Few Americans realize that heart disease risk starts in childhood
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US with 92 percent of Americans at risk, according to the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA), which commissioned this latest study. It said that obesity is the main reason that heart disease risk has risen in recent years. Meanwhile, food and beverage manufacturers have been under pressure to reformulate their products with healthier ingredients, less saturated fat, and less salt, in order to play their part in reducing the risk of heart disease and obesity.
Obesity researcher and member of the PCNA board of directors Laura Hayman said: "This is a wake up call for parents and their children in particular. Some strides have been made; however, since more and more children are currently overweight, they are more likely at risk for obesity-related conditions later in life such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes."
The survey found that only 38 percent of Americans believe that adopting heart-healthy habits from childhood – and through every stage of life – is important to avoid a future heart attack. It also found that less than a third of respondents follow a heart-healthy diet.
There was also a clear trend that adults do not think that they lead by example, with 70 percent saying they do not want their children to adopt their eating habits. Twenty-six percent said this was because they do not set a good example when it comes to food choices, while 44 percent said it was because they sometimes eat food that is not healthy.
The research was conducted online by Kelton Research over a one-week period in September this year, and respondents formed a nationally representative sample of 1000 people.
