Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of premature death worldwide. Rates of cardiovascular disease have continued to increase primarily due to behavior which is modifiable. The family can play a significant role in helping to fight heart disease by promoting cardiovascular health throughout life reports the American College of Cardiology.
Approaches towards promoting cardiovascular health are most effective with family based approaches. Initiatives which target communication and structural and environmental conditions have been found to be the most effective in the promotion of cardiovascular health according to a recent state-of-the-art review which has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
It has been observed that habits which are learned during childhood greatly influence behaviors as an adult. This leaves us with a realization that cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention are important throughout a lifetime. It has been explained by the research authors that cohesion, communication and stress within the family system can all have a dramatic influence on the development of behaviors which are healthy. The researchers say families which have a healthy mix of individuality and independence have a greater likelihood of practicing healthy behaviors.
The authors have written that there are four distinct family styles which shape the habits of a child as he grows up which are:
- Authoritative
- Authoritarian
- Permissive
- Neglectful
The authoritative style is viewed as being the ideal. Kids who grow up with this style have a greater likelihood of eating fruits and are not as likely to be overweight. These kids are also more active and less sedentary. They also have a lower rate of smoking.
These findings are of particular importance in view of the fact that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. It is critical to promote cardiovascular health and disease prevention during an entire lifespan with the family as a central entity in this entire process. This information should be shared with families and caregivers in health care counseling sessions in the best interests of the cardiovascular health of every member of the family throughout a lifetime.
