Heart Truth Campaign Focuses on Women's Health
Heidi Klum has been tapped, for the second year, as the spokesperson for Heart Truth. The Red Dress has become the symbol of heart disease awareness for women. Events, such as Fashion Week in February and the Red Dress Collection Fashion Show, are focused upon this initiative to focus on female heart disease.
Mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, sisters, friends and daughters can all be candidates for heart disease. The Heart Truth campaign helps to get the message out to the public that this is a crucial health issue for women.
The numbers are surprising. Even though heart disease has been traditionally viewed as a man's disease, a high percentage of women die of heart disease. According to NHLBI, one in three women died of heart disease in 2002. According to more recent data, from 2005, the rate has decreased to one in four women that have died of heart disease.
According to a statement by Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, MD, on the NHLBI website, one third of women underestimate their heart disease risk. Most women do not make the connection between risk factors and their personal risk. Amazingly, 80 percent of midlife women, aged between 40 and 60, have one or more heart disease risks.
The Heart Truth Campaign is a movement to inform and educate women about the serious risk of heart disease wih its potential to end lives prematurely.
Women should be aware of their heart disease risks. Some risk factors, such as smoking and being overweight can be corrected. Other risk factors, such as age and family history of heart disease, cannot be changed.
Armed with information, women can make the modifications that may prevent heart disease and save their life. Women should pay close attention to their risk factors because risk multiples with a higher number of risk factors. For example, having two risk factors increases risk fourfold.
Risk Factors of Heart Disease that can be Modified
1. High blood pressure or hypertension: Talk to your doctor for advice on lowering blood pressure.
2. High blood cholesterol: Talk to your doctor about managing cholesterol.
3. Diabetes: Talk to your doctor about managing diabetes.
4. Smoking: Do not smoke. If you currently smoke, it is time to quit.
5. Overweight or obese: Women who are overweight should lose weight by eating a healthy diet and exercising.
6. Lack of physical exercise or being inactive: Make an effort to be more active and to exercise regularly.
The Heart Truth campaign focuses attention on this serious health problem for women, who can benefit from the information and motivation to make changes to modify risk in the annual campaign.
Resources:
Heart Truth
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
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