Fitness: Eight essential ways to improve heart health

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One and a half million Canadians are living with cardiovascular disease, which claims approximately 70,000 lives a year in this country. And while the 50-plus crowd is more likely to suffer a cardiac event, the damage is done early. Ninety per cent of Canadians older than 20 have at least one unhealthy lifestyle choice or wellness challenge that affects heart health.

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A number of factors play a role in determining who’s more likely to have heart disease. But in an effort to build on the standard risk profile, a team from the National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention in Atlanta combined two distinct health metrics to better identify those with poor heart health.

The researchers used eight components of well-being — diet, exercise, smoking, sleep, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure — to classify the heart health of 7,075 men and women from 30 to 74 years old. Individuals were scored on each of the components, known as Life’s Essential 8, with a higher score associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Based on the sum of all eight elements, study subjects were assigned a grade of low, medium or high cardiovascular health.

Risk was also determined by assigning the study subjects a predicted heart age, with years added to their age depending on their risk factors. The difference between predicted heart age and actual age is defined as excess heart age. (For example, if actual age is 48 and predicted heart age is 55, the excess heart age is seven years.) The larger the gap between the two measures, the greater the risk of developing heart disease. 

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Over 80 per cent of the study subjects had what the researchers classified as “less than optimal cardiovascular health scores,” with 18.6 per cent of the men and 16 per cent of the women scoring in the lowest category. As for the age of their hearts, poor cardiovascular health added 8.6 years to the men in the study and 5.9 years to the women. Not surprisingly, the poorer the cardiovascular health, the greater the predicted and excess heart age.

“Overall, the difference in excess heart age, an alternate measure of cardiovascular disease risk, between low and high cardiovascular health groups was over 20 years,” reported the researchers.

The researchers say the results are a reminder of the importance cardiovascular health plays in enriching quality of life and increasing longevity. When public health messages circulated a few decades ago about the impact smoking, inactivity and high cholesterol levels have on the heart, a significant number of people started making better lifestyle choices. But those gains have largely stalled due to the high incidence of obesity and diabetes. Hence the need for new ways to highlight the impact poor lifestyle choices can have on long-term heart health.

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“Prevention and control of cardiovascular risk factors play an important role in reducing incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease and improving cardiovascular disease, especially amid the significantly increasing trend in obesity and diabetes in the United States,” said the researchers.

Some risk factors — like age and a family history of heart disease — aren’t within our control, but eating better, being more active, maintaining a healthy weight and monitoring and managing blood pressure and cholesterol levels can be regulated. And since a healthy lifestyle at a young age keeps the heart from prematurely aging, it’s never too early to pay attention to Life’s Essential 8.

Admittedly, scoring high on all of Life’s Essential 8 is a lofty goal, but even small improvements can boost health and longevity. Better sleep habits, accumulating 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, eating more veggies and fewer sweets, giving up cigarettes, and taking medications as prescribed can all make a difference.

“Approximately 70 per cent of cardiovascular events and deaths may be attributed to a small number of modifiable risk factors,” said the researchers.

It’s not just physical health that plays a role in heart age. Stress, anxiety and depression have been linked with an increased risk of cardiac events. In contrast, optimism, a sense of purpose and happiness maintain and improve heart health. Finding ways to manage stress while searching out ways to improve happiness does the heart good. Go for a run or walk, or pull out a yoga mat — exercise is one of the best ways to de-stress at the end of a long day.

And remember: Scoring poorly on Life’s Essential 8 is a sign of increased risk of heart attack and heart disease no matter your age. The more you and your family can strive for and maintain a lifestyle filled with heart-healthy habits, the less chance your heart will prematurely age. And when we prioritize heart health, our lives will be longer and fuller.

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