Bulgaria marks September 25 the World Heart Day with hoops spinning and waist measuring. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia News Agency)
Bulgaria marked September 25 the World Heart Day. The country joined the world initiative for a second year.
Famous Bulgarian actors Elena Dimitrova and Hristo Garbov along with the graces from the rhythmic gymnastics club "Slavia" joined the initiative. All guests measured their waists and joined the biggest hoop spinning in Bulgaria's capital.
Weight control and the maintenance of healthy shape decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes, World Heart Federation points out. It has decided that this year's World Heart Day will go under the motto "Healthy Weight, Healthy Shape."
World Heart Day, organized by the World Heart Federation (WHF) and its members and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) -, UNESCO and International Year of Sport and Physical Education, is the WHF'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 WHF members could collectively help to curb the global pandemic of cardiovascular disease, which claims 17 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.