Accessing CVD Risk Factors Among African American College Students through Blood Marker Investigation

 描述(申请人提供)：心血管疾病(CVD)是一个重大的公共卫生问题，也是美国(US)的主要死亡原因。所有年龄和背景的人都会患上这种疾病，美国每年报告的死亡人数为三分之一(约80万人)。心血管疾病造成的年度直接成本和总成本估计分别为2730亿美元和4440亿美元。应对高血压、高胆固醇水平和吸烟等主要心血管疾病危险因素的策略可以极大地减轻心血管疾病的负担。大约一半的美国人(49%)至少有这三种风险因素中的一种。其他几种医疗条件和生活方式的选择也会使人们患心脏病的风险更高，包括糖尿病、超重和肥胖、不良饮食、缺乏运动和过度饮酒。在美国，近三分之一的成年人肥胖和超重，这影响了身体、社交和生活质量，并对心血管疾病的发展产生了重大影响。然而，在低收入和少数民族人群中，治疗需求最高，他们肥胖负担重，但获得医疗服务的机会较少。肥胖是一个重要的危险因素。 在美国非裔美国人(AA)居多的社区中，它仍然是导致死亡的主要原因。尽管这种疾病在儿童和青少年中的表现很罕见，但根据NHLBI儿童和青少年心血管健康和降低风险专家小组的说法，加速动脉粥样硬化发展的危险因素和危险行为从童年就开始了。鉴于70%的超重青年成年后仍会超重，这种差距在青年中尤为突出，因此必须在生命早期开发创新的方法来预防肥胖和心血管疾病。温斯顿-塞勒姆州立大学(WSSU)63%的学生(目前注册人数为5400人)超重，有患心血管疾病的风险。尽管近年来关于健康问题和肥胖症流行的研究有所增加，但很少有针对大学生的研究。拟议的干预措施可能会对西弗吉尼亚州立大学学生的整体和未来健康结果产生重大影响。我们的目标是：1)通过检测血液标记物和人体测量来评估再生障碍性贫血大学生的心血管危险因素；2)初步测试为期15周的心血管疾病风险预防和干预计划，作为为期2学分的WSSU再生障碍性贫血大学生干预课程与两组(每队列50人)再生障碍性贫血大学生之间的对照课程。我们假设，与对照组相比，参加循证心血管疾病健康课程课程的学生将有更好的健康行为(增加水果和蔬菜的摄入量、参加体育活动、心血管健康、睡眠质量和减轻压力)、人体测量(BMI和腰围)和血液标记物(总胆固醇、甘油三酯、高密度脂蛋白(HDL)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)和血糖)。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant public health problem and is the leading cause of death in the United States (US). People of all ages and backgrounds can get the condition and one in three deaths (approximately 800,000) are reported each year in the US. Annual direct and overall costs resulting from CVD are estimated at $273 billion and $444 billion, respectively. Strategies that address leading CVD risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and smoking, can greatly reduce the burden of CVD. About half of Americans (49%) have at least one of these three risk factors. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including, diabetes, overweight and obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use. Nearly one-third of adults in the US are obese and overweight which affects physical, social, and quality of life and is a major influence on the development of CVD. However, the need for treatment is highest among low-income and ethnic minority populations who have a high burden of obesity but less access to healthcare services. Obesity is a significant risk factor for CVD and continues to be a leading cause of death in disproportionately African American (AA) communities in the US. Although the manifest of the disease in childhood and adolescence is rare, risk factors and risk behaviors that accelerate the development of atherosclerosis begins at childhood according to the NHLBI Expert Panel for cardiovascular health and risk reduction in children and adolescents. The disparities are prominent in youth, given that 70% of overweight youth will remain overweight as adults, it is imperative that innovative approaches be developed early in life to prevent obesity and CVD. Sixty three percent of the students enrolled (current enrollment of 5400) at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), are overweight and at risk for CVD. Although studies regarding health issues and the obesity epidemic have increased in recent years, few of these studies target college-aged students. The proposed intervention may have a major impact on the overall and future health outcomes of WSSU students. We aim to: 1)To assess CVD risk factors among AA college students by examining blood markers and anthropometric measurements, and 2) pilot test a 15-week CVD risk prevention and intervention program administered as a 2-credit hour semester long CVD intervention course versus a comparison course among two cohorts (50 per cohort) of AA college students at WSSU. We hypothesize that, compared to the control group; students enrolled in the evidence- based CVD health curriculum course will have improved health behaviors (increased fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity participation, cardiovascular fitness, sleep quality, and stress reductio), anthropometric measurements (BMI and waist circumference), and blood markers (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and glucose).