Parents Must Take Care Of Their Children's Heart Before It Becomes Unhealthy, Study Says

Even before your child's heart gets broken later in life, its health should be prioritized. The activities you list for your kids to do and the food you serve in the table are important, not just for their growth but also for the health of their hearts.

A new study published in American Heart Association's journal Circulation found out that children with a high-calorie and low-nutrition diet are most likely to have poor heart health. It's beneficial if a person's heart is taken cared of early in life because it assures a healthy heart throughout his/her lifetime.

According to Hindustan Times, a child's heart is healthy if he/she does not use tobacco products, weighs normal, active at least 60 minutes a day, has normal blood pressure and blood glucose levels, maintains cholesterol at a healthy level and observes a healthy diet. These determinants should be monitored by parents for their children's hearts to grow healthy.

In the study, 91 percent of children aged 2 to 19 surveyed were found to have poor diets consisting of daily calories from simple carbohydrates such as desserts and beverages. Percentage of obesity was also high because most of these kids are physically inactive. Moreover, most of the children were found to be cigarette smokers.

According to Julia Steinberger, one of the study's authors, heart health care must start from the child's birth so that their hearts will maintain the healthy condition it was born with. Parents should feed their children with the right nutrients and make sure they engage in healthy, active habits (via Hindustan Times).

As per Health, a healthy diet for the heart can prevent strokes from happening in adulthood. Salmon and other fatty fish including sardines and mackerel should be eaten at least twice a week. Oatmeal for breakfast and other whole grains such as bread and pasta are also good for the heart. Blueberries, dark chocolate, soy, citrus fruits, tomatoes, nuts, legumes, avocado and potatoes are other healthy and delicious options.

As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not all kids are born with a healthy heart. About one percent of America's population or 40,000 people have congenital heart disease. These babies generally need to undergo surgery at the first year of their lives.

So consider yourself fortunate for being born with a good heart and having kids with healthy hearts. Don't take it for granted and take care of the heart for it to stay healthy. Sound off your thoughts on the Comments section below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.