Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Extension
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1571
Healthy Heart Beats
July-September 2008
Vol 30, Issue 3
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Healthy Heart Program Updates
In this Issue
According to a recent report from the American Heart Association (AHA) approximately 16 million people in the United States have coronary heart disease (CHD). Improved prevention measures and treatments have increased the survival rate of those with coronary heart disease. However, the quality of those extra years may be less than ideal, according to research reported in last month's issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The study highlights the need to prevent heart disease when possible with lifestyle changes that include nutrition. The research stated that:
- People with CHD report a worse "quality of life" than people free of heart disease.
- Heart patients who were younger than 50, female, and black or Hispanic were more likely to have lower quality of life scores.
- Quality of life is an important indicator of the socioeconomic impact of disease, the effectiveness of treatment, and long-term mortality.
Compared with adults without CHD, adults with CHD scored up to 9 percent lower on four scales measuring "quality of life." Patients with CHD were more likely to say they had poorer quality of life, or describe themselves as sick, said lead author Jipan Xie, M.D., Ph.D., former health scientist in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
Focus on food selection as you plan educational programs to assist in life-style changes to lower risk of heart disease. The seasonal bounty of fruits and vegetables offers benefits from the antioxidants and bioactive ingredients that abound in the summer's harvest. This issue of Healthy Heart Beats includes research on berries that are filling farmers' markets and supermarkets. Select from the array of colorful fruits and vegetables and try new ones to add variety. Did you know it takes 8-12 times for children to be willing to try new foods and some research points to as many as 12-15 times for adults! Consider adding tasting sessions of new and unusual foods that include some of the summer crops of berries, fruits, and different types of lettuces greens, peppers and colorful vegetables to your workshops. Savor the various textures, colors and flavors and get the benefit of antioxidants and phytochemicals in your diet.
These dietary recommendations appear to be prudent especially for women based on research conducted at the German Institute of Human Nutrition. Women who eat a "prudent" diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish and poultry may reduce their risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Women who follow a traditional "Western" diet of red and processed meat, refined grains, fries and sweets may increase their risk. That's the conclusion of researchers who reported the results of a Harvard School of Public Health study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The study of 72,113 healthy women found that a "prudent" diet was associated with a 28 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 17 percent lower risk of premature death from all causes when compared to those with the lowest adherence. "These results highlight the importance of intensifying public health efforts to promote the adoption of a healthy overall diet including high intakes of vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, fish and poultry and low intakes of red and processed meat, refined grains, French fries and sweets," said Christin Heidemann, Dr.P.H., M.Sc., lead author of the study.
Enjoy eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables this summer!
Jennifer Anderson, Ph.D., R.D.
Food and Nutrition Extension Specialist
Shirley Perryman, M.S., R.D.
Extension Specialist
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