By Dr. Divyesh Sadadiwala, Pediatric Cardiologist
When we think about heart health it is usually associated with adulthood. Blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease are often viewed as concerns that become important in later life. But the foundations of health are built much earlier, through the food children eat, how active they are, how much they sleep, and the lifestyle habits they develop as they grow.
World Heart Day is an opportunity to look at heart health not as a health issue but as a lifelong journey that begins in childhood.
The lifestyle shift
Children today are growing up in an environment that is very different from previous generations. Screen-based entertainment has become a part of daily life, while outdoor play has become limited; convenient packaged foods are available for a quick bite, while sugary beverages are just as easily accessible, and have replaced homemade drinks like jaljeera or nimbu pani.
On their own, these factors do not determine a child’s future heart health. However when sedentary behaviour, unhealthy dietary patterns, or inadequate physical activity become long-term habits they can contribute to weight gain and other cardiovascular risk factors as children grow into adulthood.
The objective is not to make children fearful of heart disease but to help families understand that healthy habits established early can become easier to maintain throughout life, and maintain a well-functioning heart for a long time.
A healthy heart is more than just avoiding heart disease
Heart health is not simply about whether a person has a diagnosed condition. It also involves maintaining blood pressure, appropriate body weight, physical fitness, good nutrition and healthy sleep patterns.
For children, regular physical activity is particularly important. Active play, cycling, swimming, walking and age-appropriate sports can help children develop fitness while also supporting their physical and emotional wellbeing. The focus should be on making movement enjoyable rather than treating exercise as a chore.
Food habits begin at home
Children’s eating habits are strongly influenced by their home environment. Regular consumption of processed foods, foods high in salt or added sugars, and sugar-sweetened beverages can gradually displace more nutritious choices.
Families can encourage healthy eating by making fruits and vegetables, whole grains, pulses, nuts and other nutrient-rich foods a part of everyday meals. Balanced eating does not mean eliminating foods; it is about creating a pattern in which nutritious foods are the norm and highly processed foods are consumed less frequently.
Importantly, children learn by observing adults. When parents and caregivers make good choices themselves, healthy eating becomes part of the entire family’s routine rather than a rule imposed only on children.
Screen time and missing movements
Regulating screen time for children is very important. In an increasingly digital world, it is not possible to go completely screen-free. However, excessive sedentary time watching a screen can replace activities that children need for healthy development.
A child who spends hours sitting with a phone, tablet, television or gaming device may have less time for or interest in active play, social interaction and outdoor activities. Families can create routines that encourage children to take regular breaks from prolonged sitting and incorporate some movements into the day.
Small changes can add up: walking instead of always using a vehicle, running up the stairs when appropriate instead of using elevators all the time, playing outdoors, or simply encouraging children to move between periods of sitting.
Know when the heart needs attention
Not every child with a heart condition will have symptoms and not every symptom indicates a heart problem. However certain signs should not be ignored.
Breathlessness or unusual fatigue during activities, fainting during exercise, chest discomfort associated with exertion, a racing or irregular heartbeat, poor exercise tolerance, bluish discoloration, or poor weight gain in younger children may warrant medical evaluation. A family history of heart conditions or sudden unexplained cardiac deaths can also be important information to share with a paediatrician or cardiologist.
The message is not to create anxiety around childhood symptoms but to recognise when a pattern is unusual or persistent and seek appropriate medical advice.
Heart health begins with prevention, and awareness
While there are no habits that guarantee lifelong cardiovascular health, an individual’s genetics, medical conditions, environment, and lifestyle can all influence risk for heart health problems.
What families can do is create an environment that supports healthy choices from an early age. Encourage children to be active, offer nutritious meals, establish healthy sleep routines, and avoid tobacco smoke exposure. Regular paediatric check-ups can also provide opportunities to monitor growth, blood pressure and other aspects of health as appropriate.
For children with known acquired heart conditions regular follow-up and adherence to specialist recommendations are essential.
Looking beyond one day
World Heart Day should not be viewed as a reminder reserved for adults or people who already have heart disease. It is an opportunity to recognise that cardiovascular health is shaped across the course of life.
The goal is not to turn childhood into a checklist of restrictions. It is to create a culture where movement throughout the day is normalised, nutritious food is accessible, sleep is valued, and health concerns are addressed early.
By making heart-healthy living a family habit rather than a temporary goal, you can give your children a very valuable and strong foundation for a healthier adult life.
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