GeneticsFamily history of cardiovascular disease increases a person’s chance of devel-
oping heart disease.Risk factors you can control include:
Tobacco SmokingGiving up smoking or never starting to smoke is the single most
effective way of reducing the risk of heart disease.
DiabetesHaving diabetes can cause changes (such as high cholesterol levels) which in
themselves are risk factors.
High Cholesterol LevelsHigh amounts of low density lipids in the blood, also called
bad cholesterol,are a significant risk factor
ObesityBeing obese, especially if the fat is deposited mostly in the torso, rather than
the hips and thighs, increases risk significantly
High Blood PressureHypertension can cause atherosclerosis
Lack of Physical ActivityAerobic activities, such as the one shown inFigure18.24,
help keep your heart healthy To reduce the risk of disease, you should be active for at
least 60 minutes a day, five days a week (or most days of the week).
Poor Eating HabitsEating mostly foods that are nutrient poor (do not have many
nutrientsotherthanfatorcarbohydrate)leadstohighcholesterollevelsandoverweight,
among other things.Figure 18.24: Thirty minutes a day of vigorous aerobic activity, such as basketball, is enough
to help keep your cardiovascular system healthy. ( 12 )