Fighting Heart Disease Needs Effort Of The Whole Family, Study Says

A new study suggests that fighting heart disease involves the whole family. The researchers said that daily family activities have a huge impact on a person's hearth.

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York stated that the way the family cope with stress, the family's activity level and food choices at home is crucial to the health of their hearts through the years, CBS News reported.

They said that the family is "a linchpin" when it comes to the cardiovascular health, after reviewing dozens of studies regarding family's heart health. It said that the health providers should use family-based approaches to promote healthier lifestyles that fight heart disease, which is one of the main causes of death in the United States.

The report is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. It includes findings on parent's physical activity levels and how it affects their children once they do what the parents are doing when it comes to daily activities and exercise.

How a parent sees obesity may also impact the child's weight. Parents with overweight children are more likely to underestimate their children's weight status, mostly to younger kids.

Meanwhile, there is a new program that helps families in maintaining good health through nutrition and exercise. It is called the Kids N Fitness through the Tanner Health System, according to AJC.

"During the program, children and their families set goals that help them adopt healthy eating behaviors and learn to enjoy physical activity," registered dietitian Christina Schoerner, the program director, said. "Over the course of six weeks, they learn how to develop healthy eating habits and discover fun ways to exercise."

The kids take classes together with their parents. The program encourages the families to set goals focused on exercise and healthy eating.