Healthy behaviours including regular physical activity that begin at a young age and continue throughout life are important to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Dr. Abramson recommends that children and youth build up to at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily physical activity most days of the week and consume a healthy, balanced diet that includes foods from the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide.

"You don't have to try to fit something else into their busy days," she says. "You simply need to encourage children to trade an hour of inactivity for an hour of activity."

Dr. McCrindle notes that family history, low levels of physical activity, high levels of sedentary behaviour, poor nutrition, and lower socio-economic status all play a role.

He says that one of the great deficiencies in Canada is that, although there is a push to recognize guidelines for management of risk factors in adults, there is very little for kids.

"We need comprehensive and integrated Canadian guidelines for keeping our children healthy and we need them soon because this type of study is showing the worst is yet to come," says Dr. McCrindle. "This is the first generation of children that may have a shorter lifespan than their parents."

The data were collected by Heart Niagara Inc., a nonprofit corporation which partnered with school boards and public health officials in a grade 9 physical education curriculum enrichment program designed to prevent chronic disease.

They assessed students' blood pressure, height and weight, and blood cholesterol, capturing pretty well all of the grade 9 students in the system.

"It took a collaborative effort to collect this data. Working together is key to turning around the heart health of our children," says Dr. Abramson. "It takes a village to raise a child and it will take all levels of society to give our children a healthier future. Individuals, families, schools, communities, businesses, industry, and government collectively can play a role in improving the health of our youth - now and for the future."

Source: HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION OF CANADA