Improving diets of children ‘lowers heart disease risk’

A CHILD’S diet plays an important role in deciding whether they will suffer from heart disease in their later years, a new survey shows.

According to the report’s authors, cardiovascular heart disease is still a major public health issue in Ireland, accounting for approximately 10,608 deaths per year.

However, growing evidence shows that the processes which lead to heart disease can be prevented by tackling children’s diets and increasing their fibre intake, vegetable consumption and lowering salt and fat consumption.

The study showed how salt intakes for Irish children from foods alone are above the recommended total daily consumption from food, drinks and sprinkled salt.

Children aged seven to 10 years should only be taking a total five grammes of salt per day. With the high levels of salt in processed foods, they are exceeding that total by 0.3g without using the salt shaker.

The study also show that nearly two-thirds of Irish children don’t eat enough fibre and 40% of children are eating too much fat.

The nutritionists involved in the Birds Eye Diet and Lifestyle of Children in Ireland Study have recommended that parents urge their children to use low-fat spreads and fat-free diary products to reduce their fat intake.

“Lean cuts of meat are favoured and parents should use low fat cooking methods such as grilling or oven-baking. Olive oil, sunflower oil and soya bean oil can be used in cooking instead of the more traditional fats such as lard,” authors Jennifer O’Neill and Sinead McCarthy noted.

The lifestyle report pointed to research that showed that nearly one-fifth of Irish children use different types of dietary supplements, such as multi-vitamin and mineral tablets. The recently-completed Irish National Children’s Food Survey found that 27% of boys and 22% of girls, aged five to 12, were supplement users.

The authors point out, however, that evidence shows that many of the children who use supplements are those who are least likely to need them.

“Characteristics of people who use them, compared who don’t use them, include higher fruit and vegetable intakes, lower fat intakes, higher fibre intakes and higher intakes of vegetables and minerals. Studies have also shown that people who use supplements tend to be more active,” the report states.