Today is National Wear Red Day. The event sponsored by the American Heart Association is designed to raise awareness about heart disease in women. The event began more than a decade ago. Brianne Harman with the central Ohio chapter of the American Heart Association says since then, there’s been a 23 percent increase in awareness among women that heart disease is their greatest threat.
Risk factors for heart disease include family history, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and weight. They can be decreased through healthy eating, regular exercise, not smoking and decreasing stress. Harman says 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented by making the right lifestyle choices.
An estimated 43 million American women are affected by heart disease, which claims the lives of more U.S. women than all other forms of cancer combined. Many February events are being held in Ohio as part of Heart Month, including workshops, seminars and walks where women can connect with others and get information about cardiovascular disease and health. More information is available at heart-dot-org.