Final answer:
Heart disease is ranked the second leading cause of deaths as of 2007. In the United States, it is the number one killer due to sedentary lifestyles and poor diets with high trans-fat content. Atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, contributes to heart disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
Heart disease is ranked the second leading cause of deaths as of 2007. This means that it is the second most common cause of death among individuals. In the United States, heart disease is the number one killer, primarily due to sedentary lifestyles and poor diets with high trans-fat content. Atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of heart disease, which is the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, narrowing the space for blood flow and potentially leading to a heart attack or stroke.