Over the past several years, AKHB USA has remained committed to a simple but important goal: helping our Jamat live healthier lives through prevention, education, early intervention, and access to quality care. Our work spans cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, healthy lifestyles, physical activity, mental health, and access to care. Through initiatives such as Save-A-Heart, Pink Shield, Second Opinion Services, Move2Bfit, and our mental health and resilience programs, we have worked to help our Jamat make healthier choices, stay informed and feel supported throughout their health journey.

Epidemiological and scientific evidence demonstrates clear links between food and disease development indicating that much of the chronic disease burden is preventable through the modification of lifestyle behaviors. Healthy eating is associated with reduced risks for many diseases including several of the leading causes of death: hypertension, heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes collectively known as the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Simple changes in diet and lifestyle also decrease the risk of overweight and obesity, which are the growing problems of the current age reaching alarming proportions.

With the rising incidence of obesity in western countries, specifically in the United States, more and more cases of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancers are diagnosed. This suggests a correlation between excessive weight gain and life-threatening illnesses. These diseases also have a direct impact on the quality of life, longevity and the economic status of the affected individuals and families. The choices we make about the type of food we buy, the ingredients used, the cooking method, the amount eaten and the frequency of eating throughout the day, plays a role in affecting weight gain or loss. It is difficult for many individuals to make a drastic change in the way they eat. If remaining healthy is a personal and family goal, then eating smartly is the way to achieve it. Eating smart means cooking right and eating in moderation.

Eating a large, satisfying dinner is one of the trademarks in our culture. Unfortunately, over the last decade or more, it has become a well established fact that people from South Asian descent are known to suffer increased rates of cardiovascular disease. While the reasons are not entirely clear as to why we suffer a disproportionate rate of cardiovascular disease, it is evident that having a diet high in fat, having high cholesterol, being overweight, and living a sedentary lifestyle are all contributors. Additionally, all of these indicators can cause a host of other problems, including high blood pressure, different types of cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and joint disease.

The Aga Khan Health Board has a long-standing involvement in improving the nutritional knowledge and the dietary practices of the Jamat. In 1997, AKHB published a science-based book entitled, A Taste of Healthy Asian-Indian Cuisine, which incorporated the latest knowledge about nutrition and revised our traditional Indian recipes to make the recipes lighter and healthier, by maintaining the desired flavors. I am pleased that AKHB is now publishing a well-organized and updated eBook series that incorporates recent advancements in nutritional knowledge and dietary guidelines. Recent years have seen a vast increase in our knowledge of nutrition, nutritional values in various foods, as well as our understanding of the strong connection between our dietary intake, our health, and our overall well being.

The Aga Khan Health Board (AKHB) for the United States of America was first established in 1987, allowing it to increase capacity and expand needed services to the Jamat. At that point, we organized multiple heath fairs in major Jamati centers to promote health awareness, and at the same time, collected valuable data pertaining to our Jamat’s health and wellness. Over the years, this data has been reviewed and updated, and observations have been made to help create significant strides in improving the health of our Jamat and identifying risk factors contributing to morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) within the Jamat.