Guy Leahy

The Center for Disease Control recently reported that deaths from cardiovascular disease have declined 60% from 1950 to 1996. Factors contributing to this decline are:

· Declines in cigarette smoking
· A decrease in mean blood pressure
· An increase in the percentage of persons whose blood pressure is treated
· A decrease in mean blood cholesterol levels
· Lowered consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol
· Medical advances in treating heart disease

Despite these changes, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of
death in the United States. According to the National Center for Health Statistics,
725,790 Americans died in 1997 from cardiovascular disease. It's clear there is still room for improvement. Are you at risk for contracting cardiovascular disease? Below are some risk factors to watch for.

· Tobacco use
· Hypertension (high blood pressure) above 130/85
· Blood cholesterol above 200 mg/dl
· Low HDL cholesterol (< 35 mg/dl) or high LDL cholesterol (> 130 mg/dl)
· Physical inactivity
· Diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol
· Excess body fat
· High resting heart rate (greater than 90 beats per minute)

High blood cholesterol and high blood pressure are particularly serious problems because people may be unaware they have them. Approximately 40 million Americans have a blood cholesterol level exceeding 240 mg/dl, and high blood pressure affects one in five Americans older than 25 years of age, so it's important to have your blood cholesterol and blood pressure checked. Cardiovascular disease doesn't start when we turn 40; it starts much earlier.  A recent report published in the journal Circulation documented that 19% of 30-34 year old males and 8 % of 30-34 year old females already exhibited advanced development of cardiovascular disease. This study also showed that 2% of the 15-19 year old males had advanced cardiovascular disease! Approximately 55% of US Adults are overweight or obese, yet less than 20% exercise for 30 minutes five days a week. While the % of calories from fat has gone down, the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed has also decreased.  High consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with lower risk for cardiovascular disease, due to their fiber and phytochemical content.
So, what do you go from here? Contact the Health & Fitness Lab at 782-6531 and we'll get you started with nutrition and exercise programs that will improve your lifestyle and reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. We'll be glad to help!