Tiny Proportion Of Americans Practice Seven Heart Healthy Habits
Just 1.2% of Americans met all 7 cardiovascular health metrics from 2005 to 2010, compared to 2% from 1988 to 1994, researchers reported this week in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association). Although some factors have improved, such as smoking rates, others have not, the authors explained. The study, said to include a nationally representative population sample, found that among nearly 44, 959 adults who met at least seven of the recommended American Heart Association's cardiovascular health behaviors, their risk of death was considerably lower compared to those who met fewer behaviors.
Respiratory Diseases Expected To Worsen With Global Climate Change
Worldwide increases in the incidences of asthma, allergies, infectious and cardiovascular diseases will result from a variety of impacts of global climate change, including rising temperatures, worsening ozone levels in urban areas, the spread of desertification, and expansions of the ranges of communicable diseases as the planet heats up, the professional organization representing respiratory and airway physicians stated in a new position paper. The paper is published online and in print in the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society.
Healthy Features In Neighborhoods Lead To Better Heart Health
If you live in neighborhoods with access to grocery stores, healthy food, parks and a pleasant walking environment, you're more likely to be in ideal cardiovascular health. That's the finding of research reported at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2012 Scientific Sessions. "The most significant neighborhood factors that lead to ideal health were access to recreational resources like parks and trails where people can walk in safety and comfort, and the availability of healthy foods, " said Erin Unger, study author and medical student at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.