A new study by the American Heart Association shows that roughly 61% of US adults may have cardiovascular disease by the year 2050.
The trend's biggest driver would be a huge number of people who have or may end up developing high blood pressure, making them more vulnerable to further complications like stroke or heart attack.
Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence in 2050
The association revealed predictions in the study that around 45 million adults may have a form of cardiovascular disease, except high blood pressure, or stroke by 2050. This figure is up from 2020's numbers of 28 million.
Another driving force behind the trend would be an aging population. With age, a person becomes more likely to have heart issues.
In the year 2050, roughly 22% of the population of the US will be over 65 years old. In contrast, just ten seniors accounted for just 13% of the population.
In the US, the median age is expected to be 41 in 2050, up from 37 in 2010.
The diversity of the American population is also growing. Groups of people of color also tend to have an unproportional heart problem number.
In 2050, individuals who identify as Hispanic would account for roughly 25% of the US population, as opposed to present rates of around 20%. Moreover, individuals who identify as Black would make up 14.4% of the population, which is an increase from 13.6% today.
As for the people who identify as Asian, the rates will also increase. This will go up to 8.6% from 6.2%, based on predictions of the US Census.
The study also noted that individuals who identify as Hispanic may have the highest population growth for stroke or cardiovascular disease.
The research also revealed that, at present, Black adults have the highest number of risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. On top of this, they are projected to experience the most problems linked to poor diet and inadequate sleep, which are two behaviors that may contribute to heart issues.
The association also predicts that the biggest general increase in cardiovascular conditions will be among individuals with stroke. This figure could go up to 6.4% from 3.9%.
When it comes to risk factors, the increasing number of people with diabetes and/or obesity would also elevate heart problem risks.
Poor diet is also projected to be the behavior that would affect the majority of individuals. Based on the report, almost 70 million young adults will have a poor diet by 2050.
The study also predicts that the number of individuals with obesity will go up to 60.6% from 43.1%. As for the number of people with diabetes, this could reach 26.8% from 16.3%, impacting over 80 million during this period.
As for children's health, the report looked into trends concerning vital risk factors. This includes a predicted heightening of the number of children who live with obesity, largely due to poor diet and insufficient exercise.
The researchers were able to note one positive heart health matter, as the number of people with elevated cholesterol levels may decline.
Managing Heart Health Issues
The researchers explain that public health and clinical interventions are necessary in order to effectively stem, manage, or reverse these trends.
They suggest that one crucial change is the creation of policy and clinical interventions that could specifically help individuals of color.
It would also be crucial to implement preventive efforts to boost the health of the population. This would also end up saving significant costs.
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