"Lifestyle change is never easy and often under-emphasized in clinical encounters with our patients. This statement shows what types of programs work and supports the increased need for counseling and goal setting to improve healthy cardiovascular habits," said Ralph Sacco, M.D., president of the American Heart Association. "We need to find more effective ways to make lifestyle change programs available, especially to the groups at highest risk for cardiovascular diseases “ older Americans, African-Americans and people of Hispanic origin."

Sacco added that the first step in making a change is to know your health status, "because a lot of people don't realize they're at risk for heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association's My Life Check can help identify your risk level and offers simple steps to get started on the path to ideal cardiovascular health."

Although obesity, physical inactivity and poor diet are well recognized as major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, it's often difficult for doctors and nurses to help patients reduce their risk for an extended period. They are faced with numerous obstacles, including time constraints, reimbursement problems and insufficient training in behavioral-change techniques, the statement authors write.

Despite these difficulties, Artinian said policy changes will eventually make critical interventions more readily available.

Federal health reform legislation includes provisions that would improve access to preventive services and help Americans make healthier food choices to control risk factors for heart disease and stroke. For example, the new law requires calorie information on restaurant menus and vending machine products and eliminates co-pays for certain preventive services under Medicare and new private health plans. The legislation also includes funding to support public health interventions at the state and local levels aimed at lowering risk factors for chronic disease.

"I'm looking forward to the future when we will have a healthcare system that gives more weight to the importance of prevention and changing lifestyle behaviors to help people stay healthy and reduce cardiovascular risk," Artinian said.

SOURCE American Heart Association