Heart disease causes an estimated 31% of all deaths worldwide each year. While the condition is often associated with older adults, rising childhood inactivity and poor fitness levels mean that the risk factors associated with heart disease are more common among teenagers than most people think.
Research has found young people from lower-income backgrounds are more likely to be unfit and have a family history of obesity, which increases the likelihood of developing heart disease in later life. However, most cases of heart disease can be prevented by managing these risk factors. Developing healthy habits as a teenager might be one way of ensuring a healthy heart in later life.