Minnesotans have lower heart disease risk

Abstract

Welcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Minnesotans are less likely than the average American to die of heart disease. The reason? Likely because, compared to national averages, Minnesotans smoke less and fewer have high blood pressure. That’s according to a recent study, led by Lyn Steffen, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota. <Steffen: “We know that the cardiovascular mortality rate in Minnesota is lower than for the general populations. We think that from these study findings that it truly is the cardiovascular risk factor levels that are lower in Minnesotans that explain this difference in the cardiovascular mortality rate.”> But Steffen adds that Minnesotans can do better, simply by improving their diets and consuming fewer calories. <Steffen: “We do want to do better and I must say that one of the major public health problems right now is the fact that 69 percent of the population is overweight or obese. Calorie intake has increased since we started the survey back in 1980. Calories have increased in both Minnesotans and in the general population. It is interesting that even though we have so many overweight and obese people, we still have other cardiovascular risk factors that are still so good in the Minnesota population.”> For Public Health Moment, I’m Mark Engebretson.