Do you know what threatens your health the most?  The top causes of death for women in the United States may surprise you.  Learn about each health concern and steps you can take to reduce your risks. 

1.  Heart Disease
Many people think breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women because you hear about it most often.  But the truth is that the leading cause of death among women is heart disease; it kills more women in the United States each year than all forms of cancer combined (nearly 500,000 deaths each ear).

More women die of heart disease in the U.S. each year than men; however, only 13 percent of women know that heart disease is a major threat to their health.  Luckily, heart disease is preventable, and there are many steps you can take to reduce your risks.

• Don’t smoke and if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation
• Eat a heart-healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables and whole-grains
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Control other health factors that can strain your heart (e.g. high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes)
• Join the grassroots movement Go Red for Women that helps raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in women.  Click here for more information, to join and to get ready for National Wear Red Day for Women, February 3, 2006

Click here for more information on steps you can take to reduce your risk of heart disease

2.  Cancer
If you thought the most common type of cancer in women is breast cancer, you’d be wrong.  The most common cancer deaths among women are from lung cancer; more than 73,000 women in the U.S. are estimated to die in 2005 from lung cancer with 90 percent as a result of smoking.

The second leading cause of cancer deaths among women is breast cancer.  In 2005, it is estimated that more than 210,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer with approximately 40,000 deaths each year.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths among women.  Approximately 28,000 women are estimated to die of this type of cancer each year.

Lifestyle choices are related to over one-third of cancers.  Therefore, you can take steps to reduce your risks related to lifestyle, including:

• Don’t smoke or use tobacco of any kind
• Get regular exercise
• Eat a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables
• Avoid excessive exposure to the sun
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation
• Keep up on your regular preventive health screenings
• Be aware of your family health history and share that information with your doctor

Click here for more information on reducing your risk of cancer and helpful cancer resource

 

3.  Stroke
In addition to being the third leading cause of death among women, stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States.  Each year, nearly 163,000 people in the U.S. die from stroke; approximately two-thirds are women.

Stroke is very preventable through making healthy lifestyle choices.  However, family history, age, sex, and race also play a role in your risk.  Here are some steps you can take to reduce your risk of stroke:

• Don’t smoke (smoking is one of the most important risk factors for stroke)
• Control your blood pressure (high blood pressure is another important risk factor)
• Maintain a healthy cholesterol level
• Limit your intake of saturated fats
• Get regular exercise

4.  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD refers to a group of lung conditions that includes bronchitis and emphysema.  The primary cause of COPD is smoking, and it is strongly associated with lung cancer.  It is estimated that 64,000 women die in the United States each year from COPD. 

Quality of life is a major issue with COPD.  As the disease progresses, people experience shortness of breath and activity limitations – often eventually needing oxygen assistance to breathe.  The easiest way to avoid COPD is to not smoke and avoid secondhand smoke.

5.  Alzheimer’s Disease
An estimated 4.5 million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s disease.  Although the disease starts with simple forgetfulness and confusion, it is a degenerative condition that leads to irreversible mental impairment.

Alzheimer’s disease affects more women than men with approximately 42,000 women dying from the disease each year – almost twice as many deaths as men.  The risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases with age.  Since women tend to live longer than men, this may be one reason for women being afflicted more by the disease.

Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s.  Treatments consist of stabilizing the signs and symptoms and improving well-being.

6.  Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious health condition that affects approximately 14.6 million Americans (7 % of the population) with an estimated 6.2 million people (nearly one-third) who don’t even know they have the disease.  People often do not realize they have diabetes until they develop life-threatening conditions.  Among women, 9.7 million, or 8.8% aged 20 years or older have diabetes although nearly one third of them do not know it.

Many serious complications occur from advanced stages of diabetes including:  heart disease and stroke, blindness, kidney disease, dental disease, nervous system damage, and more.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes (about 90-95% of all cases).  While certain risk factors are uncontrollable (age, family history, race), most of the risk factors are preventable through lifestyle choices.  Here are some steps you can take to reduce your risks:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Get regular exercise
• Eat a healthy diet including complex carbohydrates and lean sources of protein
• Have your fasting blood sugar levels checked regularly

Click here for more information on reducing your risk and managing Diabetes.

Sources:  Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.com; American Heart Association, www.americanheart.org; American Cancer Society; American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org