We unveiled our association-wide 2020 Impact Goal last week. Now, let's get to specifics! What exactly does the 2020 Impact Goal mean for our work in policy? Here's a handy reference of the American Heart Association's new measurements for ideal cardiovascular health and the corresponding advocacy/policy solutions that can help us reach that ideal mark!
Smoking Status
  Ideal for cardiovascular health
     Adults: Never smoked or quit more than a year ago
     Children: Never tried or never smoked a whole cigarette
  Advocacy/Policy Solutions

• Comprehensive clean indoor air laws
• Excise taxes on tobacco products
• Increase/sustain funding for state smoking cessation/prevention programs
• Comprehensive implementation of FDA regulation of tobacco
• Implement clinical guidance and monitor health claims around smokeless tobacco and other "harm reduction" products
• Comprehensive smoking cessation benefits in Medicaid, Medicare and other health plans
• Eliminate tobacco sales in pharmacies and other health-related institutions

Additional policy resources available at http://www.americanheart.org/tobaccocontrol

Physical Activity
  Ideal for cardiovascular health
     Adults: At least 150 minutes of moderate of 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week      Children: More than 60 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per day
  Advocacy/Policy Solutions

• Address the built environment and support efforts to design workplaces, communities and schools around active living; integrate physical activity opportunities throughout the day
• Fund and develop walking/biking trails that connect key aspects of the community, increase Safe Routes to School, implement zoning/building ordinances that encourage walking/stair use, wider streets to allow for biking and walking, pedestrian-friendly streets and roadways with appropriate cross-walks, sidewalks, traffic lights, etc., and slower speed limits in walking/biking areas
• Implement shared use of school facilites within the community and support the construction of school fitness facilities
• Increase sports, recreational opportunities, parks and green spaces in the community
• Increase the quantity and improve the quality of physical education in schools. Also support 60 minutes per day of supervised, moderate-vigorous physical activity integrated through the school day.
• Help implement the national physical activity plan

Additional policy resources available at http://www.americanheart.org/obesitypolicy, http://www.fitkidsact.org/, and http://www.americanheart.org/workplacewellness

Body Mass Index (BMI)
  Ideal for cardiovascular health
     Adults: BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m
     Children: BMI between the 15th & 85th percentile
  Advocacy/Policy Solutions

• Adequate prevention, diagnosis and treatment of obesity in the healthcare environment
• Robust surveillance and monitoring
• Comprehensive worksite wellness programs
• Implement and monitor strong local wellness policies in all schools
• Adequate funding and implementation of coordinated school health programs
• Comprehensive obesity prevention strategies in early childhood and day care programs

Additional policy resources available at http://www.americanheart.org/obesitypolicy

Healthy Diet
  Ideal for cardiovascular health
     Adults and children should achive four of the five following key components of a healthy diet:

1. Fruits & Vegetables: More than 4.5 cups a day
2. Fish: More than two 3.5 oz. servings per week (preferably oily fish)
3. Fiber-rich whole grains (more than 1.1g of fiber per 10g of carbohydrates): Three 1 oz. equivalent servings per day
4. Sodium: Less than 1500mg per day
5. Sugar-sweetened beverages: Less than 450kcal (36 oz.) per week

  Advocacy/Policy Solutions

• Work to eliminate food deserts and improve access to and affordability of healthy foods
• Strengthen nutrition standards in schools for meals and competitive foods and in all government nutrition assistance or feeding programs
• Improve food labeling
• Menu labeling in restaurants
• Continue to monitor the removal of industrially-produced trans fats from the food supply and assure the use of healthy replacement oils
• Address food marketing and advertising to children
• Nutrition education/promotion in schools
• Limit added sugar and sodium in the food supply

Additional policy resources available at http://www.americanheart.org/obesitypolicy

Total Cholesterol
  Ideal for cardiovascular health
     Adults: Total cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL
     Children: Total cholesterol less than 170 mg/dL
  Advocacy/Policy Solutions

• Assure adequate healthcare coverage for prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia
• Increase funding for programs that eliminate health disparities

Blood Pressure
  Ideal for cardiovascular health
     Adults: Below 120/80 mm
     Children: Lower than 90th percentile
  Advocacy/Policy Solutions

• Reduce sodium in the food supply
• Increase funding for state heart disease and stroke prevention programs
• Ensure the availability of essential cardiovascular disease preventive benefits in private insurance and public health programs

Fasting Plasma Glucose
  Ideal for cardiovascular health
     Adults & Children: Less than 100 mg/dL
  Advocacy/Policy Solutions

• Assure adequate healthcare coverage for early treatment and prevention of diabetes