The American Heart Association releases heart disease stats annually (1). Cardiovascular disease accounts for about 1/3 of the death toll across the globe. One American dies from this about every 40 seconds. Various heart diseases claimed more than 17 million lives from the world last year. The report goes on to estimate by 2030 they will be claiming 23.6 million lives annually.
5 Lifestyle Changes To Prevent Heart Attacks
One study done at the Karolinska Institute found that developing the following five healthy habits could prevent nearly 80 percent of first-time heart attacks in men (2):
- A healthy diet
- Being physically active (walking/bicycling ≥40 min/day and exercising ≥1 h/week)
- Healthy waist circumference (waist circumference <95 cm or 37.4 inches)
- Moderate alcohol consumption (10 to 30 g/day)
- No smoking
“It is not surprising that healthy lifestyle choices would lead to a reduction in heart attacks,” said Agneta Akesson, the lead researcher for the study. “What is surprising is how drastically the risk dropped due to these factors.”
Physical Activity is Key
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