7 Steps To Prevent Risk Factors For Heart Disease In Children

Illustration of preventing heart disease in children (Freepic)

YOGYAKARTA heart disease can be a consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle and can be prevented from being a child. According to a child's cardiologist at Boston Children's Hospital, doctor Sarah de Ferranti, it is much easier to prevent the development of heart risk factors than try to treat them after experiencing them.

Because of Ferranti's explanation above, parents need to think about how healthy lifestyles are and minimize the risk of developing heart disease. The Circulation journal reported by the American Heart Association reports that only 2.2 percent of children aged 2-19 years have an optimal score in the assessment system on diet, physical activity, and body mass index. While nearly 57 percent of children aged 2-5 years have a high score and between ages 11-19 years have dropped to 14 percent. So to protect children from this disease, parents need to take a number of preventive measures from an early age below.

Healthy eating habits are important for heart health. Chicago-based child heart expert Amanda Marma Perak says a healthy diet can be done using the MyPlate method. In principle, the contents of the portion of eating in the form of half are vegetables and fruit, a quarter of the fat-free protein, a quarter of whole grains or wheat, and added dairy products.

Accompanying children grows, requires high patience. The reason is, to choose food alone, it needs to be careful and a portion that remains sustainable in order to produce good results. De Ferranti's advice, when the child is hungry, first serve fruit and vegetables. Maybe this is very challenging for parents, but being patient and continuing to try will form a healthy eating habit.

Exercise can start young, said Perak. Even for babies, you as a parent can think about how to keep your baby active. Either through formal classes or just playing in the park, physical activities can be included in the family schedule. However, sports activities need to be adjusted to age and in line with children's interests. If children like to dance, you can do dance lessons or practice regularly. If children like playing roller skating, then take time to accompany them to play in the park or take formal classes.

Children who are sleepy and weak all day tend to be physically inactive. Maybe they also want unhealthy foods to vent their energy. According to experts, poor sleep is also associated with obesity in children.

In a day, children need enough sleep to speed up healing, improve brain function, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Children aged 4-12 months, need 12-16 hours of sleep including a nap. While the age of 1-2 years, it takes 11-14 hours of sleep, the age of 3-5 years of sleep for 10-13 hours, the age of 6-12 takes 9-12 hours of sleep, and the age of 13-18 years requires 8-10 hours of sleep.

To form a habit of getting enough sleep, make a routine before going to bed for calming activities. For example turning off television, reading story books, to relaxing in the bedroom.

Knowing the child's blood pressure rate is important. But measuring it may be complicated, says De Ferranti. For that, you need to routinely check your child's health to a pediatrician. Due to high blood pressure, the size is different based on age, height, and gender.

Mental health is important for heart health, says De Ferranti. Childhood stress events can cause unhealthy behavior and cardiovascular problems in the future.

Because the world continues to change and lifestyle trends also need to be watched out for. So parents need to be agile in dealing with changes that occur or are followed by children. Such as the trend of vaping or e-cigarettes that may not be realized to endanger the health of teenagers.

Those are the seven steps to prevent the risk factor of heart disease in children that can be accustomed from an early age. As parents, of course, it is necessary to understand that getting used to a healthy lifestyle is not easy. Don't be too harsh on yourself, De Ferranti's message. The most important thing is to get to know it thoroughly and be better realistic enough to do instead of being perfect.