Denial Puts Canadians at Risk of Cutting Their Lives Short – And There’s an App for That!

The Heart and Stroke Foundation's 2011 Annual Report on Canadians' Health warns that nine out of 10 Canadians are jeopardizing the quality and length of their lives. The Foundation found that many Canadians are in denial about their risk factors for heart disease such as being overweight and being physically inactive – risk factors they can manage and control.

Each year, about 250,000 potential years of life are lost in Canada due to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and other chronic heart-related conditions.

“Canadians know what to do to live healthier, longer lives. But there's a huge disconnect between what we think we are doing to address our risk factors and reality,” says Dr. Beth Abramson, cardiologist and spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. “The fact is that we're not managing some of the most common and deadly cardiovascular risk factors as well as we think we are. We Canadians are living with a false sense of security that could be fatal.”

According to a new Heart and Stroke Foundation poll, Canadians are aware of the importance of addressing their risk factors. However, the Foundation poll also showed that Canadians have a false sense of security that is cutting their lives short. They overestimate their own healthy behaviours:

• Almost 90 per cent of Canadians rate themselves as healthy. The reality is that nine out of 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
• Only about a third said they are not physically active or don't eat a minimum of five servings of vegetables and fruit per day. The reality is about half of Canadians don't meet the physical activity and healthy eating recommendations.
• Eighteen per cent of Canadian adults say they are obese. The reality is that almost one quarter – 25 per cent – of Canadian adults are obese.

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Is there an app for that?

Yes. The Foundation has launched My Heart&Stroke Health App™, a free new mobile App to help Canadians take control of their risks. Download the app at heartandstroke.ca/mobileapps or find it at your iPhone, Blackberry or Android app stores under Health & Fitness. If you don't have a mobile phone, you can take the risk assessment online at heartandstroke.ca/risk

– Watch and hear what our experts have to say on Heart&Stroke TV.