A new Swedish study finds men may cut their heart attack risk by as much as 80% just by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
It includes a heart-healthy diet, exercise, small amounts of alcohol, a small waistline, and no smoking.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm, studied nearly 21,000 healthy Swedish men for 11 years.
They found the men in the study with the lowest risk were non-smokers, who walked or cycled for at least 40 minutes per day.
They also exercised at least one hour per week, had a waist circumference below 37.5 inches, consumed moderate amounts of alcohol, and followed a healthy diet with a regular consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, reduced-fat dairy products, whole grains and fish.
Researchers say healthy lifestyle choices could prevent four out of five heart-related events in men, but less than 2 percent of the American population conforms to a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Complete findings for the study can be found in the “Journal of the American College of Cardiology.”
YOUR Health and Wellness News
