Recently the American Heart Association released a study on the heart-friendly cities for women in the United States. The study, which is part of the Go Red For Women initiative, may surprise a few people. The study considered a variety of risk factors including obesity, smoking rates and general health statistics.

Black Voices own Denver Louis had a chance to speak to Dr. Jennifer H. Mieres, author of "Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas: A 5-Week Program for Living a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle", about the study and some solutions to help prevent heart disease.

The results may surprise you...



What is the "Go Red" Movement?

The Go Red for Women Movement is the American Heart Association's campaign to increase the awareness of heart disease among women. It is to let people know that heart disease can be prevented by simple lifestyle changes. Really it's a program focused on helping women make these heart-healthy changes. It's incorporating some type of activity in your daily regimen, changing your diet to include more fruits and vegetables, and helping to reduce stress. It also provides camaraderie for women who are taking steps to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It's a pretty strong movement and over 600,000 women have joined the movement so far.

How important would you say is location when it comes to health?

I think location does play a role. This study is a wake-up call to cities that are not really providing a heart-friendly milieu. It let's them know that they can do better. Women who live in these cities definitely need to have heart disease on their radar screen. Changing the environment or the city can be instrumental in decreasing heart disease and stroke in the women of these cities.

Why is there a discrepancy between the southern and northern cities, with the South having higher instances of heart disease?

I think that when you look at some of the southern cities where the traditional cuisines are definitely heavily weighted to more fried foods, larger portions, foods that taste good but we know from research are filled with ingredients that are not healthy and fill the arteries with cholesterol. That's one factor that can be blamed. A diet that's filled with fatty foods, fewer fruits and vegetables paired with larger portions makes a contribution to a city being less heart friendly and having the occupants suffer from obesity and sedentary lifestyles.

I also think misconceptions still exist, even though I think the heart association has done a great job in spreading the word. People are unaware to the benefits of changing to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Very often women think that you have to join a gym, it's very expensive, you have to have the right exercise cloths etc. The Heart Healthy Movement is telling women to put on a pair of sneakers or a pair of walking shoes, take ten minutes out of your busy day to take a brisk walk or to dance. Cumulatively, if you can get 10 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes at night, you will be well on the road to heart health.

The study also shows that there is a large gap between African-American women and non-African-American women, what would you point to as the source of this difference?

There is no question that in the African-American community, there is a higher prevalence of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and definitely a higher instance of hypertension. The more traditional diet will inevitably lead to a larger waistline. The higher prevalence of these risk factors plays an important part. A recent survey by the Heart Association shows that when a group of women were surveyed, 68% of Caucasian women knew that heart disease was the leading cause of death and that they were vulnerable to heart disease compared to only 38% of African-American women and 34% percent of Hispanic women. So clearly there is a lack of awareness as well.

What role does stress play in getting heart disease?

Studies have shown that constant stress and the way you deal with it has been linked to elevated blood pressure. Stress has also been linked to an unhealthy life style. People who are under constant stress, tend to exercise less, eat more, and smoke more and those again are powerful risk factors for heart disease. As part of the 'Go Red Movement', we provide you with simple ways to deal with stress, whether it's 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes to meditate or 10 minutes to listen to your favorite music. There are definitely tools you can use to deal with stress and help control your risk factors.

What are the most important preventative measures for African-American women?

Definitely incorporate some sort of activity, exercise, or as the Heart Society says, choosing to move for 30 minutes, five to six days a week. Also changing your diet to incorporate more fruits and vegetables, eliminating fried foods, and putting down the salt shaker are all very important. Knowing your numbers and knowing your risk of heart disease are important steps as well. When I say know your numbers, I mean your blood pressure, your blood sugar, your blood cholesterol, your weight and your waist circumference as well.

For more information on heart disease, be sure to check out the American Heart Association's website and the Go Red For Women Movement's website

Fast Facts:

* Minneapolis-St. Paul, Boston and Phoenix reported the lowest female cardiac mortality rates in the country; Detroit, Nashville and St. Louis reported the highest.

* San Francisco, Denver and Los Angeles were the thinnest mega metros; Cleveland, San Antonio and Columbus were among the most overweight.

* Surprisingly, our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., reported the lowest stress ratings of all the mega metros while Portland, OR reported the highest stress levels in the category.

* Generally, California and Colorado cities scored well in the Heart Friendly Cities study; the metros that scored the lowest in the study were found in the South and Midwest.