Heart Disease Risk and Self-efficacy in Overweight and Obese Adults

•A reported family history of premature coronary heart disease (CHD) was associated with increased lifetime perceived CHD risk.•The mean perceived CHD risk increased incrementally as the number of CHD risk factors increased.•Individuals who are white, have a lower income, or have less education may require self-efficacy enhancement to achieve behavior change.•The article includes resources for nurse practitioners to use in counseling patients with CHD.

Knowledge of risks, including a family history of premature coronary heart disease (CHD), and the self-efficacy to engage in healthy habits are essential for reducing CHD risk. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted to examine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics; CHD risk factors; perceived CHD risk; and self-efficacy to adopt a low-fat, low-salt diet. Perceived risk varied by sex and family history status and increased with the number of risk factors. Self-efficacy differed by family history status, race, education, and income. Assessing and enhancing perceived risk and self-efficacy are integral components of patient counseling when attempting behavior change.