A changing lifestyle which has scant time for regular exercise is making more Puneites land up with complications related to hypertension, diabetes, anaemia and heart disease.

Since 2003, more people have died from these complications, the health department has said in the Environment Status Report for 2011–12, which was tabled by the Pune Municipal Corporation on Monday.

About 1,149 people died due to hypertension induced complications in 2011 as against 234 in 2003, while the number of people dying due to diabetes–related complications has gone

up to 1,343 in 2011 from 207 in 2003 the report said. The report has attributed the increase in deaths to unhealthy changes in urban lifestyle.

"On an average, the city registers 20,000 deaths each year and doctors attending to the people furnish causes of death to the civic body. We compiled the data related to lifestyle diseases on the basis of this information. Of the average 20,000 deaths, about 9,000 in 2011 are due to diseases resulting out of unhealthy lifestyles," said S T Pardeshi, health department chief.

Doctors mention the immediate cause of death when they issue a death certificate. "We categorise the deaths as per the cause listed by the doctor. Hence, we have not clubbed together deaths due to a long history of hypertension or diabetes," he added.

The table also includes deaths caused by cardiac arrest, renal failure, chronic renal failure, HIV, chronic heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases among others, which are again lifestyle related, he said. The figures were collated from the city hospitals.

"In a fast–paced world, many people are falling prey to diabetes and hypertension. The cause of these diseases can be due to stress, lack of exercise, overeating or irregular eating habits and carelessness about one's health," Pardeshi added.

According to doctors, lifestyle diseases are caused due to the way we live or the change in lifestyle due to advancements in society.

Experts said exercise was lacking in many people’s routine. Physical activity not only helps remain healthy but also increases life expectancy. Dedicating a minimum of 40–45 minutes daily for moderate to heavy exercise is a must. It can include brisk walking, going to the gym or any kind of natural sport.