The early stages of atherosclerosis may appear in children, especially the obese ones. Therefore, the disease should be prevented from an early age, suggest research by Polish and American specialists published on the occasion of the World Heart Day celebrated on September 29.
Atherosclerosis is the most common cause, incl. hardening of the arteries and coronary artery disease and, consequently, e.g. a heart attack.
According to a report presented in Amsterdam at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress, obese children may have the early stages of atherosclerosis as well as insulin resistance, which usually triggers the development of diabetes.
Also, subsequent research by Dr. hab. Tomasz Zdrojewski from the Medical University of Gdańsk and experts from the University of Boston confirm the relationship between bad habits in youth and diseases in old age.
Research by Dr. Zdrojewski, who chaired the Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences, was attended by 2 people aged 552–25. They were followed in the Framingham Heart Study for 39 years. It turned out that obesity in young adults alone increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 30%. It increases even more (up to 23%) in people with risk factors such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Adults with a healthy body weight are also a fifth more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease if their blood pressure is high and cholesterol is too high.
Dr. Zdrojewski emphasizes that you should follow a healthy lifestyle already in your youth. It is especially important for children to follow a proper diet and take care of physical activity, which should be part of everyday life from an early age.
It is not good with it in Poland – adds the specialist. From the report published in 2010 by the experts of the Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences under the supervision of prof. Barbara Woynarowska shows that as much as 80 percent. students graduating from lower secondary schools did not exercise enough and did not eat fruit and vegetables every day, 44 percent did not eat the first breakfast, and 28 percent. he brushed his teeth too rarely. In addition, 11-16 percent. students regularly smoked tobacco and drank beer, and 20 percent. reached for marijuana or hashish.
After three years in physical education in middle schools, little has changed. This is indicated by the latest report prepared by the Public Health Committee in the 2012/2013 school year. It turned out that in some schools the “health education” block was carried out only during a typical physical education lesson, not separately. In most schools (79%), health education took place in the gym, and in one third in rooms (e.g. locker rooms, corridors, swimming pool) that did not meet the conditions for conducting this type of classes.
In 58 percent. In lower secondary schools, none of the teachers received training in health education. In 17 percent schools, physical education teachers had a negative attitude to classes in “health education”, and in 40 percent In schools, the students themselves, especially boys, showed a negative attitude.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is alerting that as many as 17,1 million people die each year from strokes and heart disease. As much as 80 percent premature deaths could be avoided if major risk factors such as smoking, an unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity were eliminated. (PAP)