In this case, there are four risk factors. As a result of the data gathered from numerous scientific studies and analyzed by the Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention - SIPREC - the following picture emerges.
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| [Heart Disease/EUROPEANS24] |
Smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and bad nutrition are becoming more prevalent among young Italians. This is the image that emerges from the data gathered from numerous scientific studies that have been analyzed by the Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention - SIPREC - throughout the years. In light of this analysis, which is exacerbated by the trends favored by the pandemic, the Second Italian Day for Cardiovascular Prevention, promoted and organized by SIPREC for May 13, 2022, assumes even greater significance in order to encourage the entire population, beginning with the youngest, to return to a healthy lifestyle.
Tobacco, a vice that does not go away
Despite the restrictions imposed by the legislation in recent years, Italy continues to have alarming statistics on tobacco use, with the youngest smokers seemingly unaffected by the messages that inform them of the dangers of smoking. "SIPREC Young board member Francesco Perone emphasizes that smoking causes harm not only to one's lungs, but also to one's cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of coronary heart disease, which may lead to heart attack in later stages. - One of the most alarming pieces of literature on Italy comes from a study published on May 31, 2021 by the Istituto Superiore Sanità in collaboration with the Mario Negri Pharmacological Institute, which found that 37.5 percent of young people between the ages of 14 and 17 have already come into contact with tobacco smoke. When the 'European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs' was conducted on European students aged 15-16 in 2019, the results revealed that Italy had the greatest proportion of students who have reported having smoked cigarettes at some point in their lives. Following that, the 2018 'Global Youth Tobacco Survey,' which was conducted on 13-15-year-olds, discovered that 50 percent of the young people questioned had parents who had smoked at home the week before. As important as the role of the family is, the same can be said for the media: in response to the question "if in the last 30 days children had heard anti-smoking messages," it is noted that in 2010, 92 percent of children responded that they had heard anti-smoking messages broadcast on radio, television, the internet, newspapers, and films, while in 2018, the figure dropped to 51 percent. Statistical evidence demonstrating the criticality of refocusing attention on the subject ".....
Less and less physical activity
Concerning a sedentary lifestyle, the most alarming data comes directly from the World Health Organization (WHO): in 2019, a study on the period 2001-2016 that included adolescents between the ages of 11 and 17 found that 80 percent of the world's adolescents did not meet recommended levels of physical activity. "With regard to teenagers in Italy, we were talking about 88.6 percent of those who did not engage in appropriate physical exercise. - highlights Perone - According to the findings of the 2018 'Health Behavior in School-Aged Children' survey, conducted on Italian children between the ages of 11 and 15, just one out of every ten children meets the WHO's daily objective of at least 60 minutes of moderate to intensive motor activity. Aside from that, over half of all youngsters spend more than the recommended 2 hours per day in front of a television screen, with the figure reaching 70% on the weekend. When it comes to PCs and tablets, the statistic is 40 percent, with the percentage increasing to 50 percent over the weekend. These findings indicate that there is a significant amount of physical inactivity. Long-term mortality is increased as a result of the hazards associated with these unhealthy practices ".....
Too much fat and few vegetables at the table
According to the 'Health Behavior in School-Aged Youngsters' study, missing breakfast is a harmful habit that may impair the capacity to focus and learn, as well as cause children to overindulge in snacks in the following hours," the researchers write. Despite this, as many as one in every four teens does not take their first meal of the day, according to Perone. - Only 16.9 percent of those who eat the necessary 5 daily servings of fruit and vegetables say they consume more fruit, while the figure for vegetables approaches 13 percent. According to the survey, just 14 percent of respondents say they don't drink soft drinks, and 27.5 percent said they eat sweets on two to four days each week.
The importance of prevention
These findings compel SIPREC to act in a more direct manner in the process of promoting awareness. According to Prof. Massimo Volpe, President of SIPREC, "the approach to good cardiovascular prevention may seem virtually commonplace." Eat healthfully, exercise regularly, avoid living a sedentary lifestyle, quit smoking, maintain good blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and prevent acquiring diabetes are the top goals. Because cardiovascular illnesses remain the leading cause of mortality and one of the most common reasons for hospitalization, adopting a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis is difficult and generally underestimated. However, it is exactly by beginning with these steps that lives may be saved". The importance of sport as a motivator for young people will be highlighted on the occasion of the Second International Day for Cardiovascular Prevention on February 2nd, 2019. Exercise is recognized to be an antagonist of cardiovascular disease because it causes vasodilation and blood pressure reduction. It also offers the mechanisms for avoiding acute ischemia, as well as an attitude of individuals toward healthier lives and a better psycho-physical state." The practice of physical exercise should be done on a regular and systematic basis. Professor Volpe continues, "This is why we wanted to provide room to this synergy, cardiovascular prevention, and athletics." As well as providing methods for avoiding acute ischemia, it also promotes a positive attitude toward healthier lifestyles and a better psycho-physical state in the general population The practice of physical exercise should be done on a regular and systematic basis. Professor Volpe continues, "This is why we wanted to provide room to this synergy, cardiovascular prevention, and athletics." As well as providing methods for avoiding acute ischemia, it also promotes a positive attitude toward healthier lifestyles and a better psycho-physical state in the general population According to Prof. Volpe, physical exercise should be done regularly and systematically. "This is why we wanted to provide room to this synergy, cardiovascular prevention, and sports," he continues.