American Heart Association launches campaign to reduce cardiovascular disease, risk

In 2000, critics believed the American Heart Association couldn't decrease heart disease and stroke deaths by 20 percent by 2010.

But Diane Kemp, American Heart Association Northwest Indiana executive director, said the goal was achieved two years early.

"We knew what was in the stars for us," she said.

Kemp hopes the goal for 2020 is written in the stars. The goal — to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and to reduce the number of heart disease and stroke deaths by 20 percent — is lofty, but with the help of a campaign launched this year, Kemp believes it is possible.

Should the goal be achieved, 1 million adults and children in Indiana would be impacted, according to the American Heart Association.

"'My Heart. My Life' aims to change the behaviors of people to be proactive against the country's No. 1 killer — heart disease," Kemp said.

"How do we get people excited and bring healthy opportunities to the public, especially the youth?" she asked.

The American Heart Association hopes the answer lies in the campaign, which will include walking paths and clubs, teaching gardens and healthy eating activities and ideas.

Kemp said the American Heart Association has identified seven measures to give a "heart risk score" to measure that component of the goal. The seven measures include smoking, body mass index, physical activity, healthy diet score, total cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose.

Kemp said funding for teaching gardens and walking paths has been secured, but the locations haven't been decided.