Why Heart Disease Is Increasing in The United States

For some years now, heart disease has been the number one killer in the United States. According to Healthline research, 647,000 Americans die annually from poor heart health or other conditions related to the heart and the cardiovascular system in general. The CDC says the numbers may increase by 2025 if Americans don’t take the necessary steps. So why is heart disease on the rise in the US? Why is it cutting short people’s lifespan? This article compiles some reasons this is so. 

1. Increased cases of obesity

According to the CDC, the average American is overweight and does not make healthy choices to lose the excess weight. The current obesity prevalence rate in the country stands at 42.4% (2020), and even this statistic is exclusively for persons considered as morbidly obese. So how does obesity contribute to poor heart health? First, obesity is the abnormal accumulation of fat in the body with increased risks of health problems.

The truth about fat buildup is the increased chances of causing blockages in the arteries and blood vessel walls. The plaque accumulation in these already narrow blood channels impedes the adequate flow of blood to the body. Additionally, the heart is made to work even harder to pump blood to the entire body due to this problem.

Remember, the heart is a muscle, but obesity causes excess fat buildup around it. This is known as pericardial fat. If left untreated, the combination of blocked arteries and several other elements at play can lead to heart disease.