Poor diet, lack of exercise in childhood a ticking time bomb – how to live longer, healthy lives
- Children who are overweight, obese or living unhealthy lifestyles have an elevated risk of suffering heart attack or a stroke as adults, big new study finds
- Childhood is the time to instil good eating and exercise habits in your children, and setting a positive example for them to follow will help
Hannah Tsang has been practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu for the last two years. Her father, Stephen Tsang, says that during this time, his 17-year-old daughter has become stronger and healthier.
“I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in her cardiovascular fitness,” he says. “I try to train with her, too – we enjoy keeping fit together.”
More than ever, it is important for parents to guide their children to live healthily: childhood obesity is a growing problem all over the world and, along with it, the risk of developing serious health problems, from stroke and cancer to heart disease and diabetes. The World Health Organisation calls it one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century.
A major study highlighted the importance of establishing the foundations for heart health early in life. It found that children who are overweight or obese, who have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or who smoke, are at a higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke when they are older.
