14 DAY TRIAL // According to a new report released by the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA), Americans are, at this point, more educated about heart conditions than they ever were, but still take little action to prevent their emergence. Such diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States, but people seem to be uninterested in maintaining their own health, the study reveals. The paper has been released to draw attention to the National Child Health Day, which takes place on October 5.
The statistic was put together using data from a recent, national consumer survey, the PCNA says. The association has also launched a campaign to educate families about heart health. About three in five US residents believe that the processes related to the appearance of heart diseases do not start until adulthood. Such erroneous beliefs put children at high risks of heart diseases, as the parents see no problem in, for example, their having high-cholesterol diets. The report shows that tender ages are precisely the point in time when the foundations for future diseases are laid.
“This is a wake up call for parents and their children in particular. Some strides have been made; however, since more and more children are currently overweight, they are more likely at risk for obesity-related conditions later in life such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes,” PCNA Board of Directors member Laura Hayman, PhD, RN, says. She is also a leading US researcher on cardiovascular diseases and obesity, especially in children, teens, and families.
The statistic also shows that 92 percent of Americans are still at risk of developing heart conditions, primarily because of the constant rise of obesity levels in the general population. Despite earlier awareness programs and education, the trend toward reducing cardiovascular risk is currently heading in the wrong, negative direction. The finds are detailed in a September advance online issue of the scientific journal Circulation.
“Much potential exists to reverse ominous trends in cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in the United States, but this is unlikely to occur without making prevention of overweight and obesity a clear national priority,” two Harvard professors say in an accompanying editorial to the journal entry. They argue that millions of Americans enter adulthood obese, and that they put themselves at risk of premature death and a lifetime of diseases by doing so. “We are at a critical juncture. It is imperative for parents to lead by example with an all encompassing hearty-healthy lifestyle, making the necessary changes both in diet and physical exercise,” Hayman adds.