Lifestyle choices are associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality. Comparing healthy lifestyle habits in adults between 1988 and 2006, the authors found adherence to 5 healthy habits decreased from 15% to 8% in the US, as obesity increased.
Abstract
Background
Lifestyle choices are associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality. The purpose of this study was to compare adherence to healthy lifestyle habits in adults between 1988 and 2006.
Methods
Analysis of adherence to 5 healthy lifestyle trends (≥5 fruits and vegetables/day, regular exercise >12 times/month, maintaining healthy weight [body mass index 18.5-29.9 kg/m2], moderate alcohol consumption [up to 1 drink/day for women, 2/day for men] and not smoking) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988-1994 were compared with results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006 among adults aged 40-74 years.
Results
Over the last 18 years, the percent of adults aged 40-74 years with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 has increased from 28% to 36% (P
Conclusions
Generally, adherence to a healthy lifestyle pattern has decreased during the last 18 years, with decreases documented in 3 of 5 healthy lifestyle habits. These findings have broad implications for the future risk of cardiovascular disease in adults.
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— Dana E. King, MD, MS, Arch G. Mainous III, PhD, Mark Carnemolla, BS, Charles J. Everett, PhD
This article was originally published in the June 2009 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
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