If you want to know why heart attacks come at an early age, then read this simple explanation carefully.
A heart attack at a young age often occurs because of unhealthy lifestyle habits. When children eat the right food according to their body’s calorie requirement and stay active, the food they eat turns into energy. This helps their growth, performing daily physical activities, and maintaining healthy blood vessels.
But when they eat too much junk food, skip physical activity, are glued to the screen all the time, and don’t burn those extra calories. These unused fats and calories start piling up inside their blood vessels, which supply blood and oxygen to the whole body. Over time, this causes blockage of blood vessels, making the heart work harder. Combined with other lifestyle or genetic factors such as stress, obesity, smoking, or family history, these habits can lead to early heart disease and even trigger heart attacks.
Read Also: Managing High Cholesterol: Diet Exercise and Medication
Some of the reasons for or causes of heart attacks at a young age are:
Giant food firms with their enormous marketing are subtly changing your and your kids’ food habits. They push junk food high in sugar, salt, and refined oil for profits. Slowly, you and your kids easily get hooked unknowingly, damaging their hearts early.
How to crackle this: FMCG companies must disclose honest nutritional facts on food packages. They cannot make false health claims or any misleading advertising in India.
Government policies are lacking in strict food regulation. The absence of strict rules on unhealthy food ads and easy availability in or outside school premises makes it hard for youngsters to make the right choice.
How to crackle this: Government policies with private firms or NGOs should support and follow health awareness programs and put hefty fines on heavy junk food marketing, especially targeting kids.
Parents are living a busy life with no time to prepare healthy food and are turning to quick meal preparation like instant noodles or burgers. If parents eat junk food, skip exercise, or smoke, their kids may copy the same lifestyle.
How to crackle this: Parents should set a good example by eating balanced meals, exercising, and avoiding junk food, smoking, or alcohol.
Young kids are curious about the experience of smoking or drinking, and they influence other kids to do the same. This puts extra strain on the young heart.
How to crackle this: Teach your child to say “no” confidently if someone indulges them in bad habits.
You rarely see kids these days running or playing at the park. They are attached to long hours of screen time and no outdoor play means calories turn into unhealthy fat that clogs arteries. This can contribute to the increased cases of heart attack in young kids.
How to crackle this: Encourage your child to have daily playtime or exercise routines such as walking, cycling, or dancing.
Parents and schools for outer validation or ranking at the top are putting too much study or work pressure on young ages. This increases stress hormones (cortisol) that can contribute to heart conditions.
How to crackle this: Teach your child to balance between study, work, and relaxation with yoga, music, or meditation.
Kids are staying up late on gadgets or work, causing sleep disorders. This reduces kids' body repair time, weakening the heart over time.
How to crackle this: Maintain a fixed bedtime routine and keep gadgets away at night to align their circadian rhythm for proper body recovery.
If a child has a family history and genetic disorder, unhealthy habits can trigger an early heart attack even at a young age.
How to crackle this: Take your kid for regular heart check-ups if there is any family history or birth defect and strictly follow a healthy lifestyle.
Note: These common reasons are for educational purposes and may not be the exact reasons. They can directly or indirectly contribute to heart attacks in children; consult your doctor for the right advice.
Read Also: Congenital Heart Disease: Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
As individuals get older, their chances of heart attack increase, and males are more prone to heart attacks compared to females.
Explore this table to get an idea of the risk of heart attack by age.
| Age Group (in years) | Heart Attack Cases | Risk of heart attack by age |
| <40 | 1 in 5 people who are getting heart attacks are under 40. | Smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, overstress, etc. |
| 40–45 | Men started noticing a higher risk of heart attack. In India, over half of heart attacks happen in the 40–69 age group. | High cholesterol, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and long-term stress. |
| 45–55 | The common age for a man’s first heart attack. | Lifestyle and genetics play a big role. |
| 55–72 | Women’s risk increases significantly. The average first heart attack occurs at 72 years. | After menopause, estrogen’s protective effects decrease. |
| >70 | Both sexes' heart attack cases rise significantly after age 70 | Cumulative effects of aging, long-term health issues, decreased protective hormones, and weakened heart function. |
Read Also: Heart Health: Your Essential Guide to a Diet Chart for Heart Patients
Preventing a heart attack at a young age is very crucial for your family’s well-being and the country’s economy.
Here are some tips to prevent a heart attack at a young age:
Read Also: Managing High Blood Pressure: Tips and Strategies
It’s truly disheartening to witness children at a young age experiencing heart attacks. This signals a deeper and more complex problem in the healthcare and wellness ecosystem. While genetics play a role, the increasing cases point to urgent action required from parents, the Indian government, and FMCG companies to ensure transparency, promote kids' healthy eating habits, and protect young hearts.
Q1: What are the causes of a heart attack at a young age?
A: The following are the direct or indirect causes of a heart attack at a young age:
Q2: What are the symptoms of a heart attack at a young age?
A: Heart attack symptoms at a young age include:
Q3: What is the minimum age for a heart attack?
A: There is no minimum age for heart attacks now; cases of heart attacks in young adults as early as their 20s have been documented.
+91 8828828100
Previous
Next
