Korean Cardiovascular Health Status Assessed by Life's Essential 8 in Korean Adult Population: Based on Data From the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014-2021.

Summary: Heart disease is a major cause of death around the world and in South Korea. To see how healthy people's hearts are, doctors use a checklist called "Life's Essential 8." This includes things like diet, exercise, sleep, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and smoking habits.

Researchers looked at over 35,000 Korean adults to check their heart health scores. They found that most people have a lot of room to improve. Only about 1 in 8 adults had a "high" heart health score. Women generally scored better than men, except when it came to exercise. People struggled the most with eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise, but did well with sleep and blood sugar. Older adults, people with chronic diseases, and those with less money or education had lower scores. This shows that many people need help making healthier choices to protect their hearts.