Through the special expertise and interests of its members, the National Heart Forum is uniquely placed to review scientific and policy evidence and to make recommendations on coronary heart disease prevention.

Our main policy areas are:

Poor nutrition as a consequence of inadequate diet is a fundamental factor in the development of coronary heart disease.

Low levels of physical activity, together with poor diet, is leading to rising rates of overweight and obesity in the UK, increasing the risk of diseases in later life, including coronary heart disease and diabetes.

Smoking is a major, and entirely avoidable risk factor for coronary heart disease, lung cancer and other diseases of the circulation.

Factors in early life influence the risk of coronary heart disease in adulthood. The NHF’s young@heart project is a major new policy development initiative for 2001.

Coronary heart disease remains the UK’s leading single cause of death and the leading cause of death under the age of 75. It is now a government priority for action and prominent on the UK health policy agenda.

Cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and stroke) is Europe’s number one killer. Legislation agreed at a European level impacts on coronary heart disease prevention strategies in all member states including the UK.