Heart issues affecting younger people
MANY of the heart disease risk factors are the same for everyone. Lifestyle choices, such as lack of exercise, obesity, smoking and drinking alcohol excessively, are risk factors that affect many adults.
But Dr Regis Fernandes, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist in the United States, says such behaviours seem to be more prevalent in younger people now than in the past.
What are the factors millennials – people born between 1982 and 1994 – may be at higher risk for developing heart disease at a younger age than previous generations?
“Lack of exercise, drinking too much alcohol, smoking and things like that (are risk factors),” says Dr Fernandes.
The risks of heart disease are the same for everyone, but he says these habits seem to be more prevalent in younger people now than in the past.
“They’re very savvy,” he says. “They’re very good with computers, but they’re lacking in the exer- cise. Obesity is increasing.”
Millennials are the most closely associated with the computer generation.
Dr Fernandes says another big reason is stress. “That’s a problem that they’re going to carry through their lifetime,” he says.
“And we’re seeing this nowadays. This will eventually translate into heart disease at a younger age. And we see that in our emergency rooms now every day.”
He says millennials have to stop thinking about heart disease as something older people like their parents suffer from and start addressing their own heart disease risks.
“Eating more fruits and vegetables, avoiding high-calorie foods that are high in sugar and flour, etc.,” he says. “Those behaviours actually help to reduce your blood pressure, reduce your sodium intake and your sugar intake. And they actually help to reduce your stress level.” –