A new study suggests four out of five heart attacks can be prevented by maintaining a few lifestyle habits — at least for men.
Researchers from Sweden looked at more than 20,000 men. They say those who adopted just five healthy behaviors were less likely to develop heart disease. Not surprisingly, those behaviors include drinking only moderate amounts of alcohol, not smoking, exercising daily, and maintaining a healthy diet and weight.
Well ... yeah. Most of us already know a healthy lifestyle lends itself to fewer diseases.
Even headlines are pointing out the obvious: Most heart attacks can be prevented; a healthy lifestyle might reduce heart attack risk.
Despite the repetitive reminders, researchers say most people don't actually maintain ideal cardiovascular health.
In fact, researchers estimate just 2 percent of Americans do so. Starting these lifestyle habits early in life can be more beneficial, but even adopting them later can significantly improve heart health.
Modern practices might be to blame here. One health expert tells HealthDay, "People looking for a magic pill or a modern new technology to prevent heart disease need to be reminded how important lifestyle factors are."
Just think about it. The heart is a muscle. It needs to be worked out, just like all the other muscles in our bodies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 600,000 Americans die of heart disease every year. It's the leading cause of death among both men and women.
The recent study has its limitations, though. It did not look at how long the subjects lived. It also didn't look at different ethnicities.
The research was published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
