India needs "Another Salt March" to create awareness among the people about increasing risks of hypertension, according to Dr Clarence Grim of the US. Speaking at the 10th annual International Continuing Medical Education on 'Hypertension in Indian Diaspora- Tracing and Tracking the Roots,' Dr Grim pointed out that "High salt and fat intake is responsible for higher risk of hypertension in India". A survey had found that the prevalence of hypertension in India was 2-4 times higher than in African and European countries. The hypertension was the leading cause of stroke, congestive heart failure and renal failure, he said.

Earlier on Friday night, while inaugurating the convention, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Health G Aruna, said her ministry had been focussing its attention on tackling the problem of "childhood obesity" "We used to play when we were children. Today schools hardly have playgrounds for the children. When they return home from schools, parents put pressure on children to concentrate on their studies instead of encouraging them to mingle with the children of their age and play," she observed.

The Continuing Medical Education (CME) convention, organised by Mediciti Hospital, is being held every year since 1993.

Several doctors of international repute and subject experts from the US and UK spoke to the convention. The topics covered included 'obesity-a heavy risk factor, obesity-traditional and novel therapeutic strategies,' etc. The CME is platform where doctors of international repute from various countries assemble every year to share their knowledge, discuss and deliberate and focus on severity of health problems to alert the public, according to programme coordinator Dr P Naveen Chander Reddy. Its objective was to impart continuous education, serve the society and research to develop innovative strategies for effective treatment management.