Statement Highlights:


  --  Researchers analyzed more than 1,000 scientific studies and identified
      the public health interventions with the strongest evidence for
      improving dietary habits, increasing physical activity and reducing
      smoking.
  --  Economic incentives to make healthier foods more affordable, improved
      sidewalk, street and land-use design to encourage physical activity, and
      smoking bans are among the 43 most effective interventions that were
      identified.




DALLAS, Aug. 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Government policies that make
healthy foods more affordable, improved sidewalk, street and land-use
design to encourage physical activity, and bans on public, workplace or
residence smoking are among 43 effective public health strategies
identified in an American Heart Association statement.

The statement is being published in Circulation, an American Heart
Association journal, and is based on researchers reviewing and grading
more than 1,000 international studies of diet, physical activity and
anti-tobacco public health interventions.

"Policy makers should now gather together and say, 'These are the
things that work -- let's implement many right away, and the rest as
soon as possible,'" said Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., chair of
the statement writing group. "We have compiled an evidence-based menu
of effective interventions for policy makers, stakeholders and the
public based on the results of numerous scientific studies."

Examples of successful interventions include:


  --  School and workplace interventions, such as school garden programs,
      increased availability and types of playground spaces and equipment,
      structured physical activity breaks during class or work hours and
      comprehensive wellness programs.
  --  Economic incentives to make healthy foods more affordable, strategies to
      discourage consumption of less healthy foods, higher tobacco taxes to
      reduce use and funding for prevention programs.
  --  Direct mandates and restrictions that limit certain nutrients in foods
      (e.g., salt, trans fat), restrictions on advertising and marketing of
      foods/drinks to children and restrictions on public, workplace or
      residential smoking.
  --  Local environmental changes, such as better access to supermarkets near
      homes, walking-friendly neighborhoods, better integration of
      residential, school, business, and public areas and greater access to
      recreational sites.
  --  Media and education campaigns with sustained and focused messages to
      increase eating specific healthy foods or to reduce smoking.




In addition to identifying the 43 evidence-based interventions in these
six categories, the researchers also identified several that were
either ineffective or needed more study.

For example, there isn't enough research to conclude whether
nutritional labeling or icons on food packages and menus -- widely used
or being considered in countries such as the United States, United
Kingdom, Mexico and India -- encourages healthier eating. Also, there
was not strong evidence that local accessibility to fast food
restaurants or small convenience stores negatively affected dietary
habits or weight.

"As a society, we must implement evidence-based, cost-effective public
health interventions without delay -- we now know they work. New
initiatives and partnerships are needed to translate this knowledge
into action," said Mozaffarian, who is also co-director of the Program
in Cardiovascular Epidemiology and associate professor of Medicine and
Epidemiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
and the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Mass.

Less than one percent of Americans meet the American Heart Association
criteria for ideal cardiovascular health, and poor diet, sedentary
lifestyles and tobacco use are the leading causes of preventable
disease.

Co-authors are Ashkan Afshin, M.D., M.P.H.; Neal L. Benowitz, M.D.;
Vera Bittner, M.D., M.S.P.H.; Stephen R. Daniels, M.D., Ph.D.; Harold
A. Franch, M.D.; David R. Jacobs Jr., Ph.D.; William E. Kraus, M.D.;
Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D.; Debra A. Krummel, Ph.D., R.D.;
Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D.; Laurie P. Whitsel, Ph.D. and Neil A. Zakai,
M.D., M.Sc. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association receives
funding mostly from individuals. Foundations and corporations donate as
well, and fund specific programs and events. Strict policies are
enforced to prevent these relationships from influencing the
association's science content. Financial information for the American
Heart Association, including a list of contributions from
pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers, is available at
www.heart.org/corporatefunding.

The American Heart Association logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9940

American Heart Association Policy Fact Sheets:


  --  Kicking the Habit: Raising Tobacco Excise Taxes
  --  Teaching America's Kids A Healthy Lifestyle: Healthy Bodies, Healthy
      Minds (Phys Ed - Federal Focus)
  --  Learning for Life: Physical Education in Schools (Phys Ed - State Focus)
      
  --  Unhealthy & Unregulated: Food Advertising and Marketing to Children
  --  Creating Spaces: Changing the Built Environment to Promote Active Living
  --  American Heart Association Policy Positions




For more information about American Heart Association Public Policy
Initiatives:


  --  American Heart Association Policy Positions
  --  You're The Cure Grassroots Network




American Heart Association Consumer Resources:

My Heart. My Life Walking Paths

AHA has established thousands of free, safe, centrally located walking
paths around the country. You can find them on StartWalkingNow.org.

Teaching Gardens Program

The American Heart Association's Teaching Gardens Program - Aimed at
elementary school students, the Teaching Gardens provide hands-on
learning experiences in a real-life laboratory where students learn how
to plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and ultimately
understand the value of good eating habits.

Additional resources, including mulitmedia, are available on the right
column of this link:

http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/_prv-researchers-identify-evidence-237
575.aspx

For media inquiries: (214) 706-1173

Cathy Lewis: (214) 706-1324; Cathy.Lewis@heart.org

Retha Sherrod: (202) 785-7929; Retha.Sherrod@heart.org

Julie Del Barto (broadcast): (214) 706-1330; Julie.Delbarto@heart.org

For public inquiries: (800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and strokeassociation.org