Sophie Blackall
In Your 30s
Prevention Push yourself at the gym.
"Regular exercise that includes resistance training helps counter the loss of muscle mass, which occurs at a rate of half a pound per year from the age of 25," says Todd Galati, a personal trainer and a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. Less muscle mass can mean more fat, which is hard on the heart. Watch the scale.
This is the decade when the pounds begin to pile on. After age 30, Americans often gain a pound a year. By the time you're 60, that can mean 30 extra pounds. Manage stress.
The increasing demands of family, work, and social life make you vulnerable to anxiety and depression, both of which threaten your heart. Depression may lead to unhealthy habits, such as smoking and excessive drinking, while stress can precipitate an event like a heart attack. Keep the risk of diabetes on your radar.
Heart disease affects people with diabetes twice as often as those without it. TestsEverything as in your 20s:
Blood pressure:
Annually. Body-mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and/or waist-to-hip ratio measurement:
Annually. Lipid panel:
By age 20; repeat annually or more often if your lipids are in an unhealthy range, or every five years if they're in a healthy range. Fasting blood glucose:
Only if you're diabetic, pregnant, or at risk for diabetes (this includes anyone with a BMI of 25 or higher; those with a family history of diabetes; and African-Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics).For a list of tests, what they measure, and how to interpret results, see
Testing, Testing
