Population-level changes to promote cardiovascular health

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Cardiology

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading cause of premature death in Europe, with 1.8 million deaths annually in individuals under 75.
• The majority of CVD cases are preventable through cost-effective, population-level interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide evidence-based recommendations for authorities on effective management strategies to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• To guide the selection of adequate public health interventions for CVD prevention.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive review and summary of existing scientific evidence on major modifiable CVD risk factors.
• Focus on population-based preventive strategies including fiscal measures, national/regional policies, and environmental modifications.

Main Results:

• Effective strategies include promoting fruit and vegetable intake, reducing salt, saturated fat, trans-fat, and free sugar consumption.
• Tobacco and alcohol control can be achieved through fiscal policies, legislation, and regulating local availability.
• Integrating physical activity into daily life requires national policy changes and modifications to the built environment.

Conclusions:

• Unhealthy lifestyle defaults, driven by societal and commercial factors, increase CVD risk.
• A key challenge is for authorities to establish healthier default options for the population.
• Structural strategies at international, national, and regional levels are recommended to substantially reduce CVD incidence.