Awareness of cardiovascular risk factors remains less than ideal

Awareness of risk factors for cardiovascular disease is low among adults in the U.S., according to a recent study. Among U.S. adults aged 18-39 years, the prevalence of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes was 8.8%, 7.3% and 2.6%, respectively. However, awareness of these risk factors was low, ranging from 56.9% to 70%. Moreover, fewer than one quarter of young adults with borderline levels of these risk factors were aware of their risk. According to the authors, interventions that increase awareness may help young adults achieve their treatment goals. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, was partly funded by NHLBI.