A healthy heart is essential for a happy and active life. It pumps blood to the brain, lungs and muscles, helping children stay energetic, focused and ready to play.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, but many of its risk factors can be managed early in life to support lifelong cardiovascular health. 

By establishing and encouraging healthy habits in early childhood, parents and caregivers build a foundation for a lifetime of wellness and can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and other chronic conditions later in life.

The American Heart Association emphasizes that habits formed early, such as healthy eating, regular physical activity and adequate sleep, can significantly lower the risk of heart disease and related conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Risk factors such as high cholesterol and obesity can develop in childhood, with plaque forming in arteries as early as adolescence. Modeling and encouraging heart-healthy behaviors build a foundation for a lifetime of success.

Setting children up for a heart-healthy life requires early, deliberate, consistent efforts across different aspects of family life. Here are some key areas parents can build a heart-healthy foundation:

• Promote a balanced, nutritious diet. Encourage whole foods and increased fiber-rich foods to support heart and digestive health. Minimize intake of ultra-processed foods and limit sugary snacks, desserts and drinks.  Involve children in grocery shopping, reading nutrition labels and cooking meals. Making mealtime a fun and shared family experience can foster long-term healthy habits.
• Make water the first choice of drinks. Replacing sugary drinks with water reduces intake of added sugars, linked to increased risks of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
• Prioritize adequate sleep. Sleep is critical for children’s physical and mental health. Regularly getting the recommended hours of sleep improves attention, learning, memory, behavior and emotional well-being. In contrast, insufficient sleep increases the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, depression, suicidal thoughts and even accidents.Teenagers, in particular, face heightened risks for mental health issues when sleep-deprived. Both under- and oversleeping can negatively impact cardiovascular and overall health. Establish consistent sleep routines to support heart health.
• Encourage regular physical activity. Make exercise a family affair with activities like biking, walking, swimming or outdoor games. Make heart health fun by incorporating movement into daily routines, like walking to a nearby park for a healthy picnic dinner or adding games into your family activities. Celebrate successes to promote a positive sense of self-esteem. Provide age-appropriate, enjoyable physical activities to keep children engaged and active.
• Avoid tobacco and vaping. Avoid tobacco and nicotine, whether smoked, vaped or secondhand, to prevent cardiovascular damage and addiction. Smoke-free homes create a protective environment, reduce the likelihood of children smoking later and lower a child’s health risks.
• Limit screen time and monitor content. Excessive screen time promotes sedentary habits and unhealthy snacking, raising risks of obesity and heart disease. Limiting screen time and ensuring age-appropriate exposure encourages physical activity, healthier eating, better sleep and reduced stress. It also shields children from harmful media influences.
• Be a good role model. Children tend to imitate what they see more than what they’re told. When parents consistently model healthy habits like healthy eating, regular physical activity, effective stress management and avoiding harmful substances, these behaviors become the norm. A family-wide commitment to wellness leaves a lasting impact on a child’s heart health.
• Teach stress management. As children grow, they encounter various stressors from school, peers, family expectations and societal pressures. Chronic stress can raise heart rate and blood pressure, harming cardiovascular health. Help children recognize what they can control.  Teach them stress management techniques like deep breathing or journaling and encourage open communication and positive social connections to build resilience.

• Keep up with well-child visits. Routine checkups are powerful tools for preventing cardiovascular issues. Pediatricians monitor blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and lipid levels to catch problems early, especially in children with risk factors like obesity or a family history of hypertension. Early intervention through lifestyle changes or treatment can prevent long-term heart damage, stroke or kidney issues. These visits also offer tailored advice on diet, activity, sleep and screen time to reinforce heart-healthy habits.

  Start Small

  Building healthy habits can be challenging, especially with busy schedules or picky eaters. The National Institutes of Health suggests starting small. Focus on one habit, like drinking more water, before tackling bigger goals. As the saying goes, “Every small change is a step toward a healthier child.” Set realistic goals, make gradual changes and plan for obstacles like stressful days or tempting unhealthy foods.

  Let’s work together to equip our children with the tools for a heart-healthy future.