Heart disease affects millions of people each year and can be a leading cause of disability in America. MedlinePlus states that heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States and this condition is considered a preventable disease. Heart disease can be prevented and managed through healthy lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. These lifestyle choices can help you maintain a healthy body weight and lower your risk for chronic illness.
Heart Disease
According to MedlinePlus, heart disease can manifest in many forms but commonly involves a narrowing or blockage of the arteries. This leads to high blood pressure and can lead to coronary artery disease and serious problems like a heart attack or stroke. Heart disease is related to unhealthy lifestyle choices that can affect blood cholesterol and body composition like body weight and body fat.
Significance of Body Fat
Body fat is one way that you can measure your risk of obesity. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the term obesity refers to an excessive amount of body fat throughout the body. Excess body fat and obesity have been linked to medical conditions including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
Causes
Poor lifestyle habits like eating unhealthy foods that contribute to high cholesterol and excess body fat are key factors in developing heart disease. Heart disease is also linked to smoking, lack of exercise and genetic factors. If you engage in an unhealthy lifestyle with poor nutrition and very little or no exercise, you can develop obesity and therefore increase the risk of developing heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
Considerations
Excess body fat and heart disease are related to lifestyle behaviors and can be prevented by lowering your blood pressure, lowering your cholesterol, quitting smoking and exercising, according to MedlinePlus. A good way to determine if you are overweight or obese and at risk is to monitor your body mass index. The body mass index, or BMI, is a ratio of height and weight that is related to body fat and body composition. The BMI provides a category and risk assessment of your potential for developing problems like heart disease.
Prevention/Solution
To lower body fat and your risk for heart disease, you must engage in regular physical activity. It is generally recommended that you have at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. This can include sports, jogging, walking and other exercise programs. In addition, it is important to eat a healthy diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy oils, healthy fats and water and avoid excess alcohol, sweets and processed foods. These changes can impact your body composition and lower your body fat. A healthy body weight decreases the stress placed on your heart, which can lower blood pressure and decrease your risk for heart disease.
