Eating Fruits and Vegetables as Children can Positively Affect Adult Health

-->Article from WebMD on how Eating Fruits and Vegetables as Children Affect Adult Health<--

According to a study found in the Journal of the American Heart Association, children who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop atherosclerosis which can ultimately cause heart disease. Finnish researchers followed 1622 Fins between the ages of 3 and 18 for 27 years and compared their childhood and adulthood lifestyle. Lifestyle factors included: fruit and vegetable intake, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The results found that children that consumed less fruits and vegetables were more likely to develop a higher pulse wave velocity, which is the speed at which blood travels in the artery walls. If they are hardened, then the heart has to work extra hard to pump blood through the walls, which could lead to a heart attack.




The article also gives a few tips on encouraging children to eat more fruits and vegetables. The tips include:
-Involve children in fruit and vegetable shopping
-Involve children to prepare healthy meals
-Eat healthy, so children can look to you as a role model
-Create a variety of healthy snacks
-Grow your own vegetables