Heart disease is more and more common among young people. Among children and adolescents, the problem of lipid disorders, hypertension and overweight is growing, which in the future may result in consequences that are dangerous to he alth, such as a heart attack or stroke.
The results of research carried out by teams of specialists in various regions of our country show that an increasing number of young people suffer from the problem ofoverweightand increased blood pressure.
Heart disease affects young people more and more
According to the latest research carried out in a group of 28 thousand children and adolescents aged 3 to 19 in Łódź, as much as 14.5 percent. young people are overweight, and 3.8 percent. is obese. This problem affects boys and girls to a similar degree. At the same time, 11 percent. children and adolescents were diagnosed with prehypertension, and in 4.4 percent.hypertensionarterial. It is worth noting that these data are similar to the results of epidemiological studies from other metropolitan environments.
These unfavorable trends are confirmed by the results of the 2007 study among fifteen-year-olds in Sopot. The data analysis showed that 10 percent. he is overweight and the same number is obese. Increased blood pressure was found in every tenth young person, and in over 8% pre-hypertension status.
Cigarettes, poor diet and lack of physical activity contribute to the development of heart disease
Very unfavorable results also applied to the cholesterol content in the blood. One in four fifteen-year-olds has achieved a borderline result, and in over 8 percent. its value was too high. Almost one in ten people aged 15 (more girls than boys!) Declared that they smoke cigarettes regularly.
- The data from the research are alarming. They clearly indicate that in the future many young people will suffer fromheart diseaseand vascular diseases - say prof. Wojciech Drygas, coordinator of the Polkard Media Junior Program from the Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw. - Therefore, it is important in the case of children and adolescents to limit the occurrence of risk factors, especially by increasing physical activity and introducing a he althy diet - adds Prof. Drygas.
An unhe althy lifestyle contributes to the development of heart disease
Results of research carried out under the programPolkard Media Junior confirm that too few (66.6%) young people practice sports in the amount recommended, ie 4-5 times a week for at least 45 minutes without a break. Children and adolescents spend too much time in front of the computer or TV. They spend about 2-3 hours on it every day, and even 5-6 hours on Sundays and on holidays. A bad diet is also a big threat. A significant proportion of children and adolescents eat too few meals during the day. Among people aged 11-16, as many as 13 percent. girls and over 7 percent. boys do not eat breakfast before leaving the house. A serious threat to young people is the excessive consumption of unhe althy snacks, such as crisps, bars and sweetened carbonated drinks. Active and passive smoking, alcohol consumption and stress are also significant risk factors for heart and vascular disease in the case of young people.
The risk of heart disease in children increases every year
The research results and statistical data clearly indicate the increasing risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors in the population of children and adolescents. As shown by the experiences of European countries, as well as the USA, Canada and Japan, national, educational preventive programs can significantly contribute to the reversal of this dangerous trend. The role of parents and the school is also important. The sooner we start educating the youngest, the better. You need to start taking care of the proper nutrition of your child … during pregnancy and infancy. Later, children should be encouraged to be physically active (preferably by giving them an example yourself) and teaching them to make rational choices in the kitchen. The more so as it will be more difficult for an obese child to lose weight in the future than for a slim child who will start to gain weight in adulthood.