EU recommends regular heart checks from 35 onwards

The European Union recommended on Monday that people under 35 are screened at least once for heart disease, and advised regular checks for those aged 35 and over.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the 27-country bloc, causing 1.7 million deaths each year.

Some 62 million people are affected.

Heart diseases are on the rise despite the fact that risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity can be mitigated if detected early enough.

The European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- is seeking to establish better practices across the bloc, pointing out that only a the small number of countries have checks in place.

It recommended "at least one health check" including blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol for people under 35 years of age.

For people aged 35 to 64, the commission suggested a wider range of tests at least every five years.

They should be checked for lifestyle factors, respiratory function, reproductive health status and mental health, among others, it said.

From the age of 65, the EU recommended checks every three to five years.

"We need to help people build healthier habits from an early age and to be able to identify risks sooner," health chief Oliver Varhelyi said.

He cited high levels of smoking and vaping as well as obesity and physical inactivity among the young.