Report: Young Americans Not Being Screened for Heart Disease Signs

7/22/2010

Young people can save themselves considerable money on their future health insurance premiums by following some basic preventive steps to help guard against heart disease.

According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than half of young adults are being screened for heart disease risk factors, even though as much as 26 percent of this population has high levels of so-called "bad" cholesterol.

"Young men and women experience a high burden of risk factors for heart disease, the nation's leading cause of mortality," said Dr. Elena Kuklina, lead author of the study.

The CDC noted that about 55 percent of American men aged 20 to 35 and women aged 20 to 45 have at least one risk factor for coronary heart disease. These factors include obesity, high blood pressure, smoking and family history.

Heart disease is one of the nation's leading killers, and things like healthy diets and exercise can go a long way toward avoiding it. As a pre-existing condition, heart disease is also likely to bring about higher health insurance premiums for those who are affected.

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