AMA's Heart month focuses on prevention

February is heart month. First there's Valentine's Day, and then the American Heart Association annually calls for a change in American lifestyles to prevent heart disease. "More than six million Americans have symptoms of coronary heart disease," reads a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cholesterol brochure. It is a brochure that could be ignored, if not for its sobering and disheartening tone. Not many people enjoy reading health brochures, but this one was eye-catching. The brochure stated that 1.5 million Americans die of heart attacks and coronary heart diseases every year. And alarmingly, the statistics are not just for the middle-aged, but are also focused on 18-35 year-olds. "The first studies [of heart disease] were autopsies done on soldiers who fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars," said Andrew Tershakovec, a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia pediatrician. He explained that the studies showed a build up of fats and cholesterol that narrowed the arteries by up to 50 percent and impeded the passage of blood in many of the soldiers. He added that the studies were particularly alarming because the cases studied were males between the ages of 18-20 years old. This build-up is due to a process called atherosclerosis. This is a heart disease which afflicts an individual gradually over time, even though many of the effects are latent early in life. As a result of the study, many health care workers and organizations became increasingly involved in the type of foods that Americans eat and the lifestyles that they lead. "The [goal] of the AHA is to have school age children adopt a healthy lifestyle early on," Associate Nursing Professor Laura Hayman said. "School-based intervention is a very effective way to adopt healthy lifestyles. The health outcomes are more positive." Although school-based intervention seems a good idea in principle, much of the data shows that it does not affect the lives of college students, as healthly lifestyles now become a question of human nature and choice, the brochure says. Studies show that over half of American adults over 20 years old have cholesterol levels that are "borderline", meaning that they are at some degree of health risk. The studies show that one quarter of American adults over the age of 20 have cholesterol that is considered high and a significant risk. The American Medical Association also has proclaimed the severity of the American situation in their recommendations for American youth by the year 2000. Among their recommendations are programs in schools and communities to promote the physical activities of children and adolescents. But the recommendations that are the most telling are those that aim to increase by 20 percent the amount of physical activity for people over 20. The AMA also seeks to decrease the amount of overweight people over 20 years old to 20 percent. "There have been increasing trends in obesity," Tershakovec said. "The total calorie intake has not changed. This means that exercise must be going down. People tend to be inactive." It seems as if the majority of Americans are having trouble gaining control of their lifestyles. "People always want a silver bullet or a magic pill to make them live to 100," Tershakovec said. "Your lifestyle can't pinpoint just one thing. Healthy things must be taken in moderation." But according to the AMA, the lifestyles of many college students attracts heart disease. Hayman explained that many young adults have the general attitude that many of their habits, such as smoking, can be "arrested" at any time. "Many young people are thinking that their habits won't have a negative influence in youth," Hayman said. "But it becomes difficult to quit." There is, however a positive note to the disturbing condition of American health. If Americans follow some suggestions provided by health officials, they can lessen their chances of contracting heart problems. It is merely a question of doing it. Some suggestions for positive change given by the Health and Human Services Department include two major points: Eating healthy, and exercising often. HHS's recommended eating patterns include getting less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat, less than 30 percent of calories from total fat, and less than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. The department also recommends exercising for at least 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Tershakovec explained that this type of exercise includes a "brisk walk". "Physical activity is a good buffer," Hayman said. "Population data shows that physically active people have less of a chance of premature morbidity and mortality." The health question now lies in the hands of all those who want to improve their health conditions, while at the same time improving all aspects of life, Tershakovec said. "If you can prevent it now, why not prevent it instead of trying to treat it later." Tershakovec said. "Behaviorally, it will not happen, to adopt a healthy lifestyle later."

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