Husband and wife usually have the same heart problems, and here’s why.
- 79% of couples share the same heart problems.
- Cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of death in the world and the second in France.
House, bills, children… Spouses generally share many things, including cardiovascular risks. This is revealed a new American study, published in JAMA.
79% of couples had poor heart health
The researchers assessed the heart disease risks and lifestyles of 5,400 American couples, all enrolled in fitness programs.
They analyzed the following cardiovascular risk factors: tobacco consumption, physical activity, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar and body mass index. They then ranked the results of the participants, individually and as a couple. Bottom line: 79% of couples had poor heart health, mostly due to unhealthy diets and lack of exercise.
Share habits
Jannie Nielsen, a professor at the Rollins School of Public Health, explains: “People often choose a partner who is very similar to them, whether it’s because they have a similar economic status or they share common interests, such as exercise. And once they’re together, they have tendency to share habits, especially what they eat”.
“The key here is that we are able to broaden our approach to prevention and not just focus on individuals, but focus on households or even potentially larger units like communities,” he said.concludes the expert.
Cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of death in the world and the second in France (first for women), just after cancer.
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