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WASHINGTON, April 20 (AFP) - The risk of cardiovascular disease among adult Americans has declined sharply over the past 40 years, with the greatest reduction among overweight or obese people, according to a study published Wednesday.
The decline occurred despite a strong rise in obesity in the past 25 years, with the prevalence among people between the ages of 20 and 74 growing from 13 percent to 31 percent, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Still, the proportion of obese people with high cholesterol dropped 21 percentage points over the past 40 years, from 39 percent in 1960-1962 to 18 percent in 1999-2000. The proportion of obese people with high blood pressure dropped 18 percentage points over the period, from 42 percent to 24 percent, and the proportion of obese smokers dropped 12 percentage points, from 32 percent to 20 percent.
"Although obese persons still have higher risk factor levels than lean persons, the levels of these risk factors are much lower than in previous decades," the study said.
The study was conducted by researchers at the Atlanta, Georgia-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who compared federal surveys conducted over the past 40 years.
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