For some years now, heart disease has been the number one killer in the United States. According to Healthline research, 647,000 Americans die annually from poor heart health or other conditions related to the heart and the cardiovascular system in general. The CDC says the numbers may increase by 2025 if Americans don’t take the necessary steps. So why is heart disease on the rise in the US? Why is it cutting short people’s lifespan? This article compiles some reasons this is so.
1. Increased cases of obesity
According to the CDC, the average American is overweight and does not make healthy choices to lose the excess weight. The current obesity prevalence rate in the country stands at 42.4% (2020), and even this statistic is exclusively for persons considered as morbidly obese. So how does obesity contribute to poor heart health? First, obesity is the abnormal accumulation of fat in the body with increased risks of health problems.
The truth about fat buildup is the increased chances of causing blockages in the arteries and blood vessel walls. The plaque accumulation in these already narrow blood channels impedes the adequate flow of blood to the body. Additionally, the heart is made to work even harder to pump blood to the entire body due to this problem.
Remember, the heart is a muscle, but obesity causes excess fat buildup around it. This is known as pericardial fat. If left untreated, the combination of blocked arteries and several other elements at play can lead to heart disease.
2. More cases of Type 2 diabetes
Unlike Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes happens when the body becomes insulin resistant. A person’s likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes is either based on lifestyle choices or genetics. You may not know where you stand, but establishments like MedComp Sciences can provide awareness about your health. With their help, you will have personalized plans to boost your well-being.
While Type 1 diabetes affects 5 – 10% of the American population, type 2 is a whopping 90 – 95%. The latter is more than enough proof of why heart disease is increasing in the US. That’s because type 2 diabetes has a direct bearing on heart health. Long periods of high blood sugar (even slightly high) can cause permanent damage to blood vessels, which leads to compromised heart health. Moreover, several medical pieces of research conducted from 1998 to 2020 all draw the same conclusion that Type 2 diabetes increases the risk for heart disease.
3. Poor diet
The average American’s diet consists of meals high in trans fats, sodium, and saturated fats. It’s also worth noting that the cholesterol content in the average American meal is on the high side. Add all that to the over 50 million Americans leading sedentary lifestyles, and you have the perfect recipe for poor heart health. Below is a further breakdown of elements contributing to poor American diets:
- 58% of calories consumed by the average American comes from processed foods.
- 70% of the average American diet comes from processed foods
- 1 in 4 Americans eat fast food daily.
Even more alarming is the fact that Americans consume too much red meat. Indeed, red meat is a good source of iron, but exceeding the daily or weekly nutritional requirements can be detrimental to heart health. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the consumption of red meat in the country is at a record high.
The points mentioned here are a few reasons the nation’s current heart health is deteriorating. Although sometimes, poor heart health may be due to genetic predisposition, a more significant part depends on your lifestyle choices. Therefore, take matters into your hands and take care of your heart.
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