Children and adolescents exercise less and already have high blood pressure and excess weight

Study raises awareness for the health of children and adolescents — Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo

A study carried out by the Brazilian Society of Cardiology raises an alert for the health of children and adolescents. They are moving less and less. Many already have high blood pressure and are overweight - problems that can worsen in adulthood.

It's been a year since Bruna decided to change her life. And it started with the plate.

"Kiwi, strawberry, banana, strawberry. The more you understand the reason for these choices and the science behind these fruits, these healthier choices, I think it makes sense, you know? And then I started to fall in love with healthy eating", reported Bruna.

Physical activity also became part of the routine.

"I do [physical activity] five times a week and I always go in the morning."

The mother - who had already tried everything - says that the push came from an action at school to encourage healthier habits.

"She was going through a process of very low self-esteem. And that left her isolated, it made her sad. As a teenager, it's very important to follow the group. And this awareness at school also contributed a lot", says Denise Cirqueira de Lima Silva, pedagogical coordinator and Bruna's mother

This generation has a big challenge: they need to move more. A study by the Brazilian Society of Cardiology with 6,000 students from three states raised an alert: one in every 3 is overweight and 28% already have high blood pressure.

The situation is even more serious among obese teenagers. 6 in 10 have hypertension. And most do little physical activity: a maximum of 2 hours a week at school.

"12% of them had screen time of more than 7 hours a day. So, we have a phenomenon of increased screen time, which is not new, and decreased physical activity", explained Álvaro Avezum, cardiologist, member of the SBC and coordinator of the Coração project

And this doesn't just happen to children and teenagers. A study carried out in 31 countries, including Brazil, shows that almost 37% of young people aged 18 to 24 practice less than 30 minutes of exercise per week, well below what doctors recommend.

The coordinator of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology says that 90% of heart attacks and strokes could be avoided with lifestyle changes that should start as early as possible.

"Every risk factor installed in childhood and adolescence has a much greater chance of persisting into adulthood and the early occurrence of heart attack and stroke. Everything we start early, the benefit is extended throughout life. So, first thing: don't smoke. Second, practice physical activity, both aerobics and muscle gain. And third, healthy eating."

Bruna is following everything to the letter.

"There will be more opportunities for us to build a healthier, more balanced future, with a higher quality of life", he said.