
Shefali Jariwala Passes Away At 42: Understanding The Surge In Youth Cardiac Arrests
The tragic and unexpected death of actress Shefali Jariwala at the age of 42 has ignited widespread concern over a growing health crisis: rising heart attack cases among young adults. Known for her iconic role in the music video Kaanta Laga and her participation in Bigg Boss 13, Shefali reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite her husband, actor Parag Tyagi's swift efforts to get her medical help, she was declared dead upon arrival. Her body was later moved to Cooper Hospital for a postmortem.
As authorities investigate the precise cause, Shefali Jariwala 's untimely demise underscores an unsettling trend: a significant surge in cardiac incidents among individuals in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s.
A Worrying Shift in Trends
Cardiovascular disease, once seen as a condition primarily affecting the middle-aged and elderly, is now striking much earlier. Experts report that heart attacks among individuals under 40 are growing rapidly, accounting for 6–10 per cent of global cases. Alarming as that is, the rate in India appears even higher compared to global averages.
Sedentary Lifestyles and Unhealthy Habits
One of the main culprits behind this trend is lifestyle. A large percentage of today's youth spend extended periods seated at work, during travel or while using screens. Combined with a diet packed with ultra-processed, sugary and fatty foods, this leads to weight gain and increases the risk of conditions like diabetes, hypertension and elevated cholesterol.
Mental well-being is often overlooked but is closely linked to heart health. Persistent stress, anxiety and depression can raise cortisol levels, which in turn spike blood pressure and damage the heart over time. In addition, stress can encourage harmful coping mechanisms such as smoking, excessive alcohol use and drug consumption – all of which increase heart attack risks.
Undetected Medical Conditions
Many young people skip regular check-ups, believing they're too young to worry about heart disease. As a result, underlying conditions like high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, or early-onset diabetes go unnoticed, only to manifest as major cardiac events.
Other Risk Factors in Young Adults
Additional contributors to early heart attacks include:
Smoking – Regular or secondhand smoke rapidly damages arteries.
Substance abuse – Drugs like cocaine or meth can cause sudden heart spasms.
Chronic hypertension – Puts continuous pressure on arteries and heart muscles.
Unfavourable lipid profiles – High LDL and low HDL cholesterol contribute to arterial blockage.
Genetic conditions, such as hyperhomocysteinemia and lipoprotein disorders, that affect blood flow.
Prevention: What Can Be Done?
Getting regular medical check-ups to identify hidden risks early.
Maintaining a diet rich in whole foods and engaging in daily physical activity.
Prioritising mental well-being through practices like meditation, yoga, or counselling.
Steering clear of tobacco, e-cigarettes and recreational drugs.
Following proper treatment plans for chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
Shefali's passing is more than just a celebrity headline – it's a sobering wake-up call. Her story emphasises how critical it is for young people to take heart health seriously. Early prevention, awareness, and lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce the risk of such tragedies.
If today's youth begin to prioritise their physical and emotional well-being, we could be looking at a future where heart attacks in the young are the exception, not the norm.

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Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Indian Express
From the Opinions Editor: The tragic death of Shefalee Jariwala and the anti-ageing trap
Dear Express reader, At some point, in give or take their forties, women are made aware that they are no longer the default setting: Not the protagonist of ads, not the statistical core of a marketing campaign, not, as Gen Z would say, giving main character energy. Instead, they become a certain kind of invisible — their demographic slides quietly off the cultural radar, and the world, with its fresh faces and optimised filters, keeps spinning. The obsession with youth is not new. The Greeks built myths around it. The Renaissance painted it in oils. But the modern world industrialised it. Today, youth is no longer measured in years; it is a product category — rebranded, bottled, injected, and sold into an ideal so pervasive that even the act of resisting it must be done with the right serum, the right lighting, the right kind of denial. Anti-ageing is a billion-dollar industry. In 2024, the global anti-ageing market was estimated to be worth $75.7 billion, according to a survey by market-research firm IMARC. In India, it reached $2.5 billion and is expected to grow to $4 billion by 2033. It sells creams that promise to reverse time, diets that speak in the language of miracles, and procedures that pledge a new you — less tired, less lived-in, necessarily idealised. Even language conspires to soften the blow of ageing, offering euphemisms like 'prejuvenation' to fix what isn't broken. Shefalee Jariwala's death at 42 last week from a cardiac arrest — linked allegedly to anti-ageing treatments and an extreme diet – throws this into sharp relief. The actor, who came into the limelight with the remix of the song Kaanta laga, was reportedly fasting and on anti-ageing medication; an avid consumer of cosmetic drugs, she is said to have taken a Vitamin C IV drip on that fateful day as well. She was, in essence, a woman trying to stay visible in a culture that flits by once you are considered past the bill of 'acceptability'. But what exactly do we mean by youth? Is it the physical resilience — the quick metabolism, the energy that never needs rationing, the sleepless nights that could be followed by 10-hour shifts at the workplace? Or, is it something more elusive: A sense of possibility, an unformedness that has not yet calcified into certainty? Youth, we are told, is when we are most alive. Which implies that ageing, in this cultural grammar, is a kind of dying. What all of this betrays, of course, is a deep unease with the passage of time itself. We live in a culture allergic to impermanence. Where once age was a milestone – of experience, of wisdom — gleaned over a well-lived life, it is now treated as a letdown. This notion becomes especially cruel in midlife, when adulthood comes of age. The body starts sending quiet memos, the mirror betrays a new flaccidity every time. Youth, in this equation, is no longer merely desirable — it becomes mandatory. So, like Elisabeth Sparkle in The Substance, last year's breakaway body horror movie featuring Demi Moore, there is a relentless rush to experiment with new treatments to avoid the inevitability of hoariness. Names of substances such as Ozempic and glutathione, retinol and hyaluronic acid roll off the tongue with an ease that should be terrifying but only shows how steeped we are in this configuration of ourselves into a prospective upgrade. No one tells you how to age. There's no consensus on how much of a fight you are meant to put up, nor a handbook for how to face the first intimations of mortality. The poet Dylan Thomas told us to 'rage, rage against the dying of the light' but he died young, spared the awkward choreography of ageing in public. To age in the modern world is to perform a paradox. Women are expected to look ageless while pretending it is without effort. They must 'own' their years but not wear them too heavily. Ageing 'well' is fine as long as it is styled and shape-shifted into wellness routines and aesthetic enhancements, framed as 'self-care' over vanity or insecurity. Jariwala's story is tragic, but not unfamiliar. Many women live some version of it, quietly calibrating their worth against their age. They don't always die from it. They simply lean into an erasure that comes from letting go of the person they were meant to grow into. Take care, Paromita


News18
2 days ago
- News18
India Defers 'Cosmetic Changes' Over Mercury Threat, Even As Anti-Ageing Craze Grows
Last Updated: An expert panel has warned that cosmetic products, often not subjected to toxicological scrutiny, pose significant danger when laced with mercury, especially through prolonged use Even as concerns rise over the safety of anti-ageing and skin-whitening products—particularly after the untimely death of television personality and actress Shefali Jariwala sparked national debate—India's top panel of experts at its drug regulatory body has chosen not to tighten its mercury regulations in cosmetics, despite firm recommendations from an expert panel. At its latest meeting in June, the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) reviewed a proposal submitted by Botswana and Burkina Faso, on behalf of the African region, to amend Annex A of the Minamata Convention on mercury. The proposal, presented at the fifth Conference of Parties (COP-5) in Geneva in 2023, urges countries to phase out the manufacture, import, and export of cosmetics containing over 1 part per million (ppm) of mercury by 2025. India had earlier constituted a subcommittee to evaluate the country's regulatory alignment and obligations under the treaty. The panel comprised public health and toxicology experts, including a representative from the ministry of environment. In its report, the subcommittee explicitly recommended that 'mercury use in the formulation of cosmetics has to be stringently discouraged/stopped", citing environmental and health risks. A copy of the recommendations has been seen by News18. The panel also warned that cosmetic products, often not subjected to toxicological scrutiny, pose a significant danger when laced with mercury, especially through prolonged use. However, the expert panel, DCC, concluded that India's current regulations under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, are already in line with the Minamata Convention. It ruled that 'no amendments are needed" citing Rule 39(5), which permits up to 70 ppm mercury in eye-area cosmetics and 1 ppm unintentional mercury in other finished products. News18 has seen the minutes of the DCC meeting. This decision stands in contrast to growing public and professional concerns about mercury-containing cosmetic products, which have surged in popularity amid the country's booming anti-ageing and fairness industry. The tragic death of Shefali Jariwala, widely speculated to be linked to complications possibly arising from cosmetic or aesthetic procedures, has reignited concerns about the largely unregulated market for anti-ageing and skin-lightening treatments. What is the Minamata Convention? Botswana and Burkina Faso are countries in Africa, and, in the context of international environmental negotiations, they often speak on behalf of the African region at global forums. The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty adopted in 2013 under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The treaty aims to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury and mercury compounds. At the Minamata Convention on Mercury, these two nations jointly submitted a proposal to amend Annex A (Part I and II) of the convention. Their proposal aimed to phase out mercury-added cosmetics globally by 2025—including products like skin-lightening creams, which are widely used across various regions, including parts of Africa and Asia. What did the subcommittee suggest? Primarily, the panel concluded that 'mercury use in the formulation of cosmetics has to be stringently discouraged/stopped". The subcommittee had further advised that identifying mercury-containing products should be a priority. 'It is to be identified that which particular product(s) is/are having mercury in the formulation. For that, a combination of sampling and self-declaration has to be used for monitoring/documenting the existing products before accepting the declaration of Minamata Convention," it said. It further recommended an extension of two years to implement the proposed ban, urging the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to determine a clear methodology for eliminating mercury from cosmetic products. Additionally, the panel advised, 'The manufacturer(s) have to submit a self-declaration regarding their product that is not having/containing mercury. This will have to be eventually cross verified by stringent laboratory testing." Despite these recommendations, the DCC decided against any immediate changes. Experts warn this could leave consumers vulnerable. 'Considering the surge in online and offline sales of cosmetic products that promise quick fixes for ageing, pigmentation, and skin tone enhancement, often with undisclosed or unsafe levels of mercury, the decision may prove costly," said an industry expert on cosmetics and toxicology who retired from one of the largest cosmetic brands operating in India. 'The subcommittee recommendations were accurate and needed attention, as mercury is lethal enough to cause heavy damage." Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : cosmetic health mercury Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 07:30 IST News india India Defers 'Cosmetic Changes' Over Mercury Threat, Even As Anti-Ageing Craze Grows


News18
3 days ago
- News18
Shefali Jariwala Passes Away At 42: Understanding The Surge In Youth Cardiac Arrests
Shefali Jariwala died of a sudden cardiac arrest. Despite swift help from husband Parag Tyagi, she was declared dead on arrival. The tragic and unexpected death of actress Shefali Jariwala at the age of 42 has ignited widespread concern over a growing health crisis: rising heart attack cases among young adults. Known for her iconic role in the music video Kaanta Laga and her participation in Bigg Boss 13, Shefali reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite her husband, actor Parag Tyagi's swift efforts to get her medical help, she was declared dead upon arrival. Her body was later moved to Cooper Hospital for a postmortem. As authorities investigate the precise cause, Shefali Jariwala 's untimely demise underscores an unsettling trend: a significant surge in cardiac incidents among individuals in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s. A Worrying Shift in Trends Cardiovascular disease, once seen as a condition primarily affecting the middle-aged and elderly, is now striking much earlier. Experts report that heart attacks among individuals under 40 are growing rapidly, accounting for 6–10 per cent of global cases. Alarming as that is, the rate in India appears even higher compared to global averages. Sedentary Lifestyles and Unhealthy Habits One of the main culprits behind this trend is lifestyle. A large percentage of today's youth spend extended periods seated at work, during travel or while using screens. Combined with a diet packed with ultra-processed, sugary and fatty foods, this leads to weight gain and increases the risk of conditions like diabetes, hypertension and elevated cholesterol. Mental well-being is often overlooked but is closely linked to heart health. Persistent stress, anxiety and depression can raise cortisol levels, which in turn spike blood pressure and damage the heart over time. In addition, stress can encourage harmful coping mechanisms such as smoking, excessive alcohol use and drug consumption – all of which increase heart attack risks. Undetected Medical Conditions Many young people skip regular check-ups, believing they're too young to worry about heart disease. As a result, underlying conditions like high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, or early-onset diabetes go unnoticed, only to manifest as major cardiac events. Other Risk Factors in Young Adults Additional contributors to early heart attacks include: Smoking – Regular or secondhand smoke rapidly damages arteries. Substance abuse – Drugs like cocaine or meth can cause sudden heart spasms. Chronic hypertension – Puts continuous pressure on arteries and heart muscles. Unfavourable lipid profiles – High LDL and low HDL cholesterol contribute to arterial blockage. Genetic conditions, such as hyperhomocysteinemia and lipoprotein disorders, that affect blood flow. Prevention: What Can Be Done? Getting regular medical check-ups to identify hidden risks early. Maintaining a diet rich in whole foods and engaging in daily physical activity. Prioritising mental well-being through practices like meditation, yoga, or counselling. Steering clear of tobacco, e-cigarettes and recreational drugs. Following proper treatment plans for chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. Shefali's passing is more than just a celebrity headline – it's a sobering wake-up call. Her story emphasises how critical it is for young people to take heart health seriously. Early prevention, awareness, and lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce the risk of such tragedies. If today's youth begin to prioritise their physical and emotional well-being, we could be looking at a future where heart attacks in the young are the exception, not the norm.