[Population-level changes to promote cardiovascular health]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Cardiology

Context:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading cause of premature death in Europe, with 1.8 million annual fatalities under 75.
• The majority of CVD deaths are preventable through cost-effective, population-level interventions.
• This paper addresses the need for effective CVD prevention strategies for authorities.

Purpose:

• To review and summarize evidence on major modifiable CVD risk factors: diet, physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol.
• To outline population-based preventive strategies including fiscal measures, policies, and environmental changes.
• To guide authorities in selecting optimal management strategies for CVD prevention.

Summary:

• 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, national regulations, and managing local availability.
• Integrating physical activity into daily life requires national policy changes and modifications to the built environment.

Impact:

• Unhealthy societal and commercial influences create environments that increase CVD risk.
• Authorities face the challenge of establishing healthier defaults to mitigate lifestyle-related CVD risks.
• Implementing combined international, national, and regional structural strategies can substantially reduce CVD incidence.