How Prevalent is ?According to the Centers for Disease Control, is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. In 2002, almost 700,000 people died of , just over half of which were women. These statistics mean that nearly 30% all U.S. deaths were due to .
has been the deadliest health condition for women for 100 years. According to the American Heart Association, has been the leading killer of adult females since 1908.
How is Weight Connected to ?Overweight is considered a major risk factor for both coronary and heart attack. Being 20% overweight or more significantly increases your risk for developing , especially if you have a lot of abdominal fat. The American Heart Association has found that even if you have no other related health conditions, obesity itself increases risk of .
Being sedentary causes risk to increase, possibly even more so for women -– inactive females are more likely to become diabetic, have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol. All three of these conditions increase the chance of developing .
Apples vs. PearsYour risk of developing may be heightened even more by the way your weight is distributed on your body. Being overweight and “apple-shaped” -- meaning you carry most of your excess weight in your abdominal area -- is considered riskier than being overweight and “pear-shaped.” Apple-shaped individuals also have many other increased health risks including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and stroke.
To find out if your waistline increases your risk of , you can measure yourself with a measuring tape. You may need a partner to help you measure accurately. The measurement should be taken at the narrowest part of your waist. A high-risk waistline is 35 inches or higher for women and 40 inches or higher for men.
What You Can DoThe good news is, reducing your weight by just 10% can begin to lower your risk of developing and other obesity-related health problems. can often be connected to “known risk factors” with being overweight considered a “modifiable” risk factor (a risk you can do something to prevent). Age and race, on the other hand, are “nonmodifiable” risk factors.
In addition to managing your weight, you can reduce your chances of developing by controlling other related risk factors such as: controlling your blood pressure, lowering your cholesterol, quitting smoking and getting enough exercise.
A healthy diet is also an important part of lowering your risk of . The American Heart Association recommends a diet that contains no more than 30% of daily calories from fat. For example, if you eat a diet of 2,000 calories per day, no more than 600 calories should come from fat.
To learn more about , visit The American Heart Association or About.com's site.
Sources:
American Heart Association. Diseases & Conditions. 1 February 2008.
American Heart Association. Obesity & Overweight. 1 February 2008.
Centers for Disease Control. CDC . 7 February 2008.
Centers for Disease Control. CDC Deaths,Leading Causes for 2002. National Vital Statistics Reports 2005;53(17) as qtd. in DHDSP - - Facts and Statistics. 7 February 2008.
U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health/Medline Plus. Medline Plus: s 4 February 2008.Weight, and Your Health...Assess Your Waist to Hip RatioMen: Do Your Heart a Favor!Health Risks of ObesitySuggested ReadingWhat is ?Common Symptoms of Diagnosing Suggested ReadingPreventing Assess Your RiskCardiac Risk FactorsRelated ArticlesHealth Risks of Being OverweightRisk Factors You Can't Change - MenopauseMental Health Affects Heart Risks Risk In Women - Women's Risk of Controlling Your Risks - Menopause Related Searches risk american heart association control coronary artery disease coronary types of Explore Weight Loss Must Reads Diets A to Z8 Easy Ways to Lose WeightFood Diary Print-OutCount Calories in 5 StepsSpring Clean Your Diet Most Popular Caloric IntakeThe South Beach DietPhase One Allowed FoodsLosing WeightIs Loose Skin an Issue? See More About:health risks of obesityobesitybelly fat By Category Count CaloriesWeight Loss BasicsHealthy EatingEating OutNutritionAbout DietsEmotional EatingExercise for Weight LossObesity & HealthChildren & TeensWeight Loss SurgeryGlossary
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