Smokers, Drinkers, Couch Sitters: Why Jumping Straight To The Gym Can Be Risky

Do you smoke or drink, spend long hours sitting, indulge in junk food, and believe joining a gym overnight will make you fit quickly? Doctors warn that plunging straight into high-intensity workouts or aggressive fitness routines without fixing underlying lifestyle risks can be dangerous—and in some cases, life-threatening, triggering heart attacks or cardiac arrest.

“Exercise is important, but it has to be personalised and phased,” said Dr. Dhiraj Jhamb, Director and Senior Consultant, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital, Model Town, Delhi. Speaking to Health Outlook, he said unhealthy dietary habits, rising air pollution, and lifestyle negligence are already pushing young people towards serious heart and respiratory illnesses.

“These are silent killers. Many individuals don't realise they are already on the vulnerable side,” Dr. Jhamb said, citing cases where ‘fit’ looking youth suddenly collapsed on the gym floor or on fitness tracks.

“If you plan to hit the gym or start a fitness track, the first step should be quitting smoking and alcohol, correcting dietary habits and checking your heart health. Most gyms recommend intense workouts, but one size does not fit all. Take exercise slowly.”

He warned that heart disease and lung disorders are no longer confined to older age groups, with a sharp rise being observed among individuals in their 20s and 30s.

His warning comes amid findings from the latest Economic Survey, which flagged a sharp rise in the consumption of non-nutritional foods including junk and ultra-processed foods, particularly among younger age groups. The Survey noted that easy availability of high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar foods, coupled with sedentary lifestyles, is significantly increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, at a younger age.

According to health experts, heart disease remains the leading cause of death globally, and its growing prevalence among the youth has emerged as a major public health concern. While earlier only one in ten heart attack cases involved people below the age of 40, this figure has now risen to nearly one in five worldwide.

Dr. Jhamb said many young individuals ignore early warning signs such as chest discomfort, breathlessness, or unexplained fatigue, mistakenly assuming heart disease is age-related—a misconception that can prove fatal.

Air pollution, particularly prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), is further compounding the problem. Medical studies have shown that polluted air triggers inflammation, damages blood vessels, and significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease at a younger age. This elevated risk is now being observed not only among adults but also adolescents.

Echoing similar concerns, Dr. Ajay Aggarwal, Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Yatharth Hospital, Model Town, Delhi, said the declining age of heart attacks is deeply worrying. “We are seeing critical coronary blockages and heart attacks in patients as young as their late 20s and 30s. These cases are no longer driven only by traditional risk factors. Poor diet, processed and oily food consumption, lack of sleep, chronic stress, smoking, vaping and constant exposure to air pollution—especially PM2.5—are accelerating heart disease at a much younger age,” he said.

In addition to cardiac problems, respiratory diseases are also rising sharply, particularly in the NCR region. Doctors report increasing cases of asthma, persistent cough, breathlessness, and reduced lung capacity among young people due to pollution, smoking, vaping, and changing lifestyles.

Dr. Harish Bhatia, Senior Consultant, Respiratory Medicine and Interventional Pulmonology at the Yatharth Hospital, Model Town, Delhi, said long-term exposure to poor air quality combined with unhealthy routines is severely affecting lung health. “Air pollution, e-cigarettes, irregular lifestyles and lack of physical activity can lead to asthma, allergies and chronic lung disease,” he said.

Dr. Vinay Agarwal, former National President of Indian Medical Association, said, “India has an inappropriate share of both infectious and non infectious diseases. Burdened by the thrifty gene inherited over centuries, the current lifestyle and food choices end up in fatty liver, obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus. Add the stressful modern life we have the recipe for hypertension, stroke and cardiovascular diseases.”

Doctors said that despite major advances in medical technology, early detection and prevention against NCDs like heart diseases remain vital. “But regular exercise, supported by healthy eating and routine health checks, continues to be one of the most effective ways to keep illness at bay,” said the doctors.