The project examined 38 populations from 21 countries across Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. Of the two published studies, one assessed the association between trends in heart disease and the prevalence of principal risk factors, including cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. These declines were partly explained by lifestyle improvements in the study populations. Cigarette smoking rates fell in the majority of male populations-a trend which researchers estimate was the most significant contributor to the heart disease reductions among men. Consistent cutbacks in smoking were not found in women, but both sexes did show decreases in mean blood pressures and cholesterol levels.
Researchers largely attribute the drop in heart disease among women to blood pressure improvements.
An overall increase in body weight was also detected, but according to the researchers, its significance as a risk factor for heart disease is debatable. Nevertheless the results do endorse prevention campaigns based on changing these modifiable factors. They also encourage us to look for other important factors that drive the development of heart disease in the community. Progress in medical care has also played a significant role in reducing heart disease rates. Researchers found the greatest declines in populations that had adopted advanced treatments.