That is over and above what we could achieve with drugs.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among U.S. men and women.
The study results are part of the ongoing Nurses' Health Study, which was established in 1976. When the study began, more than 120,000 U.S. nurses aged 30 to 55 answered questions assessing health and lifestyle factors. Every two years, the nurses complete follow-up questionnaires. Over 14 years, researchers documented more than 1,100 cases of heart disease, including almost 300 deaths from the disease. The women who had heart attacks were less likely to lead healthy lifestyles than those who did not develop heart disease, the study found.