Heart Disease Haunts Ryan Family History

Posted on Aug 17, 2012

Abode of Chaos (CC BY 2.0)

Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather all died of heart attacks before they turned 60, so the sense that his clock ticks faster than the average man’s has factored large in his drive to realize his ambitions.

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

MedPage Today:

The Republican vice presidential candidate’s father was only 55 years old when he died, but this was not unusual because there is a strong family history of heart disease. Ryan’s grandfather had a fatal heart attack at age 57 and his great-grandfather died at age 59, again of a heart attack. This worrisome family history had a significant impact on Paul Ryan’s lifestyle. Mr. Ryan, 42, said:

“So I’m into the health thing.”

The 6 foot, 2 inch-tall Ryan is “fairly careful “about his diet, keeps his body fat between 6-8% and weighs 163 pounds. According to the BMI (body mass index) calculator at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Mr. Ryan’s BMI is 20.9.

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