Diseases & Conditions
Survey reveals state of heart health in America
Keep up the good work, Vermont, Virginia, and the District of Columbia! An American Heart Association national telephone survey of more than 350,000 people shows that your heart health ranks highest in the nation based on seven measures. In contrast, the number of people reporting ideal heart health was lowest in Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Mississippi.
The survey asked people about blood pressure, total cholesterol, smoking, body mass index, diabetes, physical activity, and fruit and vegetable consumption. Overall, people living in the states of the West and New England scored highest in all seven measures. Women did better than men, as did those with the most education. Age-wise, the survey revealed no surprises: people 35 to 54 fared better in their heart health profile than those 55 and older.
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