers; our range of kitchen appliances are focused on what is really important to consumers when it comes to cooking – devices that help you to create healthy and great tasting food without mess or fuss. At Philips we stand by our brand promise of “Innovation and You”, ensuring that the consumer and their needs are at the heart of all our product introductions; we will continue to bring new innovations to the market that make a real impact and address local trends and requirements.” concludes JJ van Dongen, Senior Vice President and CEO Philips Africa.

Penultimate stop on the fifth pan-African Cairo to Cape Town roadshow

Johannesburg was the penultimate stop on Philips’ annual flagship Cairo to Cape Town roadshow (from 14 April to 4 September 2014) which focuses on key challenges facing Africa today - the need for energy-efficient lighting and the revitalization of African healthcare infrastructure. In contribution to the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Philips calls for improving universal access to healthcare and reducing the double-disease burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as additions to the current Millennium Development Goals.  
 
The Roadshow has made its way across seven countries and ten cities in Africa; and will conclude in Cape Town on 4^th September 2014.