Jewel Scott, associate professor of nursing at the University of South Carolina, told The Conversation that the most important period for a person's heart health is between the ages of 17 and 25.
Scott explained that heart health doesn't suddenly deteriorate in middle age. the process begins much earlier, often unnoticed. Research shows that a turning point occurs around the age of 17. this is the time when indicators related to food, physical activity, sleep and blood pressure begin to deteriorate.
"By the end of school, many teenagers begin to develop the first risk factors. The most common consequence is atherosclerosis, a disease in which fatty plaques form in blood vessels, which obstruct blood flow and increase the risk of heart attack," the expert noted.
According to Scott, the main causes are obesity, sedentary lifestyle, frequent consumption of fast food, alcohol and nicotine products.
The researcher considered the growth of nicotine use among young people to be particularly worrying. Between 2002 and 2018, the proportion of 18- to 23-year-olds in the U.S. who use cigarettes, vapes, or other nicotine products nearly doubled. Scott emphasized that nicotine damages blood vessels and accelerates the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
