Prevalence of the American Heart Association's “Ideal Cardiovascular Health” Metrics in a Rural, Cross‐sectional, Community‐Based Study: The Heart of New Ulm Project

Abstract

BackgroundThe American Heart Association (AHA) recently created the construct of “ideal cardiovascular health” based on 7 cardiovascular health metrics to measure progress toward their 2020 Impact Goal. The present study applied this construct to assess the baseline cardiovascular health of a rural population targeted with a community‐based cardiovascular disease prevention program.Methods and ResultsThe sample consists of 4754 New Ulm, Minn, adult residents who participated in either the 2009 or 2011 community heart health screenings offered by the Hearts Beat Back: The Heart of New Ulm (HONU) Project (mean age 52.1 years, 58.3% women). Data collected at the screenings were analyzed to replicate the AHA's ideal cardiovascular health measure and the 7 metrics that comprise the construct. Screening participants met, on average (±SD), 3.4 (±1.4) ideal cardiovascular health metrics. Only 1.0% of participants met the AHA's definition of ideal health in all metrics and 7.1% met ≤1 ideal health metric. Higher proportions of women met the ideal category in all metrics except physical activity. Women over the age of 60 were less likely to meet the ideal category for cholesterol and hypertension than were men in the same age range.ConclusionPrevalence of ideal cardiovascular health is extremely low in this rural population. To make progress toward the 2020 Impact Goal, targeted community‐based interventions must be implemented based on the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors.

Which Measures of Health Status Assessment are the Most Significant in Organized Cohorts with Low Current Cardiovascular Risk? The Screening Study of Penitentiary Staff in Saratov Region, Russia

“…Moghaddam et al [36] reported that ideal cardiovascular health was extremely low in adults (2861 women and 2004 men) from phase 4 of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (2009)(2010)(2011): all 7 health metrics were observed only in 1 subject. Similar results with low prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health were reported also by other authors [37].…”

Avaliação dos fatores de risco cardiovasculares em uma população rural brasileira

“…Saúde Pública, Rio de Janeiro, 30 (6) a uma dieta saudável, sendo que somente 27,2% e 17,6% de mulheres e homens das capitais brasileiras, respectivamente, relataram consumo de cinco ou mais porções por dia, em 5 ou mais dias da semana. estudos similares ao presente estudo, que avaliam fatores relacionados a promoção da saúde cardiovascular em outras populações, confirmam a falta de adequação a dietas saudáveis 1,22,23,24 . Uma potencial explicação para o baixo consumo de frutas e hortaliças no meio rural está relacionada ao acesso a esses alimentos, visto este ser influenciado por períodos de safra e entre safra o que afeta principalmente o consumo de frutas 25 e pelo clima, onde a seca predomina sobre a época de chuvas, o que dificulta o cultivo da terra 26 e justifica a dificuldade de plantio e produção de verduras e legumes.…”

“…Considerando a análise agregada dos indicadores, resultados de estudos internacionais que aplicaram o escore proposto pela American Heart Association também mostraram prevalên-cias muito baixas, com diferenças entres os sexos 22,23,24,34,35,36 . Diferentemente dos resultados encontrados em populações americanas 23,35 , em nosso estudo o cenário foi desfavorável às mulheres, marcado pelo pior desempenho no índice de fatores comportamentais, porém os homens apresentaram pior desempenho no ín-dice de fatores biológicos.…”

“…As inequidades em saúde em populações rurais, tais como dificuldade de acesso a cuidados oportunos 24 e à informação sobre hábitos de vida saudáveis 12,26,28 em relação às comunidades urbanas podem potencialmente explicar os resultados encontrados. No Brasil as necessidades de serviços de saúde em comunidades rurais são supridas pela equipe de estratégia Saúde da Família (eSF).…”

Resistant Hypertension and Healthy Lifestyle

“…The low prevalence of ≥4 HLSFs is not surprising: in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2006 among people diagnosed with hypertension, prevalence of 4 and 5 HLSFs was ≈20% and ≈5%, respectively, 5 and in rural Minnesota, only 1% of participants of a survey had an ideal lifestyle according to the American Heart Association lifestyle guidelines. 6 Obesity carries a notoriously high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension, despite more intensive therapy, 7 and the commonly associated metabolic syndrome is associated with dyslipidemia, physical inactivity, and hyperinsulinemia. Because many of these risk factors are related, it is not surprising that the hazard ratios of events associated with the cumulative number of HLSFs do not change in direction despite the extensive adjustment for different characteristics and risk factors.…”