Recent studies have revealed a significant increase in heart attack rates among young people in the United States, as data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicates an increasing percentage of adults between the ages of 18 and 44 who suffered a heart attack during the period between 2019 and last year.
Doctors and researchers are seeking to understand the factors leading to this significant increase, and have identified four possible main reasons, the most important of which is the high rates of obesity among young people.
Andrew Moran, a cardiologist and epidemiologist at Columbia University, reveals to the website:Yahoo Live“The curve of increase in obesity is much steeper in young adults than in older adults.”
This trend is mainly related to changes in lifestyles and eating habits, as fast food and processed foods have become an essential part of the diet for many.
Low-quality diets and more sedentary lifestyles contribute to the development of what the professor of cardiology, Perry Merz, calls the “diabetic obesity epidemic,” referring to the simultaneous increases in obesity and diabetes rates, which cause high blood pressure, which in turn leads to a weakening of the heart and damage to the vessels. Bloody.
The second factor that draws the attention of researchers is the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on heart health. Studies have shown that the Corona virus may harm this vital organ and the cardiovascular system, which increases the risk of heart attacks.
During the first two years of the pandemic, a 30 percent increase in heart attack deaths was observed among people between the ages of 25 and 44, highlighting the potential long-term effects of the virus, even among younger age groups.
The third possible factor behind the rise is neglect of preventive health care, as experts point out that young men in particular may be “out of the scope of preventive health care,” meaning that they are not aware that they have conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes until they develop into advanced stages.
Finally, according to the same site, a group of risk factors for young women emerge, and these factors include increased rates of smoking and vaping, in addition to stress related to social media, which plays a role in affecting the menstrual cycle and hormone levels, which raises the risk of heart disease. .
