Heart Healthy Lifestyle Missing In 9 Out Of 10 Children Says Study Essential Lifestyle Changes That Parents Need To Adopt

In a recent research study conducted, heart healthy lifestyle was found to be missing in 9 out of 10 children from Punjab and Delhi respectively. These observations were made by Dr. Rajneesh Kapoor, who is also the recipient of the Punjab Rattan Award, and Vice Chairman of Interventional Cardiology at Medanta Hospital . Dr. Kapoor, who was responsible for this extensive study, carried out this research along with his team members on 3,200 children from the age group of 5 to 18 years through a questionnaire based assessment on a range of different parameters revolving around cardiovascular health. 

The Overall Aim of the Research Study 

Well, the overall aim of the research study is to analyze and identify heart attack risk at a young age. In today’s time children have become extremely lazy due to the increase in the screen-time, access to junk and unhealthy food, and lack of exercise. The aim of this study was to create awareness in the society by giving a real-data scenario to the healthcare professionals and policymakers, so that proper action can be taken. Keeping the background of this comprehensive study in mind, in this blog, we will try to explain the essential lifestyle changes that parents need to adopt in order to protect their children from cardiovascular problems. 

Essential Lifestyle Changes That Parents Need To Adopt

1. Eat Healthy- When we say eat healthy, we mean that you should eat a combination of different types of food items including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and grains.  You can improve the intake of your child’s fruits and vegetables intake by including it in their daily diet, by serving it as fresh snacks, and you can also introduce your children to a range of different seasonal fruits and vegetables. By incorporating healthy and nutritional food in your child’s daily diet, you are cutting down on the risk of malnutrition, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. 
2. Be Active- Childhood is the best age to introduce your kids to a plethora of activities and games. After all, staying physically active and fit is essential for the proper functioning of the heart and lungs. The amount of physical activity your child can do will normally depend upon his age and interest. So try to find out what your child likes to play and motivate them to take up that particular sport or activity. Right from brisk walking to running, skipping, playing badminton, cricket etc, are some of the activities that your child can play or participate in. 
3. Stay Hydrated- Hydration is also one of the most important aspects that you must take into account when you are introducing your child to a healthy and active lifestyle. Staying hydrated will help the body to function properly thereby ensuring proper monitoring of the blood volume. Well, drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated, as it is free of calories, sugar, and additives. 
4. Meditate and Relax- Another factor that can pose a serious threat to your child’s heart health is stress. It can have a negative effect on your blood sugar levels, and food choices thereby making your child susceptible to sickness, weight, fat distribution, and more. That is why for this reason it becomes very important to manage your child’s stress levels. And meditation is the best way to help your child fight against stress, and anxiety. Meditation will play a key role in calming down your child’s hyperactive brain which will make them feel relaxed and at ease. 
5. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight- The ideal body weight or the right body weight depends on an end number of factors including gender, age, height, and genes. If your child is being affected by obesity then it will put them at a greater risk of cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes. Therefore, it becomes very important to maintain a proper body weight and that can only be achieved if your child is eating regularly, and the portion size is perfect based on their lifestyle and various other personal factors. 

Wrapping Up

The best way to bring a healthy change to your child’s lifestyle is by monitoring a healthy behavior in front of them. Children tend to learn things by looking at their parents so you can model healthy eating and active living formula in front of your little ones. We have been living in a misconception that skipping meals will reduce body weight. But the truth is that monitoring the portion size of each meal for your child and yourself will help in the proper monitoring of the body weight. You can also ask your child to use the staircase instead of lift as it will help them stay fit and physically active. Baby steps like these will help your child to stay fit and active. 

Eat healthy and stay fit!