Next Friday, Feb. 6, you may be seeing red all over.

Friday is National Wear Red Day and you’re invited to join with millions of women, as well as companies, organizations and cities across America to wear red and make a donation to help the American Heart Association support ongoing research and education about women and heart disease.

Locally, a Go Red for Women Luncheon will be held Feb. 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg. The luncheon is the cornerstone event for the Go Red For Women movement in Northwest Ohio, bringing women together and educating them about their risks of heart disease- the number one killer- while raising vital funds for awareness and research. Tickets are $50. Call 419-740-6180 or visit http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000 for more information.

Not-so-good news

It goes without saying that Toledoans have heart, but according to a study by the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement, Toledo ranks among America’s least heart-friendly cities for women.

The study revealed the nation’s 10 most – and least – heart-friendly cities for women. It examined the heart health of the 200 most populous U.S. metro areas, which were divided into three categories according to population. Regardless of metro size, all rankings were based on the heart-friendly benefits each city had to offer and the personal lifestyle choices of its residents. Metros were divided as follows:
• Mega metros: 1.45 million population and larger.  
• Mid-sized metros: within the 560,000 to 1.45 million population range.
• All other metros: population of 560,000 and fewer.

In the study, Toledo was ranked number five out of 10 in the midsized metro with a population of 560,000 or fewer category. Other cities in this category include:

Most Heart Friendly Cities for Women   
1.  Salt Lake City, UT
2.  Honolulu, HI          
3.  Colorado Springs, CO      
4.  Rochester, NY         
5.  Albuquerque, NM                    
6.  Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 
7.  Bridgeport-Stanford, CT      
8.  Hartford, CT          
9.  Tucson, AZ          
10. Boise City-Nampa, ID      

Least Heart Friendly Cities for Women
1. Birmingham-Hoover, AL
2. Lakeland, FL 
3. Tulsa, OK
4. Louisville, KY
5. Toledo, OH
6. Baton Rouge, LA
7. Memphis, TN, MS, AR
8. Oklahoma City, OK
9. Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
10. Greenville, SC

The study focused on the 200 largest metro areas in the United States, which are home to nearly 75 percent of the nation’s population. The research analyzed 22 factors for each location including smoking, obesity, cardiac mortality rate and regular exercise among women.

According to the study, Toledo’s standout categories included teaching hospitals per capita; cardiologists per capita; hospital beds per capita and smoke-free legislation.

The area’s “needs-improvement” categories include cardiac mortality, diagnoses of hypertension and high cholesterol, BMI (body mass index), cigarette smoking, healthy eating, regular exercise and ability to afford health care, the study noted.

Heart-friendly tips, no matter what your ZIP code

Regardless of where your city falls on the list, heart disease remains number-one killer of women in all 50 states, the American Heart Association says. Living in a heart-friendly city does not automatically make you heart healthy, and the reverse is also true.

There are some basic steps you can take to make a positive impact on your health, your family’s health and your city’s status on the list. Start by visiting www.GoRedForWomen.org to get your “Go Red Heart Style Guide” with actionable plans, tips, recipes, a free magazine subscription and more to help you live a heart healthy lifestyle.

In addition:
• Eat healthy. Learn the basics about a heart healthy diet with Go Red tools and tips for balanced nutrition, delicious recipes and more.
• Get Physically Active. Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity improves cardiovascular fitness and helps reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. You can incorporate physical activity into your daily routines with Choose to Move, a 12-week physical activity and nutrition program that can be customized to fit every lifestyle. Register at www.GoRedForWomen.org.
• Know your numbers. Tracking blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and weight numbers can help you to keep them in a healthy range. To learn more about your 10-year personal risk for heart disease, take the Go Red For Women Heart CheckUp at www.GoRedForWomen.org.
• Build Community. Join the Go Red For Women online community to share heart health stories and connect with women who share a passion for women’s heart health nationwide.

For more information about Go Red For Women, the Go Red Style Guide or to see where your city ranked, visit www.GoRedForWomen.org.

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