Video: New Survey Finds 97 Percent of Women Understand Weight Increases Heart Disease Risk - The Leading Cause of Female Death in the United States - Yet 55 Percent Remain ...( Actress Caitlin Van Zandt Joins Healt...),Health

Actress Caitlin Van Zandt Joins Health Education Campaign to Share Her Weight-Loss Journey and Inspire Other Women to Live Heart Healthy

WASHINGTON, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Until last year, actress Caitlin Van Zandt of "Guiding Light" and "The Sopranos" was one of the 35 million obese women in the United States,(1) causing her to also be one of the 41 million women in this country living with or at risk of heart disease.(2) Caitlin was at risk of developing heart disease because she was significantly overweight and had high cholesterol - and she was merely 22 years old. Although Caitlin understood her weight was a concern, she was surprised to learn just how much it could negatively impact her health. And Caitlin is not alone.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/allergan/38153

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090505/NY10712 )

A recent survey of approximately 1,000 women revealed 97 percent understand being overweight is a significant risk factor for heart disease and losing weight can significantly reduce that risk. Yet, based on self-reported height and weight, 55 percent are overweight, and as such may be at risk for heart disease. So, while women understand their risk of heart disease, many are not taking action to live heart healthy and reduce their risk via weight loss. This may be in part because women do not adequately fear heart disease, which every year kills more women in the United States than any other disease.(3) In fact, the survey found that nearly three times as many women fear getting cancer as fear developing
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