In a first of its kind study, 9 out of 10 children in Delhi and Punjab show signs of poor heart health and need for lifestyle changes. Dr Rajneesh Kapoor conducted a study where he examined 3,200 children in the age group of 5-18 years through a questionnaire-based assessment on parameters affecting cardiovascular health.
Each participant was given a cardiovascular health score based on body mass index, physical activity, bedtime, bedtime, dietary habits, and their responses to nicotine exposure (if any).
In this assessment, the maximum attainable score was set at 100 and subjects were profiled for advice on lifestyle modification based on their score relative to this, they reported. “Scores under 40 were classified as related, requiring rapid lifestyle modifications to start children as early as possible. A score between 70 and 100 was healthy, while a score between 40 and 70 was Scoring kids need moderate lifestyle movements,” he was quoted by IANS.
The study showed that 24 percent of participants had a heart health score of less than 40, 68 percent had a 40-70 score range, and just eight percent had a lifestyle that met all the criteria needed for a healthy cardiovascular system. They said. “Obesity was observed to be prevalent in 38 percent of the total study population, insufficient sleep was in three percent but inappropriate sleeping hours were noted in the routines of 75 percent of the children.
The circadian rhythm, the body’s 24-hour internal clock, helps control both physical and mental performance. They said poor dietary habits followed by little or no physical activity were found to be the top factors negatively affecting heart health scores in the study population.
Based on these results, Dr Kapoor urged parents to intervene and facilitate lifestyle modification in their children, which could potentially avert the risk of heart disease and other serious lifestyle issues in adulthood. Is. “Another very important step is getting kids moving. Physical activity should be included in the family’s schedule, whether it’s through a formal classroom or simply playing in the park. But the activity should be age-appropriate and accompanied by the child. must align to ‘interests’,” said Kapoor.
“Most people don’t think about risk factors during childhood but I think it’s really important that we all start doing this. Because trying to prevent the development of cardiovascular risk factors and get rid of them It’s probably easier said than done. ‘It’s evolved. So the question is what can be done,’ he said.
“It starts with healthy eating, a good diet in which half the meal is vegetables and fruits, a quarter is lean protein, and a quarter is a whole grain with dairy,” Dr Kapoor told IANS.
The study is now ready for presentation at the Innovation in Interventional Cardiology Summit 2022, a two-day annual meeting beginning August 27.
(with IANS inputs)