In a study that included a nationally representative sample of nearly 45,000 adults, participants who met most of seven recommended cardiovascular health behaviors or factors had a lower risk of death compared to participants who met fewer factors, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The American Heart Association recently published recommendations aimed at improving cardiovascular health and reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease in the United States: not smoking; being physically active; having normal blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol levels, and weight; and eating a healthy diet.
Researchers conducted a study to examine the trends of these health metrics and estimated their associations with risk of all-cause and death from cardiovascular disease. The study included 44,959 U.S. adults.
The authors found that meeting a greater number of cardiovascular health metrics was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease mortality, though few participants met all seven recommendations. Younger participants, women, non-Hispanic whites and those with higher education levels tended to meet a greater number of cardiovascular health metrics.
The researchers concluded coordinated efforts, such as the recently announced Million Hearts initiative, can make cardiovascular health an achievable goal.
The American Heart Association recently published recommendations aimed at improving cardiovascular health and reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease in the United States: not smoking; being physically active; having normal blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol levels, and weight; and eating a healthy diet.
Researchers conducted a study to examine the trends of these health metrics and estimated their associations with risk of all-cause and death from cardiovascular disease. The study included 44,959 U.S. adults.
The authors found that meeting a greater number of cardiovascular health metrics was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease mortality, though few participants met all seven recommendations. Younger participants, women, non-Hispanic whites and those with higher education levels tended to meet a greater number of cardiovascular health metrics.
The researchers concluded coordinated efforts, such as the recently announced Million Hearts initiative, can make cardiovascular health an achievable goal.
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