Heart and cardiovascular disease is the number one killer In the United States. It is also the biggest killer in New Jersey. A large portion of this is caused by people’s own decisions.

According to the CDC, “610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.” 200,000 of these are preventable. Also, 80 percent of coronary artery disease deaths can be attributed to preventable lifestyle choices. Coronary artery disease is a condition where blood vessels are narrowed, causing limited blood flow. This is often caused by fat deposits.

In New Jersey specifically, 26.9% of adults are obese, and 23.3% have a lack of physical activity, according to the United Health Foundation. The CDC defines obesity as “Weight that is higher than what is considered as a healthy weight for a given height.” For youth, 1 in 5 young people (6 to 19) suffers from obesity(CDC, 2016).

Lack of physical activity, smoking, drinking, and poor diet are all massive potential causes of heart disease and heart attacks. All it takes is exercising regularly and eating healthily, and the risk of heart disease is significantly reduced.