Preventing heart disease before it starts is a good long-term investment in the health of our nation.  A new policy statement, points out the cost-effectiveness and value of community-based changes to make it easier to live a healthy lifestyle. The call to action puts an equal amount of responsibility on individuals and on society — specifically federal, state and local policy-makers.

Improving access to fruits and vegetables and making them more affordable for consumers is an important priority for the public health community that is addressed in the Farm Bill. Read our newest policy brief to learn more about the AHA's position on the importance of farming and it's contribution to the health and well-being of American adults and children.

The AHA supports a multi-pronged approach to address the nation’s obesity epidemic which includes creating policies that improve access and affordability of healthy foods to all people.  The AHA also considers the concept of pricing less healthy foods and beverages higher to discourage consumption as a possible policy alternative (for example, a sugar sweetened beverage tax) that would require additional surveillance to evaluate the long-term impact. The AHA's updated policy statement on this issue is now available.

The AHA supports comprehensive worksite wellness programs and their important role in health promotion and cardiovascular disease prevention.  This new policy statement outlines the AHA's position on this very important and timely topic. Our FAQ document provides some additional information.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the US and is responsible for 17% of national health expenditures. As the population ages, these costs are expected to increase substantially.  In the model created to project the future costs of CVD, it is estimated that without any type of system-wide intervention, the total direct costs of CVD will triple over the next 20 years, and the the total indirect medical costs (lost work hours, wages, etc) will rise 61%, to $273 billion. Further information can be found in the complete policy statement.

The AHA supports robust nutrition standards for food and beverages purchased for the workplace. These should adhere to nationally recommended guidelines that are supported by sound science. The recommended standards can be found in our latest policy statement.