Help Make A Difference In Your And Your Family's Health
Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL Research Study)
VITAL is a research study in a diverse population of 20,000 men (age 50 and older) and women (age 55 and older) across the United States to investigate whether daily supplements of vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke in people without a history of these illinesses.
WHY IS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE VITAL STUDY IMPORTANT?
* Participation of African Americans in medical research studies is low, so preventive health guidelines are often based on studies of other racial/ethnic groups
* Low vitamin D is associated with these health conditions, and African Americans have lower vitamin D levels than other ethnic groups due to darker skin and lower dietary intake
* Omega-3 fatty acids are helpful for people who already have heart disease
* It is not yet known whether vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acid supplements can lower the risk of a first heart attack, stroke, or cancer, or improve life expectancy
* African Americans are more likely to die of heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer than any other racial/ethnic group
THE VITAL STUDY WILL ASSESS WHETHER VITAMIN D OR OMEGA-3 FATTY ACID SUPPLEMENTS CAN IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHERS
For more information, please call Brigham and Women's Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, at 1-800-388-3963 or visit
www.vitalstudy.org
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Monday, March 19th 2012 at 4:00PM
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