National Survey Findings: Americans Are Concerned About Heart Health, but Not Proactive Enough to Prevent It

National Survey Findings: Americans Are Concerned About Heart Health, but Not
Proactive Enough to Prevent It
Trends in Reducing Heart Disease Risk Are Headed in Wrong Direction

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recent research indicates that
despite decades of progress, fewer Americans are now considered "low risk" for
heart disease compared to years past. Adding fuel to the fire, a new study is
making headlines with the alarming statistic that 7 in 10 obese teens already
have at least one risk factor for heart disease. To help educate families
about prevention, the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) has
released findings from a new national consumer survey and launched a campaign
to educate families about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the
U.S.

The national survey revealed that more than three in five (61%) Americans
incorrectly believe that the processes related to heart disease do not begin
until adulthood. Alarmingly, fewer than four in ten (38%) correctly surmise
that people should be concerned about living a heart-healthy lifestyle
beginning in childhood and continuing throughout every life stage.

Research on reducing heart disease risk clearly shows that a more
comprehensive approach to being heart-healthy is key. According to a study
published in the journal Circulation in September, despite the success of past
heart disease awareness and education campaigns, the recent trend toward
reducing cardiovascular risk is now going in reverse. The vast majority (92%)
of Americans are still at risk, primarily because of the rise in obesity.

"This is a wake up call for parents and their children in particular," says
Laura Hayman, Ph.D., RN, a member of the PCNA Board of Directors and a leading
researcher on obesity and cardiovascular disease in children, adolescents, and
families. "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."

Statistics from a newly released Canadian study echo Dr. Hayman's concerns
about the link between the ever-present obesity epidemic and heart disease
risk -- particularly among teens. The findings, presented in October at the
Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, showed that among a sample of 14 and 15 year
old students, rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity were
unusually high and increasing over time.

Research has found that when children learn about heart-healthy eating habits,
it can strongly influence their behavior to reduce heart disease risk later in
life. Yet, according to the PCNA survey, less than one-third of Americans
follow a diet that is healthy for their heart. Also, seven in ten (70%) would
not want their kids to adopt their eating habits because they do not think
they set a good example when it comes to food choices (26%) or some of the
time they eat food that is not healthy (44%).

"We are at a critical juncture," explains Hayman. "It is imperative for
parents to lead by example with an all encompassing heart-healthy lifestyle,
making the necessary changes both in diet and physical activity."

Since the PCNA survey found that the majority of Americans are at risk of
heart disease due to some lifestyle factor, such as being overweight or having
high cholesterol, small incremental changes in diet and physical activity can
have a lasting healthy effect. To help parents learn how to make important
lifestyle changes and become better role models for their children, to help
reduce their risk of heart disease in the future, PCNA has launched a national
education campaign called "Family at Heart."

Visit www.FamilyatHeart.org for information on how to improve your family's
heart health.

Note to Editors: The nationally representative survey of 1,000 adults was
conducted by Kelton Research September 14-21, 2009 using an online
methodology. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of
the total U.S. population ages 18 and older. The margin of error is +/- 3.1%.
The survey was commissioned by the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses
Association.

Release from the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress:

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ikIQLcMWJtE&b=5552717&ct=7611615

Abstract of the study in Circulation:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19752328?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

SOURCE Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association

Sarah Wally, MS, RD, Kellen Communications, +1-202-207-1120;
swally@kellencompany.com