<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1167465800" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{13}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">People in the U.S. are more likely to have<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">high cholesterol,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">hypertension</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>and diabetes</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">, yet the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"> manages<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">these risks as effectively as, and often better than, England and South Korea</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">, according to new</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>research</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="225578400" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{15}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">The</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>study</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">,</span><span> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">published in the July 27,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">2026,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>issue of<span> </span></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><em><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">JAMA Network Open</span></em><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">,</span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>included 120,678 adults aged 50 or older who<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">participated</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>in nationally representative surveys conducted between 1998 and 2020.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="680717288" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{17}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Among adults aged 50 or older, 64% in the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>were at risk of high cholesterol, versus 52% in England and 51% in South Korea.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1282859966" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{19}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Hypertension risk was approximately 12 percentage points higher in the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>than in either England or South Korea, while diabetes risk was 22% in the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">, compared with 10% in England and 19% in South Korea.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="749964079" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{21}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">“In this cross-sectional study of the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">, South Korea, and England over time, the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>health care system was more effective at identifying and treating CVD risk factors than England and South Korea</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">,” wrote<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Ralph Lawton of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">and David M. Cutler, PhD, of Harvard’s Department of Economics</span><span> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">in<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Cambridge, Massachusetts</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1154717846" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{23}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">“</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Thus, primary care access and treatment delivery for CVD risk factors and education strata were not associated with adverse CVD mortality trends in the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>compared with these other countries.”</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="130324412" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{25}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Lawton and<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Cutler</span><span> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">focused on<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">the “care cascade</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">” the shares of at-risk people who knew of their condition, received<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">medication</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>and achieved control.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1606564799" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{27}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Treatment gains</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1151323749" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{29}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Among U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>adults at risk of high cholesterol, awareness rose from 66% in 1999–2002 to 82% in 2015–2020, while medication use increased from 30% to 48% and<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW15518993 BCX0">control</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>from 19% to 35%.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1435436790" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{31}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">The proportion of the population with uncontrolled cholesterol risk<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">consequently</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>fell from 40% to 29%. Uncontrolled hypertension also declined, from 38% to 30%.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1240427058" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{33}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">South Korea recorded particularly rapid improvements, with hypertension control rising from 6% in 1998–2001 to 42% in 2005–2008 and continuing to increase thereafter.</span><span> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">C</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">holesterol control climbed from 6% in 2005–2008 to 31% in 2015–2020.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="541925678" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{35}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">“Across countries, risk was higher among adults without a college degree, but control rates among those at risk were similar by education strata</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">,” wrote the researchers.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="642867775" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{37}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">“</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Diabetes risk increased substantially over time (15% to 22% in the U</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">, 9% to 10% in England, and 13% to 19% in South Korea, P for trend < .001), whereas cholesterol and hypertension risk remained stable or decreased.”</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="340766632" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{39}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Prevention challenge</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1238808459" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{41}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Lawton and Cutler<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">said the findings point</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">ed</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>to<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">underlying risk accumulation, particularly rising diabetes<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">prevalence</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span> </span>and the effects of obesity, rather than failures in diagnosis or treatment.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="1626152939" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{43}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">They added that l</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">imitations included imperfectly comparable socioeconomic measures and laboratory methods, and the exclusion of adults younger than 50.<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">They<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">also<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">called for greater attention to the factors driving risk accumulation, particularly obesity.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" paraid="619746947" paraeid="{8afe2e10-d172-4a26-8947-a2e6d939cbc5}{45}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Source:</span> <span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="1539855154" paraeid="{2948e70d-9c1d-436e-9b9e-e6e9cb808f8d}{36}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Lawton R, Cutler DM. Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence and Control by Education Strata in Older Adults in 3 Countries.<span> </span></span><em><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">JAMA </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW15518993 BCX0">Netw</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"> Open</span></span></em><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">. 2026;9(7</span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW15518993 BCX0">):e</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">2625410.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW15518993 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW15518993 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="995159033" paraeid="{2948e70d-9c1d-436e-9b9e-e6e9cb808f8d}{90}"><strong><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW15518993 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Image Credit: </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">Sunset Paper’s </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW15518993 BCX0">– stock.adobe.com</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW15518993 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></strong></p> </div>