HEALTH : Scientists warns, most of us have hearts Older than our actual age

The scientists investigating heart age have warned that, their new study has found almost three in four people have a heart that is older than their chronological age.


The average American man's heart age is nearly eight years higher than his actual age, while the average U.S. woman's heart is five-and-a-half years old, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Heart disease is the world's leading cause of death, killing 17.5 million people in 2012. It is responsible for one in every four deaths across the UK and US.

CDC researchers used the Framingham Heart Study test to produce the nation's first picture of heart health.

Due to a high volume of visitors, the test may have trouble loading

The test takes into account a person's health, including their blood pressure and whether they suffer diabetes, as well as lifestyle factors, such as whether they smoke and if they are obese.

Experts warn their findings mean vast swathes of the population are at heightened risk of heart attack or stroke.

One in four deaths in the U.S. and UK each year is due to heart disease, while many result from heart attacks and strokes.

'This is alarming. Heart disease is the nation's number one killer,' said the report's lead author, CDC scientist Quanhe Yang.

'But the bottom line is you can do some very simple things' to become younger at heart, he said.

The CDC scientists estimated the average 'heart age' of men and women in every state, based on risk factors including high blood pressure, obesity, and whether they smoke or have diabetes.

Then they compared the numbers to participants' average actual ages.

The nation's heart disease death rate has been falling thanks to advances in prevention and treatment, including drugs to control blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

But heart disease remains America's leading cause of death.

The average age of first heart attack is about 64 and a half for men and 72 for women, according to the American Heart Association.

Reasons for an older heart: The CDC scientists estimated the average 'heart age' of men and women in every state, based on risk factors like high blood pressure, obesity, and whether they smoke or have diabetes

Nearly three out of four U.S. adults have a heart that is older than the rest of their body, a new CDC report reveals. Above, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Kentucky and Alabama all have high proportions of adults with advanced heart age. But Colorado, Montana, Utah and California all have low proportions

Health officials have been pushing to get more people to control their weight, quit smoking and take other steps to help their heart and blood vessels.

The CDC is leading a 'Million Hearts' campaign, launched in 2012 to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes by 2017.
Click HERE for the rest of the stories