A decline in the incidence of coronary heart disease in women resulting from reduced smoking and improved diet has been partly offset by an increase in obesity, say researchers.
A 14-year epidemiological study by Dr Frank Hu (department of nutrition, Harvard school of public health, Boston, Massachusetts) and colleagues, has shown an overall decline of 31 per cent in the incidence of coronary heart disease among women in the US of all age groups.
During this time, the prevalence of smoking in women decreased, diet improved and the use of postmenopausal hormone replacement increased. However, over the same period, the prevalence of being overweight increased by 38 per cent.
The authors comment: "The incidence of coronary heart disease would probably have declined even more if body-mass index had not increased over time."
The findings of the study underline the importance of diet and lifestyle in the primary prevention of coronary disease, the authors say (New England Journal of Medicine 2000;343:530).