How To Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease

   Everyone knows a simple proverb: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Who wouldn't like it to be so easy? Actually very few people can say "no" to smoking, fast food, irregular eating an other bad habits which may increase  the risk of heart disease.

Photo: How To Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease

     In fact only 7.5% of americans may boast that their total cholesterol is below 200 (without the use of drugs), that their blood pressure is below 120/80 (again, without drugs), that they don't have diabetes and  they're not overweightand that they don't suffer from smoking habit.

   The results are presented in research published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Assn. They're based on an analysis of four National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

    The woefully low percentage rate is from 1999-2004 data. And it's a drop from the none-too-impressive 10.5% in the 1988-94 set of data.

    Although 10.5% may not have seemed reason to cheer, it was an improvement over earlier numbers. Now we're backsliding, said the researchers, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Los Angeles Times' report.