With so many sweetened drinks and ready-to-eat meals today, it comes as no surprise that adolescents these days have less-than-healthy diets. Unfortunately, such eating habits do have certain health consequences, especially if one snacks on high-cholesterol processed food on a daily basis. In fact, TIME reports that such habits may even cause teens to grow into “a new generation of heart-disease patients.”

A study led by epidemiologist Christina Shay from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in the US worked with 4,673 teens between ages 12 and 19 years. The participants were interviewed via phone once every two years about their eating behaviors and physical activities. They were also requested to provide occasional blood samples and to undergo several physical examinations.

The teens were then rated based on the American Heart Association’s (AHA) seven factors that promote a healthy heart: “maintaining a healthy body weight; eating a healthy diet; being physically active; keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose within normal ranges; and not smoking.” Those who met the requirements were ranked “ideal,” those who met some were ranked “intermediate,” while those who failed to comply were ranked “poor.”

A combination of bad eating habits and lack of exercise resulted in unhealthy body mass indexes (BMIs) for 20 percent of the boys and 17 percent of the girls surveyed.

In order to avoid developing chronic diseases at such a young age, a lifestyle change is a must. Teens must orient themselves toward healthy living, which includes a well-balanced diet and lots of exercise. Parents can also promote wellness by making it a point to serve heart-friendly food at home, and by being good examples when it comes to being physically active. Addressing health issues early on in life may help lessen problems later on.

(Photo by Plonq via Flickr Creative Commons)