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Heart disease is not only for adults. Researchers have found that many risk factors for heart disease actually start in childhood. Fortunately, you can help your child have a healthy heart as an adult with a few simple steps.
How Does Heart Disease Begin in Childhood?
Heart disease generally begins slowly, long before noticeable problems occur. In fact, many common risk factors start to affect the heart during childhood and most of these risk factors are related. Understanding what puts your child at risk can help you make changes for better health over his or her lifetime.
Childhood obesity is a problem in the United States and obese children tend to grow into obese adults. Obesity strains the heart, raises cholesterol and blood pressure, and can lead to type 2 diabetes, which is another risk factor for heart disease. Along the same lines, being sedentary increases your child’s risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Even if your child isn’t overweight or obese, physical inactivity is a risk factor for heart disease.
High cholesterol levels can develop in childhood and contribute to fatty plaque buildup in arteries, or atherosclerosis. Fatty plaques begin in childhood and grow slowly as your child matures into an adult. Children can have high cholesterol from eating foods high in saturated fat, not getting enough exercise, and having a family history of heart disease. Similarly, smoking, even as a teenager, narrows blood vessels, stresses the heart, and increases heart rate, cholesterol, and fatty plaque buildup.
Although it’s not common, high blood pressure can also occur in childhood. It’s more likely to develop if your child is obese, has a family history of high blood pressure, or has certain diseases, such as kidney disease.
What Can I Do to Prevent Heart Disease in My Child?
There are many ways to help your child develop healthy lifestyle habits that lower the risk of heart disease. To start, get regular medical care for your child. This means a yearly physical exam at the very least. Having regular medical exams is the best way to detect and treat risks of heart disease that generally don’t have symptoms, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
You also have to be heart smart about food. You can significantly lower your child’s risk of heart disease by providing foods that are low in fat, sugar and salt instead of processed foods, such as hot dogs, chips, and cookies. Snack time is a good place to start. Offer child-friendly finger foods, such as baby carrots, apple slices, or grapes. Serve child-sized portions of other healthy foods, such as low-fat yogurt, raisins and peanuts. Look for child-friendly cereals that are made with whole grain and low in sugar.
Set limits on sedentary pastimes. Computer, TV, and video game time should not exceed one to two hours a day. Encourage exercise instead and find ways to make it fun. Children five years and older should get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Kids may not like the idea of exercise, but do generally want to play. Encourage active play that aligns with your child’s interests and abilities. For example, if your child loves video games, consider motion gaming, which incorporates video games with physical activity. Even better, get the whole family involved! Join a family-friendly gym, or take a daily walk or bike ride together.
Talk to your children about healthy choices and set the example. Children are more likely to develop healthy lifestyle habits if their parents teach them about healthy behaviors and practice what they preach.
