Many Americans have at least one of three major risk factor for heart disease, according to the ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a massive longitudinal study undertaken by the Centers for Disease Control.
New data from the survey shows that 45 percent of Americans have either diabetes high blood pressure or high cholesterol, the three major risk factors for heart disease. The study showed that about 13 percent of adults had two of the risk factors, three percent had all three risk factors, and 15 percent of Americans had one or more of risk factors associated with heart disease.
In looking at the data in greater depth, racial disparities emerge: Non-Hispanic African Americans had the greatest prevalence of high blood 
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both American men and women. In 2010, heart disease will cost the United States $316.4 billion according to the Centers for Disease
