Findings from a large international study show that men and women share most of the same risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study is published in The Lancet.
The study assessed risk factors including high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, smoking, diet), economic status and depression.) 156,000 people living in 21 low, middle and high-income countries across five continents and without a history of CVD were included in the study and were followed for ten years.
Findings showed that men and women have similar CVD risk factors, which highlights the importance of using similar strategies to prevent CVD in men and women. Overall, study findings show that women have a lower risk of developing CVD than men, especially at younger ages.
Diet was found to be more strongly associated with CVD risk in women than men. High levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol and symptoms of depression were more strongly associated with CVD risk in men than in women.
These findings were similar in high-income, upper-middle-income, low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
Source: McMaster University
Image Credit: iStock
References:
Walli-Attaei M, Rosengren A, Rangarajan S et al. (2022) Metabolic, behavioural, and psychosocial risk factors and cardiovascular disease in women compared with men in 21 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: an analysis of the PURE study. The Lancet.
