Black Women Face a Higher Risk of Developing Heart Disease at a Young Age

Young Black women have a number of risk factors that put them on a trajectory for developing heart disease at a young age, a study finds. These factors include a high prevalence of obesity, and elevated blood pressure. The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.21). In this study, researchers analyzed 945 Black women enrolled in a community health screening project in Atlanta. Subsequently, they assessed health markers such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They also examined socioeconomic factors such as education, income, and health insurance, as well as lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and exercise. The results showed that the average BMI for women of all age groups was 30 or above, making them clinically obese. Moreover, the researchers observed that systolic blood increased with age among Black women ages 20-39, with an average systolic BP of 122 mmHg, which is higher than normal.