Teens at risk for heart disease.
Teen’s cholesterol levels have shot up from 9 to an alarming 16 percent according to CTV.ca News staff (More teens have risk factors for heart disease) and statistics from the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Edmonton. The data was collected from grade 9 students by Heart Niagra Inc.
Teen obesity is also up from 11 to 13 percent, but what can be done about it? It would be easier for teens to change their lifestyles now rather than later, so that they can decrease their risk for heart attacks and strokes. Aren’t Canadian teens supposed to be living longer than their parents did? According to this study, they won’t be if they don’t make some positive healthy changes.
As for the fast food, parents can’t monitor everything teens eat, but they can provide healthy alternatives. If the food is tasty and quick to prepare, hopefully they’ll eat it. Try tortillas with healthy fillings, low fat cheese with whole-wheat crackers, fruit with yogurt, granola bars or pitas with hummus. Parents can contribute to bad habits by modeling behaviours and unhealthy food examples like chips, donuts or deep fried chicken and fries. Try low fat muffins, rice chips, baked chicken or baked tortilla chips with salsa as alternatives.
Many Canadian teens don’t appear to be getting enough exercise either, and they’re watching too much television or playing video games. Combine a sedentary lifestyle with fast food and it becomes unhealthier. Parents can encourage teens to shut off the computer and go play a game of basketball, hockey, take a walk or go to the gym. Dancing is good exercise too. There are fun fitness/dance classes some teens might consider, and there are often school sports they can get involved in. Nobody’s perfect, but if parents and teens make some small changes, they can help improve their health.
For more information see More teens have risk factors for heart disease
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