Landing on an internet articles and multiple mention by professors in my class, many time they have mentioned that African American have the highest rate of cardiovascular disease out of all the other race living in United States. Also not just having a higher rates they also develop disease at an earlier age, for example African Americans have stroke at an earlier age compared to other race living in United States. When comparing other race, it seems that other common condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are also high for African American may be the leading cause relating to the health of the heart. But why does the health relating to cardiovascular disease high for African American? It is not just the race that leads to possible genetic disposition increasing the rate of certain heart disease. There other are other factors that can lead to increase of certain disease. Such factors such as resource, environment condition and cultures are just few examples. Statistically there are sources that many African American in United States are living in lower economic class there are less available resource available to them compared to a more economically stable class people. Therefore medical care one thing that are less accessible to African American. There have been also articles and statistic that people of lower class tends consumed more processed food. The reason is that eating processed food are cheaper. (1) Processed food are included with either preservatives, high sodium or a process that leech nutrients away. Such consumption can result to high blood pressure and heart of it. So people of all race living in poorer income household consume that high calorie less nutritious diets are also having problem with their health. Not only the prices of the food that influence their diets but also their culture. But it is not just the food, but also the environment. Within certain area there are different influence such as environment and personal actions that could stress impact the physical health and mental health of African American.
But even with the changing of their lifestyle such as diets and exercising they still live shorter than other race. Could it be the possibility of genetics? Back to relating to cardiovascular disease there are research finding that relates to why African American have higher triglyceride level in the blood. Finding that there are a higher percentage of people who are African and African-decedents have a mutation on ApoE genes. (2) This mutation called “rare” variant of ApoE are the reason of higher cardiovascular disease. So it seems that people of certain descendent do have a variant in the genes that are negative to the health.
Mozaffarian, Dariush, Gitanjali Singh, Ashkan Afshin, and Mayuree Rao. http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/12/e004277.full?sid=f40b344f-ef24-4a2d-9c09-59516f35fefc.
Weill Cornell Medical College. “‘Rare’ gene common in African descendants, may contribute to heart disease.” ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131125121902.htm (accessed July 11, 2014).
Pal, Somnath. “Health Status of Minority Women.” Accessed July 11, 2014. http://legacy.uspharmacist.com/index.asp?show=article&page=8_1842.htm.