If you live in the United States, chances are that you need to start taking proactive steps to improve your heart health, immediately.
Researchers from Tufts University found that fewer than 7% of American adults are in good cardiometabolic health. According to their recent study, 93% of American adults have medium to poor cardiometabolic health due to high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high blood cholesterol, overweight /obesity and cardiovascular disease.
“This study reinforces the message doctors want everyone to understand. A heart-healthy lifestyle is the key to good health, regardless of whether you’ve been diagnosed with a cardiometabolic condition,” says Dr. Tony Hampton, a family medicine physician with Advocate Medical Group.
The study also determined that the quality of cardiometabolic health is often linked to age, race, ethnicity, gender and even education level. For example, researchers found the percentage of non-Hispanic White Americans with good cardiometabolic health improved slightly between 1999 and 2018. On the other hand, cardiometabolic health among Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks worsened.
Still, every group is challenged when it comes to cardiometabolic health.
“Metabolic health is impacted by lifestyle factors including nutrition, exercise, stress and sleep,” Dr. Hampton explains. “All of these are impacted by social determinants of health which include economic instability, lack of education, poor access to food and an insecure environment.”
Dr. Hampton says that addressing the root causes of why people struggle socially is the best path toward individual healing and improved cardiometabolic health for the larger population.
One way Advocate Aurora Health is helping patients overcome barriers to good cardiometabolic health is through Love Your Heart, a 6 month-long blood pressure control program that offers free blood pressure cuffs, training and physician check-ups to patients with hypertension.
In addition to learning how to self-monitor and track blood pressure, program participants gain access to fresh and healthy food, and have opportunities to attend monthly lectures and health-focused activities. This program, which is available at the Advocate Medical Group’s Imani Village location, is offered in partnership with the American Heart Association.
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