Kilo Health released a report that shows the ranking of the top 5 health conditions that are common among Americans. Having diabetes and smoking took a surprisingly low place on the list.
The company has surveyed 11,408 Americans with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It revealed that the top two common factors among heart patients are low levels of physical activity (75%) and obesity (74%).
“Exercise lowers blood pressure, increases oxygen amount in the blood, and strengthens the heart muscle. Also, it helps prevent the development of diabetes, maintain weight, and reduce hypertension. All of these are independent risk factors for heart disease,” said Robertas Pranevicius, MD, Medical Advisor for Cardiovascular Disease Management at Cardi.Health, a subsidiary company of Kilo Health.
However, the survey has uncovered some other surprising factors that impact heart health. 28% of respondents said they have food allergies, only 15% revealed they have diabetes, and 6% mentioned that they smoke.
While food allergies might not be directly impacting cardiovascular health, they reduce the overall quality of life. However, the most interesting finding of the survey is that diabetes ranks quite low on the ranking. It takes 4th place, even though it’s one of the most dangerous comorbidities that accelerates heart disease.
“People who have diabetes should regularly pay a visit to a cardiologist. Diabetes damages the nerves, and people who have it should be checked out as soon as possible,” added Pranevicius.
Finally, smoking came in last place on the ranking. This is not very surprising as smoking in the US is in decline in general. According to the CDC, 20.9% of Americans smoked in 2015, but the number dropped to 12.5% in 2020. Full report here.