Healthy eating, exercise reduce heart disease risks for Oklahomans, expert says

Though other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and smoking can contribute to heart disease, improving our diet and staying physically active are two habits that anyone of us can develop, Horn said.

“We may not be able to avoid some risk factors that are hereditary, but we can all improve our health by learning to eat better,” Horn said.

Increasing the number of fruits and vegetables in our diet, as well as whole fiber, low-fat dairy and low-salt, low-sugar foods is a first step.

Higher-sodium foods may be associated with higher blood pressure rates in children and adolescents, which can lead to the early development of heart disease, especially in people who are overweight or obese, Horn said.

“The World Heart Federation estimates that at least 80 percent of all deaths from heart disease and stroke could have been avoided by early and ongoing prevention,” Horn said. “Simple lifestyle changes can make a significant difference in the development of risk factors.”

In addition to eating a healthy diet and staying at a healthy weight, Horn stressed the importance of getting regular physical activity.

“This is a challenge for some people,” Horn acknowledged, “and can be even more so for Oklahomans who are growing older. But nearly all of us can get some kind of physical activity every day. Even a little bit is better than doing nothing.”