Go Red for Women® Fast Facts
story provided by the American Heart Association®
Did you know…
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming the lives of one in three women?
- Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined.
- More than one in three women is living with some form of cardiovascular disease.
Physical activity reduces women’s risk for heart disease and stroke?
- Being physically active is an important aspect of overall health for women.
- In the United States, only one in five women are getting the recommended amount of physical activity (both aerobic and strength training) under federal guidelines.
Healthy eating is critical to managing weight and preventing cardiovascular disease in women?
- About one in five female deaths in the world are due to poor nutrition.
- About 45 percent of U.S. deaths caused by heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes are because of poor dietary habits, such as high sodium intake, high sugary drink consumption and low intake of fruits and vegetables.
- More than 66 percent of women are overweight or obese.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the second leading cause of preventable heart disease and stroke death — second only to smoking?
- Hypertension rates are expected to double among women under age 45. About 50 million women have hypertension in the US.
- More than 30 percent of cardiovascular events in women are due to hypertension.
Women are grossly underrepresented in research?
- Clinical trials have not always adequately enrolled women or analyzed sex-specific differences in the data.
- Female heart attack patients may have better outcomes when treated by female physicians.
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