Does Heart Disease Occur More in People Living In Cities?

When one considers the frenetic pace of life in the cities, towns and urban spaces, it is little wonder that people who live in these areas are more at risk from suffering from heart-disease and other cardiac events.  As well as the stress imposed by  a frantic life-style which significantly increases the chances of people suffering from heart related illnesses, a range of other factors need to be taken into account, such as hypertension, excessive alcohol use, smoking, lack of exercise, diet, air-pollution and high-cholesterol.  Many of these are often associated with high pressure, urban-dwelling, but should be recognized as factors that seriously impact upon heart-health.

Given the amount of publicity and controversy that is regularly attached to it, smoking is a significant risk factor – not just in increasing the chances of heart-disease, but a range of chronic conditions such as cancer. Recent studies have revealed that smokers are at-least 5 times more at risk of the onset of cardiac illness, and in order to maintain a healthy-heart, the habit is best avoided.

Obesity is also an issue that has received a great deal of media and press attention recently. As many people have hectic lives, it is very easy to become overweight due to a combination of a lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits. Unfortunately, whilst it can save time, eating convenience foods can be very bad for your health, as they are usually packed with ingredients that have a negative effect on heart-health, such as high-levels of fats and cholesterol. The regular consumption of foodstuffs that are high in cholesterol is harmful to you as they can result in arterial blockages that can eventually lead to heart-attacks. This – in tandem with factors such as hypertension and high blood pressure can place enormous strain on your heart, making it a lot more difficult to operate effectively. However certain dietary changes can help prevent this such as the addition of fibrous and natural foods to your diet that has low levels of fats and sodium.