Don't overeat during parties, people told

Manila: The Philippines Department of Health has warned the public against overeating during the Yuletide.

It says cases of heart attack and stroke usually go up during this period due to high-cholesterol food that is normally part of the Filipino diet in observing Christmas and New Year.

"I would like to believe that they [cases] go up. That's why people should not forget to exercise to burn off excess fat," health secretary Francisco Duque III told reporters in a press briefing.

Duque said people, specially those attending a number of parties, should watch what they eat since their temporary merry-making could lead them to a lifetime disease or spending the holidays in hospital.

"Since this is the period of many parties going on, you should think twice before eating since an increase in your cholesterol level can give you a heart attack or a stroke," he said.