Framingham Heart Study
The Framingham Heart Study was first conducted in 1948 in the small town of Framingham, Massachusetts under the direction of the National Heart Institute. The objective of the study was to identify the common factors that contributed to cardiovascular. The disease at the time was the leading cause of death and serious illness in the United States yet little was known about it. Researchers recruited 5,209 men and women residents of the town between the ages of 30 and 62 years and began a detailed physical examination and lifestyle interviews (World Health Organization, 2007). The participants in the study would then return every two years for an extensive medical checkup. The study revealed several major risk factors that can be controlled by changing one’s lifestyle.
High Blood Cholesterol
High blood cholesterol increases the chances of developing heart disease and stroke. Too much cholesterol in the blood accumulates in the walls of arteries making them thick and hard and may eventually block the flow. Blood cholesterol levels can be reduced by eating low-fat foods, engaging in physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, and taking cholesterol-lowering medications.
High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force the heart exerts on the walls of the arteries while pumping blood. When blood pressure remains high, it can cause damage to the heart resulting in heart attacks, strokes, and sometimes death. Blood pressure can be lowered by losing extra weight, exercising regularly, eating healthy diets, reducing the amount of sodium intake, responsible alcohol consumption, reducing stress, and quitting smoking.
Physical Inactivity
The study showed that inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease compared to active people. To reduce heart disease risks, it is recommended that adults engage in 30 minutes of moderate activity daily. For those people who find 30 minutes physical activity too taxing, three 10 minutes periods of activity will produce almost the same effect (Gautam, 2012).
Obesity and Overweight
Obesity and overweight have various detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system that can lead to numerous cardiac complications such as heart failure and coronary heart disease. Obesity and overweight can be controlled by controlling one’s appetite, stabilizing blood sugar, reducing stress, and engaging in regular physical exercise.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels. People with diabetes are up to four times at risk of developing heart diseases than people without the disease. According to the National Diabetic Association, a lot of people have a condition known as prediabetes where the blood glucose levels are high but not to the extent of the diabetic range. Diabetes and prediabetes can be through diet and nutrition and being physically active.
Alameda County Study
The Alameda County Study began in 1964 in Alameda, California with the aim of investigating normal daily routines and social-support factors to find out the risk factors associated with health problems and high mortality in the community. This was the first study to analyze social networks as mortality determinants. The study included 6,928 participants who filled questionnaires and were followed for up to 20 years after the first investigation (Breslow, 2009). The Alameda County Study found seven factors that were linked to poor health and mortality. Of the seven risk factors, two of them are same as the ones in Framingham Heart Study that is obesity and physical inactivity.
Excessive Drinking
Excessive consumption of alcohol can raise the levels of fat in the blood leading to serious health problems such as fetal alcohol syndrome, cardiomyopathy, and hypertension. The most harmful practice is binge drinking that is consuming five or more drinks within two hours for males and four or more drinks for females.
Cigarette Smoking
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading cause of deaths that can be prevented in the United States is cigarette smoking. Cigarette smokers are two to four times likely to get coronary heart disease than people who do not smoke. Secondhand hand smoke also increases the chances of nonsmokers developing heart disease or lung cancer by 25% and 30% respectively (Housman & Dorman, 2008).
Sleeping Habits
It is recommended that a person sleeps for between seven and eight hours each day. Research shows that sleep problems such as insomnia and hypersomnia may have a negative impact a person’s health. Studies also show that sleep problems increase with age and sleep disturbances in women are strongly correlated with chronic diseases (Housman & Dorman, 2008).
Breakfast
Breakfast is considered as the most important meal by many nutritionists. Not eating breakfast could lead to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. This is because when people skip breakfast, they are more likely to eat snacks that are fatty and have high sugar contents mid-morning while waiting for lunch.
Nutrition
Eating healthy meals and avoiding snacks have significant positive impacts on people’s health. It is highly recommended that a person consumes five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The foods people eat have a direct relation to their cholesterol levels, body weight, and blood pressure.
Using Lifestyle to Calculate Health Insurance Cost
References
Breslow, L. (2009). Health Practices and Disability: Some Evidence from Alameda County. Preventive Medicine, 22(7), 86–95.
Gautam, Y. R. (2012). Cardiovascular Disease Knowledge and Health Beliefs. Retrieved from http://ehs.siu.edu/her/_common/documents/announcements-prospectus/Gautam,Y.pdf
Housman, J., & Dorman, S. (2008). The Alameda County Study: A Systematic, Chronological Review. American Journal of Health Education, 36(5), . Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ792845.pdf
World Health Organization. (2007). Prevention of cardiovascular disease guidelines for assessment and management of cardiovascular risk. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/guidelines/Full%20text.pdf
