Having a heart healthy lifestyle at a younger age is beneficial in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in adulthood and various health education programs for CHD prevention exist to persuade young adults to adopt a heart healthy lifestyle. Little is known, however, about the influence of watching live open heart surgery on young adults' adoption of a heart healthy lifestyle. To address that gap in knowledge, this study was conducted at a health facility in Virginia where students came to observe live open heart surgery. The purpose of the study was to understand whether watching live open heart surgery can influence young adults' attitudes and behaviors towards adopting a heart healthy lifestyle. The theory of health belief model and the theory of reasoned action were used in guiding this research. A quantitative design involving observation and administration of surveys was used. A survey with questions about participants' lifestyle practices was administered prior to observation of open heart surgery and 3 or more months afterwards. A total number of 179 young adults at baseline were considered eligible for the study. Ages of the research participants were between 18 and 35 years old. The t test and ANOVA results showed no significant differences between baseline and follow up data with regards to changes in behaviors of young adult students towards adopting a heart healthy lifestyle. The study concluded that observing live heart surgery did not significantly change behaviors of the students in adopting a heart healthy lifestyle. In order to achieve the desired changes in attitudes and behavior of students, looking into other evidence based options and pursuing those that can influence and motivate young adult students to adopt a heart healthy lifestyle can be a positive social change.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States. The prevalence of CVD will increase in conjunction with the rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes and decrease in physical activity, due to the adverse effects of adiposity and atherosclerosis associated with these syndromes. Excellent inpatient, outpatient, and community-based program s are available to educate and direct healthy behavioral changes, yet the number of programs available is not sufficient for the volume of patients, nor widely distributed in all areas (particularly rural areas). There is a lack of comprehensive education programs for adults directed toward decreasing CVD with an emphasis on food portioning skills; cooking skills; low-fat cooking techniques; increasing fruits , vegetables, and dairy products in the diet; and increasing exercise. The Cooperative Extension Healthy Beat education program and curriculum was developed and evaluated to improve the cardiovascular health of Utah residents. This curriculum focused on improving nutrition knowledge, food portioning skill, food preparation/cooking skills, regular exercise, lipid panel, anthropometric indices, and blood pressure. The program was distributed in CD format to 59 extension agents; identical CDs were used by instructors of live sessions for 43 participants in Sanpete, Washington, and Beaver counties. The CDs were also used by the instructor of a third group, consisting of 16 nutrition education assistants from the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, who were also taught in a live session setting. The evaluation was done through measurement of nutrition knowledge, cooking skills, lipid panel biochemical indices, weight loss, blood pressure, and waist and hip circumferences. This study demonstrated that on completion of the heart healthy curriculum, those with CVD or those at risk for CVD appropriately altered their risk factors for a myocardial infarction (decrease in one or more of the following: serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, body mass index, and waist and hip circumferences).