The Leading Cause Of Death In Indiana Isn't A Surprise

The average life expectancy in the United States is 77, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but you could live longer or shorter depending on several factors. Your diet can significantly affect your longevity, so consuming highly processed foods and drinks can shorten your lifespan while eating whole foods can lengthen it. Regular exercise helps you live longer and prevents health conditions that lead to premature death. Your genetics also play a role, so if you have parents or grandparents who lived to 100, you could also become a centenarian.

Where you live can also impact your longevity, particularly if you have access to healthcare, clean water, and proper sanitation. Regardless of where you live in the United States, the leading cause of death is heart disease. That's why it shouldn't be a surprise that heart disease is the leading cause of death in Indiana.

Heart disease took more than 15,000 lives in Indiana in 2022, ranking the state 13th in heart disease death rates nationwide. Life expectancy in Indiana is also 3 years shorter than the U.S. average.

Heart disease isn't just a problem in the United States. The World Health Organization says that heart disease continues to be the number one killer worldwide, accounting for almost one-third of deaths. Most of the deaths from heart disease are heart attacks and strokes. What's mostly to blame for the prevalence of heart disease is poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and excessive alcohol use. These lifestyle factors often result in high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.

In a 2016 report by the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of deaths from heart disease peaked in 1985 and slightly declined for a few decades. Heart disease peaked again in 2003. In 2014, cancer surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in 22 other states such as California, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, and North Carolina. However, the American Heart Association reported that deaths from heart disease reached a new high in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It might seem shocking to know that 90% of people over age 20 in the United States could be at risk for heart disease based on cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic (CKM) syndrome, according to a 2024 study in JAMA. CKM syndrome looks at the risk factors for heart disease based on four stages. About 25% of the people involved in the study were in stage 1, which meant they were overweight or had excess belly fat. Stage 2 of CKM syndrome shows a higher risk for heart disease because people in this stage have either high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, or high blood sugar. Stage 3 shows a high risk for heart disease, and stage 4 is established heart disease.

You can lower your risk of heart disease by adopting a healthy lifestyle as early as possible. Choosing foods high in fiber and low in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium can help keep cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure low. A heart-healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and legumes can also help you keep an ideal weight that won't stress your heart and blood vessels. Getting 150 minutes of exercise each week also helps control your weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Kicking the smoking habit will also lower your risk of heart disease so you'll live a little longer.