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Put your kids on a better path to a healthy heart this Valentine's Day by changing their diet and exercise regimes, say experts from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center (UMCVC), especially if heart disease runs in your family.
In fact, millions of American children face early heart disease if their families don't do something now, says Caren Goldberg, M.D., of UMCVC. "The cardiovascular diseases that we think of in adults, like heart attack and stroke, stem from processes that actually start in childhood," says Goldberg. "Several factors put children, and adults, at risk of heart disease: family history, a diet that's high in fat, obesity, and poor exercise habits."
All those factors combine to affect the way children's blood vessels work, she explains. After about the age of 2, too much fat, too little physical activity, and too many extra pounds can cause kids' blood vessels to respond abnormally, resulting in higher blood pressure and deposits of plaque, setting the stage for later complications. Taking steps to reduce that risk means choosing healthier foods and making sure your kids get regular exercise, says Goldberg. Parents also need to set an example their wee ones will follow, so they get in the habit of making healthy decisions about their chow and how to spend their recreation time.
And even for families that don't have many heart attacks in the family tree, it's important for parents to be role models for eating and exercising, as well, so their kids don't develop unhealthy habits that can set the stage for heart disease later in life. "If a child sees his or her parents eating a healthy diet, and having excellent exercise habits, then it will come absolutely naturally to that child, and be easier for them," Goldberg says. "But if a child sees his or her parents eating high-fat foods every day, then it's going to be harder for that child to make changes. "
Don't go turkey on the foods you love, however, Goldberg advises. "Change slowly, and make it a normal part of your life. Don't try to do it all at once, but, as a family, take on one piece at a time and it will soon just become a normal way of life."
She notes that parents shouldn't start too early with low-fat foods, because toddlers up to the age of 2 need fat to help their brains develop normally. After that age, kids and parents alike can lay the foundation for a healthy heart later in life by choosing the right foods and finding activities and sports they enjoy.
Here are some of the American Heart Association's recommendations for kids:
1. Eat a diet that primarily consists of foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.
2. Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for your height and build. Estimated calories needed by children range from 900 a day for a 1-year-old to 1,800 for a 14- to 18-year-old girl and 2,200 for a 14- to 18-year-old boy.
3. Total fat intake should be between 30 percent to 35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between 25 percent to 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age. Most fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
4. Choose whole-grain/high-fiber breads and cereals rather than refined grain products. Look for "whole grain" as the first ingredient on the food label, and make at least half your grain servings whole grain.
5. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily, while limiting juice intake. Each meal should contain at least one fruit or vegetable.
6. Choose fat-free and low-fat dairy foods. From ages 1 to 8, children need two cups of milk (or its equivalent) each day. Children ages 9 to 18 need three cups.
7. Drink water, diet soda or low-fat milk. Soda is loaded with calories you don't need.
8. Be physically active for at least an hour a day.
9. If you don't like competing against other people in sports, do something else to stay active, such as swimming, horseback riding, dancing, bicycling, skateboarding, yoga, or walking. Make it part of your routine: For instance, ride your bike for 30 minutes before you start your homework.
10. Limit your television, computer, and video-game time to no more than two hours a day, and plan it in advance by picking the shows you want to watch. Turn the television on for those shows and turn it off afterwards. Don't just watch whatever comes on next.
See also: ::Give Yourself DIY Cardiac Bypass Surgery and ::Practice Yoga, Improve Heart Health
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