Although there are uncontrollable risk factors, a person whose family has a history of CVD
does not have to develop heart disease. There are many things a person can do to help
prevent CVD, even if CVD is in their family. A person who is physically active every day,
eats healthfully, and avoids tobacco can lower their chances of developing a CVD.
Men have a higher rate of cardiovascular disease than women do, but it is the number one
health problem for women in industrialized countries. The risk for older women (in late
adulthood) is almost equal that of older men.
Cardiovascular Disease Awareness: What You Can Do
Being active every day and eating healthfully are two of the most important things you can
do to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. Avoiding tobacco is also very important.
You do not to be on a sports team or join a gym to be physically active. For example,
shooting hoops at your school or local basketball courts can help keep your heart healthy.
Aerobic activitiesare activities that cause your heart to beat faster and allow your muscles
to use oxygen to get energy to contract. When done regularly, aerobic activities increase the
size of the heart so it pumps blood around the body more efficiently. Aerobic activities also
help to keep blood vessels healthy. To stay healthy, teens and children should be active for
at least 60 minutes most days of the week.
Limiting the amount of saturated fat in your diet can also keep your heart healthy. Saturated
fats are found in dairy foods, meats, cookies, pies, some chocolates, and ice cream. Saturated
fats are usually solid at room temperature. Fat gives food flavor and texture. Saturated fats
occur naturally in foods that come from animals, such as meat and milk, but they are often
added to baked products such as cookies, shown inFigure18.25, to give the foods flavor and
texture. Not all fats are harmful to the cardiovascular system. Fats calledmonounsaturated
andpolyunsaturated fatsare needed by the body, and should make up most of the fats that
you eat in your diet. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are found in plants and
fish, and are usually liquid at room temperature. To learn more about the importance of fats
in your diet, read theChoosing Healthful Foodslesson of theFood and the Digestive System
chapter.
Cardiovascular diseases are calledlifestyle diseasesbecause they are caused mostly by ev-
eryday choices that people make, such as what to eat for dinner, or what to do during their
free time. For example, watching TV with your dog does not involve much moving around
so it does not exercise the body, whereas bringing the dog for a walk outside exercises both
of you. Decisions that you make today and everyday - those of developing healthy lifelong
habits - will affect your cardiovascular health many years from now.
Many studies have shown that plaque build-up starts in the teen years. However, teens are
more concerned about risks such as HIV, accidents, and cancer than cardiovascular disease.
One in three people will die from complications due to atherosclerosis. For this reason there
is an emphasis on the prevention of CVD through risk reduction. For example, healthy
eating, regular physical activity, and avoidance of smoking can greatly decrease a person’s
chance of developing a CVD.