Less than one in five American adults is in excellent heart health, according to a new study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers used the new Life’s Essential 8 checklist, which assesses diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep duration, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure. They found that 80 percent of adults and children have either moderate or low cardiovascular health. Women scored slightly higher than men, with both men and women having low scores in diet, physical activity, and body mass index.