Are Americans at Risk For Heart Disease? - The Story of Joe the Average American Blue Collar Worker
Are Americans at risk for heart disease is certainly a question that has been making the rounds lately.
But if this is true why are American at risk for heart disease? The number American at risk for heart disease could easily be in the tens of millions.
With over 1.
1 million heart attacks occurring every year it is easy to see why America is a considered a hot bed of heart attack activity.
But what is it about our genetics or lifestyle that could possible lead to so many heart attacks.
To better understand this we should look at what the AMA considers to be the primary risk factors for heart attack disease.
They are gender, age, heredity, smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, inactivity, body fat levels over 20%, diabetes, stress, and overconsumption of alcohol.
When we look at this list and compare it to heart attack statistics we can probably put aside gender when it comes to the disproportionate number of heart attacks in the United States, but the rest of these risk factors are in many ways interwoven into the fabric of everyday life for most Americans.
First much of the ever increasing numbers have to do with a aging population.
For example, most heart attacks occur in those over 45 years of age, with a whopping 83 percent of deaths occurring in those over the age of 65.
Next one could group together many of the other risk factors in the daily lives of most working Americans.
Let's take a look at how the daily life of an American blue collar worker could make them a prime candidate for heart disease.
Joe works at the local heating and air conditioning company spending his days and sometimes nights repairing heating and air conditioning units.
Due to the new computer modeling which has him making more service calls each day he is more stressed out than ever.
Joes day starts most mornings at around 5 am.
He has to fight the heavy traffic to make it to work by 7 am where he loads his truck and heads out to make his first service call.
Along the way he stops at the local fast food restaurant and picks up one of those delicious high fat, high cholesterol breakfast sandwiches and a cup of coffee to jump start his day.
He knows that this type of food will pack on the pounds and clog his arteries but there simply isn't the time or the money to search for a healthy alternative.
After completing his long work day he picks up a basket of fried food on the way home.
He finally arrives home at 6:30 pm, showers, has dinner and then plops down in his easy chair for a big piece of chocolate cake and ice cream.
After his dessert, and of course some quality family time, he is ready for bed around 10 pm.
Joe's doctor has told him that if he doesn't slow down, lose some weight, and change his diet he could be a risk for heart disease but who has the time these days, with the cost of living being so high.
After all he and his wife are just barely getting by as it is.
The story above is typical of most hard working Americans.
Long work hours, high cholesterol foods, lots of stress, little physical activity outside their jobs, and lifestyles that promote weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure have simple become the norm.
If you asked Joe if he would like to make a change he would probably tell you yes, but he simply doesn't have the money, the time, or the willpower to do so.
But if this is true why are American at risk for heart disease? The number American at risk for heart disease could easily be in the tens of millions.
With over 1.
1 million heart attacks occurring every year it is easy to see why America is a considered a hot bed of heart attack activity.
But what is it about our genetics or lifestyle that could possible lead to so many heart attacks.
To better understand this we should look at what the AMA considers to be the primary risk factors for heart attack disease.
They are gender, age, heredity, smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, inactivity, body fat levels over 20%, diabetes, stress, and overconsumption of alcohol.
When we look at this list and compare it to heart attack statistics we can probably put aside gender when it comes to the disproportionate number of heart attacks in the United States, but the rest of these risk factors are in many ways interwoven into the fabric of everyday life for most Americans.
First much of the ever increasing numbers have to do with a aging population.
For example, most heart attacks occur in those over 45 years of age, with a whopping 83 percent of deaths occurring in those over the age of 65.
Next one could group together many of the other risk factors in the daily lives of most working Americans.
Let's take a look at how the daily life of an American blue collar worker could make them a prime candidate for heart disease.
Joe works at the local heating and air conditioning company spending his days and sometimes nights repairing heating and air conditioning units.
Due to the new computer modeling which has him making more service calls each day he is more stressed out than ever.
Joes day starts most mornings at around 5 am.
He has to fight the heavy traffic to make it to work by 7 am where he loads his truck and heads out to make his first service call.
Along the way he stops at the local fast food restaurant and picks up one of those delicious high fat, high cholesterol breakfast sandwiches and a cup of coffee to jump start his day.
He knows that this type of food will pack on the pounds and clog his arteries but there simply isn't the time or the money to search for a healthy alternative.
After completing his long work day he picks up a basket of fried food on the way home.
He finally arrives home at 6:30 pm, showers, has dinner and then plops down in his easy chair for a big piece of chocolate cake and ice cream.
After his dessert, and of course some quality family time, he is ready for bed around 10 pm.
Joe's doctor has told him that if he doesn't slow down, lose some weight, and change his diet he could be a risk for heart disease but who has the time these days, with the cost of living being so high.
After all he and his wife are just barely getting by as it is.
The story above is typical of most hard working Americans.
Long work hours, high cholesterol foods, lots of stress, little physical activity outside their jobs, and lifestyles that promote weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure have simple become the norm.
If you asked Joe if he would like to make a change he would probably tell you yes, but he simply doesn't have the money, the time, or the willpower to do so.