Apr 18, 2011
It is the time for summer holidays and children are free of school, studies, books and timetables. For most parents this is the ideal time for some long-pending indulgence. So what better way to spend time together than a lunch or dinner in a hotel, or at the food court in the mall or at least a takeaway from a fast food joint to please the children?
Sadly, not many parents are aware of the health hazards that they pass on to their children along with the deep-fried, masala-filled goodies with a good amount of sauce or other accompaniments. They do not realise the fact that these junk foods with artificial flavours and ingredients mean an increased chance for heart diseases, hypertension and blood pressure for them as well as the children.
The annual conference of the American College of Cardiology that concluded two weeks ago at New Orleans highlighted the fact that children who are fed on junk food have an increased risk of premature heart attack. A study done in Michigan on school students found that those who had imbalanced food habits and a sedentary lifestyle had a very slow heart rate recovery and high cholesterol levels, indicating an increased chance of heart diseases.
This is applicable to adults too. So watch what you eat. Parents should be the model for children while eating out. There should be a deliberate attempt to keep away from processed food that are high in salt and saturated fat. Artificial fats known as trans-fats have no nutritional value and are linked to heart disease.
Studies have found that many children are so hooked to fatty foods that the inner layer of their arteries start thickening even before they turn 10. Such a problem can be avoided if parents take preventive measures regarding the food they consume. Those with a family history of heart diseases have an increased risk, so extra care should be taken, if there is a history of heart attacks and deaths due to heart diseases in the 35 to 40 age group in the families of the parents.
Mothers should take extra care to include fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet of children, and summer holidays are the best time to encourage good food habits for the whole family. Spend more time outdoors with children, engage in physical activities and ensure that the food you eat is fresh and free of unhealthy ingredients. And it is the best way to keep heart diseases at bay.
The writer is a senior consultant cardiologist at Lourdes Hospital, Kochi
By Dr George Thayil
