Cardiovascular Disease and Lifestyle Project
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death in the United States. One reason is the
lack of commitment to heart healthy lifestyle. Your lifestyle is not only your best defense against heart disease, it’s also your responsibility.
Read Cardiovascular Disease and Lifestyle Project Supplemental Instructions for
important details on assignment and instructions for submission.
Assignment Topic
Research and discuss the causes of cardiovascular disease and its relationship to diet
and exercise. Compare and analyze your own personal lifestyle choices (class
assignments) to determine your risk of the disease and form a conclusion as to what
changes you can make to decrease your risk.
The following information will help you with the type of information that should be
included. You are not limited to this, it will just give you a general idea of what is
expected in the assignment.
Part #1- Research and discuss the causes of cardiovascular disease.
(Use at least 2 credible sources for Part #1- be sure to site source)
What are the causes?
Why is it a health concern?
What is the incidence of the disease/how many are affected?
Is it preventable?
What is the cost of the disease to the US?
Part #2- What is the relationship between cardiovascular disease and diet and
exercise?
(Use at least 1 credible source for Part #2- be sure to site source)
What types of foods contribute to our risk?
Does physical activity help in prevention?
How does inactivity increase our risk?
Part #3- Compare and analyze your own personal lifestyle choices that contribute to
YOUR risk of cardiovascular disease.
What are the lifestyle choices you are making that increase your risk?
Look at data from the following topics:
BMI
How healthy is your Lifestyle
Fast Food nutrition
Nutritional Analysis
Food Color Chart
Sugar
Be sure to site the source of this information.
Part #4- Form a conclusion as to what changes you can make in your own personal
lifestyle choices in order to decrease risk.
Specifically what can you do to decrease your risk now?
How will those changes benefit your future health?
Part #5-Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility.
Hopefully your workouts have allowed you to experience the positive benefits of
physical activity. It is now time to share that with others. Physically inactive individuals are at risk for cardiovascular disease. According to the Center for Disease Control, “if every physically inactive person became active, we would save 77 billion in health care costs every year. Only 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 3 children get the recommended amount of physical activity.
Invite at least 2 people (adult or child) to participate in a workout with you. It can be
your regular workout or you can do something different (ride bikes, take a free class at a gym, try a new workout DVD, etc.)
Reflect on this experience and include the following information:
Who did you invite to workout with you and why did you choose that person?
What information did you share to encourage them to participate?
Did you notice a difference in the individual’s attitudes towards physical activity with
regards to their age, ethnic background, or socioeconomic background?
Explain the possible implications on our nation if everyone who is physically active
encouraged others to become active too.
What other ways could you encourage physical activity in adults and children?
