American Heart Association- Impacting Lives in NWLA

The American Heart Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit, voluntary health organization funded by private donations. Founded in 1924 by six cardiologists, and known in the past as the Heart Fund, the American Heart Association today is one of the world's premier health organizations. More than 30 million volunteers and supporters join the American Heart Association nationwide each year to fight cardiovascular diseases. The NWLA area is proud of the volunteers who help it achieve its goals each year and participate in raising awareness about heart disease and stroke.

IMPACT
The news is mixed relative to reducing deaths by 20 percent. The good news is that we've seen a drop of 14.9 percent over the years for which final statistics are available (2007 to 2014). Going deeper, we find significant progress in the key areas of deaths from coronary heart disease (improvement of 23.5 percent) and stroke (16.1 percent) with the steepest declines among African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians. The other component is improving cardiovascular health by 20 percent and the results continue to be mixed. From 2007-2012 (latest data available), the cardiovascular health score has improved by 5 percent for children and 2.9 percent for adults, resulting in an overall improvement of 3.5 percent. Healthy diet measurements in children have stayed the same, while their cholesterol and BMI are slightly worse. But we're doing better at keeping kids free of tobacco use, improving their blood pressure and glucose levels, and assuring that they get more physical activity. For adults, the big wins have come with reduced tobacco use. The remaining results are again mixed, with glucose levels, BMI and blood pressure control all slightly worse, but slight improvements in cholesterol, healthy diets and physical activity.

We need big solutions to achieve our goal. At the core is building a culture of health where it's easy for more people to make healthy choices where they live, work, learn, heal, play and pray. With our volunteers and partners, we are working to: * Make healthy food options accessible and affordable; * Have clean, smoke-free air; * Provide safe, ample areas for physical activity; and * Have a strong "chain of survival" to help more people survive heart and stroke emergencies. At the local level, policies for safe and walkable streets lead to more active communities. At the state level, smoke-free air laws can make clean, breathable air available to millions more Americans. And at the federal level, systems change, such as working with the food industry to reduce sodium in the food supply, can lead to heart healthier diets and lower high blood pressure rates. We know we can also make a significant impact by pushing governments to purchase and provide healthy foods and beverages, and by driving down the demand for sugary drinks and tobacco. We must also strengthen systems of care for stroke and heart disease patients and increase access to quality healthcare for the most vulnerable populations. Powerful collaborations with corporations and communities and our continued devotion to scientific research are crucial. We also look to influencers in social media and entertainment to help spread the word about healthy options.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the world. Stroke ranks second globally and is a leading cause of severe disability. Some form of cardiovascular disease affects more than one in every three adult Americans. Many are seriously burdened by disabilities. To fight these diseases, we fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies, and provide critical tools and information to save and improve lives. The American Heart Association wants everyone to understand the threat ? and to know that cardiovascular diseases and stroke are largely preventable. Risks can be lowered by adhering to what we call Life's Simple 7: not smoking, being physically active, maintaining a healthy body weight, eating a healthy diet, controlling blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and controlling blood sugar. To assess your cardiovascular health, visit MyLifeCheck.org and answer a few questions. Together with our partners, we are growing the movement to build a culture of health and working to ensure a healthier America.

Testimonials

The American Heart Association continues to be the name in cardiovascular disease education, prevention and research. We're lucky here in Northwest Louisiana because we've been able to utilize the American Heart Association's resources and programs to be one of the best offices in the nation. Of course, we couldn't do it without volunteers help. The NWLA communities have always been wonderfully supportive of the mission and programs of the American Heart Association. Our volunteers are the best volunteers in the area and help with everything from sponsorship recruitment and fundraising to health screenings and public education...