I was wondering why so many woman on TV today had red on. Now I know. Ana
Friday, February 5 is National Wear Red Day , part of the Go Red For Women campaign that seeks to wipe out heart disease -- the number one killer of women, and encourages women to take heart disease personally.
The color red serves to remind women of the importance of heart health.
From the American Heart Association :

What are the risk factors for heart disease and stroke that you can't control?

• Increasing age: Risk keeps rising with age.

• Gender: Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women, and they have heart attacks earlier in life. Each year
  about 55,000 more women than men have strokes, and about 60 percent of
  total stroke deaths occur in women.

• Family history:
  You are more likely to develop heart disease or stroke if close
  relatives have had them. Race is also a factor. Black women have
  greater risk of heart disease and stroke than white women.
  African-American men and women are more likely to die of stroke than
  whites.

• Previous heart attack or stroke or TIA: Women
  who have had a heart attack are at higher risk of having a second heart
  attack; 22 percent of women ages 40 to 69 who survive a first heart
  attack will have another heart attack or fatal coronary heart disease within five years, and 22 percent ages 40 to 69 who survive a first
  stroke will have another within five years. A transient ischemic attack
  (TIA or "mini-stroke") also is a risk factor and predictor of stroke.

What risk factors can be modified, treated or controlled by focusing on lifestyle habits and taking medicine, if needed?

• Tobacco
  smoke: Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the
  United States and a major cause of cardiovascular heart disease among
  women. Women who smoke have an increased risk for ischemic stroke and
  subarachnoid hemorrhage. Constant exposure to others' tobacco smoke
  (secondhand smoke) at work or at home also increases the risk, even for
  nonsmokers. Women smokers who use birth control pills have a higher
  risk of heart attack and stroke than nonsmokers who use them.

• High cholesterol: High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and also increases the risk of stroke.

• High
  blood pressure: High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart
  attack and the most important risk factor for stroke. Women have an
  increased risk of developing high blood pressure if they are obese,
  have a family history of high blood pressure, are pregnant, take
  certain types of birth control pills or have reached menopause.
  African-American women have higher average blood pressure levels
  compared to Caucasian women.

• Physical inactivity:
  Studies show that lack of physical activity is a risk factor for heart
  disease and indirectly increases the risk of stroke.

• Obesity
  and overweight: If you have too much fat — especially if a lot of it is
  located in your waist area — you're at higher risk for health problems,
  including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high
  triglycerides, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Data
from Medco Health Solutions found that among adult women, those ages 20
to 44 are showing the greatest increases in the use of medications to
treat high cholesterol, hypertension and blood clots – conditions that
can all lead to heart attack and stroke.
Red is a bold color, used in this instance to serve as a wake up call to women, particularly young women.
Women : Heed the call and make major lifestyle changes now to help prevent
heart attacks and strokes later. You've only got one heart -- treat it
with the utmost of care.
Men : Be bold and spread the word to the women in your life.
For more information:
Go Red For Women : 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278) The Go Red for Women movement is nationally sponsored by Macy’s and Merck & Co., Inc.
American Heart Association

National Wear Red Day is a day when Americans nationwide will wear red to show their support for women's heart disease awareness.
Read more: stroke , diabetes , obesity , heart disease , health policy , american heart association , national wear red day , go red for women