Nominate Healthy Community Members for Lifestyle Award

Editor's note: The following information is a press release from the American Heart Association.

Have you or someone you know recently made a heart-healthy lifestyle change like losing weight, quitting smoking, lowering blood pressure or starting a consistent exercise routine? If so, the American Heart Association wants to know!

Currently accepting nominations through May 15, 2013 for its annual Greater Union Lifestyle Change Awards, the Association is seeking to recognize and celebrate Greater Union County residents and employees who have made a commitment to becoming heart healthy. Selected winners will be recognized at the American Heart Association Greater Union Heart Walk on Saturday, June 1st at Oak Ridge Park in Clark, NJ.

The Lifestyle Change Award is a component of the American Heart Association's My Heart. My Life.™ healthy lifestyle platform which focuses on empowering Americans to get healthier by eating better, exercising more, reducing stress and controlling risk factors that may lead to cardiovascular disease. With less than 1 percent of the population meeting the American Heart Association's criteria for ideal cardiovascular health, it's vital to encourage and celebrate heart-healthy lifestyle choices.

"Making small changes can lead to big results," notes Paula Chavez of Union, NJ. "I was able to lose 70lbs by making healthier choices each day-like eating more fruit and vegetables and less fried food as well as making sure I made time to exercise each and every day-no matter how busy my schedule. Since losing the weight, I feel better, have more energy and feel like I am a better example for my children."

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death of Americans with nearly 2,200 Americans dying each day from these deadly diseases. In order to change this startling statistic, the American Heart Association has made a commitment to helping the public control risk factors that can lead to heart disease and stroke.

Obesity is a major issue for our community, surpassing smoking as one of the most expensive healthcare problems in America with an estimated 65 percent of adults considered overweight or obese. Unfortunately, obesity and heart-related health issues aren't just limited to adults, with nearly one in three children and adolescents in the U.S. being obese or overweight. Physical inactivity also serves as a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease and a recent study showed that nearly 49 percent of adults aren't meeting the recommended physical activity levels needed to be healthy.

Although research has also shown that quitting smoking can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease in half, 21.2 percent of men and 17.5 percent of women were cigarette smokers in 2010. And nearly 4 million people age 20 and older have high blood pressure in our country.

To request a nomination form, please call (609) 223-3719 or download the form by visiting www.unionheartwalk.org.