Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
November 11, 2026
Fewer Than 5% of U.S. Veterans Achieve Optimal Heart Health
TLDR
- The American Heart Association's new statement reveals fewer than 5% of U.S. veterans achieve optimal heart health, signaling a major opportunity for clinicians and health systems to lead in veteran cardiovascular prevention.
- The statement applies Life's Essential 8 metrics plus mental health and substance use to assess veterans' cardiovascular health and outlines VA programs like PACTs, MOVE!, and telehealth as models for coordinated care.
- The American Heart Association's scientific statement calls for tailored, whole-person prevention to help the nearly 9 million veterans enrolled in VA care live longer, healthier lives by addressing their unique risks and barriers.
- Did you know fewer than 5% of U.S. veterans achieve optimal heart health, and mental health conditions like PTSD can double cardiovascular disease risk, making integrated care essential.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because veterans represent more than 5% of the U.S. adult population and face a disproportionately high burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, mental health conditions, and substance use. With fewer than 5% achieving optimal heart health under Life’s Essential 8, there is an urgent need for personalized prevention and expanded access to care. The American Heart Association’s scientific statement provides a roadmap for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to address these disparities, and highlights successful VA programs that can serve as models for other health systems. Improving veterans’ cardiovascular health not only extends lives but also enhances quality of life for those who have served.
Summary
Fewer than 5% of U.S. military veterans may achieve optimal cardiovascular health based on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ metrics, compared with around 20% of the general adult population, according to a new scientific statement published in Circulation. The statement, “Cardiovascular Health Promotion for U.S. Veterans: Current State, Gaps, and Strategies,” was chaired by Neal Yuan, M.D., of the University of California San Francisco, and highlights the unique risks veterans face, including multiple chronic conditions, mental health disorders such as PTSD and depression, substance use, lower-quality diets, military-related injuries, and barriers to care like rural residence and limited internet connectivity.
The writing group calls for a coordinated, whole-person approach that expands access to healthy foods, physical activity programs, and screening for obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood pressure, while also addressing mental health, substance use, and sleep disorders. Telehealth and home-based tools such as at-home blood pressure monitoring are recommended to reach veterans facing barriers to in-person care. The statement notes that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which enrolls nearly half of all veterans, offers promising models including Patient Aligned Care Teams, MOVE! and Whole Health programs, and telehealth initiatives.
Mariell Jessup, M.D., chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Association, emphasized the Association’s commitment through its Women Veterans and Heart Health initiative and Military & Veterans Network Employee Resource Group. The statement underscores the need for tailored prevention to help veterans live longer, healthier lives.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content distributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, Fewer Than 5% of U.S. Veterans Achieve Optimal Heart Health
