NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

February 11, 1999

NDSU Dietitian Offers Facts, Tips To Improve Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United Statesand in North Dakota. Each year, heart disease and stroke kill about 950,000 Americans and add about $260 million to the nation's annual health care bill.

North Dakotans can reduce their chances for developing cardiovascular disease by modifying their controllable health risks, which include smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and physical inactivity, says a licensed registered dietitian with the North Dakota State University Extension Service.

"Only 63 percent of North Dakota adults have had their cholesterol checked in the last five years," says Julie Garden-Robinson, extension food and nutrition specialist at NDSU. "The national goal is to increase to at least 75 percent. So North Dakotans have a way to go here."

Based on a recent survey, the North Dakota Health Department estimates that 22 percent of North Dakota adults have high blood pressure. Also, estimates indicate that there are about 110,000 North Dakotans who either have diabetes or will develop the disease within their lifetime. Diabetes can also contribute to cardiovascular disease.

In short, many North Dakotans need to make lifestyle changes to reduce their health risks and improve their quality of life. Where to begin? For starters, smokers should quit. Smoking cessation classes have helped many, Garden-Robinson says.

When it comes to diet, calories count, regardless of source. People who are overweight or obese need to consult a doctor or dietitian to find out how many calories they should be consuming each day. For everyone who is consuming an appropriate amount of daily calories, 30 percent of those calories, or fewer, should come from fat. And of that 30 percent, only about 10 percent should come from saturated fat.

"For most of us, this means fewer stops for fast food, or at least choosing the lower-fat menu items," Garden-Robinson says. "It also means reaching for more fruits and vegetables, as most of us are falling short of eating enough of these foods, which are naturally low in fat."

Choosing leaner cuts of meat is another way to reduce fat intake. Changing from 2 percent milk to skim (fat-free) milk also helps. Eating more beans and grains is important, Garden-Robinson says, and she suggests stir-frying, baking or broiling instead of traditional pan frying.

"Remember that achieving your goal of 30 percent of calories from fat doesn't mean that everything you eat has to be low in fat," Garden-Robinson stresses. "It's the sum total of your diet, so read food labels, make comparisons based on fat content and other nutrients, and choose accordingly. If you have a high-fat lunch, then eat lower-fat foods later that day."

The key to a sensible eating plan is to aim for variety, to make lower-calorie choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and to forget fad diets, Garden-Robinson says. Fad diets may produce rapid initial weight loss, mainly due to water loss, but most people quickly regain the weight they've lost. In addition, the high-protein diets that are currently popular can have detrimental effects, particularly on the kidneys.

Garden-Robinson says research is showing that specific nutrients may be helpful in reducing cardiovascular disease. For example, researchers have linked a low level of folic acid intake with high homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is formed during the body's digestion of certain proteins, and researchers have found higher levels of homocysteine in people who suffer from heart disease than in healthy adults.

Folic acid is one of the B vitamins, and researchers have found some evidence that vitamins B6 and B12 also help reduce heart disease. Garden-Robinson says whole-grain foods, like cereals, are excellent sources of B vitamins. Likewise, orange juice and leafy green vegetables are good sources of folic acid.

Along with diet, physical activity can reduce a person's risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The U.S. Surgeon General now recommends that Americans accumulate 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week. Moderate physical activities include walking, raking leaves, gardeningeven washing windows.

Garden-Robinson says these periods of physical activity don't have to extend for 30 minutes. Instead, activities taking only 10 or 15 minutes are equally as healthfulas long as the amount of daily activity totals 30 minutes.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136