Heart Disease Has Long Been

Heart disease has long been a problem associated with older adults. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death and can be caused by a plethora of factors including obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking. In recent years, researchers have been forced to pay more attention to the onset of heart disease in young adults. The purpose of this discussion is to examine whether heart disease is becoming more prevalent in young adults and if so why. Let us begin this discussion with some information about heart disease.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is defined as "A structural or functional abnormality of the heart, or of the blood vessels supplying the heart, that impairs its normal functioning (Heart Disease, 2002)." The Centers for Disease Control and prevention report that hear disease is the leading cause of death among Americans (Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke n.d.). The CDC asserts that nearly 1 million people die of heart disease every year (Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke n.d.). The CDC also reports that many of these deaths are preventable. The CDC explains that both men and women suffer from the disease (Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke n.d.). The organization also explains that heart disease usually effects older people but is increasingly becoming an issue for younger adults.

Researchers have concluded that there are many different reasons why the prevalence of heart disease is so high in America. The chief cause is obesity and the complications that occur as a result. These complications include diabetes, which damages the arteries.

Obesity also contributes to high blood pressure, which also damages the arteries. In addition, experts concede that those who smoke cigarettes are at an increased risk of developing heart disease. Heart disease is also associated with alcohol abuse.

Heart Disease in Young Adults

The question of whether heart disease is on the rise in yound adults is somewhat complex. With certainty, it is apparent that many children and young adults are overweight. According to Eberstadt (2003), "Among children and teens ages 6 to 19, 15% (almost 9 million) are overweight according to the 1999-2000 data, or triple what the proportion was in 1980 (Eberstadt 2003)."

Researchers have also predicted that this generation will not be as healthy as their parents because of obesity. Physicisans report that increase in obesity -linked hospitalizations for children -- the doubling of diabetes diagnoses, the fivefold rise in sleep apnea cases, and the tripling of gall bladder disease admissions, all during the past two decades. The European and other national reports mentioned earlier note the same phenomenon; that is, the appearance in even very young obese children of diseases and disorders hitherto thought limited to older adults (Eberstadt 2003).

Eberstadt 2003 also explains that physicians have reported an increase in heart disease in children and obesity related cancers (Eberstadt 2003). So then, it is clear that this generation is more likely to develop health problems associated with obesity, one of them being heart disease. The impact of this obesity on the rate of heart disease in young adults has yet to be seen and is not fully known. However, there is evidence to suggest that certain ailments associated with heart disease are on the rise in the young adult population. One such ailment is metabolic syndrome. According to Hitti (2005) explains that Metabolic syndrome, is a collection of abnormalities linked to heart disease and diabetes. The author explains tah this syndrome is increasing, is rising among young adults. Hitti (2005) asserts that 1 out of 10 adults in their mid-30's was striken by the syndrome according to a study published in the Archives of internal medics. Hitti (2005) also explains that the symptoms of metabolic syndrome include, insulin reject, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

These symptoms are directly related to obesity and may begin to occur when the individual is still a teenager (Hitti 2005). The author also reports that the best way to prevent metabolic syndrome in young adults is to respond appropriately during adolescents (Hitti 2005). The article asserts that if people learn proper nutrition and exercise during their teenage years, they are more likely to avoid metabolic syndrome (Hitti 2005).

According to the article, diet and exercise proved to be effect in study participants in Amsterdam (Hitti 2005). The study was conducted with 360 participants ages 13-36, researchers wanted to see which subjects contracted metabolic syndrome (Hitti 2005). The research found that a little over 10% of participants had metabolic syndrome at age 36. More men were diagnosed than women (18% vs. 3%).Those with metabolic syndrome had gained more body fat since their teen years, especially around their midsection. But body fat wasn't the only risk factor. Several other trends also stood out. Participants with metabolic syndrome were more likely to have a steep decline in fitness level. By age 36, they favored light-to-moderate activities such as gardening or walking, instead of heart-pounding aerobic exercise, such as running. In contrast, their peers without metabolic syndrome had lower but steadier fitness levels over the years (Hitti 2005)."

The researchers have concluded that maintaining a healthy weight and exercising religiously will aid in the reduction of metabolic syndrome.

Why the Problem exists

Obesity is the single most significant problem associated with heart disease in young adults (Anderson et al. 2003). As we mentioned previously in the discussion, heart disease is most often caused by factors related directly to obesity. The extra weight places a burden on heart and in turn drives up blood pressure and insulin levels. Young adults are heavier than they have ever been; many of them have carried this weight since childhood (Coleman et al. 1993). As a result, they suffer from heart disease at an earlier age than did previous generations.

In addition to obesity, smoking cigarettes also contributes to the increases in heart disease that are seen among young adults. Although, this generation has the benefit of a general surgeon warning concerning cigarettes, many have developed the habit of smoking. Ultimately, this habit coupled with obesity can place young adults at an increased risk for developing heart disease. Young adults and people of all ages are not taking seriously the warnings associated with living an unhealthy lifestyle. If the problem of heart disease among young people is to be rectified, there must be a concerted effort to educate young people and aid them in preventing heart disease.