Her sisters now take medication to protect themselves from a similar death. The CDC study says that for many young people, sudden cardiac death is preventable, especially through screenings for families with a history of this kind of death. The study suggests that for others, basic improvements in eating and exercise habits might reduce the risk. Many of the deaths involved clogged arteries. A study last year of 249 teenagers found that 80 percent had an unhealthy buildup of cholesterol on artery walls, often the result of eating high-fat foods.
Obesity is another major risk factor.
Between 1989 to 1999, the obesity rate among Americans aged 18 to 29 more than doubled from 5 percent to 12 percent. As today's study shows, some people never get that chance. ABC News Internet Ventures.