Cardiovascular disease is a general term for a group of disorders that affects the heart and/or blood vessels of the heart and includes coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and high blood pressure.
Three health-related behaviors practiced by people every day contribute markedly to cardiovascular disease:
Tobacco use. Smokers have twice the risk for heart attack and ischemic stroke of nonsmokers. Nearly one-fifth of all deaths from cardiovascular disease, or about 190,000 deaths a year, are smoking-related. Every day, more than 3,000 young people become daily smokers.
Lack of physical activity. People who are sedentary have twice the risk for heart disease of those who are active. More than half of U.S. adults do not achieve recommended levels of physical activity.
Obesity and Poor nutrition. People who are overweight have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Almost 60% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Only 18% of women and 20% of men report eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
