Women Less Likely Than Men to Change Bad Habits -- Smoking, Lack of Exercise -- that Could Lead to Heart Disease

Women, take note. Research shows that men are more likely to change their bad habits, such as smoking, eating fattening foods and not getting enough exercise, that can lead to poor health and cardiovascular disease than women do, even if they have a family history of heart disease.

The scientists, reporting in the September issue of the American Heart Journal, found that women with a family history of heart disease are less likely than men to change habits such as smoking and infrequent physical activity. They also are more likely to engage in lifestyle choices that increase their risk of heart disease than are women who did not report a history of heart disease.

Researchers looked at data from more than 2,400 people between the ages of 30 and 50. Family history of premature heart disease was defined as a first-degree relative with history of heart attacks before the age of 50 in men and 55 in women.

The researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center analyzed the link that exists between having a family history of heart disease and the risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women. They took a look at risk factors like coronary artery calcification, risk perception and lifestyle choices. They then took the results from the studies done with young women and compared that data with the results from young men.

Men do have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease than women do, but women are more likely then men to have fatal heart attacks.

The data they used for the study came from the Dallas Heart Study, with was a multi-ethnic, population-based study with more than 6000 participants living in Dallas County. The purpose of the study was to examine cardiovascular disease. During the course of the study, the patients came into the doctor's office for a total of three visits for blood pressure and heart rate measurements. They also participated in very detailed in home surveys and had special imaging tests done that looked specifically for calcium buildup in the coronary arteries.