A recent AHA study has discovered many U.S. children are living with poor cardiovascular health. | Courtesy of Shutterstock
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Amanda Rupp | Aug 17, 2016

Study finds many U.S. children with poor cardiovascular health

A recent American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statement reports that many children in the U.S. do not have ideal childhood cardiovascular health, according to the standards defined by the AHA.

Approximately 91 percent of children in the U.S. have poor diets, which contributes to their overall poor cardiovascular health. Most American children eat low-nutrition, high-calorie foods instead of healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains and more.

In light of this research, health experts believe that they should begin encouraging people to develop good heart health from birth. It is important to be more proactive about health, taking action before a problem arises rather than trying to resolve a serious health concern after it begins.

Children with healthy cardiovascular systems don’t use tobacco; have vigorous or moderate physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day; eat healthy nutrition; keep a healthy body weight; and maintain healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

“Instead of taking a wait-and-see approach by treating disease later in adulthood, we should help children maintain the standards of ideal cardiovascular health that most children are born with,” Dr. Julia Steinberger, lead author of the statement and director of pediatric cardiology at the University of Minnesota, said.

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