Minority women, particularly Hispanic women, tend to be less aware of the increased risk of cardiovascular disease they face by being overweight or obese, according to a new study, Healio reports. The study, published in Journal of Women's Health, compared Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women based on their knowledge of heart disease risk factors and their perceptions of their own weight. Among the key findings, as reported by Healio: Hispanics (27%) were less likely than non-Hispanic whites (88%) to correctly identify the leading cause of death among women.
Hispanic women were less likely to know the symptoms of a myocardial infarction or stroke (59% vs. 81%).
Hispanics (69%) were less likely than non-Hispanic whites (83%) to correctly estimate weight. Specifically, in ...
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) continues to raise awareness among Latinos of the seriousness of diabetes. The group has launched a new Spanish-language blog about diabetes and those inspired to stop it, called No Más Diabetes. The have a great Facebook page in Spanish, too. Also, the ADA's por tu familia program, described in this video, contains Spanish-language, culturally relevant information on diabetes risk factors and warning signs. Contents focuses on healthy eating, understanding the link between heart diseases and diabetes, and the importance and impact of increasing physical activity. The program also encourages appropriate testing among those at risk and treatment for those diagnosed with ...
In 2003, the American Heart Association faced a challenge: cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 American women each year, yet women were not paying attention. In fact, many even dismissed it as an “older man's disease.” To dispel these myths of heart disease as the No. 1 killer of women, the American Heart Association, along with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute created National Wear Red Day to raise awareness of this critical issue. Each year, on the first Friday in February, millions of women and men come together to wear red, take action and commit to fighting this deadly disease. Join the Wear Red Day event on Facebook. Or go here to learn more about what to do for Wear Red Day, or learn more about heart disease in English at Go Red ...
Check out this touching video "heart story" from a Latina, Lidia Morales. The video is from Go Red Por Tu Corazón, which celebrates the energy, passion and power Hispanic women have to band together to wipe out heart disease, one of the leading causes of Latina death. Learn more about the group in or ...
Registration is now open for American Heart Association’s “Tu Corazon Latino” Summit on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, at the Time Warner Center in New York. Hosted by CBS2 News Medical Correspondent Dr. Max Gomez, this event will take an in-depth look at how cardiovascular disease impacts the Latino population, across generations. Beginning with a focus on youth, the event will examine the trajectory from disease prevention to management with a targeted review of issues affecting the senior population. The Summit attracts community leaders and issue experts from the Latino community throughout the metropolitan region. Go here to register for this free ...
Heart disease risk factors are widespread among U.S. Latino adults, with 80% of men and 71% of women having at least one risk factor for heart disease, according to a San Diego State University (SDSU) study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These percentages are much higher than the general population, where 49% of adults have at least one major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Prevalence of risk factors varies across Hispanic/Latino background groups, with some groups, particularly those with Puerto Rican background, experiencing high rates of heart disease risk factors compared to other groups, according to findings from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which will be published in today's Journal of the American Medical ...
In 2002, 1 in 3 women died of heart disease. That year, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute launched The Heart Truth campaign to make women more aware of the danger of heart disease. Now 10 years later, 1 in 4 women dies of heart disease. Although significant progress has been made, there is still work to do. Many women still don’t take their risk for heart disease seriously or personally. Check out this infographic that highlights the importance of heart health for women. Also check out this Spanish-language video on the truth about heart disease, plus other materials ...
Cancer is now the leading killer of Hispanics in the U.S., the latest sign it's beginning to displace heart disease as the nation's top cause of death, the Associated Press reports:
The rest of the country may not be far behind, "probably in the next 10 years," said Rebecca Siegel of the American Cancer Society. She is the lead author of a study reporting the new findings. That may be a conservative estimate. Government health statisticians think cancer could overtake heart disease as the top U.S. killer as early as this year, or at least in the next two or three.
For decades, heart disease has been the nation's leading cause of death. But cancer has been closing in on it. That's largely because of better heart disease treatments, including statin drugs that lower cholesterol.
Why is ...
Spending your free time plopped in front of the TV or computer? New research shows you may be able to lower your chances of heart disease by using just a small amount of that free time on simple physical activity such as brisk walking, riding a bike or even gardening or housework, according to a new video from the American Heart Association (AHA). The research found that middle-aged adults who were more active in their leisure time had lower levels of internal indicators of inflammation of the arteries. People with less inflammation tend to have lower risk of heart disease. Almost half of study participants met the AHA's recommendations for cardiovascular health (two-and-a-half hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week). However, this rose to 83% later in the study as ...
