Lifestyle Changes Mean Less Heart Attacks: A State-By-State Ranking
Photo Credit: American Heart Association
The latest poll from Gallup-Healthways, and first reported by the American Heart Association News, finds that the percentage of U.S adults who have had a heart attack dropped from 4.5% percent in 2008 to 3.9% in 2014.
The higher a person’s income, the less likely they were to have suffered from a heart attack.
The poll found that the people who reported that they did have a heart attack also said that they engaged in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking. They also tended to be obese or have a history of high blood pressure.
Income Matters
Income does indeed affect a person’s health. The poll found that there was a direct correlation between the rate of heart attacks and the income level of survivors. The higher a person’s income, the less likely they were to have suffered from a heart attack. People with household incomes of less than $24,000 were more than three times as likely to have had a heart attack compared to those with an annual income of $120,000 or more.
State by State Ranking
The poll also showed a ranking of the most incidents of heart attacks per state, and not surprisingly, there was a close correspondence between states with healthier lifestyles and lower rates of obesity. Utah ranks lowest for those who have had a heart attack, followed by Hawaii, California, Alaska and Colorado.
You can read more about the rankings here and download a copy of the report here.