YOU MAY BE AT RISK FOR HEART DISEASE AND NOT
KNOW IT
You May be at Risk for Heart Disease and Not Know It
By: Cherish Hamutoff


Close to half of American adults are at risk for heart disease. A government report posted on the U.S.
National Health and Nutrition Survey 1999-2006 stated that 45 percent of the survey takers had one or more
of the following heart risk factors: high cholesterol (26 percent), high blood pressure (30.5 percent) and
diabetes (9.9 percent).

Even more alarming was the revelation that 13 percent of adults had two of the risk factors and three
percent had all three conditions. On top of that, 15 percent of the American population isn’t even aware they
have any of these conditions.

Statistics for the breakdown of risk factors among different ethnicities:
  • High blood cholesterol: Non-Hispanic whites (26.9 percent), Mexican-Americans (21.8 percent), blacks
    (21.5 percent).
  • Hypertension: Blacks (42.5 percent), non-Hispanic whites (29.1 percent), Mexican-Americans (26.1
    percent).
  • Diabetes: Blacks (14.6 percent), Mexican-Americans (15.3 percent), non-Hispanic whites (8.3 percent).

What is the cause of these shocking statistics? According to the president of the American Heart
Association, Dr. Clyde W. Yancy, the answer is obesity. Yancy explains, “Obesity is directly related to high
blood pressure, directly related to diabetes, directly related to an abnormal lipid profile." And since more
than half--60 percent--of the adult American population and 30 percent of American youth is overweight or
obese, the problem may get worse.

What can be done to correct these statistics? In addition to eating a healthy diet and getting adequate
exercise, removing stress, avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol can help moderate risk factors.