Nevertheless, parents should think about acquired heart problems in their children. Studies conducted by the Muscatine Heart Center Group, led by Ronald Lauer, M.D., UI professor of pediatrics, have shown that children can have high cholesterol as early as their late pre-adolescent years. Parents should provide healthy meals and opportunities for activity for their children, he said. Most people in their teens and 20s are 'immortal'. This is reflected, he noted, by the prevalence of teenage and young adult smokers in the United States.
Smoking is the number one risk factor for heart disease among young people.
While it is better never to start, it also is beneficial to stop at any age. Other habits that increase the risk of heart disease include poor diet and lack of physical activity. Having a history of heart problems in your family does not mean you also will develop them, but it does increase the likelihood. Some families clearly have a string of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease also may be more prevalent in certain groups of people, such as those with a particular ethnic background or occupation.