Early childhood is a critical period for the development of educational and social skills, as well as for establishing the foundation for lifelong health. New parents may not realize that their daily decisions, including lifestyle habits and the home environment they create, can have lasting effects on their children’s long-term health. A growing body of research suggests that adult health, including cardiovascular health, is influenced by factors dating back to childhood and young adulthood. While lifestyle changes at any age can help improve your health, there is evidence that forming good habits early can have lifelong benefits.
Genetics and family health history remain important factors when understanding childhood health. Environmental factors, including where you live, traumatic events and early lifestyle choices, may set into motion changes in the body that can begin to appear later in life.
Atherosclerosis in Children
As an example, researchers believe that atherosclerosis risk factors may be present even before a child is born. Atherosclerosis is a condition where plaque builds up in the arteries. As people age, the plaque can harden and reduce the flow of blood throughout the body. Atherosclerosis often does not become a noticeable problem until later in adulthood.
Childhood psychological stress, exposure to toxic substances, limited access to quality health care, and reduced access to healthy food choices are among the socioeconomic factors that can place adults at higher risk of developing atherosclerosis. Socioeconomics looks at the physical environment through measures such as family wealth, school quality and safe housing. Scientists believe some poor socioeconomic factors can help trigger inflammatory responses in the body in early life.
Socioeconomic factors can be challenging to change, as it is often difficult to rise from lower economic situations to higher income opportunities. But knowing the importance of these factors can give researchers ideas for studying how to counteract such problems to improve health.
Childhood Nutrition, Socioeconomics, and Heart Health into Adulthood
Food access, a socioeconomic issue, can influence childhood obesity. A lack of healthy, quality food can lead to excess weight gain in children. While there is a general belief that childhood obesity is likely linked to heart disease in later life, more research is needed to better understand the nature of this risk.
In wealthier areas, or areas of higher socioeconomic status, healthy food is often widely and easily available. In areas with less economic influence, reaching a quality grocery store can be an insurmountable obstacle. When children lack access to healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, it can lead to higher obesity levels. Families may have to eat high-calorie, low-nutrient meals. There is evidence that both a lack of healthy food or excess intake of low-nutrition food can cause epigenetic changes that can last a lifetime and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Epigenetics is the study of how your environment and lifestyle choices can influence gene function. Changes in how certain genes operate over the course of your lifetime can put you at increased risk of health problems as you age.
There is also evidence that instilling good eating habits in children early can influence their eating patterns throughout their lives.
Related to nutrition choices is the risk of high cholesterol. Cholesterol is considered a major factor contributing to heart disease and strokes. Research has shown that the process of cholesterol buildup in arteries can start in childhood. In some cases, a child’s cholesterol levels may require medical treatment. You can discuss childhood cholesterol screening with your health care provider if you have concerns.
Other Risk Factors That Can Influence Heart Health Challenges
In addition to eating habits, other factors can influence childhood health. While smoking rates are falling in America, it remains a risk factor for poor heart health, as well as overall physical well-being.
The addictive habit, if it starts in childhood or the teen years, can have negative health effects into emerging adulthood. Even exposure to second-hand smoke in the home and other locations can increase the risk for cardiovascular problems down the road.
If you are a parent who smokes, or if your child smokes, there are programs available to help you quit this habit. This is one of the risk factors that adults have the power to control, and can put your family on the road to a healthier lifestyle.
In addition to smoking, issues such as high blood pressure can help predict health problems later in life. Children who develop high blood pressure at an early age can be at risk for developing thicker arteries in adulthood. As with many health problems, catching high blood pressure early can reduce problems later in life.
How Parents Can Help Keep Their Kids Healthy Well Into Adulthood
Research into how childhood health influences adult cardiovascular risk outcomes is still developing, and many questions remain unanswered. Identifying these connections is an important first step, though demonstrating the effectiveness of early interventions continues to challenge researchers.
As scientists work to develop reliable intervention strategies, there are plenty of reasons for parents to start teaching their children good eating and exercise habits early in life.
Resources such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s My Plate program can provide great advice for parents in search of food-related advice. The American Heart Association has resources for parents when it comes to childhood physical activity.
Visit the Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI) website to keep up with advances in heart research and treatment options.
