Eating Disorders Blog

Decades of progress against heart disease in the United States may be reversing, largely as a result of the national obesity epidemic. A recent study, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shows that only 7.5 percent of Americans are free of risk factors for heart disease. That means that around 92.5 percent of Americans are actually at risk for developing heart disease.

Researchers collected data on adults aged 25 to 74 years and looked specifically for low-risk factors for heart disease, such as low blood cholesterol, normal blood pressure, normal weight and no sign of diabetes. The researchers found that, between 1971 and 1975, only 4.4 percent of adults had all five of those factors. By 1991, that number had increased to 10.5 percent of adults. Current data shows a decrease to 7.5 percent.

"Our results raise the concern that a worsening cardiovascular risk profile in the population could potentially lead to increases in the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease," commented the CDC's Dr. Earl S. Ford. "Potential increases in cardiovascular disease and diabetes could affect the nation's medical costs."

(Source: health.usnews.com)

Labels: obesity, heart disease

Posted By: Aspen Education Group