Children Can Suffer a Stroke, Too

The adverse change in the lifestyle of the youngHowever, stroke have occurred in children because
today has greatly affected their health and have madethey are now more exposed to poor diet and less
them prone to various diseases. Obesity and Diabetesphysical activity. The excessive intake of sweets have
are the most prevalent dilemma children are facedcreated high sugar levels in their blood. When excess
with, making them highly probable to suffer a stroke.sugar in the blood is not burned through physical
Recent studies show that one in three children areactivity, this is converted by the body into
obese. In America alone, 23.5 million children aged 12-19freely-floating fat. This excess fat is accumulated in
are obese, while nearly 10 million children andthe mid-area of the body, causing the belly and abs to
adolescents aged 6-9 are overweight, and 12% ofbulge.
preschool children are overweight.The child develops metabolic syndrome in the process,
Studies also show that each year about 15,000 peopleobesity in the onset, and diabetes in the long run.
under 20 are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes andOvertime, all these excess fat that's still floating in the
more and more children with Type 2 diabetes. Childrenblood sticks to the walls of the arteries and creates
who develop Type 2 diabetes are typically obese andclots that leads to stroke. Amidst all these processes,
or have a family history of diabetes.hereditary diseases could also be triggered ahead of
Sweets, which were usually given only during specialtime.
events or occasions to children half a century ago, areAs of 2006, stroke in children remains to be the sixth
now the culprit behind all these. According to statisticsleading cause of death in infants and children according
the average consumption of sweets and bakeryto experts. Its really a must that efforts to augment
desserts was about 10 servings per week in childrenhealth be undertaken by everyone before the
ages 5-14 and about 6-9 servings per week innumbers climb.
adolescents aged 15-19.Children are now more prone to stroke than ever.
Though stroke cases in children are rare (1 in 4,000Good eating habits and an active lifestyle are
infants and 2.3 in 100,000 children ages 1-19), theimportant values that must be inculcated in children as
sudden rise in cases of obesity and diabetes in childrenearly as age 0 (zero). Being healthy role models for
may prompt a domino effect. Stroke normally occursthem is also a great tool to address this urgent
in older people because blood clots and cholesterol inconcern.
the arteries buildup after years of unhealthy lifestyle.